Forgotten Tag-Teams

[Nash Diesel]

I can't speak for everyone but tag-team wrestling is one of the main reasons I got into wrestling. I remember Demolition's first run as tag champs when they were heels and just loving the look, the music. But how about some of the forgotten tag-teams. Maybe you were a fan of them, maybe you hated them, maybe you had no clue why they were paired together and put on tv more than once. I'll start with one that came to me while listening to Rene Dupree and Paul London's latest podcast with special guest Jack Evans.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Super Crazy. I never understood the pairing, don't remember WHY they teamed up. People don't realize how many makeshift tag-teams were put together that never amounted to anything but teamed up quite a bit. Especially during the Ruthless Aggression era.

[MTR]

Tag team wrestling is my favorite and I typically list Demolition as my favorite team.

I don't remember Duggan and Super Crazy. I may have to dig for that.

I will have to think about this but I am sure I can come up with some stuff.

[Badger]

Austin and Michaels were a great short-lived team in 1997 that not everybody may remember.
Marty Jannetty and the 123-Kid.
Matt Hardy and Tatanka.

To name but a few.

[OD50]

Techno Team 2000 (WWF 1995)
New Breed (FCW/NWA 1986-1987)
Kansas Jay Hawks (NWA 1987)
Thunder & Lightning (WCW 1993'ish)
Mod Squad (NWA 1987)
Fire & Ice (WCW 1996)
Colossal Kongs (WCW 1993'ish)

Not really a fan of any of those teams, although I do like Dutch Mantell and the New Breed had some promise I think, despite the guys being quite young and green at the time. Using Beastie Boys "Fight for your Right" as their entrance theme and claiming to be from "25 years in the future" (2002 to be exact) was pretty fun.

[MTR]

Who were in some of those teams?

I remember Techno Team 2000 and Fire and Ice

[Nash Diesel]

Techno Team 2000 (WWF 1995)
New Breed (FCW/NWA 1986-1987)
Kansas Jay Hawks (NWA 1987)
Thunder & Lightning (WCW 1993'ish)
Mod Squad (NWA 1987)
Fire & Ice (WCW 1996)
Colossal Kongs (WCW 1993'ish)

Not really a fan of any of those teams, although I do like Dutch Mantell and the New Breed had some promise I think, despite the guys being quite young and green at the time. Using Beastie Boys "Fight for your Right" as their entrance theme and claiming to be from "25 years in the future" (2002 to be exact) was pretty fun.

I was a big mark for Fire & Ice. I dug their match they had I think at Hog Wild?

There was a match, I can't remember who was all in it but it was the Kongs and Sting was teaming up with someone, maybe Davey Boy Smith. But Sting slammed them with ease it made me an instant fan of Sting-who up until then I wasn't really that high on.

I will admit I'm not familiar with any of the teams you mentioned from the 80's but looking up some of them like The New Breed, holy shit. I know who Chris Champion (aka Yoshi Kwan-wild right??) and Sean Royal are just never knew or didn't remember the team. but I was also 6 lol.

[Nash Diesel]

Austin and Michaels were a great short-lived team in 1997 that not everybody may remember.
Marty Jannetty and the 123-Kid.
Matt Hardy and Tatanka.

To name but a few.

Matt Hardy and Tatanka was such a random tag-team. Again, another example of the weird booking of the Ruthless Aggression era where you had guys teaming up with no real reason.

RVD talked about this in a couple different shoots where he and Kevin Nash were a tag-team on a few house shows and maybe a tv spot. One day they showed up and saw they were teaming up on the board lol.

[OD50]

New Breed could have been pretty good if they had kept going and gotten more experience I think. Their gimmick was pretty wild considering it was a 1980's southern wrestling territory. They were in a car accident or something I think and never really regained any momentum after that and split up shortly after.

[Donald]

Lo Down (Chaz and D'Lo)
The Heartthrobs
Ric Flair and Roddy Piper (think they won the tag titles at one point, even though they were 78 at the time)

[Nash Diesel]

Lo Down (Chaz and D'Lo)
The Heartthrobs
Ric Flair and Roddy Piper (think they won the tag titles at one point, even though they were 78 at the time)

Taboo Tuesday or Cyber Sunday one or the other lol. I remember those ppvs and the WWE would really try to lean on hoping you'd vote for certain people. One year Shawn had like a really bad knee going into the ppv and the booking was pointing fans to everyone BUT HBK and he won by a landslide. I think with this team the WWE were hoping we'd vote for Dusty but Piper ended up winning. I don't think they realized how few WWE fans cared about Dusty Rhodes v. Ric Flair and how slick that team up would've been.

[mth]

Lo Down (Chaz and D'Lo)
The Heartthrobs
Ric Flair and Roddy Piper (think they won the tag titles at one point, even though they were 78 at the time)

Lo Down was dope before they put them with Tiger Ali and went for that awful cheap heat gimmick.

[Jarrod1983]

William Regal and Tajiri. I really enjoyed those two together.

[Nash Diesel]

Paul London and Billy Kidman
RVD and Booker T
RVD and Rey Mysterio-I think a lot of people forget about this team but then remember how badass they were together.

[Jarrod1983]

I liked RVD and Mysterio because they'd do that 4:20 leg drop. Michael Cole would always explain they called it that because they had 4 legs and I can't remember what the 20 was. Maybe length of their combined legs or some bullshit. Cole would go through the whole schpiel and I always thought it'd be so much simpler to just say they get high together.

Paul London and Billy Kidman was a dam good team. I remember them having a good match (maybe No Mercy 04?) when they split too.

[VHS]

I liked RVD and Mysterio because they'd do that 4:20 leg drop. Michael Cole would always explain they called it that because they had 4 legs and I can't remember what the 20 was. Maybe length of their combined legs or some bullshit. Cole would go through the whole schpiel and I always thought it'd be so much simpler to just say they get high together.

Paul London and Billy Kidman was a dam good team. I remember them having a good match (maybe No Mercy 04?) when they split too.

Was that the feud where he hit the SSP on London who was on a stretcher?

[Jarrod1983]

I believe so. I remember Chavo took a SSP from Kidman with Kidman's knee hitting Chavo in the head, injuring him. Kidman turned and was hitting everyone with it.

[VHS]

I believe so. I remember Chavo took a SSP from Kidman with Kidman's knee hitting Chavo in the head, injuring him. Kidman turned and was hitting everyone with it.

Those Kidman days were very disappointing because I’ve always been a mark for the guy. When he entered a stretch where he was botching the SSP and actually hurting ppl, I knew things were winding down for him. He turned heel and it really went nowhere ultimately. I’ll always be pop for those Jean shorts and tank top tho.

[Jarrod1983]

Kane and The Hurricane.

[Nash Diesel]

My son mentioned Eddie Guerrero and Tajiri-former tag-team champions.

[mth]

Kane and The Boogeyman for about two weeks. Then someone got injured and Kane had to get rushed into the top title scene, I think, so it ended before it really got going. Could have been a pretty fun team if it lasted.

[OD50]

Anyone except me remember the Rock n' Roll RPM's? They were pretty much AWA's discount Rock n' Roll Express. The AWA also tried to push the Top Guns as the stereotypical young, good looking face tag-team. The AWA also tried their version of the NWA's Russians (Nikita/Ivan Koloff and Krusher Kruschev) with Soldat Ustinov and Boris Zhukov. It didn't last long since Zhukov defected to the WWF to join Nikolai Volkoff in the Bolsheviks instead. Also in the AWA DJ Petersen and JT Southern were pushed to be a big face team.

Most people remember The Orient Express 2.0 and the Beverly Brothers but do they remember the Destruction Crew and Badd Company..? Speaking of Badd Company there also was Bad Company in Stampede, Brian Pillman and Bruce Hart. Not sure how well remembered the New Foundation (Jim Neidhart/Owen Hart) and High Energy (Owen Hart/Koko B. Ware) are. Also, before the Islanders, Haku teamed semi-regularly with Sivi Afi and Ricky Steamboat in 1986. Haku also very briefly teamed up again with Sivi Afi (High Chief Afi?) after Tama left in 1988 to continue the Islanders gimmick. The Islanders actually were a three-man unit for a match or two. For a couple of months or so before Billy Jack Haynes left the WWF he and Ken Patera were pretty much a regular tag-team. They were probably mostly put together to put over Demolition. Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo as the US Express are pretty well known but the later Mike Rotundo/Danny Spivey US Express version maybe not as much. They only lasted for six months or so I think before Rotundo jumped back to Florida and JCP.

Also; Well Dunn (WWF 1995), Hot Stuff International (Sting & Rick Steiner UWF 1987), The Russian Assassins (NWA 1988), Manny Fernandez & Lazer Tron (NWA 1987), Greg Valentine & Terry Taylor (WCW 1992), American Starship (Scott Hall/Danny Spivey) and High Voltage (WCW 1997'ish).

I'm not sure if this actually happened or if I dreamt it but I have vague memories of seeing a promo video of Crush teaming up with Animal replacing Hawk in LOD.

/One team/faction that gets a bit of flack but I actually think was pretty entertaining was the York Foundation with Richard Morton, Thomas Rich and Terrance Taylor (managed by Alexandra York/Terri Runnels). Same for the Young Pistols/Wild Eyed Southern Boys, although the cowboy gimmick was pretty lame. They were basically a better version of the Smokin' Gunns.

[Badger]

I'm not sure if this actually happened or if I dreamt it but I have vague memories of seeing a promo video of Crush teaming up with Animal replacing Hawk in LOD.

Yeah they were teaming up at live/house shows but then it never came to pass after that when Animal left.

[OD50]

Nice.

[Donald]

Snitsky and Heidenreich

[Jarrod1983]

Snitsky and Heidenreich

The vignette where Snitsky tells Heidenreich he likes his poetry and Heidenreich inreturn complements what Snitsky does to babies is timeless. When either gets brought up I think of that backstage segment. I want to say it was Survivor Series 04 because there was talk of it being those two vs. Undertaker and Kane at Mania the following year.

[Jarrod1983]

Scotty 2 Hotty and "The Hip Hop Hippo" Albert.

[Badger]

Viscera and Charlie Haas when they both turned on Lilian.

[ckauffman28]

I remember Kane and Hurricane as Hurri-Kane
when wcw was sold i remember random teams like Hugh Morris and Kanyon teaming up randomly

[Nash Diesel]

Anyone except me remember the Rock n' Roll RPM's? They were pretty much AWA's discount Rock n' Roll Express. The AWA also tried to push the Top Guns as the stereotypical young, good looking face tag-team. The AWA also tried their version of the NWA's Russians (Nikita/Ivan Koloff and Krusher Kruschev) with Soldat Ustinov and Boris Zhukov. It didn't last long since Zhukov defected to the WWF to join Nikolai Volkoff in the Bolsheviks instead. Also in the AWA DJ Petersen and JT Southern were pushed to be a big face team.

Most people remember The Orient Express 2.0 and the Beverly Brothers but do they remember the Destruction Crew and Badd Company..? Speaking of Badd Company there also was Bad Company in Stampede, Brian Pillman and Bruce Hart. Not sure how well remembered the New Foundation (Jim Neidhart/Owen Hart) and High Energy (Owen Hart/Koko B. Ware) are. Also, before the Islanders, Haku teamed semi-regularly with Sivi Afi and Ricky Steamboat in 1986. Haku also very briefly teamed up again with Sivi Afi (High Chief Afi?) after Tama left in 1988 to continue the Islanders gimmick. The Islanders actually were a three-man unit for a match or two. For a couple of months or so before Billy Jack Haynes left the WWF he and Ken Patera were pretty much a regular tag-team. They were probably mostly put together to put over Demolition. Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo as the US Express are pretty well known but the later Mike Rotundo/Danny Spivey US Express version maybe not as much. They only lasted for six months or so I think before Rotundo jumped back to Florida and JCP.

Also; Well Dunn (WWF 1995), Hot Stuff International (Sting & Rick Steiner UWF 1987), The Russian Assassins (NWA 1988), Manny Fernandez & Lazer Tron (NWA 1987), Greg Valentine & Terry Taylor (WCW 1992), American Starship (Scott Hall/Danny Spivey) and High Voltage (WCW 1997'ish).

I'm not sure if this actually happened or if I dreamt it but I have vague memories of seeing a promo video of Crush teaming up with Animal replacing Hawk in LOD.

/One team/faction that gets a bit of flack but I actually think was pretty entertaining was the York Foundation with Richard Morton, Thomas Rich and Terrance Taylor (managed by Alexandra York/Terri Runnels). Same for the Young Pistols/Wild Eyed Southern Boys, although the cowboy gimmick was pretty lame. They were basically a better version of the Smokin' Gunns.

I definitely remember the Rock N Roll RPMs lol. I watched AWA and GWF on ESPN religiously when I was very young.

A lot of those early 90's WCW tag-teams fighting for the US tag-titles were some of the more entertaining tag matches. WCW/NWA had a much better tag division than WWF did in the 90's until I'd say 1999 when Edge/Christian, Hardyz, and Dudleyz came into their own. But even those mash up teams like Valentine and the Taylor Made Man were kinda cool.

[OD50]

The WWF tag division in say 1993 was pretty good with the Steiner Brothers, Heavenly Bodies, the Headshrinkers, Money Inc. and the Quebecers. In 1994-1996 we had Well Dunn, Tekno Team 2000, M.O.M, the Smokin Gunns, the Bodydonnas and the Godwinns not exactly setting the world on fire.

[Nash Diesel]

The WWF tag division in say 1993 was pretty good with the Steiner Brothers, Heavenly Bodies, the Headshrinkers, Money Inc. and the Quebecers. In 1994-1996 we had Well Dunn, Tekno Team 2000, M.O.M, the Smokin Gunns, the Bodydonnas and the Godwinns not exactly setting the world on fire.

Early early 90's WWF tag wrestling wasn't horrible.

[Badger]

Bushwhackers should’ve had a reign. Rockers should’ve had a recognised one.

[Nash Diesel]

William Regal and Dave Taylor in WWE.

[Mazer]

Tag team wrestling is my favorite and I typically list Demolition as my favorite team.

I don't remember Duggan and Super Crazy. I may have to dig for that.

I will have to think about this but I am sure I can come up with some stuff.

Remember when Hacksaw Jim Duggan teamed up with Nikolai Volkov to fight the Orient Express?


Pepperidge Farm remembers

[3puppies]

Tony Garea and Dean Ho.

It is easy to remember Tony Garea's first tag title partner Haystacks Calhoun, because of a promo Classy Freddie Blassie cut on them while they were tag champs, and Blassie was managing their rivals, Professor Tanaka and Mr. Fuji. Blassie called them "Fatty and Skinny went to bed, Fatty rolled over and Skinny was dead." Heel Blassie at his most entertaining. Garea and Haystacks lost the title back to Blassie's foreign legion.

While Garea had a longer reign as tag champ with Dean Ho, and others runs with Zybysko and later Rick Martel, his tag team with Dean Ho has been forgotten by most.

Professor Tanaka himself deserves a shout out in this category, as he had another occasional tag partner some of us may recall. Gorilla Monsoon.

[Mazer]

Also, there's a lot of disrespect to the BodyDonnas in this thread.

[Nash Diesel]

Also, there's a lot of disrespect to the BodyDonnas in this thread.

They along with Sunny were the first pro wrestlers I ever met. They were the tag champs and were in town hyping a Superstars taping I think that was going down a few days after IYH Good Friends Better Enemies. It was a Fox Family Fun fair and my best friend and I were kicked out for trying to do wrestling moves in one of those giant inflatable boxing rings with the oversized gloves. Dude got mad I hit him with a clean uppercat and gave me the brainbuster lol.

They were technically sound but a product of a bad era. I rarely ever lump them in with the bad gimmicks of the time because I've always enjoyed the gimmick of the dickhead workout guru types. Especially after seeing the movie Heavyweights lol.

[WWXChairman]

Buff Bagwell and Konnan?

[Psycho666Soldier]

Tazz and Spike Dudley
Air Boom(Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston)

[ckauffman28]

John Cena and Kidman... they competed in the 2002 tag team tournament on smackdown

[McBain]

Lo Down was dope before they put them with Tiger Ali and went for that awful cheap heat gimmick.

Agreed - I enjoyed Lo Down at the time. Best thing on Heat.

[WWXChairman]

Jim Neidhart and Krusher Kruschev. One of, if not the only, non-Foundation related tag teams Neidhart was in.

[Nash Diesel]

Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre. I didn't get to watch Smackdown unless it came through the local CW affiliate at 11pm on a Sunday night. If the news ran long due to football or whatever they wouldn't even show it they'd just play reruns of King of Queens. I barely remember them but I know they were tag champs.

Tazz and Spike Dudley
Air Boom(Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston)

Air Boom was awesome.

[Psycho666Soldier]

Cody/Drew was one of the teams around when I first got back into wrestling, and that was my first introduction to both of them. Weren't they tag champs for like 5 seconds?

Also, I second loving Air Boom. Felt kinda forced at first, but they were really coming into their own when Bourne got suspended. They tried to do R-Boom afterward with R-Truth and it was nowhere near the same.

This suddenly reminded me of R-Truth's heel run where he smoked a cigarette in the arena. I know this off-topic, but damn was that a cool run at first

[Badger]

Rhodes Scholars need more love.
As does Mizdow.

Googling Sandow to see what he was up to and had no idea he retired in June. Damn.

[Murphy]

William Regal and Tajiri. I really enjoyed those two together.

YES!!!

[Badger]

Not just for their in-ring skills but the facial expressions alone made the team great.

[Nash Diesel]

Cody/Drew was one of the teams around when I first got back into wrestling, and that was my first introduction to both of them. Weren't they tag champs for like 5 seconds?

Also, I second loving Air Boom. Felt kinda forced at first, but they were really coming into their own when Bourne got suspended. They tried to do R-Boom afterward with R-Truth and it was nowhere near the same.

This suddenly reminded me of R-Truth's heel run where he smoked a cigarette in the arena. I know this off-topic, but damn was that a cool run at first

R-Truth's heel run is a forgotten gem in WWE. He was a hard guy to hate. Awesome Truth.....Just didn't feel right.

[Badger]

I rewatched No Mercy 2000 and forgot that Tazz and Raven were a team for a bit.

[Donald]

Heidenreich and Animal

[Psycho666Soldier]

R-Truth's heel run is a forgotten gem in WWE. He was a hard guy to hate. Awesome Truth.....Just didn't feel right.

It was kind of a weird pairing, but props to both guys for putting their all into it. And honestly, I feel they cut the legs off from that too soon. Story-wise it had a lot of potential when they were trying to disrupt Triple H's regime. But losing to Rock and Cena right after just killed that.

Now I'm thinking of a world where they led to that match for Wrestlemania and let Punk/Jericho main event, then set up the real "Once in a Lifetime" for WrestleMania 29 instead of it being a rematch. Not sure it would have been worth it, but you could milk two WrestleMania matches out of The Rock without blowing the Cena/Rock load.

[Nash Diesel]

It was kind of a weird pairing, but props to both guys for putting their all into it. And honestly, I feel they cut the legs off from that too soon. Story-wise it had a lot of potential when they were trying to disrupt Triple H's regime. But losing to Rock and Cena right after just killed that.

Now I'm thinking of a world where they led to that match for Wrestlemania and let Punk/Jericho main event, then set up the real "Once in a Lifetime" for WrestleMania 29 instead of it being a rematch. Not sure it would have been worth it, but you could milk two WrestleMania matches out of The Rock without blowing the Cena/Rock load.

So you would then have back to back Mania's with John Cena and The Miz fighting each other. IDK if I'd waste a Rock Mania match on Miz/R-Truth. It was just an odd pairing and R-Truth trying to be serious was hard to get behind. It felt like the team was put together just to use the name "Awesome Truth" like Vince or someone thought that sounded cool. Kind of like JeriShow, ShowMiz, Y2AJ lol. Just these stupid "Brangelina" names.

[VHS]

It was kind of a weird pairing, but props to both guys for putting their all into it. And honestly, I feel they cut the legs off from that too soon. Story-wise it had a lot of potential when they were trying to disrupt Triple H's regime. But losing to Rock and Cena right after just killed that.

Now I'm thinking of a world where they led to that match for Wrestlemania and let Punk/Jericho main event, then set up the real "Once in a Lifetime" for WrestleMania 29 instead of it being a rematch. Not sure it would have been worth it, but you could milk two WrestleMania matches out of The Rock without blowing the Cena/Rock load.

When Miz and Truth showed up at HIAC 2011 and completely fucked the main event, that was one of the coolest endings ever. There's a moment where Truth goes right up to a cameraman and just decks him, and we get the cam's POV.... lord that was good. And the whole locker room shaking the entire thing just to get the damn cage open, only for Truth/Miz to go to their knees once the cops use the bolt cutters to get inside.

JR yelling GET IN THERE!!! GET IN THERE!!!!

In an era of blah, that always stuck out to me.

[WWXChairman]

Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bradshaw.

[Bluegunn]

Also, there's a lot of disrespect to the BodyDonnas in this thread.

I would not call it that. Probably more we remember.

My forgotten team only teamed at a house show but the Romas. Paul Roma was attempting a comeback with his cousin Alex. The team never made it to tv.

[Donald]

Speaking of Paul Roma, Power & Glory was one of my favorite tag teams in the early 90s.

[Badger]

It was a good time then for many tag teams. Money Inc., Steiners, Legion or Doom, Natural Disasters, Nasty Boys to name but a few!

Also don’t mind the BodyDonnas. Solid workers but well overshadowed by their valet lol. Cloudy!

[Donald]

I think Power & Glory's finisher, the superplex followed by a splash, was one of the best tag finishers

[Nash Diesel]

Power and Glory were solid. I think they did one of those fake title wins where they won it on a house show but they did something illegal so they restarted the match and lost. Pretty sure it was the Hart Foundation (imagine that). I definitely think Power and Glroy and the Rockers deserved tag title reigns. Especially when you think about some of the teams that were getting the nod. Nasty Boys? Weak.

[mrluck_07]

Definitely don't remember Hardy & Tatanka or Austin & Bradshaw. But then again I don't remember much from Tatanka's return run.

[mth]

All I remember from Tatanka's return run was at some point he turned heel (on Lashley?) and then cut a promo wearing facepaint that was flaking off while he talked...

[Bluegunn]

Speaking of the BodyDonnas remember when Rad Radford was a brief member?

[OD50]

I think Power & Glory's finisher, the superplex followed by a splash, was one of the best tag finishers

The PowerPlex, pretty damn impressive timing on that move.

Power and Glory were solid. I think they did one of those fake title wins where they won it on a house show but they did something illegal so they restarted the match and lost. Pretty sure it was the Hart Foundation (imagine that). I definitely think Power and Glroy and the Rockers deserved tag title reigns. Especially when you think about some of the teams that were getting the nod. Nasty Boys? Weak.

I think they could have been great if they had been together longer, very similar to the Hart Foundation in the power guy/speed guy set-up. If memory serves me they first teamed up in the summer of 1990 and only lasted until a while following WMVII. I would have loved to see P&G kind of take the 1985-1988 heel Hart Foundation role.

I saw Roma talk in a shoot about both him and Hercules being pretty badly injured at mania and that's why the match with LOD only lasted seconds. I think he was pissed that he had to take the Doomsday Device despite him being badly fucked up (shoulder? Neck?).

[Nash Diesel]

The PowerPlex, pretty damn impressive timing on that move.


I think they could have been great if they had been together longer, very similar to the Hart Foundation in the power guy/speed guy set-up. If memory serves me they first teamed up in the summer of 1990 and only lasted until a while following WMVII. I would have loved to see P&G kind of take the 1985-1988 heel Hart Foundation role.

I saw Roma talk in a shoot about both him and Hercules being pretty badly injured at mania and that's why the match with LOD only lasted seconds. I think he was pissed that he had to take the Doomsday Device despite him being badly fucked up (shoulder? Neck?).

W7 was the burial ground for 3 teams: Hart Foundation, Demolition, and Power & Glory. It was also the last ppv we saw The Rockers team up but they at least won.

[WWXChairman]

Speaking of the BodyDonnas remember when Rad Radford was a brief member?

I remember it being rad, if that’s what you mean.

[OD50]

W7 was the burial ground for 3 teams: Hart Foundation, Demolition, and Power & Glory. It was also the last ppv we saw The Rockers team up but they at least won.

It might be a bit harsh since I haven't seen the match in 31 years, but I remember thinking that the Demolition/SWS match was absolutely atrocious. At the time I was a bit pissed that P&G got jobbed in seconds but in hindsight I guess it was the only way without cancelling the match since neither Herc or Roma was in any condition to have a proper tussle. It also gave them a PPV payoff and got LOD a big, first WM win before going after the tag titles.

[Nash Diesel]

It might be a bit harsh since I haven't seen the match in 31 years, but I remember thinking that the Demolition/SWS match was absolutely atrocious. At the time I was a bit pissed that P&G got jobbed in seconds but in hindsight I guess it was the only way without cancelling the match since neither Herc or Roma was in any condition to have a proper tussle. It also gave them a PPV payoff and got LOD a big, first WM win before going after the tag titles.

When you look up the match times you realize, this is how they were able to fit 13 matches on a 2 hour Mania ppv. Half the matches were under 5 minutes including Mountie v. Tito which was 2 minutes. Imagine being Tito Santana and you're being told you have 2 minutes and you're basically getting squashed? Different era of wrestling for sure.

I never knew that about P&G being hurt so that explains the squash.

What I want to know is what did Demolition do to deserve that WM 7 loss? Again, a different era. I think if Tenryu had a different partner we would look back on that match a little differently. 30 years later and Demolition, one of the most successful tag teams in wrestling history, lost to an iconic pro wrestler and a piece of shit sumo.

[OD50]

Probably just throwing a bone to Tenryu because of the partnership, or whatever it was they were doing with SWS at the time. And I didn't know it at the time of course but Smash and Crush sort of got it back six days later when they beat Nakano/Takano at SWS Wrestlefest in the Tokyo Dome.

And I love Demolition, but at Mania 7 they were only Demolition in name, Ax was long gone and Smash and Crush had been jobbed out like 100 times to LOD and the Rockers leading up to the show. The Smash/Crush team only lasted a little over a month after WM7 as well, they had their last WWF match on May 2. Demolition/LOD is one of those dream matches that actually happened but it would have been better if it didn't, it would have been massive in 1987-1989, but in 1990-1991 it was pretty much dog shit.

[Nash Diesel]

Probably just throwing a bone to Tenryu because of the partnership, or whatever it was they were doing with SWS at the time. And I didn't know it at the time of course but Smash and Crush sort of got it back six days later when they beat Nakano/Takano at SWS Wrestlefest in the Tokyo Dome.

And I love Demolition, but at Mania 7 they were only Demolition in name, Ax was long gone and Smash and Crush had been jobbed out like 100 times to LOD and the Rockers leading up to the show. The Smash/Crush team only lasted a little over a month after WM7 as well, they had their last WWF match on May 2. Demolition/LOD is one of those dream matches that actually happened but it would have been better if it didn't, it would have been massive in 1987-1989, but in 1990-1991 it was pretty much dog shit.

I think the only time I remember seeing LOD and Demolition work a match against each other was that Survivor Series 1990 match. I do agree that while I would've liked to have seen LOD v. Demolition have a blowoff at Rumble or Mania 7, the time to have it was definitely when Ax was part of the team. Different time we would've seen them wrestle on a September ppv after Demolition lost the straps to the Harts at Summerslam 1990. But like with Hogan/Flair apparently the matches weren't good on the house shows so we got what we got at Mania 7.

[OD50]

Yeah, same. I'm looking up the matches now and it seems they only had one actual tag match with each other on proper television, it was on Wrestling Challenge (January 1, 1991) and LOD won by DQ after 4:14. Other than that LOD beat Smash and Crush in 2:58 on the MSG Network and LOD and the Ultimate Warrior beat Demolition (Ax, Smash and Crush) in 5:38 on Saturday Night's Main Event. All other matches seems to be at non-televised house shows, besides Survivor Series of course. So yeah, not exactly an awe inspiring feud. I'm not kidding but I remember reading my old wrestling mags in like 1987-1988 and LOD/Demolition was the #2 dream match being talked about besides Flair/Hogan.

[Nash Diesel]

Yeah, same. I'm looking up the matches now and it seems they only had one actual tag match with each other on proper television, it was on Wrestling Challenge (January 1, 1991) and LOD won by DQ after 4:14. Other than that LOD beat Smash and Crush in 2:58 on the MSG Network and LOD and the Ultimate Warrior beat Demolition (Ax, Smash and Crush) in 5:38 on Saturday Night's Main Event. All other matches seems to be at non-televised house shows, besides Survivor Series of course. So yeah, not exactly an awe inspiring feud. I'm not kidding but I remember reading my old wrestling mags in like 1987-1988 and LOD/Demolition was the #2 dream match being talked about besides Flair/Hogan.

I did not have much knowledge of the Road Warriors as I didn't watch a ton of NWA in the 80's. They were on the cover of a Nintendo game and I remember renting Starrcade 1989 with the round robin tournament. I'm sure I saw them wrestle on tv a few times but my true introduction would've been them coming to WWF in mid 1990. The dream match for sure was LOD v. Demolition. When I got older and read up on Demolition being a knock off it made me wish we had a proper feud between the two. I guess Powers of Pain v. Demolition was close enough lol.

Flair v. Hogan not happening is just total nonsense no matter how you slice it. But even then Vince wasn't booking for the die hard wrestling fans. Still....You'd think Ric Flair was a big enough name in wrestling and probably outside of it as well that Hogan v. Flair=marquee Mania match. Savage v. Flair was awesome don't get me wrong but they would've done that match as well.

[WWXChairman]

Brooklyn Brawler and Barry Horowitz.

[Nash Diesel]

Hell yeah you knew a tag-team was getting the push if they paired up any of the holy trinity of enhancement talent (Barry, Brawler, and Iron Mike Sharpe).

[mrluck_07]

Tony Garea and Dean Ho.

It is easy to remember Tony Garea's first tag title partner Haystacks Calhoun, because of a promo Classy Freddie Blassie cut on them while they were tag champs, and Blassie was managing their rivals, Professor Tanaka and Mr. Fuji. Blassie called them "Fatty and Skinny went to bed, Fatty rolled over and Skinny was dead." Heel Blassie at his most entertaining. Garea and Haystacks lost the title back to Blassie's foreign legion.

While Garea had a longer reign as tag champ with Dean Ho, and others runs with Zybysko and later Rick Martel, his tag team with Dean Ho has been forgotten by most.

Professor Tanaka himself deserves a shout out in this category, as he had another occasional tag partner some of us may recall. Gorilla Monsoon.

It might be generational. Garea/Ho did get a mention some yrs back when WWE made a Top 50 Greatest WWE Tag Teams list.

[Bluegunn]

Hell yeah you knew a tag-team was getting the push if they paired up any of the holy trinity of enhancement talent (Barry, Brawler, and Iron Mike Sharpe).

Reno Riggins was also part of that group.

But speaking of enhancement. Al snow and Justin credible teamed up. The team of Steve Moore and pj walker and later on as Aldo Montoya and Avatar.

[WWXChairman]

Big Bubba Rogers and Stevie Ray. I wonder how many would remember much about Ray outside of Harlem Heat.

[Nash Diesel]

Big Bubba Rogers and Stevie Ray. I wonder how many would remember much about Ray outside of Harlem Heat.

Not much he did outside of Harlem Heat. nWo Black and White and the weird TV title reign he had where he was defending it on behalf of Booker T while he was out with an injury. Other than that yeah I don't remember anything that didn't have to do with Harlem Heat. He does have a good podcast if it still exists.

[OD50]

Well, on that topic (and forgotten tag-teams).. What about Harlem Heat 2000?

[Nash Diesel]

Well, on that topic (and forgotten tag-teams).. What about Harlem Heat 2000?

Brutal. LOVED Ahmed Johnson, didn't give one care about how sloppy he was. He was the only black dude since the early 80's with Rocky and Tony as tag champs that wasn't a jobber and/or a goof lowercarder. Seriously I can't think of any black dudes that were given any kind of real push other than I guess Butch Reed until Ahmed came around. Mabel I guess lol, but that was just a shitshow of a push that shouldn't have happened.

Big T though....yikes.

[OD50]

JYD and Bad News Brown got pretty decent pushes. Yeah, I was a fan of Ahmed Johnson as well for a bit, probably mostly in 1996.

[Nash Diesel]

JYD and Bad News Brown got pretty decent pushes. Yeah, I was a fan of Ahmed Johnson as well for a bit, probably mostly in 1996.

Very true about JYD and Bad News but I would also say JYD was kind of in the goofy category when he finally got to the WWF. Bad News, I never believed his story about how he was going to beat Hogan for the belt as it seems everyone during that time was supposedly going to either BE Hulk Hogan before Hogan got there or they were next in line.

It is kind of funny hearing people bury Ahmed. But I thought he was going to beat Shawn Michaels and then he got hurt. We were robbed of that match!

[Bluegunn]

Not sure if hbk would allow it. Wasn't the original plan Ahmed vs Vader before the clique put a stop to it

[WWXChairman]

Let’s also not forget that Harlem Heat was known by The Ebony Experience, The Ghetto Blasters, and The Black Bombers in other promotions.

Interestingly, as the Ebony Experience they wrestled the team of Krusher Kong and The Awesome Kong.

[OD50]

Very true about JYD and Bad News but I would also say JYD was kind of in the goofy category when he finally got to the WWF. Bad News, I never believed his story about how he was going to beat Hogan for the belt as it seems everyone during that time was supposedly going to either BE Hulk Hogan before Hogan got there or they were next in line.

I'm guessing that JYD's original push stalled after a bit since he had put on a lot of weight and according to some wrestlers he was really difficult to work with since he was barely mobile in the ring and also had pretty severe drug issues going on at the time. From what I have heard and read Terry Funk pretty much packed his bags and left because he just couldn't take working with JYD every night. For the first year or so in the WWF JYD was positioned as a top baby face, teaming with Hogan on television, won the Wrestling Classic tournament and challenged for the IC title at WrestleMania, pretty big deals at the time. His feud with Harley Race leading into WMIII was also a pretty big deal, I'd dare say their match was #4 in relevancy at WMII after Hogan/André, Savage/Steamboat and Piper/Adonis.

After WMIII it seems the dog pretty much floundered and didn't do much of note besides being in the WMIV battle royal and going into a whip vs. chain feud with Ron Bass following mania. I don't think too much ever came of that as the Dog was gone just before Survivor Series '88. He played the odd man out in the Rick Rude/Jake Roberts feud at SummerSlam '88 too.

Imagine if we had seen the jacked, lean and mean JYD from 1982'ish Mid-South in the WWF..

[WWXChairman]

Rob Van Dam/Jeff Hardy
Eddie Guerrero/Booker T

[3puppies]

Jose Estrada, and Jose Luis Rivera. They might have completely been forgotten as a tag team if Edge and Christian hadn't temporarily revived their gimmick, as Uno and Dos, aka, the Conquistadors.

In an earlier iteration, Rivera had essentially the same gimmick, same masks, as the Shadows, when he teamed with Randy Colley (formerly the original Smash in Demolition, before that he was Moon Dog Rex).

Edge and Christian pretending to be the Conquistadores after losing to the Hardyz, under a stipulation that they wouldn't get another title shot, was great storytelling, especially when Matt and Jeff turned the tables on them.

[WWXChairman]

Billy Kidman and John Cena.

[Eddie Brock]

Christian will always be remembered for E&C, but I also enjoyed his runs with Chris Jericho and Lance Storm in 2002.

Kane and Mankind were a team for a bit. They won the titles at one point.

I kind of remember Bradshaw teaming with Taka Michinoku for a hot minute.

[Nash Diesel]

Christian will always be remembered for E&C, but I also enjoyed his runs with Chris Jericho and Lance Storm in 2002.

Kane and Mankind were a team for a bit. They won the titles at one point.

I kind of remember Bradshaw teaming with Taka Michinoku for a hot minute.

Kane and Mankind are a pretty memorable team but that could also be due to them being key players in the Attitude Era. Plus I just watched a 4 corners match with them v. Austin/Taker (tag champs) v. New Age Outlawz v. The Rock/D-Lo Brown.

Bradshaw/Taka was such a weird pairing I did forget about that. That had to have been like right before the Acolytes right? I remember a tag match with Bradshaw/Terry Funk v. Farooq/Scorpio. After the match, Bradshaw and Farooq turn on their partners and the rest is history.

I was a big fan of Christian teaming with Storm and Jericho. Especially when him and Jericho had that storyline with Lita and Trish.

[Bluegunn]

Would not mind seeing Drew and Cody reunite thier short forgotten tag team

[WWXChairman]

Former World Tag Team Champions 1–2-3 Kid and Marty Jannetty.

[Bluegunn]

You know, kinda odd that the rockers have win the tag titles with other partners and not together outside of the phantom win

[Nash Diesel]

Would not mind seeing Drew and Cody reunite thier short forgotten tag team

I didn't watch a ton of Smackdown because our local affiliate would show it super late on Sunday nights. I just remember not understanding the pairing. Was it that they were the "future" of the business? I actually think them teaming up, winning the tag titles again would be pretty interesting. Or just teaming up in general.

You know, kinda odd that the rockers have win the tag titles with other partners and not together outside of the phantom win

Yeah if they booked that era like they do today The Rockers would've been at least 3-4 time tag champs before they broke up.

I just watched Survivor Series 1994 and there's the opening match with Marty and 123 Kid leading opposing teams. WWF had some really good wrestlers, just saddled with odd costumes and/or gimmicks.

[Badger]

That was 1995. 1994 Kid was a part of “The Bad Guys” vs “The Teamsters”.

[Donald]

How are any of these forgotten if we're talking about them?

[Nash Diesel]

That was 1995. 1994 Kid was a part of “The Bad Guys” vs “The Teamsters”.

Oh shit that's right I forgot that I watched 1994 and then the first half of 1995 last night. Full disclosure I did skip the Lawler/Doink midget match because it's long and terrible--yet I didn't skip the Lex/Mabel/Adam Bomb/Smoking Gunnz v. Tatanka/King Kong/Bigelow/Bodies match.....

1995 was another good one I'm going to finish it tonight. Diesel v. Bret arguably match of the year in 1995.

How are any of these forgotten if we're talking about them?

Forgot about them until they were brought up.

[Badger]

Oh shit that's right I forgot that I watched 1994 and then the first half of 1995 last night. Full disclosure I did skip the Lawler/Doink midget match because it's long and terrible--yet I didn't skip the Lex/Mabel/Adam Bomb/Smoking Gunnz v. Tatanka/King Kong/Bigelow/Bodies match.....

1995 was another good one I'm going to finish it tonight. Diesel v. Bret arguably match of the year in 1995.



Forgot about them until they were brought up.

Survivor Series 1994 was actually one of my first VHS (pun kinda intended) video tapes as a kid.

I rewatched the Teamsters and Guts and Glory matches to death. Bret/Backlund as well and it is looong but the pay-off with Owen feigning concern for Bret and merking his parents is so worth it!

[Nash Diesel]

Survivor Series 1994 was actually one of my first VHS (pun kinda intended) video tapes as a kid.

I rewatched the Teamsters and Guts and Glory matches to death. Bret/Backlund as well and it is looong but the pay-off with Owen feigning concern for Bret and merking his parents is so worth it!

Vince and Monsoon doing commentary together was cool too. Chuck Norris lol

[Badger]

Vince and Monsoon doing commentary together was cool too. Chuck Norris lol

I was hoping Chuck was gonna get into it with Bam Bam and Bundy even if that was a distraction for IRS to run in but kicking Jarrett when he ran down later made up for it lol.

Bring him to AEW at 82 and do it again.

[OD50]

Vince and Monsoon doing commentary together was cool too. Chuck Norris lol

Man, I think I've only seen Vince and Gorilla do commentary together once or twice. Seemed to me they were more or less competing to see who could be more hyped and shout the loudest..