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This week's AEW Power Rankings will look at both the Tag and Trios Divisions together. This is an 'in Kayfabe' look at the division. Meaning we look at the fictional world of AEW and the landscape they are currently presenting on screen. Below you will find a Top 10 for the division(s) based on Championships, Wins and Losses and positioning on the card.
1. Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) w/Alex Abrahentes - AEW World Trios Champions
This was an easy decision to make, as whilst both AEW World Trios Champions & AEW Tag Team Champions deserve the #1 spot ultimately I have to go with Death Triangle. PAC, Penta & Fenix have been putting on some amazing matches in 2022, but in the last 4 months they have been the absolute top standard in Trios/Tag action. Yes, they lost to Will Ospreay’s United Empire back in August, but since then they have gone on to beat Best Friends, The Dark Order, AR Fox & Top Flight & of course they are now involved in an spectacular Best of Seven Series against long-time rivals The Elite. Death Triangle are at the top of their game right now & unless The Elite can do the unthinkable & force Death Triangle into blowing a 3-1 lead I can’t imagine anyone dethroning Death Triangle for quite some time.
2. The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) w/Billy Gunn - AEW World Tag Team Champions
YO LISTEN! YO LISTEN! How could they not be #2? The only reason they aren’t #1 is because Death Triangle are in the midst of the great 7-match series. But The Acclaimed are just below them, they are putting on some fantastic entertaining matches & segments. Especially against Swerve In Our Glory whom they won the AEW World Tag Team Titles from back at AEW’s Dynamite “Grand Slam” back on 21st September 2022. They have also very recently had an amazing win against FTR on AEW Dynamite #166. I have to say that it’s been a pleasure watching both Max Caster & Anthony Bowens climb the ranks since tagging for the first time in October 2020.
3. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) - AAA World Tag Team Champions & IWGP Tag Team Champions.
2022 has been so interesting for Dax & Cash, whilst they haven’t held the AEW World Tag Team Titles they have held the ROH World Tag Team Championship & are still the AAA World Tag Team Champions & IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. They recently dropped the ROH World Tag Team Titles to The Briscoes at ROH’s Final Battle 2022 in a Dog Collar Match which is contention for Match of the Year. They have had match of the year matches all throughout the better part of 2022 against the likes of Aussie Open, The Acclaimed, Gates of Agony, Top Flight, O’Khan & Cobb & many others. They have big defences coming up outside AEW as they defend their AAA World Tag Team Titles against Dragon Lee & Dralistico at AAA’s Gira Aniversario XXX show on 28th December 2022 & then their IWGP World Heavyweight Tag Team Titles against Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 17 in the Tokyo Dome.
4. The Elite (Kenny Omega, Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson) w/Brandon Cutler, MT Nakazawa & Don Callis
The Elite are exactly what we know them to be… Elite! Despite having some time away for some backstage dramas, they have had an entertaining 4 months worth of action against the likes of La Faccion Ingobernable, United Empire, Adam Page & The Dark Order (who they beat for the AEW World Trio Titles for back at AEW’s All Out 2022 PPV) & of course their fantastic battles with Death Triangle which I have documented already. The Elite as a Trio dates back to 2017 & have travelled all over the globe & has included the likes of Adam Cole, Cody Rhodes & Hangman Adam Page. I think 2023 will be a big year for The Elite as a Trios, as I predict they will force the comeback of the year & win the 7 game series 4-3 & regain the Trios Titles & have a huge year defending them.
5. The House of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) w/Julia Hart
Yeah, okay they have 1 match in 3 months - but that 1 match alone at AEW Dynamite - Winter Is Coming against The Factory is enough for me to say that The House of Black is back! Before their hiatus, The House of Black were on a freaking MONSTER roll having devastating matches against the likes of Death Triangle, Darby Allin & Sting & The Dark Order & now that they are back after destroying The Factory I firmly believe in 2023 they will be holding the AEW Trios Title or even the AEW Tag Team Titles. I can even see Malakai Black holding the AEW TNT Title or AEW All-Atlantic Title at some point in 2023.
6. Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta) (w/Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero & Danhausen)
The Tag Team of Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta dates back almost a decade (2013 to be exact) & have NEVER been Tag Team Champions for ANY major promotion, isn’t that crazy? Despite that, I think Chuck & Trent are on a great run in AEW, whether it’s as a Tag Team or as a Trio with either Orange Cassidy or Rocky Romero they have picked up some great wins against the likes of The Factory, The Trustbusters & The Butcher & The Blade. Most recently they teamed with Orange Cassidy & Dustin Rhodes to defeat Kip Sabian, Trent Seven, The Butcher & The Blade on AEW Rampage. Hopefully in 2023 they get more opportunities at gold in both the Tag Team Division or Trios Division.
7. Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett (w/Sonjay Dutt & Satnam Singh)
Right now they are the feuding with the AEW World Tag Team Champions, The Acclaimed & whilst they have been entertaining to watch - I feel this is a filler feud for The Acclaimed before they lock horns eventually with FTR for the Tag Team gold at AEW’s Revolution PPV in February (prediction!) - I like Jay Lethal & I’ve always been a fan of Double J & this old Impact-esque team-up with Sonjay & the big Indian giant Satnam Singh, I just think I’d prefer Jarrett to be more of a manager to a Jay Lethal-lead stable that eventually helps Lethal maybe win the AEW TNT Title or ROH World Title at some stage, whilst Satnam grows as a competitor.
8. Top Flight (Dante Martin & Darius Martin)
The unluckiest tag team in AEW’s short-history due to back-to-back major injuries to Darius Martin. However, since coming back at AEW’s Dynamite on 16th November as part of a Trios Match that included AR Fox against Death Triangle they have been on fire in matches against The Factory, The Kingdom, The Outrunners & FTR. Hopefully both stay injury free as they build their confidence back up & get a Tag Title shot against The Acclaimed at some point.
9. The Gates of Agony/The Embassy (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) w/Prince Nana - ROH World Six Man Tag Team Champions
These 3 big fellas have been such an amazing addition to the Trios roster & yes whilst they are supposed to be a part of the “Ring of Honor” roster they have been performing all over AEW programming since making their debut back in April against the likes of FTR, Waves & Curls, Gresham & Moriarty etc. They are building something special & now they have some gold around their waist after defeating Dalton Castle & The Boys at ROH’s Final Battle 2022 PPV. I'm excited to see what rivalries they will build on either AEW or ROH in 2023.
10. The Gunn Club (Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn)
Austin & Colten, the sons of Billy Gunn (who is aligned with the AEW World Tag Team Champions, The Acclaimed) have taken my 10th & final spot. The Gunn Club who are now a part of Stokely Hathaway’s The Firm stable haven’t actually been winning a lot in the last 6 weeks, only participating in one 8-man match. Prior to this they had picked up a fair few wins against the likes of The Bollywood Boyz, The Varsity Blonds & Danhausen/Erick Redbeard. They have now jumped into a rivalry against FTR so hopefully coming up will be a bunch of great tag team matches, whilst also being involved in storylines with The Firm.
Just missed out
The Varsity Athletes (Josh Woods & Tony Nese) w/Mark Sterling
The Dark Order (John Silver, Alex Reynolds & Evil Uno)
The Butcher & The Blade w/The Bunny
The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)
Eddie Kingston & Ortiz
Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) w/Matt Hardy
*Disclaimer - I will not be including The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe) who are
the ROH World Tag Team Champions as they have not been on AEW TV yet. I have
included other Ring of Honor title holders, however they have been participating in a lot of
action on AEW Dynamite, AEW Rampage, AEW Dark or AEW Dark: Elevation.