The Best Thrown Together Tag Teams In Wrestling

The Greatest Thrown Together Tag Teams In Wrestling
February 12, 2025

By Ryan Porzl

Professional wrestling has been around for more than a century and one of the things it's known for is tag teams. Outside of a start up promotion, it's almost impossible to find a wrestling promotion without a tag team division or a tag team championship. Over the decades, wrestling has seen it's share of legendary teams. Many teams usually have the same origin as either siblings/family members or were trained by the same trainer or have the same background. Then there are legendary teams that had humble beginnings. These teams were basically consisted of two wrestlers who a promotion didn't have any plans for and decided to put them together and hope for the best. In this article, we'll look at the greatest tag teams in wrestling history that were thrown together..

Note: I don't own the pictures. Credit to the WWE, AEW/ROH, and TNA

The Dudley Boyz- It's hard to imagine that perhaps the most decorated and greatest tag team in history were thrown together.

Both Bubba Ray and D-Von had similar backstories in that they both were trained by WWE Hall of Famer Johnny Rodz, turned pro in 1991, and worked the indies separately with neither making a splash. Bubba made it to ECW first, debuting in 1995 as Buh Buh Ray Dudley, the stuttering hillbilly member of the Dudley family. D-Von followed in early 1996 where he feuded with his half-brothers believing the fun loving ways of the Dudleys was not the Dudley way. Originally, Bubba and D-Von, ironically, were rivals and faced each numerous times. That said, from 1995-1997, they were largely in the midcard or opening matches and weren't doing a whole lot.

Then in 1997, the two would be put together as The Dudley Boyz (later Team 3D) and became one of the most celebrated teams of all time, competing on and off for nineteen years. In ECW, the two would win a record eight tag team championships and engage in matches and feuds with The Eliminators, The Gangstas, Sabu & Rob Van Dam, and Spike Dudley to name some. Their legend continued to grow in the WWF/WWE where they captured nine WWE Tag Titles as well as the WCW Tag Titles thus making them the only team to win the big three (WWF, WCW, and ECW) Tag Titles. They would also take part in a legendary series of matches and feuds with The Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian which included the first Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matches. Eventually, they went to TNA becoming the inaugural TNA Tag Team Champions as well as holding the belts on two occasions as well as the NWA World Tag Team Championships once. They would also enjoy success in Japan winning New Japan's IWGP Tag Team Titles twice, HUSTLE's Super Tag Team Championship, and All Japan's yearly World's Strongest Tag League in 2005.

The New Age Outlaws- Again, it's hard to believe that perhaps the most successful tag team during one of the hottest periods in WWE history was thrown together but here you go.

Road Dogg is a member of the legendary Armstrong wrestling family. Turning pro in 1986, he mostly spent the first decade as a journeyman in America and Germany. From 1994-1995, he made his first WWF run as The Roadie, a sidekick to "Double J" Jeff Jarrett before they abruptly broke up. By 1996, he then became "The Real Double J" Jesse James with a similar country singer gimmick but went no where and was rock bottom by 1997. Billy Gunn had done much better. Turning pro in 1991, Gunn worked the Florida independent circuit with fictional brother Bart Gunn before signing with the WWF in 1993. As The Smokin' Gunns, Billy and Bart were a top team in the New Generation Era winning the WWF Tag Team Championship three times between 1995-1996. After the Gunns broke up, Billy attempted a singles run as himself and then as Rockabilly, a protege of the Honky Tonk Man. Ironically, Dogg and Gunn would briefly feud by safe to say, they were going no where.

After coming together in late 1997, both men's careers took off becoming the top team for most of the Attitude Era, one of the golden ages of the WWF. From 1997-2000, the two held the WWF Tag Team Championship on five occasions while engaging in feuds and big matches with The Legion of Doom, Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie, Kane and Mankind, The Rock n' Sock Connection, The APA, and The Dudley Boyz. The team would also reunite in 2014 for a sixth tag title.

Doom- Doom was one of the interesting team as it boosted the career of a long time vet while giving the other his big break.

Both Butch Reed and Ron Simmons had somewhat similar backgrounds as both played football before getting into wrestling. Reed started in the 1978 and was a successful journeyman for Mid-South Wrestling, Central States Wrestling, and Championship Wrestling from Florida while enjoying a two year run in the WWF. By 1989, Reed found himself in the NWA as an associate of the Four Horsemen/Yamazaki Corporation managed by both JJ Dillon and Hiro Matsuda while briefly recreating his classic feud with Junkyard Dog but by the summer of 89 was doing largely nothing. Simmons turned pro in 1986 and spent time in Championship Wrestling from Florida before making his way to the NWA/JCP in 1987 while doing appearances for the UWF. Simmons would work in the NWA but mostly did nothing for the next few years.

Unlike most on this list, Doom weren't overnight sensations as they went through some growing pains wearing masks and having Woman as their manager. However, after shedding both and taking Teddy Long as their manager, the team went on a tear throughout most of 1990. They held the NWA/WCW World Tag Team Championships once and were champs when the NWA changed to WCW. The team also engaged in many great matches with The Rock n' Roll Express, The Steiner Brothers, and various Four Horsemen line up while being a highlight of an otherwise terrible 1990. While the team lasted less than two years, Doom still made their mark and also provided Reed with his last hurrah in a national promotion while it launched Simmons to the next level which eventually saw him become WCW World Champion in 1992.

Money Inc- Money Inc. was a team that not only boosted it's members but also gave WWF a main event team during a time of transition. 

Both Ted Dibiase and IRS were successful journeymen during the 70s (Dibiase) and 80s (both) enjoying success in various promotions including previous runs in the WWF. By 1992, both were at a crossroads in their career. Since returning in 1987, Dibiase was one of the top stars as The Million Dollar Man including big feuds with Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Jake Roberts, and Dusty Rhodes while also having a feud with former bodyguard Virgil. By 1992, Dibiase was still a very good competitor but his time as a main eventer was largely done. Meanwhile, IRS returned to the WWF in 1991 and while he was a solid midcarder while having a feud with Big Boss Man, he needed direction.

Upon forming in 1992, Dibiase and IRS would quickly become WWF's top tag team from 1992 to mid 1993 with big feuds with The Legion of Doom, The Natural Disasters, The Nasty Boys, The Megamaniacs, and The Steiner Brothers while winning the WWF Tag Team Championship on three occasions. The team also came at a time when a team like them was needed with teams coming and going at that point. The team would also main event Wrestlemania when their tag team title defense against Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake at Wrestlemania IX was a double main event alongside Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna. Money Inc. would prove to be perhaps the peak of both men in the WWF, even Dibiase despite Dibiase having an unrecognized WWF Championship reign and main evented Wrestlemania IV.

The Hart Foundation- It's hard to believe a team consisting of Brothers-in-law can be considered thrown together.

Both Bret and Neidhart had similar backgrounds as both turned pro in the late 1970s and both were trained by Bret's father and Neidhart's father-in-law Stu. Bret would mostly spend the first eight years of his career in his father's Stampede Wrestling becoming one of the promotion's top stars during the late 70s and early 80s while also making appearances. Bret ended up in the WWF in 1984 after Stampede was briefly bought out by the WWF and he would spend the first eight months directionless with WWF not having much to do with him. Neidhart also worked Stampede but also travelled the territories, mostly specializing as a tag wrestler. He competed for Stampede, Mid-South Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida, and Continental Wrestling Association. Neidhart made his way to the WWF in February 1985, originally paired with Mr. Fuji before aligning with Jimmy Hart. With neither going anywhere, it would be Bret who would propose putting the team together.

After forming in 1985, The Hart Foundation would go some growing pains in 1985 and 1986 before eventually becoming one of the WWF's top teams from 1987-1991. The two would hold the WWF Tag Team Championship two times and engage in classic matches and feuds with The British Bulldogs, Demolition, and The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers to name some. The success of The Hart Foundation would be big for both men's careers as it proved to be Neidhart's peak and the thing he's most known for while Bret eventually would embark on a highly successful solo career. 

Kronik- Kronik is another fascinating case as you have two big guys who actually worked in the same promotions for years before they were finally put together.

Brian Adams debuted in 1986 and would do time in New Japan before making his mark in Don Owens' Pacific Northwest Wrestling during the late 80s to early 90s. He eventually earned a name for his on again/off again seven year run in the WWF from 1990-1997 under the name "Crush". Adams would enjoy here and there success including becoming the third member of Demolition and enjoying a run with the WWF Tag Team Championship while later having feuds with "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Lex Luger. However, despite his potential, he was never able to take that next step. Adams then jumped to WCW in 1998 under his real name and became a member of the nWo but it nothing for his career. He then was scheduled to be the KISS Demon (based off KISS' Gene Simmons) before quickly being replaced by Dale Torborg. Bryan Clarke debuted in 1990 as a journeyman under the name "The Nightstalker" making appearances for AWA, NWA/WCW, Herb Abrams' UWF, and South Atlantic Pro Wrestling. He got his first break in SMW from 1992-1993 including a run with the Beat The Champ Television Title. From 1993-1995, he then achieved his big break working for the WWF as "Adam Bomb" but never rose above the midcard. In 1997, Clarke jumped to WCW and wrestled as "Wrath" for a few years but again was stuck in the midcard.

After forming in 2000, Kronik would see Adams and Clarke achieve their biggest success enjoying two runs with the WCW World Tag Team Championship and becoming a bright spot in the disastrous 2000 WCW. After WCW, they had a short but infamous WWF return which failed before finding redemption in All Japan where they held the World Tag Team Championships over there as well before injuries ended their careers in 2003. 

Beer Money Inc- Beer Money Inc. can be considered perhaps TNA's greatest team so it's interesting that they were thrown together.

James Storm debuted in 1997 and largely spent the first five years on the indie circuit outside of some prelim work in WCW. Storm would join TNA upon it's formation in 2002 and quickly would be paired up with Chris Harris in America's Most Wanted where they served as TNA's top tag team from 2002-2006 while winning the NWA World Tag Team Championship six times with Harris and once with Christopher Daniels. After AMW break up, Storm began a singles career doing feuds with Harris, Rhino, and Eric Young where he was solid in the midcard but only went so far. Roode debuted in 1998 and also did time in the indie circuit while making some prelim work in WWE. Roode joined TNA in 2004 where he was apart of Team Canada from 2004 to 2006, mostly forming a tag team with Eric Young and enjoying two reigns with the NWA World Tag Team Championship. After the stable broke up, Roode began a Wall Street type gimmick but outside a feud with Young, he didn't go very far and his singles push sputtered by 2007.

After forming as Beer Money Inc, Storm and Roode enjoyed huge success and became TNA's top tag team from 2008-2011 with the two winning the TNA World Tag Team Titles four times and a fifth upon briefly reforming in 2016. The team engaged in many classic and/or big matches with the likes of the Motor City Machine Guns, Team 3D, and LAX. The team would also eventually launch both men to singles success with both enjoying runs as TNA World Champion.

The APA- The APA has a similar story to Doom. Both featured Ron Simmons (aka Faarooq) and both teams featured an aging legend and an up and comer with both having football backgrounds.

As mentioned, Simmons started in 1986 but eventually achieved success in NWA/WCW from 1987-1994 including a run as WCW World Champion. After his WCW run, he did shots for ECW and New Japan from 1994-1995. In 1996, Simmons jumped to the WWF where he became Faarooq and enjoyed a solid first two years as the leader of the Nation of Domination. However, after being overthrown by The Rock in March 1998, Faarooq would briefly feud with him before going directionless in the midcard during the summer and fall of 98. Bradshaw also came in during 1996 but struggled throughout his run including as a Stan Hansen like character named "Justin Hawk Bradshaw" to forming a new version of the legendary Blackjacks with Barry Windham. After those failed, he tried forming a team with Terry Funk and won a feud with Vader but nothing helped.

After being put together, the APA (Acolyte Protection Agency), the two would enjoy success as a brutal heel team as part of the Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness before finding popularity as the mercenary like APA where they enjoyed success and good matches with the top teams of the time like the Hardyz, Edge & Christian, and the Dudleyz while holding the WWF Tag Team Championship three times. Though a WWE team, the duo also enjoyed success in developmental promotions Ohio Valley Wrestling and Memphis Championship Wrestling winning tag titles in both. Like Doom, The APA gave the vet one last big run in the nationals (Faarooq) while eventually allowing the other to enjoy a successful solo run (Bradshaw).

Decay- Decay is not only one of the great thrown together teams but were a bright spot in a very dark time in TNA.

A TNA legend, Abyss turned pro in 1994, mostly enjoying success in Puerto Rico. He first appeared for TNA in 2002 as "Justice" for the first show before joining full time in 2003 as Abyss. Abyss would serve as a fixture for the promotion enjoying memorable feuds with AJ Styles and Sabu to name some while enjoying runs as NWA World Heavyweight Champion, NWA World Tag Team Champion, TNA World Tag Team Champion, and multiple Television Champions. By early 2016, Abyss had been with TNA for 13 years and needed a change. Steve turned pro in 2003 and spent the first decade of his career on the indie circuit. His big break came in 2014 when he signed with TNA and was part of the Menagerie stable alongside Knux, Rebel, and The Freak (Rob Terry). By 2015, the group would implode and Steve was left with no direction.

Upon teaming in 2016, Abyss and Steve would see big gains in their career. Paired with newcomer Rosemary, the two quickly defeated Beer Money for the TNA World Tag Team Championship in March 2016. The two would hold the belts for seven months with their biggest highlight being a feud with The Broken Hardys. Decay and their feud with the Hardys would be crucial for TNA as it marked the hottest thing the promotion had in a year where they came closer than ever to shutting down. In some ways, they were the plug in a hole that was sinking the ship.