Becoming a double champion in WWE is not uncommon, and happens more often than you think. However, some tag team champions are former world champions, and some of them are marquee names which is why it's not surprising when they end up challenging for a world championship. Moreover, sometimes there can be a winner takes all scenario, where the reigning tag team champions defend their titles but at the same time, attempt to win a world title.Most of the tag team champions that have competed in a world championship match were looking for something more than just being a tag team champion. In some instances, they have had the advantage in a handicap match or worked as a cohesive unit in a triple threat match but ultimately came up short.
11 Randy Orton - Raw 9/13/21
One of the most recent, tag team champions to get a chance at becoming a world champion is none other than Randy Orton. The 14-time WWE World Champion was seeking a 15th world title when he challenged Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship on the September 13, 2021 edition of Raw.
This bout was originally scheduled for Extreme Rules but it was brought forward. The Viper was also the reigning Raw Tag Team Champion alongside Riddle. Furthermore, Orton was looking to hold a world title alongside a tag team championship for the first time in his career but it was not to be as Lashley retained his championship in a competitive bout.
10 Rey Mysterio - SmackDown 6/18/21
Another instance of a match being moved from a pay-per-view to television was Rey Mysterio's attempt at taking the Universal Championship away from Roman Reigns. Mysterio was one-half of the SmackDown Tag Team Champions with his son Dominik, and he created history with the Tribal Chief as they competed in the first Hell in a Cell match to happen on SmackDown.
Mysterio gave it his best shot in his first-ever Hell in a Cell match but he was no match for Reigns. This should have taken place on the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view but it didn't and the Head of the Table retained the Universal Title.
9 Yokozuna - In Your House: Triple Header, 1995
Two-time WWE Champion Yokozuna was supposed to defend the WWE Tag Team Championship alongside Owen Hart but The British Bulldog stepped in for Hart. At In Your House: Triple Header, Yoko and Bulldog defended the WWE Tag Team titles with Diesel's WWE Championship and Shawn Michaels' Intercontinental Title up for grabs.
It was a unique match as it was the first time that all major championships were at stake in one match in WWE. Yokozuna was unable to add another WWE Championship reign to his collection as the Two Dudes with Attitude recaptured the WWE Tag Team Championship.
8 Kenny Dykstra - Raw 5/1/06
On the May 1, 2006, edition of Raw, John Cena's WWE Championship was on the line, and the Spirit Squad's Kenny Dykstra had a huge chance to become the youngest WWE Champion in history. Triple H assumed the role of special guest referee in this contest with the deck stacked against Cena.
Kenny was one of the reigning World Tag Team Champions under the Freebird Rule. Everything was running smoothly for Kenny until Triple H attacked him, and Shawn Michaels stepped in as special referee. Kenny applied himself well here but Big Match John retained his title with his patented FU.
7 JeriShow - Survivor Series 2009
The Unified WWE Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho and Big Show were looking to become double champions as they faced off with The Undertaker in a triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship at Survivor Series 2009. It was the second year in succession that Undertaker and Show had met at Survivor Series.
Nonetheless, it was a high-quality triple threat match with all three working men well together. JeriShow worked as a cohesive unit for large portions of the match as they both desperately wanted to become World Heavyweight Champion. Ultimately, Undertaker had the last laugh as he kept his World Heavyweight Championship intact.
6 The Dudley Boyz - Raw 10/1/01
On the October 1, 2001, episode of Raw, the WWE Tag Team Champions The Dudley Boyz had a tremendous amount of pressure on their shoulders as they were looking to bring the WCW Championship back to the Alliance. The Dudleys squared off with WCW Champion The Rock in their specialty, a handicap tables match.
As expected, The Dudleys were cruise control and they wore the Great One down. Shane McMahon put The Rock through the table, and the Alliance tried to cheat their way to another win. WWE official Mike Chioda laid out Charles Robinson, and Rock put Bubba Ray through the table with a Rock Bottom to successfully defend the WCW Championship.
5 Kane - New Year's Revolution 2006
New Year's Revolution 2006 is best remembered for Edge cashing in his Money in the Bank contract on John Cena to win the WWE Championship for the first time. However, there was an Elimination Chamber match, and Kane was the co-holder of the World Tag Team Championship.
Kane had a significant advantage as he entered the match last but he had to battle his way through WWE Champion John Cena, Kurt Angle, Carlito, Shawn Michaels, and Chris Masters to reclaim the WWE Title. The Big Red Machine may have entered last but he failed to register a single elimination with Carlito and Masters removing him from the equation.
4 Chris Jericho - Survivor Series 2002
Keeping in the theme of World Tag Team Champions competing inside the Elimination Chamber for a world title shot, Chris Jericho has also done it. At Survivor Series 2002, Y2J was a part of the inaugural Elimination Chamber match.
Triple H's World Heavyweight Championship was on the line with Shawn Michaels, Kane, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam all hellbent to end the Game's reign as World Heavyweight Champion. Jericho had a stellar outing as he eliminated Booker T and Kane from the match. He was unable to last the course as eventual champion Shawn Michaels' Sweet Chin Music got the better of him.
3 The Undertaker - Backlash 2001
Fans were in store for a treat at Backlash 2001, when The Undertaker and Kane defended their WWE Tag Team Championship but in turn, The Two-Man Power Trip's Steve Austin's WWE Championship and Triple H's Intercontinental Championship were all up for grabs.
This was a star-studded match that certainly delivered, and both teams worked exceptionally well. Ultimately, Undertaker and Kane lost the WWE Tag Team Championship with The Two-Man Power Trip retaining their titles in the process.
2 Edge - Raw 12/18/06
Edge and John Cena have competed so many times so it's easy to forget certain matches that they had. A week before Christmas Day in 2006, Edge was now one-half of the World Tag Team Champions and he challenged John Cena for the WWE Championship.
The Rated-R Superstar won a Battle Royal at the start of the night to earn the right to have a WWE Championship match. This was a decent match but there was outside interference from Orton and DX which led to Cena retaining the championship.
1 Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania 23
At WrestleMania 23, Shawn Michaels and John Cena were the reigning World Tag Team Champions but they closed out the showpiece event with Big Match John's WWE Championship on the line.
This match was far bigger than the World Tag Team Championship, and this match lived up to the hype with an outstanding performance from both men. They topped this bout weeks later on Raw in London, England but Cena proved his worth as WWE Champion, and he took the fight to HBK, and he retained the WWE Title in a hard-hitting match.