11 Best WCW Tag Teams in History (Ranked)

It has now been over 23 years since World Championship Wrestling’s challenge to the supremacy of WWE, with the company having to close its doors in March 2001. WCW was called home by many of that era’s biggest names, whether talent was poached from their main rival or brought up to make their name in Ted Turner’s company, and the promotion was at one time the hottest in the world.

However, as we get further and further removed from the company’s heyday, many key aspects of WCW’s success could be forgotten. It could be argued that WCW’s tag team division doesn’t quite get the recognition it deserves in the modern day. When looking at it, it’s noticeable just how many big names sat on top of the tag division in the promotion. Plus, many huge stars of the future first made their name in a duo and tag team wrestling has sometimes proven effective in setting someone up for the future. We’ve already looked at the best wrestlers in WCW history before, so now it’s time to look at the best tag teams in WCW history.

Ranking factors

• The number of Tag Team Championships obtained during each team’s respective career.
• The length of time spent together as a team.
• Their overall iconic status in the industry.

11 The Hollywood Blondes

Flyin’ Brian and ‘Stunning’ Steve excelled as a thrown-together team

Thrown together as a result of either man having nothing else to do, it could originally seem wild at first that WCW didn’t have much for Flyin’ Brian Pillman and ‘Stunning’ Steve Austin, who would later go on to become Stone Cold Steve Austin – widely renowned as one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time. However, promotions pairing up two performers who are struggling to find their feet isn’t too uncommon in wrestling, and this duo certainly made the best out of what they were given.

As a team, they were cocky and arrogant, which unsurprisingly worked well given that the pair were two of the most charismatic wrestlers of their time, although you may be surprised by the fact that Brian and ‘Stunning’ Steve were only together for about 10 months. Nevertheless, the pairing was so good that it led them to tag gold, and their reign as WCW Unified World Tag Team Champions clocked in at 168 days.

10 The Midnight Express

Found most of their success before NWA became WCW

The Midnight Express came in many different iterations, but, spanning three years between 1987 and 1990, Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane were key parts of the NWA and WCW. Managed by Jim Cornette, the team were an excellent heel duo that could match any opponent in the ring.

Having a flurry of success across a short period, they picked up three NWA United States Tag Team Championships as well as a World Tag Team Title run all within three years, and the ‘Midnight Express’ name is certainly one that has to be mentioned in this list.

9 The Fabulous Freebirds

The legendary team continued in WCW

When the NWA became WCW, it took just over six months for Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin to become the tag team champions, adding to the success of the previous iteration of the group (also featuring Buddy Roberts and Terry Gordy) that had dominated throughout the 80s across different companies involved with the National Wrestling Alliance. They remained a needed team in the tag division and would go on to have a further run with the gold when the belts were just tied to the ‘World Championship Wrestling’ name.

We have to mention that, when it comes to their second run with the tag titles, the Freebirds have a rather strange track record. Due to the company’s odd television taping schedule, Garvin and Hayes lost the championships before they’d won them, giving them an insane -6 days with the gold. Still, the legendary status of The Freebirds cannot be understated, and their legacy speaks for itself.

8 The Nasty Boys

Knobbs and Saggs added an element of extreme to the division

Standing out from everyone else in the tag team division, The Nasty Boys certainly lived up to their name during their stints in WCW. Being known for wild brawls and violent matches, the pairing stood out like a sore thumb among the rest of the tag team division, and this uniqueness was rewarded with multiple tag team championships during their time in the company, and, much like the previous entry, this included a bizarre reign that went into the negatives.

The ‘Nasty Boy’ moniker wasn’t just a stage name, either. When up against The Outsiders, there was an incident in which Jerry Sags believed that Scott Hall had gone into business for himself and retaliated by knocking one of Hall’s teeth out. This led to his release while his partner continued to perform in the hardcore division. Still, they were an incredible tag team that brought something different to anything else on offer.

7 Lex Luger and Sting

Lex and Sting were allies and enemies in WCW

Two of the biggest stars in this era of wrestling, Sting and Lex Luger seemed to always have a connection with each other during their time in WCW. They teamed sporadically over a long period of time, and, despite only having one reign with the WCW World Tag Team Titles, they were ever present in each other’s careers. Allies are as important as rivals in wrestling and this is the perfect example of it.

Their relationship saw them always look out for one another, but there was certainly a competitive edge that went alongside their friendship. Not only were the pair amicable for around 10 years, but they also had their fair share of wars over the World Heavyweight Championship. Their dynamic was crucial to WCW.

6 Doom

Unmasking set them on their way to being a dominant force

Originally wearing black masks, Doom came in with a striking visual presentation and the physical size to impose fear on any opponent. However, it was when they were unmasked that they hit their stride. Managed by Teddy Long, Ron Simmons and Butch Reed gained a wave of momentum which saw them beat The Steiners for the WCW World Tag Team Championships at a time when Rick and Scott hardly lost.

From there, the precedent was set, and the pair ran through the majority of teams put in front of them. Their only reign with the tag gold lasted 281 days, but they’d become an extremely well-established team by that point and are more than deserving of a place on the list.

5 Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson

Legacy of the Four Horsemen continued

Two cornerstones of one of the most iconic stables in wrestling history, the team of Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson were an incredibly successful tag team that represented the greatness of the Four Horsemen. They represented technical excellence in the ring and helped the company sell out venues during its NWA days.

In terms of titles, the pairing of Blanchard and Anderson won two NWA World Tag Team Championships, which saw them reign as titleholders for 323 days combined. They were absolute stalwarts during their time in the company and are rightly remembered as one of the best tag teams of their generation, and only left the NWA when disputes over money came into effect.

4 The Road Warriors

Tag team supremacy

Two of the most imposing wrestlers of their time must be said that Animal and Hawk had already spent years dominating tag team competition across the entire wrestling world when Ted Turner transitioned the NWA into WCW in 1988, but they still landed a World Tag Team Championship victory early into the rebranding and also got their hands on World Six-Man Tag Team Titles alongside Dusty Rhodes. As mentioned, though, to truly see the superiority of The Road Warriors, you have to venture back into the days of the National Wrestling Alliance, in which they have three NWA National Tag Team Championship wins and a reign as NWA International Tag Team Champions which lasted an astonishing 456 days.

For a long period, The Road Warriors utterly defined tag team wrestling, and their famous finisher ‘The Doomsday Device’ was so legitimately dangerous (due to the risk of an opponent falling incorrectly and landing on their head and neck) that their mystique only grew tenfold as a result. The duo were so iconic that their legacy lives on today, with The Creed Brothers currently using a variation of ‘The Doomsday Device’ known as the ‘Brutus Ball’. There’s no doubting the greatness of The Road Warriors.

3 The Outsiders

Hall and Nash shook up WCW

When it comes to impact, a shockwave was sent through WCW when Kevin Nash and Scott Hall rocked up in 1996. The pair had left WWE not long prior, and arrived in Ted Turner’s company, proclaiming that they were doing so under instructions from the competitor. Their arrival was the catalyst for Hulk Hogan’s shocking heel turn and the formation of the NWO, the group that would shape the WCW landscape for years to come and perhaps the most iconic faction of all time.

Nash and Hall combined to win the WCW World Tag Team Championships six times between October 1996 and December 1999, including a reign which lasted 231 days. They were truly commonplace in the tag team division, with their constant presence and threat to gold meaning they had famous battles with virtually every top pairing the company had to offer during their time there.

2 Harlem Heat

Harlem Heat helped make Booker T into a future world champion

Harlem Heat are the duo with the most tag title reigns in the history of WCW, and an example of the company creating real homegrown stars. A team of brothers, Booker T and Stevie Ray captured a record 10 World Tag Team Championships over six years. First starting out as heels but later turning babyface, the duo’s natural charisma made them a major attraction for Ted Turner’s company until they became so successful that the team became a launchpad for singles stardom.

Once on his own, WCW ran with Booker T in one-on-one competition. He famously became a five-time World Heavyweight Champion and was even a United States Champion before the company was bought by WWE. Not only do Harlem Heat deserve a high rank on this list due to their tag team exploits, but credit should be given for how Booker T was positioned for major success following their time together.

1 The Steiners

Set the standard for tag team wrestling in WCW

Perhaps the team most synonymous with WCW, Rick and Scott Steiner set the tone for what it meant to be the best duo in the land. The challenge for any aspiring tag team looking to climb the mountain in WCW? Be better than The Steiners. They captured an astonishing seven WCW World Tag Team Championship reigns together and were pivotal in the making of many other top tag teams, as pairings were often formed to knock them off their perch.

You simply cannot recite the key history of WCW without giving huge praise to The Steiners. For many, they remain the first name that comes to mind when it comes to the promotion’s tag division, and they also went on to have high-profile spots in the singles division when they weren’t standing side by side, proving that both men were established in their own right thanks to their incredible displays as a team.

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