The top 10 tag teams in WWE history

With how dominant The Usos have been during their nearly 500-day reign as the WWE Tag Team Champions, it has me thinking about where they rank amongst WWE’s all-time greatest tag teams. Under the leadership of the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns, The Bloodline has become the top faction of the company and that includes the mastery in the ring from The Usos as well.

This is their fifth reign as champions and recently made history on Friday Night Smackdown.

Whether they’re legitimately the best or not, The Usos have solidified themselves as one of the greatest tag teams ever. Throwing recency bias out the window, let’s take a look at the top ten tag teams in WWE history.

New Age Outlaws

“Road Dogg” Jesse James and “Badd ass” Billy Gunn were a tag team that was a perfect match. Before joining forces, neither Gunn nor James had much of a solo career in WWE. Thanks to the brilliance of Shawn Michaels, he pitched to Vince McMahon the idea to put Road Dogg and Billy Gunn together as a tag team.

Once Michaels invited the team to join himself and Triple H in D-Generation X, that elevated them even more and helped them reach new levels of popularity.

The New Age Outlaws are six-time tag team champions in WWE and have the longest time in between championship reigns in WWE history. If not for their early breakup, they would have won more titles and would be remembered even more, but have to be discussed as one of the best teams in history.

The Steiner Brothers

Earlier this year, Rick and Scott Steiner were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Although their time in WWE was brief in the early ’90s, the pair was quick to make history. First, they appeared on the first episode of Monday Night Raw in 1993.

Since their time in WWE was cut prematurely, they only managed to win the WWE Tag Team Championship twice. Despite that, they still brought excitement to WWE and were one of the first successful tag teams that were brothers in real life and paved the way for so many to follow.

Edge and Christian

Both Edge and Christian have been a part of some exceptional tag team championship reigns, but none like they had together as a duo. They’ve been a part of some legendary classic matches for the belts and came out on top seven times in their career.

Eventually, both Edge and Christian would go on to have substantial solo careers as well, as a tag team their legacy lives on as one of the best teams ever.

Brothers of Destruction

No tag team was as feared as Kane & The Undertaker. Very rarely do two giant wrestlers work as a tag team. Typically, a high flyer is paired with a giant, but this is one of the rare cases where two giants teaming up worked and it won them the tag titles three times.

For several years, fans were led to believe that these two were brothers. Let this match against Edge and Christian (mentioned just before this) be your proof of how intimidating they were as a team.

APA (Acolytes Protection Agency)

The team of Bradshaw and Farooq started in The Undertaker’s Ministry of Darkness as The Acolytes. In 1999, they won two World Tag Team Championships and would eventually rename themselves the Acolytes Protection Agency and won a third tag team championship in 2001.

We all know Bradshaw (JBL) went on to have a Hall of Fame career in singles competition, but APA still holds a place in WWE’s hearts as one of the best tag teams of all time.

The New Day

Whichever duo you choose from Big E, Kofi Kingston, or Xavier Woods, The New Day they have to be in the discussion in terms of greatest tag teams. In fact, up until a couple of weeks ago, they held the longest reign as Tag Team Champions in WWE history. Not only have they held the Smackdown Tag Team titles seven times, but they’re also11-time WWE Tag Team Champions and likely will win them again at some point before their careers are over.

The Road Warriors (Legion of Doom)

Hawk and Animal were everything you wanted in a tag team. They were entertaining, great in the ring, and most importantly of all — cool. In their era, they were bigger and better than everyone else and that’s why they dominated.

They weren’t just dominant in WWE, they dominated across other wrestling companies as well. It didn’t last long with WWE, but they were there long enough to become the best in the business and are remembered forever.

The Usos

When it is all said and done and if we revisit this list in a few years The Usos could be at the top. If not for their latest reign (and the longest reign in WWE history) they may not be in the top ten. This reign separates itself from the others. They’re headlining all of the shows on Raw, Smackdown, and even some Pay-Per-views as well. It is because of them, why The Bloodline is the face of the company and will be for years to come.

The Hardy Boyz

Had they remained a team for the duration of both of their careers, Jeff and Matt Hardy would have the record for most WWE Tag Team Championships in history. They both went on to have solid solo careers, both winning singles gold in their respective careers. That wouldn’t have been capable if it weren’t for several years of exhilarating tag team championship matches. They’ve won the WWE tag titles six times and have the most memorable matches of any tag team in the history of WWE.

The Dudley Boyz

No tag team has won the WWE Tag Team Championship more than The Dudley Boyz. During their eight tag team championship reigns, Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley created so many memories with their unforgettable tables, ladders, and chairs matches with The Hardy Boyz, Edge & Christian, and many more. More times than not, The Dudleys came out on top and to this day are remembered anytime the crowd chants, “We Want Tables!”

The Dudley Boyz wrestled in nearly every major wrestling organization and was successful in each one of them. They will forever be remembered as one of the greatest tag teams in wrestling history. I didn’t always buy into their antics, but I’ve always respected them as one of the greatest teams in WWE history.