Ranking Wrestling’s Greatest Friendships: Can Anyone Top The New Day?

Friendship is a lie, or at least wrestling might have you think so. Whether it’s Aiden English putting an end to Rusev Day, or Gedo turning on former golden boy Kazuchika Okada, the world of pro-wrestling is a fickle one, and friendships struggle to stand the test of time. However, as long as the likes of everlasting pairs like New Day, The IIconics, and (of course) Best Friends hold true to one another, the world of professional wrestling friendships doesn’t seem so hopeless.

It can all feel a tad cynical at times. You may find yourself invested in a tag team or storyline friendship, but in the back of your mind is that creeping dread: how long have I got to enjoy this before it all falls apart?

Of course, the tragedy of a tag team breakup is sometimes one of the perverse joys of being a wrestling fan – think the emotional gutpunch of Ciampa and Gargano, or the wonderful dramatic setpiece that was the ill-fated Festival of Friendship. And part of taking joy in the resulting pain is the hope that someday, in the future, those star-crossed friends might reunite once more. (See Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi for the absolute pinnacle of this type of storytelling).

But when every friendship ends in poison, it can be difficult to take any joy in it, even the masochistic kind that comes with good-quality long-term storytelling. And WWE in particular seem to favour the notion that friendship is a weakness to be transcended, or more insidiously, that within every partnership lies two frustrated individuals secretly eaten up by their suppressed desire to be better than the other.

To be one of a partnership, it seems, is to sacrifice all hopes of a successful singles career – and with WWE’s tag team division not quite as prestigious as it once was, it certainly seems like this is the accepted end goal for most of its performers.

But sometimes, friendship does win out. Sometimes, the power of camaraderie is enough to keep people together – whether it’s a group of misfits, a fun-loving trio or a dedicated duo. Let’s take a look at some of the best, most life-affirming friendships in pro-wrestling today, and keep hope alive for a slightly less cynical future.