WWE tag team division

I thought a particular low point of the Rumble was the NAO vs The Ascension. I'll still mark out for the entrance of the NAO and Billy Gunn might look ancient, but he proves every time he's in a ring why he's one of the best athletes WWE ever had.

Basically we seem to have The Usos at the moment, who I genuinely really like. They bring a lot of pace and energy to their matches and they work for me.

After that, we just don't have a lot or anything and that's bad. Miz and Mizdow are entertaining. But the gimmick can't last forever (and has always seemed a bit screwed up to me that the stunt double should be taking all the beating before the "star" comes in for the win). And we've seen them and the Usos more times than I can count.

Goldust somehow still brings it and I'm surprised that I've enjoyed the Stardust gimmick, which I thought was going to be very lame. But again, this team seems to be running its course.

Unless something changes very quickly the New Day are stale before they've even started. Which is a shame as there is some good talent in there, but their gimmick seems to be wasted.

Cesaro and Kidd just seems something thrown together to give them both a bit of screen time. I don't see how they get to be a credible threat right now.

Personally, I'm still disappointed that they broke up Henry and Show who don't work individually any more for me, but I thought were okay as a destructive partnership.

So, can the Ascension still be the missing component of WWE's tag division? Should the Lucha Dragons be promoted from NXT? Should WWE go back to the Briscoes, or talk to the Young Bucks? Or is tag wrestling in WWE in 2015 just not of interest?

It's something I've raised before on the podcast and the biggest gripe for me is that tag teams are often two single competitors that Creative have nothing for at the time.
The Ascension are actually everything that should be done correctly with a tag team, they've just done it correctly with the wrong people!

Tag teams should be named as a tag team, not Wrestler A & Wrestler B.
Tag teams should have matching outfits.
Tag teams should have a tag finisher.
Tag teams should have entrance music for the tag team.
When tag teams are formed it should not be about thinking how they will split up eventually, just let them be a tag team for the considerable future.

I wonder with how popular NXT has been that a tag-based show could be the way forward, all the matches on it are the tag division, that it's given a brand styling and identity of its own, tag matches can still take place on RAW/SD etc but the majority of them take place on a new Network exclusive show.

Yes, I recall you talking a lot of sense that a tag team should look like a team, not like 2 guys who've randomly come together.  If they don't look like being together for more than 5 minutes (e.g. by having a matching outfit, entrance music and finisher) then how are the audience to buy into them being credible?

You have another interesting point on the rush to split tag teams.  They weren't my favourite team, but why did the Prime Time Players split?  No one wanted to see that feud and they were definitely more than the sum of their parts together. Harper and Rowan I like, but are they really doing better now than if they'd have stayed as a tag team?

I could see a Network Tag program working. If its booked as well as NXT, why not? But it just seems in line with the current view of WWE that none of the titles (maybe with the exception of the World) has any value, and no divisions do either, its just the few characters they can concentrate on.

Back to the Ascension.  I was no fan of them in NXT, but I could have seen them coming to WWE and feuding with the Usos.  While I love the Usos, there is a lot about them that is friendly to the younger viewer.  And the overtly heel Ascension could have been an interesting feud for a month at least.  Sadly, this opportunity seems lost before it's even got going.

I think Cesaro and Kidd will be the next challengers for the titles. Not because they're a good team (which they are) but because theres no one else.

I liked the tease of Harper and Rowan getting back together at the Rumble, those two were a really good team.

Cody Rhodes is being wasted as Stardust. If the rumours about Goldust are true then natural progression would say it makes sense to put Cody over Goldie at some point.

Miz and Mizdow are on the way out.

I think the Ascension will be up there after Mania, once they've beaten another few legendary tag teams. I dont understand why you dislike them as much Hero.

New Day is a rubbish gimmick. All though it seems to be getting more over. I would have prefered Nation 2.0 personally.

I dont mind two singles stars forming a tag team, as long as it is booked well and makes sense storywise.

NXT has a couple of really good tag teams, but you cant call them up until they have replacements set.

I'm not huge on having to have a tag finisher, but tag teams should have a logical reason for being together. If they are gonna throw two randoms together then they have to do a little story first. Kidd and Cesaro are great to watch, but if they could have explained why they came together then id care

One thing that has particularly annoyed me about Cesaro and Kidd is their lack of mic time. Kidd's been excellent in NXT as a smarmy heel, and I believe he'd get them over given a chance.

Bring back the Dudley boyz

D-VON GET THE TABLES

They did! I assume that was him at the Rumble? He was black and everything

That should be Bubba's first gimmick upon his return to WWE.

Going around shoving black guys in the chest telling them to get the tables

Maybe have Sting black up and join the family

Prometheus wrote:Maybe have Sting black up and join the family

I shouldnt laugh at that but I did!

Get Low Ki back in for it.