I like to thank everyone for reading these articles. It was fun to go down memory lane with the many tag teams that I grew up reading about and watching.
It was no surprise that many of the tag teams made their mark in the '80s. Many people have dubbed that era the "Golden Years of Tag Team Wrestling."
Regional organizations like Georgia, Mid-South and World Class mostly had main events that were tag team matches. There were many times that the tag teams in Jim Crockett Promotions and AWA were more popular and exciting than the World Champions.
In the late 80s, the WWF tag team division may have been the deepest and most competitive ever. Why else would successful teams like the Rockers, Killer Bees, and Twin Towers not win the gold?
Tag team competition was so popular that World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) even featured many six-man matches and created six man titles and trophies. Of course, Survivor Series was born in 1987 to feature eight and ten men matches.
It definitely was the decade of the tag teams.
Now onto the list....
9 - Ted DiBiase & Steve "Dr Death" Williams
Before heading to the WWF and becoming "The Million Dollar Man", DiBiase was the star of Mid-South Wrestling. He held their title, the NWA North American Championship, four times and the NWA Mid-South Tag Team title five times (with Matt Borne, Hercules Hernandez, Jerry Stubbs, and twice with Williams).
In 1985, the good friends started teaming together to battle Eddie Gilbert and his stable. They would win the tag belts twice that year, defeating the Rock N' Roll Express and then Gilbert and his partner, Nightmare.
Prior to '85, these two guys would always have each other's back and would feud with the top faces of the organization. As heels, they feuded with Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Andre The Giant (who made cameo appearances), Magnum TA, Mr Wrestling ll, and Junkyard Dog.
DiBiase was the main heel for years until Ric Flair came around in early '85. The NWA World Champion would be booked in various regional organizations to fight their top wrestler or regional champion. This would help to draw fans and interest. In this case, that wrestler was Dibiase.
The match was scheduled to start the TV program but before the two men were able to grapple, a jealous Dick Murdoch came to the ring to let DiBiase know that he would take his place.
The two began providing their resumes and reasons why they should fight Flair. This led to the two brawling outside the ring and DiBiase having his head smashed in the ring post.
The angle was that DiBiase suffered a career ending injury and would not be able to fight. The commissioner gave DiBiase to the end of the program to fight or forfeit the match. During the program, Bill Watts would provide updates regarding the injury.
Of course, DiBiase was able to meet the deadline and went to the ring to fight Flair for the World Title. DiBiase entered the ring with a bloody bandage and quickly started brawling with Flair.
Bill Watts would repeatedly talk about how bad the injury was and cautioned the viewers that if the bandage came off, that they may not be able to stomach the sight. Of course that was exactly what the viewers wanted...reverse psychology at its best.
The bandage came off and DiBiase instantly sported a crimson mask: not a great sight but truly exciting. The fans, who normally booed Dibiase, were on their feet rooting for the organization's top heel.
As Flair chopped Ted, blood splattered everywhere. You can see the fans grimace with every chop delivered and then a look of disgust as the blood was just sprayed in their direction. Parents were covering the faces of their children.
This was a wrestling classic and must watch on YouTube.
Though DiBiase gave it his all, Flair was able to keep the title due to a countout.
From that point, on Dibiase and Williams became faces and started fighting the heel stables that existed during that time.
8 - Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood
It's no surprise that the guys that will appear in the remaining spots were outstanding and efficient workers...Ricky Steamboat was one of the best.
Steamboat and Youngblood won six NWA Tag Titles during the early 80s and were voted The Best Tag Team of 1983.
There top feuds were with Ray Stevens, Sgt Slaughter/Don Kernodle, and Paul Jones.
7. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard
As members of the Four Horsemen, Anderson and Blanchard began teaming up in '87 after Ole Anderson was kicked out of the stable. Their goals was to win the NWA World Tag Title quickly.
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