5 former Tag Teams who should make their WWE return
WWE has featured some of the most legendary tag teams in the history of professional wrestling. While the company generally focuses on singles competition, the Stamford-based promotion has displayed tag team excellence from time to time.
There are plenty of former WWE tag teams that wrestling fans wouldn't mind seeing have another run in the big leagues. These teams were significant tandems of yesteryear and would fit right into the current product, helping teach the younger wrestlers a thing or two about the art of tag team wrestling.
Recently, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful reported that WWE secretly signed The Authors of Pain in late 2022. Last year, under the direction of Triple H, the company brought back numerous released talent, including the tag team Hit Row. This year, the company signed The Dudley Boyz to a Legends contract and signed The Headbangers to a 2023 WWE General Nostalgia Agreement.
Who else will WWE bring back to the fold? Without further ado, let's check out five former tag teams who should make a return to the company that made them famous!
#5. DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa)
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa are both signed to WWE and are assigned to the red brand. However, Gargano is currently out of action after re-aggravating a shoulder injury.
On the bright side, Fightful Select reported that Johnny Wrestling's injury has healed, and WWE Creative is currently trying to decide how to reintroduce him on television. Meanwhile, Ciampa is drifting along on Monday Night RAW without much direction.
For months, rumors of a DIY reunion have floated around the internet. There were also reports of Gargano and Ciampa potentially battling Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship at SummerSlam 2023.
Once the Rebel Heart returns from injury, arguably the best move for him would be to reunite the tag team DIY with The Blackheart. The former NXT Tag Team Champions would arguably make great opponents for the current Undisputed Tag Team Champions, The Judgment Day's Finn Balor and Senor Money In The Bank Damian Priest.
It'd also be worthwhile to see Gargano and Ciampa battling KO and Zayn in a match that many wrestling fans are anxious to see play out in 2023.
#4. WWE's Self-Proclaimed World's Greatest Tag Team: Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin were among the best tag teams of the Ruthless Aggression era. Whether they were known as Team Angle or The Self-Proclaimed World's Greatest Tag Team, Haas and Benjamin had no problem putting on incredible performances with the best teams WWE had to offer.
The duo held two reigns apiece with the WWE Tag Team Titles and the ROH World Tag Team Championship.
Currently, Shelton Benjamin is a free agent in WWE, and he's drifting along aimlessly with Cedric Alexander as his tag team partner. Meanwhile, Haas has only wrestled one match in 2023, according to CageMatch.net, last competing in a fatal four-way on July 8th in New York City.
Though Charlie did wrestle significantly more in 2021 and 2022, in the twilight of their wrestling careers, perhaps Benjamin and Haas would be better off ending their careers together on WWE's main roster.
Of course, Haas returning to partner with Benjamin may cause tensions with Cedric Alexander, who may become jealous of this reformed partnership. There's also the chance that they'll all get along and form The World's Greatest Trio. Whatever happens would be better than the current booking of Benjamin and Alexander, wrestlers who have become background fixtures in recent years.
#3. Enzo and Cass
The tag team of Enzo Amore and Big Cass were seemingly experts at popping a crowd during the height of their run in WWE. They were once a highly popular duo, but for whatever reason, the company never booked them to become tag team champions, even when they were down in NXT.
The company split them up in 2017. While Enzo found success by becoming Cruiserweight Champion twice, his career in the mainstream spotlight took a nosedive after allegations against him became public in early 2018. Before he could be cleared of any legal wrongdoing, Amore was out the door of the promotion. That same year, Big Cass feuded with Daniel Bryan, but Cass would also see himself be released by WWE in 2018.
Currently, Cass is competing as "Big Bill" in AEW. Meanwhile, Muscles Marinara can still be found wrestling on the independent circuit, using names like "nZo" and "Real1."
Cass and Enzo reportedly both had backstage heat during their time in the Stamford-based company, but having heat with officials or wrestlers doesn't necessarily mean a wrestler is forever blacklisted.
Someday, it's possible Titan Towers may come calling for Enzo and Cass to make a comeback. Their return would be guaranteed to provoke a reaction. If NXT were to run another premium live event in Brooklyn, that would be an excellent opportunity to reintroduce the trash-talking duo. Enzo and Cass's music playing would predictably generate a monster pop.
#2. The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor)
The Ascension were once the most dominant tag team in NXT, but their wrestling careers went downhill when they were called up to the main roster. To this day, Konnor and Viktor of The Ascension are still the longest-reigning NXT Tag Team Champions of all time.
However, after they insulted legends on Monday Night RAW, the duo was humiliated and never recovered the momentum they lost. WWE would end up releasing the team in December 2019.
Currently, the wrestler formerly known as Konnor is signed to IMPACT Wrestling, where he wrestles under the ring name "Kon" as a member of the heel stable The Design. Meanwhile, Viktor now wrestles under the ring name "Zyon" with Billy Corgan's National Wrestling Alliance.
However, once their obligations are finished with IMPACT and NWA, respectively, Konnor and Viktor should reunite and have one more dominant run in NXT. And after a stint on the white-and-gold brand, maybe The Ascension can finally have a respectable run on the main roster.
#1. The Highlanders (Robbie and Rory McAllister)
Robbie and Rory McAllister didn't succeed much in WWE during the latter years of the Ruthless Aggression era. While they were a featured tag team on the main roster, they were never able to win the World Tag Team Titles.
Robbie of The Highlanders stirred controversy and brought backstage heat on the team after appearing on an episode of TNA Impact in March 2008.
The Highlanders would later be released by WWE in August 2008, possibly due to Robbie appearing in the crowd on a live episode of Impact! They were released mere days after Rory's return from injury. However, in 2023, maybe it's time for the Scottish duo to make their return to the Stamford-based promotion.
If they were to be re-signed, The Highlanders could potentially form a partnership/friendship with The Scottish Warrior Drew McIntyre and/or The Original Bro Matt Riddle. Rory and Robbie can also feud with The Viking Raiders, a team that already has issues with McIntyre and Riddle. Even if WWE has no plans to push the veteran tag team, they could still be used to make Erik and Ivar look strong.
In 2023, Robbie McAllister has been active wrestling on the independent circuit, mostly as a singles competitor. As for Rory, according to CageMatch.net, the last time he wrestled was in May 2021 in a tag team alongside his kayfabe cousin Robbie.