Have you ever looked at a friend and thought: "why the hell do I spend time with you?" You realize that you have nothing in common aside from some benign social activity like sports or drinking or general delinquency. Yet, you can't imagine your life without that person. The days are a little less dull when he/she comes around. No longer shall you brood alone for your misery has found its company.
The laws of attraction are strange. Friendships and courtships often don't make sense but they come about at random times in random places and we learn to accept them into our lives even if at first we do not understand this unsolicited attraction. Eventually, people grow on us and we learn to understand their unique charm. Even in the most robotic personality, there is shrapnel of charm to be found.
Back in the days of World Championship Wrestling - especially during its later years - strange couples were coming about on a regular basis. The Tag Team Championship picture was painted with color schemes that were not necessarily meant for each other. Whether or not these tag team combinations worked was left entirely up to you and your devotion to WCW.
The die-hard fan who refused to jump ship even as its was going down may think highly of these unorthodox tag teams. The WWE loyalist will express his/her distain for the "shaking up" of WCW's tag team division. The fan who constantly switched channels on Monday Nights may live in the neutral territory when it comes to these late-in-life WCW situations.
In the following article we are going to look at the tag team combinations that seemed unconventional but were still given a run with WCW gold.
Did these tag teams work? You decide.
These are the top 15 strangest WCW Tag Team Champions:
15 15. David Flair and Crowbar
It must be a difficult task growing up Flair and then taking on a position in professional wrestling. The shadow of Ric will never be far behind. Charlotte has figured this out and embraces her father's legacy as a character advantage.
David Flair – unlike his father and now sister – was never quite the natural wrestler. David's days in WCW are far from legendary but he did what he could with what was provided. David would actually capture the WCW United States Championship once while with the promotion.
However, it is his 1-time Tag Team Championship run with a fellow by the name of Crowbar that stands out most. David and Crowbar were different but not in a sense that would make this tag team iconic.
14 14. Stars and Stripes
Stars and Stripes (yes, some of these tag teams will actually have a name) consisted of Marcus Alexander Bagwell and The Patriot. The team was formed in 1994 – while WCW was still under transition – and would last an entire year as a cohesive unit.
During their time together, Stars and Stripes would become two-time WCW Tag Team Champions; far from being The Road Warriors but a solid accomplishment nonetheless. However, there was something off about this tag team form the start; something strange.
Perhaps it is the transformation of Marcus Alexander to Buff Bagwell that makes looking back on this team such an odd memory.
13 13. Ricky Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes
Clash of Champions were a series of television specials aired by WCW. The specials would run from the late '80s to the late '90s and were usually action-packed and well received as fans would look forward to these Clashes.
At Clash of Champions XVII, Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham were set to challenge The Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko) for the WCW Tag Team Championship. However, Windham would be forced to withdraw from the match due to injury.
This would lead to Ricky Steamboat stepping as a replacement partner for Dustin Rhodes and the unlikely tag team combination would prove victorious and capture the WCW Tag Team Championship.
12 12. Marcus Alexander Bagwell and 2 Cold Scorpio
Prior to Stars and Stripes, Marcus Alexander Bagwell would find himself involved in another strange tag team combination. Bagwell was paired with the eccentric wrestler known as 2 Cold Scorpio; a tag team that truly stood on opposite ends of the spectrum.
In the fall of 1993, Marcus Alexander Bagwell and 2 Cold Scorpio would capture the WCW Tag Team Championship. However, their reign would only last 20 days as the team would lose their straps at Halloween Havoc to The Nasty Boys.
Marcus Alexander Bagwell was clearly a talent that had WCW confused.
11 11. Ricky Steamboat and Shane Douglas
Clash of Champions XXI would once again see Ricky Steamboat win the WCW Tag Team Championship as one half of an unusual tag team. This time around Steamboat would face Dustin Rhodes and the man for whom he once substituted, Barry Windham.
That night, Ricky Steamboat would team with a young Shane Douglas. The wrestling legend and the rising talent would go on to defeat Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham; emerging from the bout with all the gold.
Ricky Steamboat could carry any partner and make any tag team combination work.
10 10. Booker T and Test
This strange combination would actual win the WCW Tag Team Championship under the WWE banner. This of course came during the now infamous "Invasion" angle of 2001 when WCW Superstars were perceived as unwelcomed guests in WWE.
Chuck Palumbo and Sean O'Haire would bring the WCW Tag Team Championship over to WWE as part of the storyline. However, they would soon drop the belts to The Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane) who brought the titles over to the WWE side.
That's when Booker T and Test would step up and reclaim the WCW Tag Team Championship for their side of the battle.
9 9. The Great Muta and Vampiro
Dark Carnival was once a WCW stable which was lead by the strange and sinister, Raven. This group was an incarnation of Raven's Nest which was the original Raven-led faction that began in ECW.
When Raven left this crew of misfits, Japanese wrestling legend, The Great Muta would join the gathering and find himself as one-half of the WCW Tag Team Champions along with another strange character, Vampiro.
However, their championship reign was short-lived as the team only managed to hold onto the titles for day before dropping the belts on Nitro.
8 8. Shane Douglas and Buff Bagwell
In April 2000, Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo - acting as co-Presidents of WCW - would vacate every championship in the promotion in order to reboot the product and breathe life back into the company.
The WCW Tag Team Championship would be decided tournament style. Shane Douglas and Buff Bagwell would pair up and participate; making it all the way to finals where they would have to face the team or Lex Luger and the one and only, Ric Flair.
Shane Douglas and Buff Bagwell were clearly the underdogs heading into the tournament final but would manage to pull off the victory.
7 7. Lex Luger and The Giant
SuperBrawl VII: The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) were in the midst of taking over WCW as two of the founding members of the nWo would head into the event as WCW Tag Team Champions.
That night, the pair would face the challenge of Lex Luger and The Giant who would defeat The Outsiders and claim the WCW Tag Team Championship as their own. However, their celebration would not last very long.
The following night on Nitro, Eric Bischoff award the titles back to The Outsiders; stating that Lex Luger was not medically clear to compete the night prior.
6 6. Sting and The Giant
If you can recall Slamboree 1998, then you will know that according to the WCW history books, Eric Bischoff defeated Vince McMahon that night in a match that never happened and was simply used to add fuel to the Monday Night Fire.
Also that night, the main event would feature a WCW Tag Team Championship when The Outsiders placed their gold on the line against Sting and The Giant who would capture the titles from the rebellious duo.
How did Sting and The Giant emerge victorious? Scott Hall would turn on his good buddy Kevin Nash; costing his team the titles.
5 5. Sting and Kevin Nash
The pairing of Sting and Kevin Nash comes with some rather strange circumstances. Technically, Kevin Nash never won the Tag Team Championship with Sting as he did not compete for the titles.
As mentioned in the previous entry, Sting and The Giant would win the titles at Slamboree 1998. However, due to his allegiances with the nWo, Sting refused to partner with The Giant. This would lead to a match at The Great American Bash between the two men.
The stipulation of this match: winner takes control of the titles and choses a partner moving forward. Sting was victorious and would choose Kevin Nash as his partner the following night on Nitro.
4 4. The Jersey Triad
The Jersey Triad were a tag team tio that consisted of Diamond Dallas Page, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Chris Kanyon. During their run, The Jersey Triad would become two-time WCW Tag Team Champions.
The idea of this team was set to the "Freedbird Rule." Meaning that any combination of the three wrestlers involed with the group were allowed to act and defend as Tag Team Champions.
The Jersey Triad was actually a decent idea but still a strange connection.
3 3. Scott Hall and The Giant
Following the split of The Outsiders, watching Kevin Nash and Scott Hall team with other partners just didn't seem right. There was something strange about watching The Outsiders on opposing sides.
Once Sting gave Kevin Nash a title and they were officially named the Tag Team Champions, Scott Hall was bound to come creeping back into the picture; which he did with The Giant on his side.
Sting and Kevin Nash would hold the gold for over month until Scott Hall and The Giant came along and claimed the titles as their own.
2 2. The Insiders
Naturally, the opposite of The Outsiders would be The Insiders ... a tag team made up of Kevin Nash and Diamond Dallas Page ... a team that would become two-time WCW Tag Team Champions.
The Insiders are often forgotten because they were formed in late 2000; when WCW was all but dead. When most of the talent had mentally checked out of the promotion and were ready to explore other avenues.
Kevin Nash and Diamond Dallas Page as a tag team? Sure. There was nothing left for WCW to do but await its finality.
1 1. Bret Hart and Goldberg
For less than a week back in December of 1999, Bret "Hitman" Hart and Bill Goldberg were know as the WCW Tag Team Champions. Strange combination? Definitely. Bret Hart and Goldberg have nothing in common wrestling-wise.
What makes this situation more strange is the fact that Bret Hart would face Goldberg at Starrcade, shortly after their Tag Team Championship reign on a night that would prove disastrous for Hart.
During the match, a botched kick to the head from Goldberg would result in a severe concussion for Bret Hart; effectively ending the career of The Hitman.