When it comes to pro wrestling tag teams, it’s hard to pinpoint what exactly makes a duo great. That’s because there are so many different factors that can make a unit successful. Chemistry in the ring, athleticism, and the right look are just a few of things that most great teams possess. Of course, having the proper in-ring persona and a bit of longevity never hurt either.
Now that we’ve determined a few of things that make for a great tag team, it’s time to take on the challenging task of ranking the ten greatest pro wrestling tag teams of all-time.
10 The Hart Foundation
The team of Bret “Hitman” Hart and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart were one of the most popular pairs in the WWE from 1985 to 1991. They were two-time WWE Tag Team Champions and recently became members of the Hall of Fame.
One of the things that made The Hart Foundation so great was that they had success as both heels (villains) when they were managed by Jimmy Hart, and babyfaces (good guys) toward the later part of their time together. The two had great chemistry and their styles, with the “Anvil” as the powerhouse and the “Hitman” as the technician, complimented each other nicely. The team also served as the launching point for Bret Hart’s Hall of Fame singles career.
9 The Rock 'n' Roll Express
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express is tag team made up of Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson that debuted back in 1983. They captured NWA World Tag Team Championship an impressive eight times over the course of their illustrious careers. Moreover, despite the fact that they only had a cup coffee with the promotion in 1998, WWE selected them to join the Hall of Fame.
In terms of being great babyfaces (good guys), The Express was in a league of their own. During their matches, fans were so emotionally invested they were known to cry when Morton and/or Gibson was taking a beating in the ring. They were also outstanding in-ring technicians who had mastered the art of tag team wrestling.
8 The Steiner Brothers
The Steiner Brothers were a team out of Bay City, Michigan who performed just about everywhere including WCW, ECW, and WWE. As one of the most dominant teams of the 1990s, Rick and Scott Steiner managed to win tag team gold eleven times.
The two had very different personas, which helped make the team so memorable. Scott was the straight-laced athlete, while Rick was a wild man who was referred to as the “Dog Faced Gremlin” and would bark in the ring. Scott Steiner's athleticism was a big part of the team's success. He was one of the first stars to popularize the hurracanrunna (which he called the Frankensteiner) in North America.
7 The New Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws were one of the most talked-about duos during WWE’s Attitude Era. “Road Dogg” Jesse James and “Bad Ass” Billy Gun are recognized as six-time tag champs. They were a part of D-Generation X, one of the most popular stables of all-time and were recently inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the group.
While the Outlaws weren’t known for their in-ring ability, they more than made up for it with their outstanding mic skills – particularly James. Their signature catchphrase “suck it” became something of pop culture phenomenon in the late-1990s. As poster children for the Attitude Era, The New Age Outlaws are a team fans will never forget.
6 The Midnight Express
The Midnight Express was a heel tag team managed by Jim Cornette. The members of the team changed throughout the years, having featured stars like Dennis Condrey, Bobby Eaton, Randy Rose, and Norvell Austin. However, it was the duo of Condrey and Eaton that enjoyed the most success under The Midnight Express banner. The two men won somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 tag titles with various promotions over the years.
The team is known for taking part in some of the most legendary feuds of the 1980s against duos like the Road Warrior and The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express. They had more title reigns then any other team on our list – though they never wrestled in WWE.
5 Harlem Heat
At number five on our list, we have the team of Booker T and Stevie Ray – known collectively as Harlem Heat. The two big men, who were billed from 110th Street in Harlem, New York, dominated the WCW tag team division throughout much of the 1990s. The newly inducted Hall of Famers won the WCW World Tag Team Championships a record-setting ten times.
From a physical standpoint, Harlem Heat looked like a couple of guys you wouldn’t want to mess with and had the high-impact maneuvers to confirm that belief. Ray provided the power, while Booker T was the speedier, more athletic member of the two. They were a versatile tag team that could do it all in the ring.
4 The Dudley Boyz
In terms of winning titles with major promotions, Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley are perhaps the most decorated tag team of all-time. They have worked for several major organizations, including ECW, WWE, and TNA – during which time they captured the tag team titles and eye-popping twenty-three times. They are members of both the WWE and TNA Hall of Fame.
The Dudleys played a major role in popularizing hardcore wrestling (particularly the use of tables) in the tag team division and beyond. They also took part in arguably the greatest tag match of all-time, at WrestleMania X-Seven which involved both the Hardy Boyz along with Edge and Christian.
3 The Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz have been champions everywhere they've gone. Between their stints with WWE, ROH, and TNA they have managed to become tag champs an impressive twelve times. Matt and Jeff Hardy went from being enchantment talents (jobbers) in WWE to becoming one of the top duos the promotion has ever seen.
The Hardyz were one of the few teams on our list who could be considered high flyers. In truth, it was there athletic move set that helped them become major stars. The team also served as a launching point for their respective singles career. The Hardyz are one of the only teams on our list in which both men went on the have successful runs as singles stars after they parted ways.
2 Edge And Christian
While they are sitting at the number two spot on our list, WWE considers Edge and Christian the greatest tag team in the promotion’s history. They first teamed together from 1998 to 2001 as member of The Brood. However, they enjoyed their greatest success in their second stint together, from 2009 to 2011. In total, they held the WWE tag straps on seven occasions.
Edge and Christian are perhaps the most well-rounded team on our list. They were excellent on the mic, could go in the ring, and were great as babyfaces or heels. There’s a reason both men went on to be world champs in WWE.
1 The Road Warriors
The Road Warrior, The Legion of Doom, or whatever you want to call them; Hawk and Animal are the best tag team ever assembled. The menacing duo performed in WWE, WCW, AWA, and won titles wherever they went. The big men were the faces of tag team wrestling throughout the '80s and '90s.
Both Hawk and Animal were known for there size, physiques, and the spiked shoulder pads they wore to the ring. They had a commanding physical presence to go with a devastating set of moves, which include their patented finisher, the doomsday devise. The painted powerhouses' popularity helped generate a great deal of interest in tag team wrestling, worldwide.