One of the sad fates of tag teams in WWE is that more often than not, they're broken up. What is usually the case, however, is that management sees more value in one of the members than in the collective duo.
It happened when the Rockers broke up and Shawn Michaels went on to become one of the greatest performers of all time. The Shield broke up primarily to push Seth Rollins in the beginning, but all three men became huge stars regardless of the teaming.
The fact still remains that a good deal of tag teams have one member who really makes the team special. Sometimes the gap between the two members of the tag team is so great that one is called the "Shawn Michaels" of the group and the other is referred to as "the Marty Jannetty". There are teams that are exceptions like the New Day, The Revival and The Usos, but those teams are among the best in the world.
Creating a tag team from scratch is often a hard thing to do. The partners have to have chemistry or a gimmick that works well together like " big man, small man" or two powerhouses (AOP) or two work-rate guys. There are some current teams in the WWE that have had some success but it's clear to see that one member is likely destined to break out if the team ever disbands. Here are five potential breakout stars from current WWE tag teams.
#5 Aliyah and Vanessa Borne - Vanessa Borne
Aliyah has been in NXT for what seems like forever. Actually, she's been a part of the Yellow brand since 2015. But for whatever reason, she's never found her footing or been booked like a big deal at Full Sail.
Once she joined up with Vanessa Borne, things started looking up for Aliyah as she and Borne would comprise NXT's latest "Mean Girls" type tag team. They joined the line of teams like Team BAE (Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks), the BFFS (Charlotte Flair, Banks, and Summer Rae) Emma and Dana Brooke, and the IIconics.
Borne is new to the business but has a great look. She's an athletic performer but is still learning the business. What she has learned is the character side of being a performer in WWE.
She has the facial expressions and mannerisms down already and is easy to hate. While Aliyah might have more experience in the ring, it is sometimes the partner who has more natural charisma that gets pushed.
That often gives a wrestler more potential to break out than does a fantastic in-ring game. Just ask Cesaro how far he has been able to go simply by being an amazing technical wrestler. Borne has natural charisma and it could lead her to some bigger things down the road.
#4 Heavy Machinery - Otis
I'll start this out by saying that I am not personally a huge fan of Heavy Machinery. I respect their in-ring ability as big guys and was impressed in their triple threat match for the SmackDown Tag Team titles a few months back.
Outside of that, however, I don't really buy into the team. Otis is a mumbling fire hydrant of a man that seemingly has a strange charisma. He's a comedic charge almost as much as he is a powerful specimen, but I'm not a fan of the Caterpillar - it takes too long to set up and does minimal damage.
But that is just a personal preference. He clearly connects with the WWE Universe and the younger fans in attendance. Just because his Machinations are not for me does not mean that they don't appeal to others. They clearly do appeal to others judging by the crowd's response when he gears up for his worm dance across the ring.
Tucker is athletic for a big man but Otis is clearly the star of the team. I don't know how far Otis would go if he branched out on his own due to his body type. Guys built like that aren't holding the Universal Championship or WWE Championship unless the can bump like Kevin Owens. He could be a successful mid-card staple should the team disband. If a member of Heavy Machinery does garner any success outside of the team, it would be Otis.
#3 Fire and Desire - Sonya Deville
Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose have both improved a great deal from the women who started out on Tough Enough. Deville was originally an MMA fighter while Rose was originally a fitness model. Both have taken to the sport well. Fire and Desire is one of the few female tag teams that formed organically and they are still together. They also are so different that there isn't a "Michaels/Jannetty" dynamic.
The Golden Goddess, however, has what management usually loves to push in its female performers - she's blonde, gorgeous and athletic. While that is true, Rose has basically come up short in almost all of the singles opportunities she has received. She could still become a major player going forward. They may be better as a team, but we haven't yet seen what Deville could accomplish on her own.
She's fluid in the ring and has a legit background that makes her menacing. Her MMA background would help her going forward since Ronda Rousey is on hiatus and Shayna Baszler isn't on the main roster yet.
Deville could break out if she and Rose are split up or if one member turns on the other. Sometimes the silent muscle is silent because they can be, letting their actions speak in the ring. Once Deville is given more of the spotlight usually given to Rose, she could blossom into a bigger star.
#2 The Street Profits - Montez Ford
Like Aliyah, Angelo Dawkins has been in WWE Developmental for a long time. He's been in NXT since 2013. He struggled to both find a gimmick and stand out for four years until he and Montez Ford eventually formed the Street Profits.
It took some time, but after two years of teaming together and honing their gimmick, they captured the NXT Tag Team titles earlier this summer. They have since lost them as they began to appear on RAW. When you listen to their promos or watch their matches, it's easy to see that Ford is clearly the star of the team.
He has more natural charisma and is a more fluid wrestler in the ring. Dawkins has grown into a perfectly fine wrestler, but compared to his tag team partner, he's the Jannetty. Ford wows with his high-flying moves and athleticism after only a couple of years in NXT.
It took Dawkins four years to get to a believable gimmick, but he clearly stands out. In their promos, all he usually does is agree, say "Fam" and answer Ford's lead. There's a reason why Ford talks more in promos and is more exciting in the ring - he's got the "It Factor" that cannot be taught.
#1 The Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly) - Kyle O'Reilly
It's a little unfair to compare O'Reilly and Fish as breakout stars because Fish is almost 40 and O'Reilly is 32. Sure, it's only a seven-year difference, but if either member of the current NXT Tag Team Champs has a chance to break out, it would be O'Reilly.
During their matches, they both carry the action. O'Reilly, however, usually takes punishment after punishment while also taking part in some insane bumps during their marathon matches. Just go back and watch any of their TakeOver matches. Fish usually receives the hot tag while the person who takes most of the beating and endures is O'Reilly.
That's not to say that Fish doesn't have his strengths, it's just that O'Reilly has a higher ceiling if they ever were simply singles stars. O'Reilly also worked well with both Roderick Strong and Adam Cole as members after Fish hurt his knee.
The team has great chemistry having been highly successful in Ring of Honor, New Japan, and NXT. Once they get to the main roster though, O'Reilly will likely continue to stand out as the star of the team and could break out into singles action.
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