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September 5th –
Introduction:
This week was extremely pathetic in the world of tag team wrestling. We have weeks where on a single TNA show they only push the tag division and then the tag division steals the show at the next PPV. Then we have weeks, like this one, where there just isn’t much action at all and WWE creative buries the entire RAW tag division in one segment and pretty much does the same to the Smackdown tag division at Unforgiven. Creative, whether it be WWE, TNA or anywhere for that matter, needs to make the divisions more even, and needs to make each division matter more for us as fans to care. With that said, instead of wasting time this week, the only teams listed are the one’s who had any television time. I also at the end will have a small section about some of the independent teams around the nation. I hope to have such a section every four weeks or so.
Regarding what occurred at the Chicago, IL ROH Pay Per View taping this past weekend…People have e-mailed me about it, maybe because friends know me as a wrestling fan, maybe because people know I write “Tag Team Weekly” and “Tag Team Spotlight” for PWInsider, I don’t know. Either way, my thoughts are these – Do I think hanging a man and dripping flowing blood on another man is going too far? In the world of wrestling you take these things with a grain of salt. A few years back they hung The Big Boss Man by his neck in the middle of a cage, is that any different? I will say this; In light of how Chris Benoit is known to have died, I don’t think this was the proper time to trot that angle out, but it isn’t any farther than any other promotion has gone before…On to this week’s teams!
RAW
Cade and Murdoch looked really good at Unforgiven and had a more than decent match with
Kendrick and
They really had a nice match at Unforgiven even though they lost. The next night they defeated the Highlanders on Heat and then after trying to help a mauled over HHH, they got pummeled for their efforts. I’ll give them a thumbs in the middle as at least they didn’t get pinned clean by one man in a handicapped match.
Mickie James and Candice Michelle
Yes, I know this team isn’t going to be going for the tag titles, however, on and off for months now, these two girls have been working really well together. At times, you can substitute Maria in this team for either Candice or Mickie James and it still seems to run like a well oiled machine. It seemed that Mickie may have gotten hurt and I hope that isn’t the case as I’d love to see a women’s tag division or at least some more female tag matches come from these two. Thumbs up.
Jillian Hall and Melina
Just as with Michelle and James, Hall and Melina have become a really good female team. Also, just as in the face team, this heel team has a great third member in Beth Phoenix who can be exchanged for one of the two partners. They are working really well together and Hall is improving a bit every week. Thumbs up.
The Highlanders
At least they aren’t curtain jerking. They had a decent match with
Smackdown
Deuce and Domino
Domino had one of his best bouts, single or tag, on Friday Night Smackdown. He is really elevating his game. Unfortunately at Unforgiven this team got buried in a hurry and was used as fodder for the
The Major Brothers
Apparently these two are needed at a bachelor’s party. What can I say about the brothers Major? They dress really well and must take a lot of time with their hair…as a man, I can’t believe I just wrote that, but what else is there to say about these two? They did defeat the Sons of Samoa in OVW and had a good match from what I understand…still, based on Smackdown - Thumbs down.
Jesse and Festus
These two were absolutely hilarious at Teddy’s bachelor party. If they continue to use these guys in the way they have over the past two weeks then the fans are going to take to them eventually. One problem – WE NEED TO SEE THEM WRESTLE!!! Thumbs up for the
Matt Hardy and M.V.P
These two are just fantastic. The problem of course is that they are fantastic as singles competitors in the hottest feud in wrestling today. They are not a great team and won’t be until one of them flips heel or face. I think the train is about to derail on their partnership. They did retain at Unforgiven so thumbs up! As a side note: My wife said that MVP should no longer wear that purple get-up and instead come out in a suit and wrestle in suit pants and a wife-beater. Then, after defeating his opponents he could grab back the suit coat and walk out like it was just an annoyance to have to defeat another man. I tend to agree, it would make him look a lot stronger and add to his heel persona.
TNA
AJ Styles and Tomko
Thumbs up to Styles and Tomko who always seem to know how to deliver whether it is in the ring like they did last week or on a mic like they did this week. Thumbs up.
Team Pac Man
Why, dear God, why is this team allowed to be on television? I hope you know what you are doing TNA, because I think this Pac Man Jones thing is going to backfire. Thumbs down in a major way.
The Independent Scene
I don’t want to go over each team as I do with WWE and TNA. I must say, I got the chance to watch a ton of old footage and even some recent stuff out of ROH, OVW, Florida Championship wrestling and Shimmer Women’s Wrestling and there is some phenomenal talent coming up. I will say I don’t at this time know that all of these teams are still together and all the personalities are still working in the companies I saw footage from, but here are some thoughts.
Out of the Shimmer roster, Team Blondage really impressed me. In the ring they are green around the edges but are doing some interesting stuff. What really blew me away is how well crafted they are at being heels. These two ladies would give Cade and Murdoch a run for their money in the mouth department and it seems no one can cheat like these two beautiful blondes.
Over in ROH the team on the scene is absolutely the Briscoe’s. I watched a few of their matches and they are just a great wealth of talent. They have strong personalities and incredible amounts of wrestling ability. Whether you liked it or not, they sold that angle with the Hanging in
OVW has four teams that are getting a lot of attention. Terminal Velocity, The Major Brothers (who also moonlight on smackdown from time to time as experienced jobbers), The Sons of Samoa. And the James boys (Who we used to see in the current role being played by the brothers major on SD). I think that in the end the Sons of Samoa are really going to kick it into high gear. They are new but what they have in talent is really well groomed.
In Closing
This wasn’t the best week in tag team wrestling but as I always like to say, “We can only go up from here”. One fair match this week was Kenny Dykstra and Victoria teaming up against Michelle McCool and Chuck Palumbo. The match had a really good rhythm to it and Palumbo is getting over with the crowd.
As far as the TAG TEAM OF THE WEEK AWARD goes, I just really couldn’t make one. Truthfully there isn’t a team that really deserves it. However, I promised myself that every week, good or bad, I’d choose one and so this week for their comedic efforts and verbal timing the award goes to JESSE AND FESTUS. Wow! I can’t believe that just happened…till next time!
