WWE Superstar Shakeup 2018: Ranking The NXT Call-Ups By Fit

6. Authors of Pain

The Raw Tag Team Division lost Sheamus and Cesaro during the SmackDown Live, and while Breezango’s surprise win could indicate that they will be given more in-ring credibility on Monday nights, The Bar’s departure clears the path for the Authors of Pain to be THE threat.

Rezar and Akam are two of the most under-appreciated tag team wrestlers in WWE, because they do such a great job of selling for their opponents, even though they are way bigger and stronger than their foes.

These two put on a banger of a match with Roderick Strong and Pete Dunne in the original finals of the Dusty Rhodes Classic this year before the Undisputed Era interfered. Their match with UE when Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly took the tag team titles off of AOP was a fantastically-told story. And who can forget their matches at NXT TakeOver: Orlando and NXT TakeOver: Chicago last year? Those were undoubtedly classics.

“The Book of Pain” closed and the “Book of Dominance” opened last year, but now the Authors of Pain must write their next chapter on the main roster without the benefit of Paul Ellering. This will be a challenge, but at least we know that Rezar and Akam’s in-ring work speaks volumes.