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Hello friends and welcome back to the PW Musings AEW Power Rankings and this week we focus on the tag division.
NGL but doing these tag rankings has been a chore recently with the lack of competitive action in the division with the majority of AEW contracted tag teams facing off against non-contracted talent or even easier than that against Chaos Project. But in the last few weeks, business has picked up with the debut of one of the greatest teams in the history of pro wrestling in the Hardyz and formation of new team in Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson under William Regal's watchful eye.
Also, the pair of battle royals in the run up to Revolution has changed the dynamic of the division with a lot of teams paths to a title shot against Jurassic Express altered.
So how has the events of the last four weeks changed the tag division and our Power Rankings?
#1- Jurassic Express (Non-mover)
After leaving Revolution with the tag gold after outlasting The Young Bucks and reDRagon in the triangle match, Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus would again retain the titles against The Acclaimed three days later in a match sanctioned on short notice, a rarity in AEW.
With talk swirling on who will be next for the the champs with the artists formerly known as Undisputed Era beating Jungle Boy and Luchsaurus and AEW World Champ Hangman Page in a trios match last week potentially earning them shots at the champs with Battle Of The Belts the potential hosts of the contests, Jurassic Express will need to be at their best to fend off the multi-time tag champs in a one fall match up.
#2- Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley (New Entrant)
After they bled together in their classic contest at Revolution, it took their mentor William Regal to literally slap some sense into them and ever since they have fought together and then some.
After dominant victories over the WorkHorseman and the Best friends pairing of Chuckie T and Wheeler Yuta, things have been plain sailing so far for the former individual World Champions.
While speculation has been rife of the motivations of the pair and their manager Regal and of potential opponents going forward, you have a feeling the pair don't care who is in the other corner. They just want to unleash violence on those poor souls.
#3- The Young Bucks (Up Two Places)
#4- reDRagon (New Entrant)
Even though both pairs have seen sparse action in 2 vs 2 matches (reDRagon have yet to wrestle a one fall tag team match since Kyle O'Reilly's arrival in All Elite Wrestling) the two Elite teams did win their Battle Royals to qualify for the tag team title match at Revolution. But the PPV contest showed the actual schism between the teams and with the potential Elite faction politics at play with the group potentially not being big enough for both teams egos, an eruption is very likely. Whether it happens before the leader of the Elite, Kenny Omega returns from his injuries is the big question.
#5- FTR (Up One Place)
Who had a babyface FTR in their 2022 bingo?
Cash and Dax may take issue with my analysis that they will be wearing white hats for the time being, but after their sacking of Tully Blanchard a fortnight ago and the pair calling out reDRagon after they cost the former AEW Champs any further progression in the battle royal, chances are cheers are going to get louder for the pair.
FTR's futures look interesting with The Young Bucks confronting them with hints about "The Best There Is" being dropped by The Bucks and also an announcement being made by Tony Khan that FTR will face off with The Briscoes at Supercard Of Honor with the ROH Tag Titles on the line.
So, who had babyface ROH Tag Champions FTR with Bret Hart in their corner against The Young Bucks when the first "F*** The Revival" mention was made all those years. By the way, whatever happened to the guy who started those chants?
#6- Top Flight (New Entrant)
The return of Darius Martin after a long lay-off after an ACL injury almost saw he and his brother Dante go coast to coast in the Casino Battle Royal, finishing second to The Young Bucks.
Since the Battle Royal, Top Flight have won twice on the YouTube shows but the question is if Top Flight can beat the main tag teams in AEW. What we know is that Dante in his brother's absence has improved greatly with outstanding performances even in heartbreaking defeat and earning himself a shot at Adam Page's AEW World Title on the Dynamite after Revolution.
It was also apparent in the last 12 months that with the multiple different tag partners, Dante was a bit lost without his brother but now it feels like Dante is the senior partner of the team and could be man who bears the responsibility for the duo when the chips are down in key matches.
#7-PAC/Penta Oscuro (Re-entrant)
While it is very easy to mock the current incarnation of The Death Triangle (am I the only to get The Master from the Dungeon Of Doom vibes from Alex Abrahantes) but their win against the then undefeated team of Malakai Black and Brody King was very impressive.
However the sooner they move on from The Kings of The Black Throne the better and with Rey Fenix's comeback due and he and Penta potentially in line for a rematch for the AEW Tag Titles after Rey's injury changed the direction of the match in which they lost their belts, PAC will in all likelihood concentrate on singles action and try to get back in line for a shot at singles gold.
#8- Santana/Ortiz (Down 5 Places)
#9- 2point0 (Re-Entrant)
With the Inner Circle finally combusting with the era of the J.A.S beginning, Santana and Ortiz alongside Eddie Kingston being beat down at the hands of the "sports entertainers" has set the road for the time being for Santana/Ortiz and Daddy Magic Matt Minard/Cool Hand Angelo Parker.
Both teams are arguably at a level status at the moment with the teams at 1-1 in the pair of trios matches at the end of 2021 with their respective partners Eddie Kingston and Daniel Garcia and equal showings in the battle royals with each team finishing 5th in the first and second battle royals respectively and with a third six-man match surely on the cards and a 2 vs 2 tag between the resident tag teams of the two sides going to war also surely happening down the line, wins will be important for any chance of a shot at gold.
#10- Hardy Boyz (New Entrant)
Is this a harsh ranking? No, because I'm always right. But I will concede that Matt and Jeff's victory over Private Party was impressive and with their experience level and success in every promotion that they have teamed in, they will as long as they are teaming up climb up not only the Official AEW Rankings but also The PW Musings Power Rankings with first-time dream matches against the likes of The Lucha Brothers and reDRagon and rematches against The Young Bucks and FTR certain to make great television.
Also we don't get to see Big Money Matt again for awhile so maybe the world is actually healing.
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