The WWE tag team division has created some of the greatest duos in wrestling history. Vince McMahon often runs hot and cold on the tag division, but the talent to come from WWE would see great success throughout the decade. Many of the top teams from the 80s and 90s would work for both WWE and WCW given the level of competition between the two major promotions.
Quite a few legendary teams like the Steiner Brothers and Legion of Doom won tag titles in WWE and WCW to showcase their greatness. However, not all talented teams would have such a run. Many of the best WWE tag teams from the era of competition never could reach the top of WCW’s tag team mountain. The stories range from teams that didn’t have that level of success in WCW to those that never even worked there to everything in between. These are the ten best WWE tag teams to miss out on winning the WCW tag titles.
10 The Hart Foundation
Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart never had a tag team run together in WCW despite having incredible success in WWE. In the late '80s and early '90, Hart's loyalty was to WWE and they showed no desire to leave. WWE eventually split up the team for Bret to have an incredible run as a singles star.
WCW would eventually sign both members of the Hart family after the Montreal Screwjob. Hart continued working in the upper card while Neidhart teamed with Davey Boy Smith for a smaller run. The Hart Foundation could have had a great run in WCW, but it was not meant to be.
9 Chris Jericho & Big Show
Chris Jericho and Big Show never teamed together in WCW, but they had a tremendous run in WWE many years later. WCW kept Jericho and Big Show far away from each other as they never viewed Jericho as having the potential to reach the main event.
WWE found more success with both talents as singles wrestlers and eventually placed them together as a short-term tag team. Big Show replaced an injured Edge as Jericho's tag partner, and they had a tremendous run with the tag titles.
8 Strike Force
The tag team of Tito Santana and Rick Martel found success in WWE as Strike Force. Both wrestlers had impressive singles runs, but the tag stint would spark chemistry between them. WWE pushed them enough to win the WWE Tag Team Championship on one occasion.
Martel eventually turned heel on Santana to eventually end their run together as a team. Both wrestlers had short stints in WCW, but they never worked together as a team again. WCW could have benefited from reuniting Strike Force to add more depth to the tag division.
7 The Quebecers
WWE found success with Jacques Rougeau and Pierre playing the heel team called the Quebecers. Both wrestlers worked well together and found success as WWE Tag Team Champions in the '90s. WCW eventually signed them like most talents that switched promotions during this time.
The Quebecers did not have the same success in WCW. They rarely received relevant storylines as teams like Harlem Heat, the Steiner Brothers, and Faces of Fear were always above them in the pecking order. Quebecers fans can still see Pierre wrestle today as the PCO character in Ring of Honor.
6 Money Inc.
Ted DiBiase and I.R.S. had tremendous heel heat during their run as a tag team in WWE. The Money Inc. team provided a solid duo for Hulk Hogan and other top faces to feud with. DiBiase retired earlier than expected due to injury to cut their run as a team short.
WCW eventually signed both wrestlers and they were reunited in the New World Order faction. DiBiase joined in a non-wrestling capacity since he could no longer take bumps. Despite their connection being portrayed on screen, the Money Inc. duo never had a true run in WCW.
5 The Mega Powers
Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage became a tag team known as the Mega Powers for a short run in WWE. The two most popular stars of the era teaming made their matches an attraction for fans to witness. Hogan and Savage had a love/hate relationship throughout the years that saw them often rotate between best friends and bitter enemies, both in and out of the ring.
Their WCW time together featured the same level of drama involved in their relationship. Savage joined the New World Order with Hogan again when they were close, but they would have their issues resurface. Hogan and Savage rarely teamed in WCW and never won tag gold.
4 Bushwhackers
The legendary run of the Bushwhackers would see them find success in just about every promotion they wrestled for. Bushwhacker Luke and Bushwhacker Butch had a fun stint in WWE, but they never even won the tag titles there.
WWE used them as a fun comedic tag team rather than one competing for the tag titles often. WCW never got the chance to book the Bushwhackers since they were past their prime during the important run of the Monday Night Wars. The only major appearance for the Bushwhackers in the mid-90s came in a cameo on the sitcom Family Matters.
3 Los Guerreros
Eddie Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero became known wrestlers in North America during their time in WCW. Both wrestlers typically worked in singles action as part of the cruiserweight division. WWE, however, found them to be an appealing option as a tag team.
The run of Los Guerreros found major success in the early years of the brand split. Eddie introduced his ways of lying, cheating, and stealing in endearing fashion to win matches along with his nephew Chavo. WWE eventually split them up to push Eddie as a singles star. It’s a shame we didn’t see their tag run sooner in WCW.
2 The Rockers
Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty remained one of the best tag teams in WWE history to inspire many future tag teams like the Hardy Boyz and the Young Bucks. The Rockers had innovative styles that made them a beloved duo among the WWE viewers in the late '80s and early 90s.
WWE eventually split them up to push Michaels as a singles star. Jannetty ended up in WCW, but he did nothing of note as a singles performer in the lower card. The Rockers were one of the few top teams of the time to never work for WCW.
1 Demolition
The tag team of Demolition found massive success in WWE. Ax and Smash were the wrestlers often managed by Mr. Fuji to dominate the WWE tag team division. Crush eventually joined the group as well to become part of the team towards the end of their run.
Demolition won the WWE Tag Team Championship on three occasions. Despite the success in WWE, Demolition never made the jump to WCW after their time in the former company ended. Demolition’s legacy remains strong as a legendary WWE team, but a WCW run could have seen them become even bigger stars.