10 WWE champions and their original tag team partners

#7 Randy Orton & Val Venis

Orton teamed with Venis shortly after debuting

You’d be forgiven for forgetting that Randy Orton was teaming with Val Venis way before he was a member of the legendary Evolution faction with Triple H, Ric Flair and Batista.

In May 2002, “The Big Valbowski” came to Orton’s rescue during a two-on-one attack from Hardcore Holly and Lance Storm on an episode of SmackDown. This led to a tag match the following week, which “The Viper” and Venis won.

The unlikely duo only tagged together on one more occasion, two months later against Reverend D-Von and Orton's future Evolution teammate Batista, but they were unsuccessful.