Smackdown Tag Team Title Tournament - Who's Team Number 8?

[Trill Co$by]

After courageously walking through the sea of potentially dangerous fans, the same ones who throw briefcases, Heath Slater walked into the ring and asked that he not be added to the Smackdown roster, but also be added to the Tag Team Championship tournament on the grounds that he find himself a partner. And in doing so, he was given a match against... and I quote, "another tag team to make this an eight team tournament".

So with the show progressing, we all saw it. Heath found him a War Machine of a partner... even after begging the legendary enforcer Arn Anderson to tag with him. And now, he's been added to the tournament with his partner. But there's a question we didn't get answered.

Who is team number 8? We witnessed four of the eight teams participate last night with American Alpha and the Usos knocking off BreezAngo and the Ascension respectively. We also know that the Hype Bros and Vaudevillains remain in the tournament. But who quite possibly is going to be the eighth and final tag team?

Could it be a returning Luke Harper and Eric Rowan? Could Smackdown have secretly pulled one of on Raw and found a way to sign the Dudley Boyz? Could Los Conquitodores have finally returned to the WWE? Or could we see a new tag team form? Rowan and Corbin were speaking before the show, so maybe they could be forming an alliance? How about Crews and Kalisto? Or maybe we could see a tag team returning from the past that WWE has signed and have somehow kept quiet?

Who could it be? This tag team that they did see? Can you help me guess this mystery?

 

[@smarkmouth]

Bryan talked up the tag titles by speaking of his success in the division, without mentioning the name of his partner. In turn, I was hoping that Heath Slater would somehow recruit Kane to help him win the tournament. Since that's a no go, I wouldn't be surprised to see Kane on Team 8.

As for his partner, I imagine it will have to be someone with about as much going on as Kane. Doesn't seem Kalisto/Corbin is resolved, so I wouldn't count on either of them. Rowan might be an interesting choice.

I don't know, but it sounds like a no-win scenario for Team 8. May as well be two of the guys Strowman has squished in the last few weeks.

 

[legendkiller1979]

It really doesn't matter. They might as well cancel the tournament and hand the belts to American Alpha. And if they don't win the tournament, they will have the belts within the month.

 

[Gallops77]

Honestly, I'm hoping the 8th team is a surprise veteran tag team that ends up winning it all. Have them be the big heel team that defeats American Alpha and holds the titles, barely beating Alpha a couple of times until a big payoff match where American Alpha finally overcomes and wins the titles.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

It's probably be kane and somebody else that normally wrestles exclusively on main event unless they called up a team like blake anrd murphy to be the 8th team. Either way this is all a set up to have heath and rhyno to the finals of the tournament and even maybe wins the belt somehow.

 

[enviousdominous]

Honestly, I'm hoping the 8th team is a surprise veteran tag team that ends up winning it all.

I'm right there with you bud, and I'm thinking that I'll mark out like a dog in a butcher shop if the tag team introduced at 30:40 of the following vid is a surprise entrant:

[youtube]Drzj4XxAbDM[/youtube]

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be the Dudley Boyz. After all, there's a "separation" of the brands, so just because the Dudley Boyz are done on Raw doesn't necessarily mean that they might not pop up on SmackDown Live.

 

[MINISTRYrising]

Well the NXT Tag team division is looking a little bare at the moment with the likes of Enzo and Cass, Vaudevillains and American Alpha all now on the main Roster, so I don't see anyone else being called up just yet (even though the revival are more than ready) so I would have to go with the dudleys, though I wouldn't mind seeing the bollywood boys who recently took part in the cruiserweight classic get a shoot on the main roster and I would be open to seeing RVD make a return to the company and tag with his old partner kane

 

[Vanilla Midget]

There's a lot of people they could just wind up tossing together. There is the possibility that they hotshot in an NXT team. I'd rather see them spend another year in NXT, but a friend of mine suggest the Authors of Pain.

They're the kind of physically large talent that that WWE typically won't keep in developmental for any period of time. They've recently had their angle with Alpha, and Paul Ellering is a legend. Not saying they shoud, not saying it'll be good, but they could.

Smackdown is a little light in the heel team department. Breezango, Vaudevillians, and Ascension were not top teams prior to the second brand extension. I don't see them carrying the brand as heel teams. That hightens the possiblity that Authors or another heel team is formed.

I'm going to say another odd couple team is formed, one heel and one face, to round out tournament. Dolph needs something to do with his loss to Styles. After Miz's promo with Heath on Smackdown and then his incendiary promo with Bryan on Talking Smack, both Miz and Dolph have chips on their shoulder and no apparent angle.

My prediction is Dolph and Miz form that odd couple team, beat Rhyno and Heath, and wind up in the finals against American Alpha. It takes the two unhappy campers, sets up a future IC title feud, and keeps building up Dolph and Miz the way the last time Smackdown introduced tag tiles builds future top feuds.

 

[MERPER]

I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be the Dudley Boyz. After all, there's a "separation" of the brands, so just because the Dudley Boyz are done on Raw doesn't necessarily mean that they might not pop up on SmackDown Live.

I am thinking the same thing... could possibly use the whole "we wanted a 10th tag team championship, what a quick and easy way to get it" then just have them lose 1st match and be done completely.

I am sure though that it will end up being Kane and someone else.

 

[OYDK]

I think it's just going to be some random team thrown together given that they're facing Slater and Rhyno. I could be wrong, but the current story arc seems to call for Slater at least getting out of the first round of this tournament, otherwise, why even give him the option to win a contract? Just to squash him in the first match? Hell, I even think it's possible that they make it to the Finals.

Were it to be The Dudley's, or Rowan and Harper, or an NXT team, there's no way they would lose to Heath Slater and Rhyno. In fact, it doesn't really make sense to put Slater/Rhyno over any of your established teams in the first round not named The Ascension. This is also part of the reason why I think the eighth team wasn't announced and it will be a couple of guys that can afford a loss to a randomly thrown together team like Slater and Rhyno.

Smackdown hasn't hyped this missing eight spot at all, thus it's likely that whoever fills the spot is nobody important.

 

[Vanilla Midget]

Were it to be The Dudley's, or Rowan and Harper, or an NXT team, there's no way they would lose to Heath Slater and Rhyno. In fact, it doesn't really make sense to put Slater/Rhyno over any of your established teams in the first round not named The Ascension. This is also part of the reason why I think the eighth team wasn't announced and it will be a couple of guys that can afford a loss to a randomly thrown together team like Slater and Rhyno.

Smackdown hasn't hyped this missing eight spot at all, thus it's likely that whoever fills the spot is nobody important.

I don't think it's a lock that Heath and Rhyno face team eight in the first round. They could face Vaudevillians or Hype bros.

This tournament is missing top heels and two of three heel teams are already eliminated. I don't think Heath and Rhyno make it out of the first round for that reason. That and how far do they want a comedy act to go in the tag title tounament?

Daniel Bryan and Kane went pretty far as a face/heel comedy act, so maybe they're trying to recreate that with Slater/Rhyno?

I still think this tournament and Smackdown in general are missing the top tag team heel element. Maybe the Usos will turn heel, the Hype Bros certainly won't. and Vaudevillians don't seem to be in line for a push.

Team eight should be dark horse heel team to beat Slater/Rhyno in the second round and meet Alpha in the finals.