Tale of The Tape: Hart Dynasty Vs. Motor City Machine Guns

Welcome back to our second installment of "Tale of the Tape ", where we compare the best of the WWE against the best of TNA!  Thanks to everyone who commented on our last edition, when we compared the Nexus against the potential Fortune stable.  This week we're going to take a look at each respective promotion's tag team champions.  These two groups are the gold standard in today's tag team environment (ROH fans may disagree), mixing high flying action with mat based skills reminiscent of the great teams of the 1980's. 

So, without further ado, let's see how the Motor City Machine Guns stack up against The Hart Dynasty on the Tale of the Tape! For the record, we aren't adding Natalya to the discussion, though she is a fine wrestler in her own right (though horribly underused IMO).

First, a little background information about each team.  Our first entry is The Hart Dynasty (credit wwe.com for bio information)

Tyson Kidd - 6'0 202 lbs Signature Move: Sharpshooter

David Hart Smith - 6'5 250 lbs Signature Move: Running Powerslam

This tag team is known not only for their unique skills in the ring but, more importantly, for their lineage.  Kidd was the last graduate of the famous Hart Dungeon, and David is the son of the late "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith.  Trained by "The Hitman" Bret Hart and his father Bruce Hart, it's easy to see the legacy of The Hart Foundation and British Bulldogs carry on in fine fashion when you see these guys in the ring.  They have even utilized "The Hart Attack" as a finishing maneuver.  They won the tag team championship in April 2010 by defeating ShowMiz.

Our next participants are those wild guys from Detroit, the Motor City Machine Guns (credit tnawrestling.com for bio information)

Alex Shelley - 5'10 215 lbs Signature Move: The Shellshock

Chris Sabin - 5'10 205 lbs Signature Move: Cradle Shock

The MCMGs may have just recently won the TNA tag team titles this past Sunday at Victory Road, but they have been one of the world's greatest teams, winning the IWGP's Junior Tag Team Titles and being one of Japan's greatest tag teams to date.  In addition, the MCMGs are also former X-Division champions as well.

Let's break each team down by the following categories, and you the IWC can vote on who you think is the better tag team.

Ability : This is the toughest category to determine as both of these teams can bring it in the ring. The Hart Dynasty blends an incredible display of power and mat skills. Those skills remind fans of the days when their respective elders, The Hart Foundation and the British Bulldogs, used to battle for the WWF Tag Team Championships in the 1980's. As they were drafted by Raw they began to display more of their ability on a larger stage, even using the Sharpshooter to win their first tag team championship. Lately, they have incorporated the Hart Attack (clothesline-bear hug combo) as a finishing maneuver. 

The MCMGs are a throwback to other tag teams, such as the Rock N' Roll Express, and even the Midnight Rockers in the old AWA days.  Based on their time together you can tell these guys really know the other's abilities.  From dual kicks and planchas, to their devastating finishing maneuver, "Made in Detroit" (neckbreaker combo off the top rope), they combine the high flying skills that made the X-Division a TNA staple with team moves that keep their opponents (and fans) guessing what they are going to do next.

As stated earlier, this decision is more like a coin flip, but based on their innate ability to make the impossible seem quite easy, especially in tag team action, I'll have to give the nod to the Motor City Machine Guns .

Mic Skills :  This one is easy.  Although The Hart Dynasty began to make some more noise on the mic when they had Bret Hart in their corner, I don't think microphone skills was a requirement to survive in the Hart Dungeon.  They still have a way to go, although I do see the potential for improvement in Tyson Kidd's mic skills.

As for the MCMGs, remember Paparazzi Productions ?  That made Alex Shelley a star.  He is gold on the mic, and Chris Sabin has shown more personality in the past few years.  Also, they are very entertaining.  If you don't believe me, just take a look at this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi4G1s2hPZQ

'Nuff said.  Motor City Machine Guns in a landslide.

Rivals :  A great tag team can only be as entertaining as their rivals.  Where would the Rock 'N Roll Express be without the Midnight Express, or the Midnight Rockers against Bad Company, or Demolition against the Brainbusters? 

As of now The Hart Dynasty is going up against the Usos, a tag team with their own lineage, for the titles at the MITB PPV on Sunday.  That could be just the feud the WWE needs to restart the stagnant tag team division.  In addition, since they are the Undisputed Tag Team Champions, they can also defend the belts on Smackdown, where the Dudebusters would be in the mix.  Perhaps some of the Nexus wrestlers will become a tag team in the future, but that is to be determined for later.

The MCMGs, on the other hand, have their own natural rival in Beer Money, whom they upended for the titles this past Sunday.  Expect that rivalry to continue throughout the year.  Also, don't forget that the 23-time tag team champions Team 3D is always in the mix. You can also expect the up-and-comers Ink Inc. and Generation Mecto get involved.  It appears that despite finally climbing the tag team mountain, the MCMGs still have their work cut out for them. 

The more rivals, the better, and the MCMG s once again win this category.

Future Success :  With both participants being tag teams, it's time to take a look at their potential for future main event success.

Kidd and Smith have the talent to win as singles as well as the MCMGs.  The WWE is known for taking tag teams and eventually giving them a chance to succeed on their own.  I believe that Smith will get the chance to break out due to not only his size but also his lineage, just look at Ted DiBiase and Randy Orton.  He could be a future main event star as a heel.  Kidd has that Evan Bourne-look to him that will parlay into some success, but I don't see him getting beyond the US/IC title levels.

As for the MCMGs, they have already conquered the X-Division & Tag Team mountains, but I can't see them going any farther than the mid card.  Of the two, Shelley seems to have that cockiness to make it as a heel act, but the comedy bits would probably have to be dropped first.  That said, TNA has shown they don't mind pushing smaller wrestlers (see AJ Styles) if they can get a crowd going.

I'm giving The Hart Dynasty the nod here due to their rich lineage.

Well, it looks like the MCMGs win out three to one, but it's you the fan that will determine this outcome.  Please vote in the poll and we'll post the results next week.  Let me know if there's anyone else you'd like to see me compare on "Tale of the Tape"!