WWE’s tag team divisions could be getting a much-needed shakeup. New teams are being pushed forward on SmackDown, while RAW could see some unexpected names thrown into the mix.
According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, WWE has been discussing ways to freshen things up across both brands, and SmackDown already appears to have a pretty clear direction.
Shinsuke Nakamura and Hiromu Takahashi are being positioned as featured challengers, while Axiom and Nathan Frazer are expected to receive increased television time.
The Nakamura-Takahashi pairing has already started taking shape on television. After Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga captured the WWE Tag Team Championship, Nakamura teased that he had someone particularly dangerous coming with him. We later identified Takahashi as Nakamura’s expected partner, and it now sounds like WWE has bigger plans for the pairing than a one-off appearance.
RAW is a little more complicated. The Vision currently have championship gold, but WWE has been discussing where their next challengers are going to come from.
The Street Profits are temporarily away while Montez Ford celebrates the birth of his son, and Los Americanos aren’t expected back until after TripleManía. That leaves WWE looking elsewhere for some fresh blood.
One idea being discussed is Ethan Page and Rusev. There’s some hesitation there, though. People within WWE don’t want either man getting swallowed up by the tag division, so pairing them together isn’t a locked-in direction.
The Creed Brothers are back too, recently returning to action on WWE Main Event. Surprisingly, they haven’t been discussed as potential challengers for The Vision.
So the tag team picture could look pretty different before long. SmackDown has Nakamura and Takahashi moving up alongside more television time for Axiom and Frazer, while RAW is still searching for its next team—with Rusev and Ethan Page among the more interesting possibilities being discussed.
Which of these teams would you like to see WWE push hardest as part of the tag division refresh? Let us know in the comments below.
