Hi, and welcome to SteelChair’s Top 50 Tag Teams of the year. In previous years, we’d given you only the Top 10 teams but tag wrestling has just been so damn good this year, that we had to expand the list by five times (five times, five times, five times, five times).
Here, we count down the 50-11 positions, covering the best talent that male and female tag team divisions around the world have to offer. When you’re done here, do check out the Top 10, when it’s live, to see if your favourite made it. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Words by Laura Mauro, Steph Franchomme, Humza Hussain, Tom Mimnagh, Tom Beasley, Joe Raczka, John Dinsdale, Dave Adamson, Bradley Tiernan, Stephen Goodman, and James Truepenny.
From 50 to 26
Click on a pic to open the gallery
From 25 to 11
25 – Queen’s Quest (Momo Watanabe & Utami Hayashishita) – STARDOM
One of Stardom’s most dominant stables, Queen’s Quest have been no stranger to championship gold this year. Momo Watanabe and Utami Hayashishita held the Goddess of Stardom Championship until July when they were divested of their gold by Tokyo Cyber Squad. But fear not! With the help of stablemate AZM, Queen’s Quest went on to claim the Artist of Stardom Championship.
24 – The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) – WWE – Were #3 last year
The New Day’s inclusion in the list of best tag teams may partly be due to their tenure, but despite Kofi’s singles run taking up most of New Day’s time in 2019, when called upon, they have continued to deliver in the WWE tag team scene. A perfect example being their great PPV outing with The Revival at Clash of Champions.
23 – Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) – WWE
The booking of the Viking Raiders has been questionable, and that dates back to their debut under the name ‘The Viking Experience’. But since consistently performing on Monday nights, Erik and Ivar have won over the crowd with their unique and breathtaking style (nicknamed “305 Live”), and this was clear for all to see in their fantastic title victory on RAW.
22 – Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) – NXT UK
Zack Gibson has always been one of the best antagonists on the microphone and NXT UK has rewarded the fans in spades! James Drake is a consistently strong performer and has become the perfect wingman to Gibson. Intense in-ring ability, a naturally dislikeable temperament and supreme confidence, Grizzled Young Vets have come to define NXT UK’s tag team division.
21- Woke Queens ( Debbie Keitel & Valkyrie) – EVE
You have to love Debbie Keitel and Valkyrie. Ireland’s enormously entertaining Woke Queens have only been operating as a dedicated duo since the beginning of the year, but they’ve made quite an impression already. Making their Pro Wrestling: EVE debut in June, the popular coffee-chugging, ABBA-loving pair fought off stiff competition to become the second-ever EVE Tag Team Champions.
20 – Santana & Ortiz (Impact Wrestling/AEW)
What is there to say about Santana and Ortiz? The former LAX have done it all in Impact Wrestling. They dominated Impact as a top draw and held the tag titles in several high-class feuds. Now they have branched out into AEW as Proud N Powerful and look set to do it all again going straight for the Young Bucks.
19 – Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) – WWE
It has been a hell of a year for this high-energy duo, who won gold for the first time on the developmental brand before making the step up to the main roster. After several weeks as an enjoyable Greek Chorus on Monday Night RAW, Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins have finally got in the ring, where they’re tearing it up.
18 – Anti-Fun Police (Chief Deputy Dunne & Los Federales Santos Jr) – UK Wrestling
Chief Deputy Damien Dunne, Los Federales Santos Jr, James & Leigh Obstruction (aka The Hunter Brothers, a team who could top this list on their own) and Cadet Joe Nelson have upheld the law in 2019 making sure there’s been no fun (aah) while easily stealing shows up and down the UK and Ireland. But never having fun, no fun, nada.
17 – Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) – WWE
The formation of the Kabuki Warriors was rough at best but now they look set to be a dominant force in the Women’s Tag Division. A vicious streak and ignorance of the rules have made them a threat to any woman on any show. They have rid themselves of Paige and are carving their own path of carnage through RAW.
16 – Villain Enterprises (PCO & Brody King)
This somewhat unlikely pairing has become one of the hottest teams in the US Indy scene. Winners of the ROH tag titles, the returning Crockett Cup and the NWA tag titles, Brody King and PCO have gone from strength to strength. And that doesn’t even take into account their success as the ROH 6-man champs along with Marty Scurll.
15 – Reiwa Ultima Powers (DASH Chisako & Hiroyo Matsumoto)
DASH and Matsumoto are a true force of nature. Between them, Mika Iwata & Chihiro Hashimoto and Medusa Complex, 2019 has seen a resurgence in Sendai Girls’ tag division. The capper to this has been Reiwa Ultimate Powers claiming those Sendai Tag-Team titles. A fitting reward for a team that has pushed the art of tag wrestling like few others.
14 – The Revival (Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson) – WWE
The Top Guys were NXT darlings. They had promo skills, a classic style and the ability to put on excellent matches. Now they can finally do that on the main roster too as they were trusted with Tag Titles and some proper usage. They aren’t quite the joke they had been and should continue to be pushed as top guys.
13 – Best Friends (Chuckie T & Trent?) – AEW
Best Friends, Trent Beretta and Chuck Taylor (and sometimes Orange Cassidy), have a friendship so powerful it has encapsulated the love of many AEW fans. Their patented hug alone is a force strong enough to make any hard cam zoom backwards. Whilst they were unable to progress in AEW’s tag team tournament, they have captured many hearts this year.
12 – Jurassic Express (Luchasaurus, Jungle Boy & Marko Stunt) – AEW
Take Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy, and add Marko Stunt to the equation. It’s divided some AEW fans, yet it works! The wise guardian Luchasaurus is an impressive combination of hard-hitting and high-flying, Jungle Boy with a marketable look and talent to match and Marko Stunt as the annoyingly talented little guy who everyone remembers. Wrestling fans, get on board the Jurassic Express.
11- Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) – NJPW
That Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa perennial IWGP champions and contenders had another banner year. They took the IWGP titles in February and moved on to the ROH/IWGP title match at MSG as double champions. While that may have been an artistic disaster, they’ve been power players ever since. World Tag League will define their 2020.
All pics courtesy of WWE, NJPW, OTT, ICW, Beyond Gorilla, Sendai Pro Wrestling, Stardom, SHIMMER, ROH, NWA, AEW, Grapple Wrestling, Progress Wrestling, EVE, SEAdLINNING, OWE, Machida Pro-Wrestling Festival, Laura Mauro, and Oli Sandler