Tag team
The English term tag team ( German : Wechselmannschaft ) describes a team of mostly two members in wrestling who can swap each other in or out in a fight by knocking off. Tag team matches were played early in the history of the sport; the first took place in San Francisco in 1901 . From the 1930s onwards, they became popular outside of California . Several special forms came up later, in which z. B. Teams are formed with more than two partners.
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In the original form of the tag team match , two teams with two wrestlers each take part, only one of whom is allowed to actively participate in the match. To change the partner, a rule-compliant day must follow . This is defined by various factors:
- the inactive partner must stand with both feet on the apron (the protrusion of the ring base outside the ropes)
- The partners have to touch each other during the day , regardless of the point of contact
- the inactive wrestler must hold the tag rope attached to the ring post
However, the tag rope is rarely used today. It is used to enable a change only in the corner of the respective team. After one day there is a five-second phase in which the wrestler who has been replaced can stay in the ring to attack the opponent together with his partner ( double-team moves ). The double-team move contradicts the official wrestling rules, but is tolerated. A tag team match is usually decided by pin, surrender or count-out, whereby this must be brought about by the wrestler currently active. A disqualification can, however, also affect the inactive opponent.
Well-known tag teams
- America's Most Wanted ( Chris Harris and James Storm )
- The British Bulldogs ( Dynamite Kid and The British Bulldog )
- Demolition ( Ax , Smash and Crush )
- The Dudley Boyz aka Team 3D ( Mark Lamonica , Devon Hughes and Matt Hyson )
- The Bushwackers (Luke Williams and Butch Miller)
- The Fabulous Freebirds ( Michael Hayes , Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts )
- The Hardy Boyz ( Matt and Jeff Hardy )
- Harlem Heat ( Booker T and Stevie Ray )
- The Hart Foundation ( Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart )
- Nasty Boys ( Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags )
- The New Day ( Big E , Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods )
- The Outsiders ( Scott Hall and Kevin Nash )
- The Public Enemy ( Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge )
- The Quebecers ( Jaques and Pierre )
- The Road Warriors aka Legion of Doom ( Animal and Hawk )
- The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson)
- The Rockers ( Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty )
- The Steiner Brothers ( Rick and Scott Steiner )
- Edge and Christian
- The Vio (Timo Schmidt, Fétar Schneider, Thorben Herker and Leonardo Völkel)