Tyson Kidd and Cesaro were only a team for a short amount of time – less than a year in fact, but in that period, they proved themselves as versatile performers, gaining a lot of popularity on their journey, winning tag team gold and putting on great matches. However, due to an ill-timed injury which put an abrupt stop to Kidd’s time in the ring, the self-proclaimed ‘Brass Ring Club’ were never able to reach their full potential in WWE.
The Team Saved Both Cesaro & Tyson Kidd From Being Forgotten
There was a time in 2014 when Cesaro was on top of the world, having star-making performances on weekly TV, impressing in matches against the likes of John Cena and Randy Orton, before breaking out at Wrestlemania 30, winning the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal to a thunderous ovation. The world was at Cesaro’s feet, yet in a remarkably head-scratching decision, the next night of Raw he was once again cemented as a heel, becoming a Paul Heyman guy.
This was promising to begin with, despite the odd decision, but in the months that followed, Cesaro would lose, lose and lose again, before ending his alliance with Heyman, and becoming just another name on the roster. It was a huge downfall for someone who was so highly regarded by the WWE Universe.
Tyson Kidd, since his time in the Hart Dynasty had finished, was wandering around the lower card, entering meaningless teams, having a short stint in NXT, but mostly being relegated to Main Event and Superstars. When the two came together in the December of 2014, it gave them both a breath of fresh air and some new life, as they began to slowly gain victories and move up the card.
Cesaro & Tyson Kidd Are Tag Team Specialists And The Crowd Loved It
Kidd’s aforementioned time in the Hart Dynasty proved how good of a tag team specialist he was, as did his short stint with Justin Gabriel, putting on consistently solid matches. Cesaro had shown his knack for tag team wrestling even before WWE, teaming with the likes of Chris Hero, Ares and Bryan Danielson. He proved it in WWE too in his alliance with Jack Swagger in the Real Americans, and in more recent times would demonstrate his strength in that field again, teaming with Sheamus and Shinsuke Nakamura. The pair clicked as a team, and their arsenal developed strongly over time.
There’s no denying the technical prowess and in-ring talents of both men, so put together, it was great. They had natural chemistry built off talent and a real friendship and bond, and it came across on screen. The different styles and sizes of the men was a perfect mesh of skills, which made them stand out too, and it wasn’t long until they defeated The Usos in a great match to win the Tag Team Championships.
They would go on to defend their titles at the Wrestlemania 31 pre-show, in a match where fans were massively behind them, despite being heels at the time. This was testament to their wonderful, and perhaps misplaced talents, and a lengthy run of poor booking for the two. This great crowd reaction was a precursor of what was to follow.
Their Face Run Had A Lot Of Promise, But Was Cut Short
In a championship feud against The New Day in the following weeks after the Show of Shows, the two teams engaged in a double turn, which worked naturally and smoothly, with the fans already behind Kidd and Cesaro, and having a dislike for The New Day. Fans adored their legitimate talent and loved their fighting spirit, attempting to always steal the show, and often doing so.
Despite losing the titles in that feud there was certainly much more to come from the team as babyfaces. Then tragedy hit as Tyson Kidd was the victim of Samoa Joe's Muscle Buster gone wrong. This put an end to their time as a team and prevented the world from seeing the full capabilities of this tandem.
It felt like they were just getting started and could’ve torn the tag team division up for years to come, especially with their adoration from the fans, and showcase of being able to work effectively as both bad and good guys, changing up their in-ring style to suit their opponents and style of match. Whilst Cesaro has still seen success in the tag team division with other partners, he still pays tribute to his time with Kidd with his in-ring gear, wearing the Canadian maple leaf, and using the sharpshooter. It’s a huge shame that their full potential was never met, as they were a hugely talented team.