Your friendly group of wrestle-talkers is back for episode lucky-number 7. There’s nothing like tag team wrestling. In many ways, it’s the most iconic of formats, even more so than singles wrestling. In no other arena will you see two partners, dressed in similar clothes, complementary in temperament and demeanor, just as likely to aid the other as to unexpectedly turn on him. At its best, tag team wrestling is greater than the sum of its parts. It hits more than twice as hard as singles wrestling and contains more complexity. We’ll talk about it all today here on Reading Wrestling, from moments of team triumph, through two egos’ inability to coexist, through the depths of deceit...

We start off tarrying with the question of what makes tag-team wrestling so great. Dave talks about it as a format where mid-card performers can shine and advance, and he also notes his affinity for the tag rope. Chris discusses the 'hot tag' as a narrative device that always gets the crowd hyped. 

Noell's History Corner takes us back to the genesis of tag-team wrestling in 1901 before discussing the Dusek Brothers, who held the first NWA tag championship in 1949. 

We go around and name our quintessential tag teams, the teams who, for each of us individually, stand as iconic of the format. Dave drives us down Bad Street USA with his pick of the Fabulous Freebirds, Noell takes us to the Young Bucks, and Chris talks about a lineage that passed from the Rock 'n' Roll Express through the Rockers and Hardy Boys. 

We close up the episode with our votes for favorite tag-team moment in wrestling. Dave helps us to relive the Paul Orndorff-Hulk Hogan feud, Noell talks about the blow-up between Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page, and Chris takes us to the explosion of the Mega-Powers, Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage. 

Thanks for tagging us in for another episode. We did our best to run amok with the hot tag. Email us or tweet at us to let us know your favorite tag teams!