World Tag Team Championship
The World Tag Team Championship (in German World Team Championship ) is the highest title that can be achieved in tag team wrestling . The wrestlers compete against each other in teams of two.
It was first awarded in 1950 in San Francisco. However, in 1953 (Chicago and Indianapolis) and 1954 (Georgia) other tag team titles appeared. In 1960 there were already 6 different leagues claiming to hold the only true World Tag Team title. Originally, they were all united in the National Wrestling Alliance , which however did not succeed in creating a generally recognized title. In total there were at least 23 different World Tag Team titles, but most of them did not have a regional status.
Current World Tag Team titles
There are currently seven leagues that claim to hold the true World Tag Team title.
World Tag Team Title (WWE Version)
This claim is probably most realistic with World Wrestling Entertainment . The title there was introduced in 1971 as the World Wide Wrestling Federation Tag Team Title . In 1979 the league was renamed the World Wrestling Federation , and the "Wide" in the title was removed. In 1983 the league left the NWA and upgraded the title to the World Title.
NWA World Tag Team Title
After the various regional promotions that led to the World Tag Team Title were partially received and partially left the association, the NWA introduced a uniform World Tag Team Title in 1995. This was initially won by the Rock'n'Roll Express in a tournament. Between 2002 and 2007 the title was almost exclusively defended at TNA .
TNA World Tag Team Title
TNA Wrestling was the largest promotion in the NWA Association between 2002 and 2007. After the separation from the NWA, a TNA World Tag Team title was created and placed in the tradition of the NWA World Tag Team title, which had previously been defended at TNA.
World Tag Team Title (All Japan Version)
This title is located at All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created in 1988 from the PWF World Teag Team Title and the NWA International Tag Team Title. It was held by such well-known teams as Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase , Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue or Terry Gordy & Steve Williams .
WWA World Tag Team Title
The WWA is a Mexican league. The title was introduced in 1991, was vacant between 1997 and 2003 and has been fought for since then. It was the first title won by future WWE Superstar Chris Jericho . He defeated on July 21, 1993 under the name Corazon de Leon (Lionheart) on the side of Dandy Silver King & El Texano.
CMLL World Tag Team Title
Although the CMLL or EMLL was founded in 1933, the World Tag Team Title was only introduced in 1991. It is considered the most important tag team title in Mexico.
ROH World Tag Team Title
Ring of Honor is a wrestling league based in Philadelphia that enjoys a good reputation among experts, but does not have a broad impact. The title was introduced in 2002. Since then he has been held by the Briscoe Brothers and the Backseat Boyz, among others.
Important former World Tag Team titles
AWA World Tag Team Championship
The AWA World Tag Team Championship was considered one of the most prestigious belts outside the territorial structure of the National Wrestling Association from 1960 to the mid-1980s . It was created in 1960 after the American Wrestling Association split from the National Wrestling Alliance .
Long-time champions included Verne Gagne and Mad Dog Vachon, the Road Warriors , as well as Harley Race and Larry Henning.
ECW World Tag Team Title
The title was introduced on September 23, 1992 as Eastern Championship Wrestling Tag Team Title and continued as Extreme Championship Wrestling World Tag Team Title in September 1994, when the ECW left the NWA . In the following years he was held by well-known teams such as the Dudley Boys or Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko . The title existed until the ECW closed in 2001 due to financial difficulties.
WCW World Tag Team Championship
The history of the WCW World Tag Team title began in 1953. That year, Jim Crockett Sr. introduced the Southern Tag Team Title to the NWA Mid-Atlantic . This was worn in the following years by George P. Becker , who was able to win it sixteen times with changing partners. Other champions were the Von Erichs, the Vachons or the Von Brauners. In 1969 the title went into the recently created Atlantic Coast Tag Team Title . This was dominated by George P. Becker & Johnny Weaver and the Andersons ( Gene & Ole ) until 1973 , who each won it four times. At this point the title was abolished in favor of the NWA World Tag Team Title [Mid Atlantic Version]. This rose to one of the most important tag team titles in the 1980s thanks to carriers such as the Road Warriors , the Midnight Express or the Fabulous Freebirds . In 1990 the title was renamed WCW World Tag Team Title . Between July 1992 and September 1993 it was led in personal union with the NWA World Tag Team Title , which has meanwhile been awarded elsewhere , before the WCW split from the NWA. After the WWF bought the WCW, he went on November 18, 2001 in the WWF World Tag Team title.