Abandoned: The History of the WCW World Tag Team Championship, Pt. 2
For this edition of Abandoned I present Part 2 of the WCW World Tag Team Championship.
The titles were established in 1975 for Jim Crockett Promotions as the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship.
The titles appeared throughout the Mid-Atlantic territories including Georgia Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling.
When MACW became WCW and began to withdraw from the NWA, the titles were renamed as such.
WCW continued to use the NWA tag belts until the NWA created one prime Tag Team Championship using the those titles.
The titles were abandoned in 2001 after WWF bought and shut down WCW.
Throughout its 26-year history, the titles have seen 142 champions.
In Part 1 you got to see the first 75 champions. Here’s Part 2, which will feature the final 67 title holders.
Let’s get started!
Pretty Wonderful (Paul Orndorff and Paul Roma)
1 of 68Defeated: Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan
Where: Orlando, Fla.
When: July 17, 1994
Title Reign: 70 days
Pretty Wonderful formed in 1993 under the direction of the Masked Assassin.
Once established, they targeted the tag-team champions. During a title defense against the Nasty Boys, Pretty Wonderful managed to injure them as well as Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan.
They soon won the titles and entered into a feud with Stars and Stripes.
Stars and Stripes (The Patriot and Marcus Bagwell)
2 of 68Defeated: Pretty Wonderful
Where: Atlanta, Ga.
When: Sept. 25, 1994
Title Reign: 28 days
Stars and Stripes formed in 1994 and almost immediately began a feud with then-champions Pretty Wonderful.
After failing to win the belts on a few occasions, they finally did so on an episode of WCW Saturday Night.
After their feud with Pretty Wonderful ended, they entered into a feud with Harlem Heat.
Pretty Wonderful
3 of 68Defeated: Stars and Stripes
Where: Detroit, Mich.
When: Oct. 23, 1994
Title Reign: 24 days
After a feud with Stars and Stripes, Pretty Wonderful would lose the titles.
Upon their loss, the team would disband and Orndorff and Roma would go their separate ways.
Paul Orndorff would retire in 1995 and be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
You can still see him at various independent shows and wrestling conventions.
Paul Roma became a jobber after the breakup and retired in 1998.
He returned to wrestling in 2006 and can now be seen on the independent scene.
Stars and Stripes
4 of 68Defeated: Pretty Wonderful
Where: Jacksonville, Fla.
When: Nov. 16, 1994
Title Reign: 22 days
After losing the belts to Harlem Heat, they entered into a short feud with the Blue Bloods.
The team disbanded in 1995 when the Patriot left WCW.
After leaving WCW, the Patriot went to All Japan Pro Wrestling for two years before heading to the WWF in 1997.
He feuded with Bret Hart and the Hart Foundation before being released.
The Patriot retired after his release and can now be seen as a car salesman in South Carolina.
Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray)
5 of 68Defeated: Stars and Stripes
Where: Atlanta, Ga.
When: Dec. 8, 1994
Title Reign: 164 days
Booker T and Stevie Ray got their start in the WWA as the Huffman Brothers in 1989 but became the Ebony Experience in 1992 when they went to the GWF.
They won the tag titles three times before making the move to WCW.
The Nasty Boys
6 of 68Defeated: Harlem Heat
Where: St. Petersburg, Fla.
When: May 21, 1994
Title Reign: -18 days
The Nasty Boys had won the titles at the Slamboree pay-per-view on May 21st.
Since the Nasty Boys were scheduled to win the titles, they defended them eighteen days earlier at a television taping that would air on June 24.
The Nasty Boys held onto the belts until June 24 to create the illusion that they were still champions when in reality, they weren’t.
After WCW went under, the Nasty Boys reformed and have appeared at various independent promotions.
When Hulk Hogan arrived in TNA in 2010, he brought in the team and they entered into a feud with Team 3D, formerly the Dudley Boyz.
They only lasted three months in the company, as they were released after Spike TV executives witnessed some kind of incident with Brian Knobbs.
Harlem Heat
7 of 68Defeated: The Nasty Boys
Where: Orlando, Fla.
When: May 3, 1995
Title Reign: 80 days
They signed with WCW in 1993 and became Harlem Heat, but not Booker T and Stevie Ray.
They were known as Kole and Kane respectively, and they were heels managed by Colonel Robert Parker.
They were originally going to be prisoners that Parker won in a card game, but that gimmick was dropped because WCW realized that it would incredibly racist.
Bunkhouse Buck and Dick Slater
8 of 68Defeated: Harlem Heat
Where: Atlanta, Ga.
When: July 22, 1995
Title Reign: 57 days
Bunkhouse Buck wrestled throughout the NWA, though he mostly stayed in the Southern territories.
He has won many titles in his career and can still be seen on the independent circuit.
He was last seen on a national scale in 2010 on an episode of SmackDown playing the father of Jack Swagger.
After leaving the NWA for the WWF in 1986, he soon became a jobber until he left a year later.
He went to WCW in 1987 and spent nine years there winning this title along with the WCW United States Tag Team Championship before being forced to retire in 1996 due to a back injury.
Harlem Heat
9 of 68Defeated: Bunkhouse Buck and Dick Slater
Where: Asheville, N.C.
When: Sept. 17, 1995
Title Reign: one day
In 1994, Sister Sherri began managing them and changed their names to Booker T and Stevie Ray.
Sherri brought them to the Tag Team Championship in WCW, and it would be the first of their 10 reigns as champions.
The American Males (Marcus Bagwell and Scotty Riggs)
10 of 68Defeated: Harlem Heat
Where: Johnson, Tenn.
When: Sept. 18, 1995
Title Reign: nine days
The American Males formed in 1995 and quickly defeated then-champions Bunkhouse Buck and Dick Slater in a non-title match.
They proceeded to defeat other established teams like the Nasty Boys before getting a shot at the titles.
They defeated Harlem Heat in an upset victory but would lose the titles quite quickly.
Before the team split, they would become lost in WCW’s massive tag-team division.
When Bagwell joined the nWo, the team disbanded.
Scotty Riggs would soon join Raven’s Flock but left WCW in 1999 when the stable disbanded.
Riggs can still be seen on occasion on the independent circuit.
Harlem Heat
11 of 68Defeated: The American Males
Where: Atlanta, Ga.
When: Sept. 27, 1995
Title Reign: 117 days
Harlem Heat feuded with various teams throughout 1995-1996 and became tweeners with Robert Parker also managing them alongside Sherri.
After they lost the titles to the Outsiders, they turned into faces when they beat down Parker.
Sting and Lex Luger
12 of 68Defeated: Harlem Heat
Where: Las Vegas, Nev.
When: Jan. 22, 1996
Title Reign: 154 days
The Icon Sting got his big break in the NWA before moving on to WCW where he became a star.
While in WCW, he won every single title there was to win including the World Championship six times.
Lex Luger started working for Vince McMahon in 1992 during Vince’s failed World Bodybuilding Federation.
When that folded, Luger made his way to the WWF where he stayed two years.
His career highlight would be co-winning the Royal Rumble.
Harlem Heat
13 of 68Defeated: Sting and Lex Luger, the Steiner Brothers
Where: Charlotte, N.C.
When: June 24, 1996
Title Reign: 30 days
This was a triple threat tag-team match.
In 1997 the team feuded with the likes of Public Enemy, the Steiner Brothers and the nWo. They soon fired Sister Sherri and brought in Jacqueline as their manager.
The team would disband towards the end of 1997 when Stevie Ray took time off to heal an injury and Jacqueline went to the WWF.
Booker T then became a singles star, winning the Television Championship on multiple occasions.
The Steiner Brothers
14 of 68Defeated: Harlem Heat
Where: Cincinnati, Ohio
When: July 24, 1996
Title Reign: three days
As singles wrestlers, both achieved success, but Scott reached levels Rick didn’t.
While Rick would win the United States Championship, Scott would go on to win the WCW World Championship on one occasion.
Harlem Heat
15 of 68Defeated: The Steiner Brothers
Where: Dayton, Ohio
When: July 27, 1996
Title Reign: 58 days
When Stevie Ray returned, he joined the nWo while Booker T continued his rise as a singles star.
Despite Booker’s distaste of his brother in the heel stable, the two would coexist.
Public Enemy (Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge)
16 of 68Defeated: Harlem Heat
Where: Birmingham, Ala.
When: Sept. 23, 1996
Title Reign: 14 days
Public Enemy got their start as a team in ECW winning tag-team gold on numerous occasions and quickly gained a following due to their rough style and passion for violence.
They were also the first to introduce the table, years before the Dudley Boyz made using them famous.
The team would leave ECW in 1996 and sign with WCW. They brought over the same act but at the time the ECW product wasn’t well known and they never got over.
After leaving WCW in 1998, they appeared in WWF a year later. They only lasted two months in the company, though.
After leaving WWF they appeared in the independents until the passing of Rocco Rock on Sept. 22, 2002.
Johnny Grunge then formed the New Public Enemy with a storyline brother named Joey Grunge until Johnny’s passing on Feb. 16, 2006.
Harlem Heat
17 of 68Defeated: Public Enemy
Where: Canton, Ohio
When: Oct. 7, 1996
Title Reign: 20 days
In 1999, Booker convinced Stevie Ray to leave the nWo and they reformed Harlem Heat.
The team would win the Tag Team Championship three more times, making them 10-time tag-team champions.
The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall)
18 of 68Defeated: Harlem Heat
Where: Las Vegas, Nev.
When: Oct. 27, 1996
Title Reign: ~351 days
The Steiner Brothers would win the titles in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on January 26, 1997 but WCW executive Eric Bischoff would award the titles back to the Outsiders the next day as the referee who counted the fall was not an nWo ref and not scheduled to work.
The Giant and Lex Luger would then win the titles in San Francisco, California on February 23, 1997 but Bischoff would award the titles back to the Outsiders the next day because Luger wasn’t medically cleared to wrestle.
The Outsiders formed in 1996 when Scott Hall and Kevin Nash showed up in WCW stating that they were taking over. It created the illusion that two of WWF’s biggest stars at the time were invading the competition.
When Hulk Hogan joined them and formed the nWo, they became a team to be reckoned with.
Holding the titles multiple times with help from WCW executive Eric Bischoff, the Outsiders and the nWo were heels you did not want to get in the way of.
The Steiner Brothers
19 of 68Defeated: Scott Hall and Syxx
Where: Tampa, Fla.
When: Oct. 13, 1997
Title Reign: 91 days
Syxx substituted for an injured Kevin Nash.
When WCW folded, Scott made his way back to the WWE and immediately entered into a feud with then-world champion Triple H.
He would never win the title and was soon lost in the fold.
Rick wrestled in the independents while also making appearances for TNA.
The Outsiders
20 of 68Defeated: The Steiner Brothers
Where: Jacksonville, Fla.
When: Jan. 12, 1998
Title Reign: 28 days
The Outsiders broke up briefly in 1998 when the nWo split into two factions.
Kevin Nash formed the nWo Wolfpac with red and black colors while Hollywood Hogan remained with the black and white colors and named the group nWo Hollywood.
Scott Hall joined Hogan’s nWo, and Nash and Hall were now feuding.
They reunited in 1999 and stayed together until Hall was released from WCW.
The Steiner Brothers
21 of 68Defeated: The Outsiders
Where: El Paso, Tex.
When: Feb. 9, 1998
Title Reign: 13 days
Scott left WWE in 2004 and wrestled on the independent circuit for a year before debuting with TNA.
He is a former TNA tag-team champion with Booker T and can still be seen in the company as a member of the heel stable Immortal.
Rick appeared briefly in TNA with Scott for a Steiner Brothers reunion in 2007 to feud with Team 3D. Rick can still be seen on the independent circuit.
The Outsiders
22 of 68Defeated: The Steiner Brothers
Where: San Francisco, Calif.
When: Feb. 22, 1998
Title Reign: 84 days
After WCW was shut down, neither Hall nor Nash went to the WWF.
When Raw and SmackDown became two separate rosters, and Ric Flair gained control of WWF’s flagship show, Vince McMahon brought in the nWo to take down the WWE.
The Outsiders stayed together while the fans cheered Hogan so much he went back to the red and yellow colors.
Hall was soon released and the team was once again broken up.
Sting and The Giant
23 of 68Defeated: The Outsiders
Where: Worcester, Mass.
When: May 17, 1998
Title Reign: 18 days
The titles were declared vacant on June 4, 1998, when The Giant joined nWo Hollywood and Sting joined nWo Wolfpac.
When WWF bought WCW in 2001, Sting elected not to sign with Vince McMahon.
Sting would resurface on a national scale in 2003 when he returned to the NWA in affiliate TNA Wrestling.
While there, he won the NWA World Championship once and later the TNA World Championship four times after the company withdrew from the NWA.
The Giant got his start in WCW as a member of the Dungeon of Doom and quickly feud with WCW champion Hulk Hogan.
Being billed as the son of Andre the Giant, the Giant blamed Hogan for the death of Andre.
During his four years in WCW, the Giant would win this title, the World Championship twice and even won the World War 3 battle royal.
In 1999, The Giant made his way to WWF as the Big Show.
Diamond Dallas Page and Lex Luger
24 of 68Defeated: The Giant and Brian Adams
Where: N/A
When: June 4, 1998
Title Reign: two days
The Giant chose fellow nWo Hollywood member Brian Adams as his partner.
The Titles were then held-up by WCW chairman James J. Dillon a few days later because the Giant wasn’t allowed to simply choose a new partner.
Diamond Dallas Page got his start as a manager in the AWA as well as WCW. He soon began wrestling and became a star winning this title as well as the United States Championship.
Lex Luger returned to WCW in 1995 and stayed with the company until its demise in 2001.
He has made some appearances for TNA and other independent promotions until his stroke in 2007.
Luger is now fine and able to walk. After finding religion, Luger apparently now works for WWE with their wellness program.
Sting and Kevin Nash
25 of 68Defeated: Recognized
Where: Baltimore, Md.
When: June 15, 1998
Title Reign: 36 days
Sting and The Giant faced each other to determine who would be the WCW world tag team champion. The winner got to choose any partner he wanted.
When Sting won the match at the 1998 Great American Bash, he chose Kevin Nash has his partner the next day.
Sting is still with TNA as an authority figure in charge of Impact Wrestling.
As a singles wrestler, Nash went through many bad gimmicks before becoming Big Daddy Cool Diesel in WWF in 1993.
He would capture tag-team and Intercontinental gold before winning the WWF World Championship.
He went to WCW in 1996 and helped form the nWo.
Scott Hall and The Giant
26 of 68Defeated: Sting and Kevin Nash
Where: Salt Lake City, Utah
When: July 20, 1998
Title Reign: 98 days
As a singles wrestler, Scott Hall got his big start in the WWF as Razor Ramon. He would win the Intercontinental Championship on a few occasions, which included a memorable ladder match with Shawn Michaels.
In WCW, Hall would capture the United States and Television Championships before being released.
After returning briefly to WWE in 2002, Hall has appeared mainly for independent promotions.
He was last seen in TNA in 2010 and has been in and out of rehab ever since.
Big Show became a huge star while with WWF/E. He has won 16 championships, as well as two Slammy Awards.
You can still see Big Show in WWE as a member of the SmackDown brand.
Rick Steiner and Buff Bagwell
27 of 68Defeated: The Giant and Scott Steiner
Where: Las Vegas, NV
When: Oct. 25, 1998
Title Reign: Steiner and Bagwell: one day, Steiner and Kaos: 70 days
Scott Steiner substituted for an injured Scott Hall.
When Buff Bagwell turned on Rick Steiner, WCW allowed him to choose a new partner. The next day, Steiner chose Kenny Kaos.
The titles were then declared vacant on January 4, 1999 when Steiner went down with an injury.
Buff Bagwell started out as a tag-team wrestler and didn’t become “Buff” until he joined the nWo.
Despite being a successful tag-team wrestler, he never found the same success as a singles star.
The West Texas Rednecks (Curt Hennig and Barry Windham)
28 of 68Defeated: Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko
Where: Oakland, Calif.
When: Feb. 21, 1999
Title Reign: 21 days
The West Texas Rednecks defeated Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko in a tournament final to become the new champions.
The West Texas Rednecks were formed in 1999 with Hennig, Windham, Bobby Duncum Jr. and Kendall Windham.
They formed to feud with the group No Limit Soldiers. The Southern crowds of WCW loved the Rednecks but the group remained as heels.
Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko
29 of 68Defeated: The West Texas Rednecks
Where: Louisville, Ky.
When: March 14, 1999
Title Reign: 15 days
Benoit got his first major exposure in ECW winning tag-team gold with Dean Malenko. While there he got noticed by WCW.
During his time with WCW, Benoit would have reigns as United States, tag-team and television champion. He would also win the World Heavyweight Championship, but left for WWF the very next day.
Dean Malenko got his first big break in ECW winning tag-team gold with Benoit as well as the Television Championship. He would soon move on to WCW where he would win the Cruiserweight, United States, and Tag Team Championships.
Later in his career he would move onto WWF where he would win only the Light Heavyweight Championship.
Malenko retired in 2001 and now works backstage for WWE.
The Filthy Animals (Rey Mysterio Jr. and Billy Kidman)
30 of 68Defeated: Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko
Where: Toronto
When: March 29, 1999
Title Reign: 41 days
The Filthy Animals formed in 1999 with Konnan, Rey Mysterio, Billy Kidman, Eddie Guerrero and Torrie Wilson.
Their main feuds would be with Dead Pool (a version of Raven’s Flock) in August 1999 and the Revolution.
The Flock (Raven and Perry Saturn)
31 of 68Defeated: The Filthy Animals, Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko
Where: St. Louis, MO
When: May 9, 1999
Title Reign: 22 days
This was a triple threat tag-team match.
The Flock has gone by many names throughout the years.
In ECW it was known as Raven’s Nest, in WCW it was called the Flock and briefly Dead Pool, and in TNA, it went by the names of the Gathering and Serotonin.
All of them have been led by Raven and has seen many members.
After stints with ECW, WCW and WWF/E and TNA, Raven can now be seen on the independent circuit.
Diamond Dallas Page and Bam Bam Bigelow
32 of 68Defeated: Perry Saturn and Chris Kanyon
Where: Houston, Tex.
When: May 31, 1999
Title Reign: eight days
Chris Kanyon substituted for an injured Raven.
Kanyon allowed DDP to beat him and soon joined him and Bigelow to form the Jersey Triad.
All three were recognized as the champions and defended the titles under the Freebird Rule.
DDP would become world champion during the dying days of the company in 1999. After WCW went under, Page found himself in WWE entering into a feud with The Undertaker.
He would hold tag-team and European gold before leaving in 2002.
Bigelow spent time in the WWF before heading to the land of extreme. During his time with ECW, he would capture the World and Television Championships.
After ECW, he headed to WCW, where he would win the Tag Team Championship as well as the Hardcore Championship.
After WCW was shut down, he spent time in the independents.
Chris Benoit and Perry Saturn
33 of 68Defeated: The Jersey Triad
Where: Cleveland, Ohio
When: June 8, 1999
Title Reign: five days
Benoit became a huge success in WWF/E winning 12 titles and the 2004 Royal Rumble.
Among the titles he captured were the Tag Team, United States, Intercontinental and World Heavyweight Championships.
On June 11, 2007 Benoit was drafted to WWE’s revival of ECW where he stayed until his death 14 days later.
Saturn got his big start in ECW in 1995 capturing tag-team gold with Kronus as the Eliminators.
He would leave ECW for WCW in 1997 where he would capture the Tag Team Championship twice as well as the television title.
He soon found his way to WWF and won the European and Hardcore Championships before getting stuck with the Moppy gimmick.
After some time away from the ring, Saturn returned to professional wrestling last year.
The Jersey Triad
34 of 68Defeated: Chris Benoit and Perry Saturn
Where: Syracuse, N.Y.
When: June 13, 1999
Title Reign: 62 days
The Jersey Triad formed in 1999 with just DDP and Bigelow. They began feuding with then-tag champions the Flock and with the help of Flock member Kanyon, they won the titles.
Kanyon would then join the group shortly after and would defend the titles under the Freebird Rule.
The stable broke up later that year.
They would briefly reform in 2001 when DDP and Kanyon went to the WWF and won the WWF Tag Team Championship.
Diamond Dallas Page would retire in 2009, while both Bam Bam Bigelow and Chris Kanyon would pass away: Bigelow on Jan. 19, 2007 and Kanyon on Jan. 4, 2010.
Harlem Heat
35 of 68Defeated: The Jersey Triad
Where: Sturgis, S.D.
When: Aug. 14, 1999
Title Reign: nine days
In late 1999, Harlem Heat was joined by a female body builder named Midnight.
Booker T welcomed her to the group and appreciated her help at times, while Stevie Ray didn’t like having her around.
After he lost a match to her, he turned on Booker.
The West Texas Rednecks (Barry and Kendall Windham)
36 of 68Defeated: Harlem Heat
Where: Las Vegas, Nev.
When: Aug. 23, 1999
Title Reign: 20 days
The stable feuded with various teams throughout the year before disbanding towards the end of 2000.
Curt Hennig was one of the best wrestlers to never win a world title. He spent time in the AWA, WWF, WCW and even TNA at the end of his career.
He won many titles throughout his career but his life was cut short when he passed away on Feb. 10, 2003.
He would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.
Barry Windham would spend time in all of the major companies, winning many titles including the NWA World Championship.
He would continue to wrestle in the independents but suffer a heart attack last year.
He seems to be doing fine and will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Four Horsemen this year.
Kendall wrestled throughout the NWA and WCW but he would never reach the success of his brother. He would retire in 2000.
Harlem Heat
37 of 68Defeated: Barry and Kendall Windham
Where: Winston-Salem, N.C.
When: Sept. 12, 1999
Title Reign: 36 days
In 2000, Stevie Ray brought in J. Biggs and Big T, formally WWF’s Ahmed Johnson, to form Harlem Heat 2000.
The new team would take the “T” away from Booker as well as his music, but Booker would ultimately win the feud.
The Filthy Animals (Rey Mysterio, Jr. and Konnan)
38 of 68Defeated: Harlem Heat
Where: Philadelphia, Pa.
When: Oct. 18, 1999
Title Reign: six days
The Filthy Animals were stripped of the titles on Oct. 24, 1999 when Rey Mysterio went down with an injury.
The Filthy Animals saw three different incarnations with Juventud Guerrera, Disco Inferno and Tygress all joining the group.
Harlem Heat
39 of 68Defeated: Billy Kidman and Konnan, Brian Knobs and Hugh Morrus
Where: Las Vegas, NV
When: Oct. 24, 1999
Title Reign: one day
This was a triple threat tag-team match.
Harlem Heat now owns a wrestling school and promotion in Texas.
Stevie Ray would retire in 2005 and now runs the school full-time.
Booker went onto become a five-time WCW champion while also winning many titles in the WWF/E.
After spending some time in TNA, Booker T is back with WWE as a color commentator on SmackDown.
The Filthy Animals (Billy Kidman and Konnan)
40 of 68Defeated: Harlem Heat
Where: Phoenix, Ariz.
When: Oct. 25, 1999
Title Reign: 28 days
The stable also changed their allegiance throughout its three years of existence.
They started out as tweeners, became faces soon after, then heels in 2000 and went back to being faces in 2001.
Creative Control (Patrick and Gerald)
41 of 68Defeated: The Filthy Animals
Where: Auburn Hills, Mich.
When: Nov. 22, 1999
Title Reign: 15 days
Creative Control are best known as Ron and Don, the Harris Brothers.
They got their start in 1988 in Tennessee as the Bruise Brothers and went to Smoky Mountain Wrestling five years later under the same name.
They also appeared for ECW as the Bruises and in the WWF as the Blu Brothers.
Bret Hart and Goldberg
42 of 68Defeated: Creative Control
Where: Madison, Wisc.
When: Dec. 7, 1999
Title Reign: six days
Bret Hart is one of the biggest superstars ever to step foot in a ring. As the Excellence of Execution, he has won titles all over the world.
He is best known for his time in WWF, winning nine titles.
After the Montreal Screwjob, Hart went to WCW where he captured seven titles.
Hart would retire in 2000 and return to the WWE for the first time in nine years in 2006 when he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
He has since made the occasional appearance for WWE and has also won the United States Championship.
Goldberg played for the Atlanta Falcons before becoming a wrestler. He debuted in WCW in 1997 and went on a year-long undefeated streak which included reigns as United States and world champion.
Goldberg stayed with WCW until the buyout and made his way to WWE in 2003.
While there he feuded mostly with Triple H and won the World Championship once.
His last match would take place at WrestleMania XX against Brock Lesnar.
Goldberg retired in 2004 and can still be seen in movies and on television.
The Outsiders
43 of 68Defeated: Bret Hart and Goldberg
Where: New Orleans, La.
When: Dec. 13, 1999
Title Reign: 14 days
The titles were declared vacant on December 27, 1999 when Scott Hall suffered an injury.
Nash and Hall reformed the team multiple times in TNA, the most recent being in 2010 under the name the Band.
They won the Tag Team Championship once along with Eric Young under the Freebird Rule but they were stripped of the titles when Hall was released from TNA.
Kevin Nash was last seen in WWE last year feuding with Triple H while Scott Hall has been in and out of rehab for the past couple of years.
David Flair and Crowbar
44 of 68Defeated: Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner
Where: Greenville, S.C.
When: Jan. 3, 2000
Title Reign: 15 days
David Flair and Crowbar defeated Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner in a tournament final to become the new champions.
David is the real-life son of Ric Flair and debuted as a wrestler in WCW in 1999.
His WCW tenure was largely forgettable despite winning this title and the WCW United States Championship.
Crowbar also didn’t have the most memorable of WCW runs. He is also a former WCW hardcore and cruiserweight champion.
Both wrestlers are probably best known in WCW for their stable with Daffney and being considered crazy.
Both Flair and Crowbar can still be seen on the independent circuit.
The Mamalukes (Big Vito and Johnny the Bull)
45 of 68Defeated: David Flair and Crowbar
Where: Evansville, Ind.
When: Jan. 18, 2000
Title Reign: 25 days
The Mamalukes formed in 1999 as stereotypical members of the Mafia.
They would win the tag-team titles twice before joining the New Blood faction in mid-2000.
While members of the New Blood, they would be co-hardcore champions.
The Harris Brothers
46 of 68Defeated: The Mamalukes
Where: Oberhausen, Germany
When: Feb. 12, 2000
Title Reign: one day
In 1996, they went back to the WWF as the Grimm Twins but quickly became 8-Ball and Skull and were members of the Disciples of Apocalypse with Crush and Chainz.
They feuded with the Nation of Domination and Los Boricuas before leaving in 1999.
They then made their way to WCW as Creative Control but went under their real names a year later after joining the nWo.
The Mamalukes
47 of 68Defeated: The Harris Boys
Where: Leipzig, Germany
When: Feb. 13, 2000
Title Reign: 35 days
After the WCW buyout, both members of the Mamalukes found their way to the WWF/E but at different times.
Johnny the Bull joined during the Invasion angle and would win the Hardcore Championship on two occasions.
He would also become a member of the Full Blooded Italians stable.
He was released in 2004 and Big Vito was hired in 2005. Vito then became a member of the F.B.I. but he only lasted a year with the company.
Johnny the Bull can still be seen on the independent as Johnny Stamboli or his masked character Rellik.
Big Vito can also be seen in the independents.
The Harris Brothers
48 of 68Defeated: The Mamalukes
Where: Miami, Fla.
When: March 19, 2000
Title Reign: 22 days
All WCW titles were declared vacant on April 10, 2000 by Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff. Russo had just started with the organization and wanted to start with a clean slate.
When WCW went under, the Harris Brothers wrestled the independents before heading to TNA in 2002.
Don Harris would retire from the ring in 2005 and is now head of security in TNA.
Ron Harris retired that same year and now works for Beach Street Records.
Shane Douglas and Buff Bagwell
49 of 68Defeated: Team Package (Ric Flair and the Total Package)
Where: Chicago
When: April 16, 2000
Title Reign: 29 days
Shane Douglas & Buff Bagwell defeated Team Package in a tournament final to become the new champions.
After leaving ECW, Shane Douglas found his way to the WWF in 1995 as Dean Douglas. He would leave that same year and show up in WCW in 1999.
He would win this title as well as the United States Championship before leaving in 2001.
After multiple stints in TNA, Shane Douglas now wrestles in the independents.
After having a very brief stint in WWF and some appearances with TNA, you can now see Buff Bagwell on the independent circuit.
Kronik (Bryan Clarke and Brian Adams)
50 of 68Defeated: Shane Douglas and Buff Bagwell
Where: Biloxi, Miss.
When: May 15, 2000
Title Reign: 15 days
Kronik formed in 2000 as muscle for Vince Russo’s New Blood stable.
They would bounce back and forth between face and heel many times in the span of the year WCW had left.
In the final months of the company, the team became WCW’s version of the APA, but they didn’t get the chance to run with the storyline as WCW was shut down.
The Perfect Event (Shawn Stasiak and Chuck Palumbo)
51 of 68Defeated: Kronik
Where: Nampa, Idaho
When: May 30, 2000
Title Reign: 40 days
The Perfect Event formed in 2000 and were pushed to the stars in WCW’s last-ditch effort to finally establish more stars.
They became known for using Lex Luger’s Lex Flexer as a weapon to win matches and for hijacking the WCW production trucks.
Kronik
52 of 68Defeated: The Perfect Event
Where: Daytona Beach, Fla.
When: July 9, 2000
Title Reign: 35 days
Kronik debuted in WWF in 2001 as hired muscle for Steven Richards. He brought them in to protect himself from the Undertaker after the breakup of the Right to Censor.
The team only had two matches, losing the last one to the Brothers of Destruction, and was released before the end of the year.
After wrestling in Japan, both members of the team suffered spinal injuries and were forced to retire in 2003.
Brian Adams would pass away on Aug. 13, 2007.
The Dark Carnival (The Great Muta and Vampiro)
53 of 68Defeated: Kronik
Where: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
When: Aug. 13, 2000
Title Reign: one day
The Dark Carnival was a version of Raven’s Nest known as Dead Pool but when Raven left WCW, the group changed their name.
The stable consisted of Vampiro and the Insane Clown Posse. The Great Muta appeared with them when he was in the states and The Demon also joined the group.
The Great Muta can still be seen in his native Japan in All Japan Pro Wrestling. He will also make appearances at various independent shows here in the states.
Vampiro can be seen at Juggalo Championship Wrestling shows where the Dark Carnival reforms as well as AAA in Mexico.
The Filthy Animals (Rey Mysterio Jr. and Juventud Guerrera)
54 of 68Defeated: The Dark Carnival
Where: Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
When: Aug. 14, 2000
Title Reign: 35 days
The titles were declared vacant on Sept. 18, 2000 when Disco Inferno was pinned by Ernest Miller in a match where if Disco Inferno lost, Mysterio and Guerrera would have to vacate the titles.
Rey Mysterio went onto the WWE where he shined. He has won 12 titles and has also won the 2006 Royal Rumble.
Mysterio is still with WWE but is nursing an injury.
Konnan went to TNA after they were formed and stayed with them until 2007.
He is now in the AAA promotion in Mexico.
Billy Kidman found his way to WWE during the Invasion angle and spent four years there. He would win cruiserweight and tag-team gold before leaving in 2005.
After spending five years in the independents, Kidman is now back with WWE as a producer.
Juventud Guerrera bounced around the independents, TNA, WWE and AAA after leaving WCW in 2000.
Guerrera is now back in the independents.
Mark Jindrak and Sean O’Haire
55 of 68Defeated: Rey Mysterio, Jr
Where: Long Island, N.Y.
When: Sept. 25, 2000
Title Reign: 14 days
Mark Jindrak & Sean O’Haire won the titles in a battle royal by eliminating Rey Mysterio Jr.
Both wrestlers got their start in WCW in 2000 as members of the Natural Born Thrillers.
They would win these titles twice before breaking up.
O’Haire then began teaming with Chuck Palumbo, while Jindrak teamed with Shawn Stasiak and other members of the stable.
The Misfits in Action (Lieutenant Loco and Corporal Cajun)
56 of 68Defeated: Mark Jindrak and Sean O’Haire
Where: Sydney, Australia
When: Oct. 9, 2000
Title Reign: a few minutes
The Misfits in Action formed in April 2000 after Hugh Morris, Lash LeRoux, Chavo Guerrero, Van Hammer and Booker T defied Eric Bischoff during the New Blood storyline and he fired them all.
They reappeared shortly after under new names and as the Misfits in Action.
They feuded with heel stables the Filthy Animals, Team Canada and the Natural Born Thrillers before disbanding in 2001 after Guerrero turned heel.
Cpl. Cajun (LeRoux) can still be seen occasionally on the independent circuit while Lt. Loco (Guerrero) currently works for TNA’s India promotion Ring Ka King.
Mark Jindrak and Sean O’Haire
57 of 68Defeated: The Misfits in Action
Where: Sydney, Australia
When: Oct. 9, 2000
Title Reign: 38 days
Both wrestlers made it to the WWF during the Invasion angle.
Jindrak is probably best known as a member of Team Angle in 2004 alongside Kurt Angle and Luther Reigns.
He was released in 2005 and worked in Japan for a year. Jindrak can now be seen wrestling in Mexico as Marco Corleone.
Sean O’Haire is best known for his devil’s advocate-type character where he would tell the fans “anything you don’t already know.”
He soon began teaming with Roddy Piper in his feud with Mr. America and Zack Gowen.
After Piper left WWE in 2003, O’Haire soon followed suit in 2004.
General Rection and Alex Wright
58 of 68Defeated: Mark Jindrak and Sean O’Haire
Where: Oberhausen, Germany
When: Nov. 16, 2000
Title Reign: four days
General Rection is best known as Hugh Morrus. He got his big start in 1995 in WCW as a member of the Dungeon of Doom.
He would win this title once as well as the United States Championship twice.
He stayed with WCW until its demise and went to WWF in 2001. He didn’t accomplish much in WWE but is best known as his time as a trainer for Tough Enough.
Morrus was last seen as a trainer for the reality show when it was revived last year.
Alex Wright is mostly known for his time in WCW, as this was the only time he had any national exposure.
He would hold this title along with the Cruiserweight and Television Championships before the WCW buyout.
Wright would retire from professional wrestling in 2003 and now has his own wrestling promotion in his native country of Germany.
The Perfect Event
59 of 68Defeated: Alex Wright and Elix Skipper
Where: Augusta, Ga.
When: Nov. 20, 2000
Title Reign: six days
Elix Skipper substituted for an injured General Rection.
In August 2000, the Perfect Event helped in the formation of the Natural Born Thrillers.
The group consisted of the Perfect Event, Mike Sanders, Sean O’Haire, Mark Jindrak, Reno and Johnny the Bull.
The team would split up in 2001 when Thrillers leader Mike Sanders decided to put Palumbo with O’Haire.
The Insiders (Kevin Nash and Diamond Dallas Page)
60 of 68Defeated: The Perfect Event
Where: Milwaukee, Wisc.
When: Nov. 26, 2000
Title Reign: eight days
Kevin Nash was serving as a mentor of sorts to the Natural Born Thrillers when they turned on him.
He then formed this team with DDP to feud with them.
The “Insiders” name was a play on the Outsiders and was also said to be an inside joke since Page and Nash were close friends with WCW management.
They held these titles twice and split up a month before the buyout.
The Perfect Event
61 of 68Defeated: The Insiders
Where: Lincoln, Neb.
When: Dec. 4, 2000
Title Reign: 13 days
Both Palumbo and Stasiak would find their way to the WWF during the Invasion angle in 2001.
Palumbo would go on to win tag-gold twice with Billy Gunn as the team Billy and Chuck while Stasiak would win the Hardcore Championship 15 times.
Palumbo would be released in 2004 while Stasiak would be let go two years before.
Shawn Stasiak retired in 2002 and became a chiropractor.
The Insiders
62 of 68Defeated: Shawn Stasiak and Chuck Palumbo
Where: Washington, D.C.
When: Dec. 17, 2000
Title Reign: 28 days
In 2004, Page spent a year in TNA before retiring in 2009.
DDP can still be seen at the occasional independent show and convention as well as in a movie here and there.
Nash won tag-team gold in WCW as well as the WCW World Championship on numerous occasions.
After appearing for WWE and TNA after WCW’s buyout, Nash was last seen in WWE feuding with Triple H last year.
Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire
63 of 68Defeated: The Insiders
Where: Indianapolis, Ind.
When: Jan. 14, 2001
Title Reign: 205 days
Palumbo would return to WWE in 2006 and spend two more years with the company.
You can now see Palumbo on the independent circuit, at his motorcycle shop CP Kustoms or playing with his band 3 Spoke Wheel.
After wrestling on the independent circuit for two years, O’Haire retired from professional wrestling so that he could concentrate on mixed martial arts.
The Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane)
64 of 68Defeated: Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire
Where: Los Angeles
When: Aug. 7, 2001
Title Reign: 49 days
The Brothers of Destruction teamed up on occasion but were mostly rivals. When WCW invaded the WWF, they put their differences aside and joined forces.
They dominated the tag-team division and would win this and the WWF Tag Team Championship. They would hold both belts simultaneously.
The team broke up when Undertaker turned heel later that year.
Since then, the two of them have feuded and teamed up on multiple occasions.
The Undertaker is still with WWE but hasn’t been seen since WrestleMania XXVII, though he should be back soon.
Kane is also still with the company and can be seen on Raw feuding with John Cena.
Booker T and Test
65 of 68Defeated: The Brothers of Destruction
Where: Dayton, Ohio
When: Sept. 25, 2001
Title Reign: 13 days
Booker T became a huge singles star in WWE over the years after the Invasion storyline. He has won multiple titles and can still be seen doing commentary on SmackDown.
Test gained some success in WWF/E, winning European and Intercontinental gold. Unfortunately, he was never able to elevate to the main event and win the World Championship.
After a brief appearance for TNA in 2007, Test would announce his retirement that same year.
Test would then pass away two years later on March 13.
The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy)
66 of 68Defeated: Booker T and Test
Where: Indianapolis
When: Oct. 8, 2001
Title Reign: 15 days
The Hardy Boyz got their big start in the WWF in 1998. They were originally managed by Freebird Michael Hayes but they turned on him 1999 and joined Gangrel in the Brood.
With the addition of Lita, they became Team Xtreme and went on to become one of the most popular teams in WWE history.
Together, they would hold seven tag-team titles.
Jeff proved to be the more successful of the two as he went on to became a three-time world heavyweight champion. Matt wasn’t without his success, though, as he’s a former ECW champion.
They would also win many other singles titles.
Jeff Hardy can now be seen in TNA Wrestling while Matt Hardy can be seen on the independent circuit.
The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley)
67 of 68Defeated: The Hardy Boyz
Where: Omaha, Neb.
When: Oct. 23, 2001
Title Reign: 26 days
The titles were abandoned Nov. 18, 2001 when they were unified with the WWF Tag Team Championship.
The Dudley Boyz began teaming in ECW and became one of the company’s biggest acts.
They would win the ECW Tag Team Championship a record eight times before making the move to WWF in 1999.
While with WWF, the Dudleyz would win the company’s tag titles nine times as well as this title.
This brought them to be 18-time tag champions.
They would leave the company in 2005 and debut with TNA under the name Team 3D and won the NWA Tag Team Championship in 2007.
While with TNA, they would win the tag titles two more times as well as the IWGP Tag Team Championship twice.
Now 23-time tag-team champions, Team 3D is without a doubt one of the most decorated teams of all time.
They can still be seen in TNA, though they are no longer a team.
Devon hasn't been seen since the Genesis PPV a few weeks ago, while Bubba Ray now goes by Bully Ray and has become one of the best heels in the business today.
Statistics and Final Thoughts
68 of 68Most Reigns: Harlem Heat (10)
Longest Reign: The Outsiders (~351 days)
Longest Combined Reign: The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (992 days)
Shortest Reign: The Misfits in Action (a few minutes)
The WCW Tag Team Championship has a rich history of wrestling legends and Hall of Famers who have held them.
While some teams were randomly put together, those teams ran with the opportunity and took full advantage of the chance they were given.
Some of the greatest teams in the history of professional wrestling have held these titles and helped in cementing the belts in history.
Even when they became WCW titles, they were seen as important.
The tag-team division was huge in WCW, and while some teams were unfortunately lost in the fold, the division was great.
Towards the end, though, the belts lost a lot of their importance.
WCW was just throwing guys together in a last-ditch effort to rebuild their once great division and to create new stars.
It was too late and WCW went under.
It was good to see the titles last a bit longer while in WWF but I knew that it was only a matter of time before they were unified with WWF’s tag titles, which they were.
Some people think that the WWE Tag Team Championship that was created for SmackDown and now used today are the WCW tag titles revived under the WWE name.
I originally thought that as well, but they are two separate titles.
The WCW Tag Team Championship is gone and unfortunately forgotten by most.
Thanks for reading!
There is only one more title left in the series. The final title is WWE’s World Tag Team Championship.
Some say that the belts are made up of three different titles: the WWWF US Tag Team, International Tag Team and WWF/E World Tag Team Championships.
I have yet to decide if I will do the three belts separately or combine them, which itself will have to be split up into at least four parts.
No matter what I decide, part one of the final editions of Abandoned will be up next Wednesday due to the Royal Rumble being this Sunday.
Previous Installments
WWE Women’s│WWE European│ECW Television│WCW Hardcore│WCW US Tag Team│WWF Martial Arts│WWF International│WCW Women’s│ECW World│WWE Cruiserweight│WWF Light Weight│ECW Tag Team│FTW World│WCW 6-Man Tag Team│Million Dollar│WWF Junior│WWF Women’s Tag Team│WCW International│ WCW TV pt.1│WCW TV pt. 2│WWE Hardcore │WCW Tag Team pt.2
Sources
Photos: onlineworldofwrestling.com unless noted otherwise
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