What makes a team a "legit" tag team?

[FromTheSouth]

There are often complaints on here about the lack of tag team wrestling. I get those complaints. Don't get me wrong. I do agree that there is a dearth of tag team wrestling in the WWE. One of the more common sub-complaints is that there are no "legit" tag teams. Posters often feel that tag teams are just thrown together. I do not get how this is different than any other time in the history of wrestling.

Before they were The Midnight Rockers in AWA, HBK and Janeatty were singles wrestlers in the AWA, and were thrown together. Strike Force consisted of two very successful AWA wrestlers who went on to be very successful WWF singles stars. The Mega Powers consisted of the two most over singles starts in WWF. So many "legit" tag teams were thrown together, and eventually, some of them stuck, some didn't.

In this day and age, nothing is very different. Show and Miz or Jericho were thrown together, consisting of singles stars, and went to have very successful runs. On the other hand, Morrison and R-Truth were thrown together, and while successful in getting over they didn't stick together. MVP and Mark Henry spent a while as a "thrown together" team. Did they become a legit tag team? Why not? Was it the lack of titles? They had multiple title shots as a team and spent months together, and teamed as recently as Extreme Rules.

For the entirety of professional wrestling, very few teams debuted as teams and went on to have successful runs. Most teams have been throw together. The Steiners, every incarnation of the Harts, The Bulldogs - these teams have personal history, either as family or something just as close. Not many relationships like this have two people talented enough to get into wrestling together.

I just don't like to hear about "thrown together" teams, because most teams are two singles stars with nothing better to do. It has been that way for quite a while. In today's climate of 13-14 PPV's a year, these teams cycle through more quickly, yes, but that is a result of the structure of the business at this point. Everything seems rushed at times, not just tag team wrestling.

 

[Ferbian]

I think due to the fact that some of the people thrown together that you mention like the Mega Powers, they had history together, they were properly associated together, unlike the likes of for example Chris Jericho and Big Show, and The Miz and Big Show, Chris Jericho and Big Show had history yes I know that, but history of hating each other and failing to get along, but due to the fact that they managed to prove themselves as a strong tag team, they slowly became legitimate if you ask me.
The same goes for Miz and Big Show, they were together in one or two backstage segments, and boom, you got a tag team, it's not a legitimate creation, but it proved to make them seem legitimate.

What I believe creates proper legitimacy, is not due to the fact that they debut together, or they have the same styles, they're friends etc. it all depends on what they do in the ring, who they defeat, what kind of name they make for themselves, and if they are properly associated in the way that they are together all the time, they join each other at ringside etc.

A great example for this would be John Morrison and R-Truth, they weren't legitimate, because they beat people that wasn't any worthwhile defeat, they didn't hold any tag team championships, they didn't prove themselves to be a proper tag team, also they wrestled singles matches more than they wrestled tag team matches.

So in the end, if I'm to associate a team to become legitimate, it's the same way as creating a singles star, winning, winning, winning, championships, and perhaps eventually become someone the crowd wants to see, nobody cared for R-truth and Morrison, but people grew to care for The Miz and Big Show, Chris Jericho and Big Show, The Rockers, the Hart Foundation etc.

 

[Alex]

I would say it has to do with how they became a tag team. To me a thrown together tag team are two wrestlers who start tagging and randomly decide to go after the titles with nothng else other than tag gold as motivation .

A true tag team has a reason to be a tag team other than 'lets go after the tag titles' whether that they are family/friends or revenge on another team or they simply have each others back

 

[closet_fan]

this is probably going to get me bashed, but i think the look of the attire has a lot to do whether a tag team can be a true tag team. jerishow and miz/show just couldn't get over with me as a legit tag team because they just didn't LOOK like a tag team. even when they threw shelton benjamin and charlie hass together, they felt, somewhat, like a legit tag team because they "looked" like one.

the only tag team that i can recall that didn't have the attire of a tag team was way back in the old nwa days with manny fernandez and ric rude.

but in my opinion, ring attire really plays a big part.

yeah jennetty and michaels were eventually thrown together, but the awa fashioned them into a tag team.

 

[RicSpade]

Ryder and Hawkins were thrown together, but the Edgeheads made a good team, the biggest throw together was the New Age Outlaws and they were the most successful.

Honestly its about the chemistry, The NWO and DX were chemistry New Age Outlaws were chemistry, APA, Edge and Christian, Bubba Ray and Devon, Sabin and Shelley, Daniels and Styles chemistry as a team makes them a great team thats why Jericho and Show worked so well. You can put tag titles on any two random guys Cody Rhodes and Bob Holly, Morgan and Hernandez but if they don't have a bond or chemistry you might as well call them paper champs cause their title run is meaningless

 

[TheDramaKid]

I agree with most in this thread but a team can be thrown together but what makes them legit is different, whether it be chemistry, title reigns, or a really good rivarly with another team, anything like that can get 2 guys over and make them a team, and if there are really close, it's an add-on

 

[TimAH]

I think what makes a legit team is a feeling that the team is going to stick together for any reasonable amount of time. When they throw two guys together, they often do it to further a feud or to elevate one guy, and use the tag team titles as a prop and an afterthought. That is what really makes the tag team situation in the WWE crap, IMO. The titles have very little prestige and value to them because at a moments notice, the WWE is willing to toss two guys together and have them win them right away..and during this time you know they are more concerned with building a guy up to make a run at something better.

 

[youngbullzeye]

i think what makes a tag team a ''legit'' tag team is that they both have a common goal of TAG TEAM GOLD or ,that they are havin some sort of an alliance that would eventually turn into a tag team , or having something in common like when kane was a tag team with the hurricane they were a ''legit'' team because they both were so called ''freaks'' and so they had something in common

 

[Cookie14]

The best way to judge if a team is 'legit' is to see how memorable they are. For as long as there is tag team wrestling, we will think about the Road Warriors, Rockers, Dudleys, Hardys, E&C etc.
These are teams that have stood the test of time because they worked well together, made us care about them, and never looked like spliting up. We knew they would be together for a long time, so we would get behind them, this would ultimatley lead to them being more successful, so we get behind them more, so on and so forth...
With teams that get randomly thrown together, we know that they are only short term teams, so we don't get behind them, no matter how much we support the individuals in the team.

 

[Decarow]

Ryder and Hawkins were thrown together, but the Edgeheads made a good team, the biggest throw together was the New Age Outlaws and they were the most successful.

Are you kidding me? Thrown together? These guys started their CAREERS as a tag team. Check out their history. They even debuted in the E as a tag team (Major Brothers).

Honestly, I love tag teams that have something to do with each other. Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch were a country tag team. The Colon Brothers were family. MNM were douchebags. Then you have people that dress alike and come off as "brothers" (Major Brothers, Basham Brothers). London and Kendrick had the same style. Hurricane and Rosey were superheroes.

So in my argument, I say that a "legit" tag team is a tag team that where the partners can somehow relate to each other and fee doff each others' chemistry.

 

[THE Madcap]

For me, there are a few incredients for a legit tag team:

1) A catchy tag team name. Examples of thrown together teams with a name: ShoMiz, Rated RKO, Vitamin C, MNM, JeriShow

2) Theme music separate to their respective singles themes, i.e a new song or a remix of both songs. A la ShoMiz, Big Show & Jericho, X-Pac & Kane, Rated RKO

3) Matching/Similar attires - Eg: Jericho & Big Show, MVP & Henry, Edge & Christian etc...

4) A decent title run - no point in throwing a team together if they're not going to win anything (Truth & Morrison)

I think if you don't have those 4 elements, you're not a legit tag team (from the point of view of 2 singles wrestlers thrown together)

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

a team that started together, makes good use of the team, combined finishers, same ring attire, same style...i would call the following legit..

teams with 2 people only can be a legit tag team...

steiners
harlem heat
road warriors
british bulldogs
hart foundation
rock n sock (meh)..
hart dynasty
the funks
worlds greatest tag team
rock and roll express (original members)
beer money (are now legit)
hardy boyz
dudley boyz or team 3d
edge and christian..

in my opinion, these are what i believe legit tag teams...i may have missed some out, but on top of my head, these are legit..

 

[greg_74]

I think a tag team can be thrown together but they need some sort of history as to why they are tagging together. And I think for the tag team division to be what it used to be tag teams need to stay together for awhile. That way that have more credibility when they go for the belts. Although I like some tag teams that are made up of two bigger names, I think the best thing for the tag division is to build up stars as a tag team and them let them go to singles competiton.

 

[3/4 Facelock]

A legit tag team needs the following:

-Both members need to be face or heel. Not one of each.
-They needs a team name.
-They should wear gear that somewhat matches their partner in color or style.
-Team moves and a team finisher.
-They need to be a team for awhile.
-They need to win.

 

[D-Man]

As far as I'm concerned, you guys are too damn picky. You've all required ridiculous things such as:

-ring attire
-team names
-team finishers

But I can easily make all of you shove your feet in your mouths. You all want all of these attributes of PERFECTION in your tag teams, when it has already been proven in the past that a TRUE tag team has no needs or requirements except for one thing...

CHEMISTRY

Ring attire doesn't mean anything. A team name doesn't mean anything. Team finishers don't mean anything.

It's all about the two men gelling together and showing the viewers that they can work as a cohesive unit. They don't need all of your flashy requirements. Want proof? How's this for proof... remember these guys?

Did they have a "team name"? How about matching ring attire? Or a team finisher? Try none of the above. These two men just got together and CONNECTED. They CLICKED. And that is all that has ever been required of a tag team.

 

[3/4 Facelock]

D-man, you make a great point, but I think you are being too literal and took an exception as the rule.

Nobody forgot about E&C. But since you picked them, and are making a point using them, how many more in recent memory are also like them? I'm asking this because not being an assface, but because I really don't know.

Edge & Christian was their team name. Like Truth & Morrision. Some old school teams also did not have names. But this is not 1983. It is 2010. Also E&C came in as a tag team when there were a lot of tagteams. They did match their attire. No they did not look like eachother, but their gear was similar enough to each others'.

I think a legit tag team right now in 2010 WWE, needs a group name. I just do. It doesn't invalidate the team to me. However, you are correct. Chemistry is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing. But it takes more than that now for the fans to grab on to them.

 

[Hawkeye]

I think a legit tag team should always have soome sort of relationship toward one another.Brothers,BFF,Rivals united by a common foe whatever,as long as they have a backstory.Then they must have theme music that can be mashed up or have a new theme altogether,because eventually they HAVE to come to the ring together.They have to have similar wrestling styles or styles that compliment one another so they can be dynamic in the ring.

Last but CERTAINLY not least.Matching outfits are always a must!

 

[Mr. Steve]

So in my argument, I say that a "legit" tag team is a tag team that where the partners can somehow relate to each other and fee doff each others' chemistry.

This pretty much hit the nail on the head. For the team to be considered legit, they need this: to be able to feed off each other. Take for example, Miz and Morrison. What one did in the ring, the other complemented in the mic. You damn well know that Miz was the better talker in the ring, and Morrison was the better in-ring performer of the pair. But both of them had the chemistry, and pulled off their "A-List" Gimmick, and that leads to getting over which leads to getting the titles. Same with Edge and Christian.

They need Chemistry to be able to truly be seen as a tag team in the eyes of the fans, and when the fans see that, there's gonna be results between the fans and the tag team(which is a chemistry of another kind).

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Let's look back, shall we?

I think we'd all agree that "legit" tag teams were duos like the Steiner Brothers, Roadwarriors/LOD, Hart Foundation, Team 3D/Dudley Boyz, Harlem Heat, Demolition, Hardy Boyz, Midnight Express, New Age Outlaws, Wild Samoans, Fabulous Freebirds, The Outsiders and more, no?

So what'd all those guys have in common?

Well, first and foremost – most wore matching tights. Yeah, you might consider that fickle and picky, but it's a very traditional aspect of tag team wrestling that lets the fans know right off the bat that the two are a duo, and not simply two random singles wrestlers who just so happened to have been lumped together as a tag team a la Jericho & Show, Miz & Morrison, etc. etc. like you see in this day and age.

Did all major tag teams do this? No, not necessarily, but all major tag teams did at least look similar in style. Nash & Hall, for example, didn't wear matching tights, but they both wore black, and they both wore nWo shirts once the stable was formed. The Hardy Boyz wore similar gear as well, and both made use of long hair and raver-style clothes.

Edge & Christian, Midnight Express, etc. are exceptions to the rule, not negations of it.

So what else did those guys have in common?

They actually used tag-team wrestling techniques – meaning they actually wrestled together, especially to finish matches. Again, as a testament to the fact they weren't just two randomly tagged singles stars, the duo often adapted and adopted choreographed maneuvers that required both men to complete which again let the fans know that they were indeed a cohesive tag team. 3D/Dudleyz use the "Wassup", the "tables" and the 3D/Dudley Death Drop. Hart Foundation used a number of combinations – most notably the Hart Attack. Roadwarriors/LOD used Doomsday Device. The list goes on and on, friends.

Anything else?

Yeah, they also had team chemistry, as D-Man noted. They have to be believeable as a duo in order for them to get over as such, otherwise, the crowd will likely stop caring for one or both over the course of time, and that severely limits the longevity of the two as a team, which limits the amount of creative that can be written for them as such.

 

[D-Man]

Nobody forgot about E&C. But since you picked them, and are making a point using them, how many more in recent memory are also like them? I'm asking this because not being an assface, but because I really don't know.

I hear ya. So, to answer your question and the first tag team that came off the top of my head would be these guys:

This proves, hands down, that all it takes is chemistry. Here are two guys that couldn't have been any more different. They had different styles of dress, completely different in-ring movesets, one had tremendous mic skills while the other was subpar, they didn't share a finisher, they weren't related in any way, shape or form... and yet they are one of the greatest tag teams to be produced in this decade and so far in this century.

Still not convinced? Want me to dig further back? How about these guys?

And PLEASE don't pull the race card...

Something that everyone needs to remember is that the original poster asked what made a "legit" tag team... not what we would "love to see" as a tag team. I think most of you are going with your personal image of what you want the tag division to consist of. Trust me, I don't blame any of you. I miss the 80's and 90's, too. But the fact of the matter is that tag teams like Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas paved the way for tag teams like Edge & Christian and Miz & Morrison in the sense that they didn't need all of those flashy, comic book characteristics to be a "legit" tag team. All they needed was a common goal and a boat load of chemistry.

 

[3/4 Facelock]

Again D-Man, you make a good point. However, going back to my original posting, Morrision & Miz did have similar gear. Yes, the styles were different but the overall scheme was the same. Similar colors and designs. It's nitpicky but that's what teams do.

Also, like I said before, this is not 1983. Since I can remember and I am an old man (30) tag teams get slapped together only to further storylines between two people or to have that one lone "real" tag team someone to defend the belts against. Only the ones who debut as tag teams or those that have a name have any kind of staying power.

(BTW: Rocky Johnson & Tony Atlas were called Soul Patrol).