The History of the Tag Team Championship

– Davey Boy Smith & the Dynamite Kid defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake (w/ Johnny V) via disqualification at 4:12 when Johnny V pushed Dynamite off the top as the challenger attempted to dive onto Valentine (9/10/85; Poughkeepsie, NY; Mid-Hudson Civic Center)

– Dino Bravo & Dominic DeNucci defeated WWWF Tag Team Champions Mr. Fuji & Prof. Toru Tanaka to win the titles when DeNucci pinned Tanaka with an airplane spin that knocked down Fuji in the process (3/14/78; Philadelphia, PA)

– The Yukon Lumberjacks defeated WWWF Tag Team Champions Dino Bravo & Dominic DeNucci to win the titles when Pierre pinned DeNucci following a double chop behind the referee’s back (6/26/78; Madison Square Garden)

– Tony Garea & Larry Zbyszko defeated WWWF Tag Team Champions the Yukon Lumberjacks (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) to win the titles at 9:21 when Garea pinned Eric after the champions collided in the ring; after the match, Albano fired his team for losing the championship (11/21/78; Allentown, PA)

– Johnny & Jerry Valiant (w/ Capt. Lou Albano & Jimmy Valiant) defeated WWWF Tag Team Champions Larry Zbyzsko & Tony Garea to win the titles at 10:54 when Johnny pinned Zbyzsko after Jerry and Zbyzsko collided and Jimmy pulled Jerry to the floor, allowing Johnny to take his place in the ring (3/6/79; Allentown, PA)

– Ivan Putski & Tito Santana defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Johnny & Jerry Valiant at 13:39 to win the titles when Santana pinned Johnny with a crossbody after the champions collided in the ring, with Jerry being knocked to the floor (10/22/79; Madison Square Garden)

– The Wild Samoans defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Tito Santana & Ivan Putski to win the titles at 7:36 when Sika pinned Santana with the Samoan Drop after Santana missed a crossbody off the top (4/12/80; Philadelphia Spectrum)

– Rick Martel & Tony Garea defeated WWF Tag Team Champions the Wild Samoans to win the titles at 14:29 when Martel scored the pin with a sunset flip as the illegal Samoan covered Garea at the same time, moments after Garea and the legal Samoan collided in the ring (11/8/80; Philadelphia Spectrum)

– The Moondogs (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Tony Garea & Rick Martel to win the titles at 12:09 when Moondog Rex pinned Garea after Moondog King hit Garea in the head with his bone as the referee was knocked down (3/17/81; Allentown, PA)

– Rick Martel & Tony Garea defeated WWF Tag Team Champions the Moondogs (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) to win the titles at 8:14 when Martel pinned Moondog Spot with a sunset flip as Spot attempted to choke Garea with his bone (7/21/81; Allentown, PA)

– Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Rick Martel & Tony Garea at 9:48 to win the titles when Saito pinned Martel after Fuji threw salt into the champion’s eyes as Martel attempted a crossbody off the top, allowing Saito to roll through on the move to get the win (10/13/81; Allentown, PA)

– Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Chief Jay & Jules Strongbow to win the titles in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match; fall #1 – Fuji pinned Jules at around the 30-second mark after thowing salt into both he and Chief Jay’s face while Saito distracted the referee (only first fall was shown) (7/13/82; Allentown, PA)

– Chief Jay & Jules Strongbow defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito to win the titles at 9:48 when Jules pinned Fuji after Fuji missed a dive in the ring; the decision was later overturned when the replay showed Fuji’s foot on the bottom rope during the pin; Ivan Putski was the guest referee for the bout (6/28/82; Madison Square Garden)

– Chief Jay & Jules Strongbow defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) to win the titles at 3:06 when Jay pinned Saito with a Thesz Press (10/26/82; Allentown, PA)

– The Wild Samoans (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Jules & Chief Jay Strongbow to win the titles when Jay was pinned after a double clothesline and a Samoan Drop (3/8/83; Allentown, PA)

– Tony Atlas & Rocky Johnson defeated WWF Tag Team Champions the Wild Samoans (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) to win the titles in a No DQ match when Atlas pinned Afa after Albano accidentally broke a wooden chair over Afa?s head (11/15/83; Allentown, PA)

– Dick Murdoch & Adrian Adonis defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Tony Atlas & Rocky Johnson to win the titles when Adonis pinned Johnson with a roll up from behind as Johnson was punching Murdoch, who was hoisted in a gorilla press by Atlas on the floor (4/17/84; Allentown, PA)

– Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch to win the titles when Windham pinned Murdoch with a sunset flip as Murdoch was assaulting Rotundo (1/21/85; Hartford, CT; Civic Center)

– Nikolai Volkoff & the Iron Sheik (w/ Freddie Blassie) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) to win the titles at 6:56 when Volkoff pinned Windham after Sheik hit Windham in the back with Blassie’s cane; after the bout, Gene Okerlund conducted a backstage interview with Blassie and the new champions (WrestleMania – 3/31/85; New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden)

– Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Nikolai Volkoff & the Iron Sheik (w/ Freddie Blassie) to win the titles at 3:13 when Rotundo pinned Sheik after both Volkoff and Windham reversed the pin position behind the referee’s back (6/17/85; Poughkeepsie, NY; Mid-Hudson Civic Center)

– Brutus Beefcake & Greg Valentine (w/ Johnny V) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) to win the titles when Valentine pinned Windham after Beefcake stuck Johnny V’s lit cigar into Windham’s eye (8/24/85; Philadelphia Spectrum)