Thoughts About the Upcoming Women’s Tag Division in WWE – by Mike Sanchez

In the final months of 2018, WWE promised us that they’d shake up the product and one of the ideas to do that was to reintroduce the Women’s Tag Titles. I say ‘reintroduce’ purely because there was a legitimate women’s tag division in a bygone era that was pulled in 1989, but regardless it was a welcome and very well received announcement. At the time of writing, all we really know is that the titles will debut at Elimination Chamber on February 17 with six women teams matched up to determine the champions. We don’t know how they will play out in the bigger picture; will there be titles on both brands, will it be a cross-promotion deal, and will there be a ranking system to determine #1 contenders? What’s certain is that the new belts are on the horizon and it is a good move by WWE and a real boost for an already flourishing women’s division.

Some may see the introduction of the belts as too much, given that 2018 was probably the most successful year in terms of women’s wrestling in history. I’m not discounting the successes of the women during the Attitude Era into the 2000s (Trish, Lita, Chyna, Victoria, Mickie James, etc.), but recently WWE has really got behind the division and pushed it hard. The women, in turn, have had to up their game, given the very high standards and caliber on display every week and I think they’ve responded in the best manner possible. Many fans want to see the main event of Wrestlemania be a women’s division match. That shows just how far they’ve come and how hard they’ve worked.

How will the introduction of these new Tag Titles benefit the division? I think it’s fair to say that the headlines for the last year or so have been dominated by three women: Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. All well and good, and bringing in the big bucks, but sometimes with such great success, others can struggle to make an impact or can be forgotten about.

It’s easy to forget that Asuka had a terrible run post-WrestleMania and is only now back in the title picture. Carmella, though much better now than she was when she arrived, just didn’t light the division on fire for me. The same can be said for others who haven’t been given a real shot at the main event matches; Ember Moon and Bayley come to mind. Perhaps the introduction of these belts will give those not in the main title pictures the chance to grab some gold and also bring a new depth to a division that is absolutely teeming with talent. Let’s explore some stars who could possibly team up and boost their status on the card.

Billie Kay & Peyton Royce – It’s fair to say both women have made an impact since joining the main roster, but as they came as a pair, it seems only natural that they should be involved in tag team action. I think Billie & Peyton have been unfortunate to be brought in on Smackdown Live where Charlotte, Asuka, Becky and other more established stars have been rolling them over with ease. Their heelish antics of interfering with matches, distracting the ref etc. work well, but can become repetitive and tiresome, especially in singles matches where one is always the onlooker. Put them in the tag team division and let their teamwork show inside the ring instead of outside.

Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville – Both women came onto the main roster as partners of Paige, but since her unfortunate retirement from in-ring action, they’ve been by the wayside until recently. Look, I’m not going to lie; I like the Mandy/Naomi storyline. It’s silly. It’s daft and it’s cheesy, but it’s entertaining to watch. I’d much rather them be doing something than nothing. They should be unified as a tag team due to their different styles and friendship since arriving in the WWE. Sonya is one of the most underused wrestlers in my opinion and we can never see too much of Mandy.

Mickie James & Natalya – A classic veteran team. Both women have had huge parts to play in the rise of the women’s division and I think they’ve never really received the recognition for that. Perhaps in later years, the current crop of younger WWE female talent will tell us more about the guidance and support they’ve received from Mickie & Natalya. When there’s a new champion or a new face on the main roster, it’s almost a given that either veteran will face them in a title defense or as part of a #1 contender’s match – usually ending with Mickie and/or Nattie taking the loss to boost their opponent’s stature. I’d love to see them unite for a tag team run and actually use their vast experience to outwit younger opponents and capture the titles at some point. I think they’d make a great heel partnership.

Sasha Banks & Bayley – I think both women should be involved in the main title pictures, but that’s not going to happen if recent rumors of the Wrestlemania main event are anything to go by. Yes, Sasha is taking on Ronda Rousey at the Royal Rumble, but sadly, I don’t think that’ll lead anywhere (for now) and she will lose. The pairing of Sasha and Bayley would be formidable with the added bonus that both women have a history of stellar matches when they face off. A tag team pairing would be good for the division, but I think the true magic would lie in their eventual fallout and the aftermath.

Who would you like to see as a tag team? Have the champions defend on both brands? Is there a pairing you’d like to see that I haven’t mentioned? I’d love to hear your thoughts. As always, thanks for reading.