WWE News: WWE Officials Considering Breaking Up Top Tag Team
Heath Slater and Rhyno will go down in the history books as the inaugural WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions, titles introduced this past August in the wake of the brand extension. There were plenty of raised eyebrows when the two were paired up, let alone when they became champions together. Neither superstar was even drafted, yet two months later, they found themselves on a prominent rung on the WWE ladder.
Aside from being awarded tag team gold, the WWE creative staff dedicated valuable television time to Slater and Rhyno, highlighting their quirks and differences in various comedic segments. There was a certain shelf-life to contend with, but the two were milking their spotlight for all it was worth while they had it.
Slater and Rhyno’s lone significant feud came with former WWE Tag Team Champions in the recently-turned Usos. The two did battle in the finals of the tag team tournament at Backlash, and then Slater and Rhyno successfully defended them against Jimmy and Jey a month later at No Mercy. Every tag team then turned their focus on the battle for brand supremacy at Survivor Series, and before long, their shine began to fade.
It’s not clear when WWE officials decided to run with Randy Orton in the Wyatt Family beyond the initial formation and inevitable double-cross. But they’ve clearly delayed any of those plans for the time being in favor of Randy and Bray running rough shot over the tag team division on Tuesday nights.
On Monday, the Inquisitr noted that once the match was booked for TLC, WWE officials had no intention of making Slater and Rhyno viable opponents for Orton and Wyatt. The company clearly saw it as a mismatch, and the glorified squash lasted less than six minutes in what turned out to be the shortest contest on the card that night. We indicated that Slater and Rhyno would probably get a television rematch, but be removed from title contention swiftly after coming up short.
That process was sped up, as the rematch took place this Tuesday night, just two days after the pay-per-view, and as reported, Orton and Wyatt retained. But not only do Slater and Rhyno appear out of the title picture, they may even be out of the tag team division altogether. The Daily Wrestling News highlighted their segment on Talking Smack this week that saw the two playing the blame game on one another and Rhyno eventually walking off the set.
This break-up angle may have made more sense had Rhyno achieved his recent political goal, but the former ECW legend lost his bid last month for a house seat in the Michigan election. That certainly freed up his schedule to continue a run with the WWE, but his role beyond teaming with Heath Slater is unknown if the team is dissolved. Rhyno is the one superstar who the WWE brought in to help with roster size that they’ve actually found a significant spot for since the brand split.
As noted, Slater went un-drafted back in July but found a storyline that worked as he pursued work on both Monday and Tuesday nights, eventually finding a home on SmackDown. It’s no secret that the WWE has been grooming American Alpha to become the babyface leaders of the tag team division on the blue brand, and it’s finally expected that they will be the challengers to the new Wyatt Family when the belts are put on the line again.
By splitting up Heath and Rhyno, it also opens the door of opportunity for the lower-level SmackDown tag teams like The Hype Bros, The Ascension, and Breezango. Ryder and Rawley may benefit the most as the only babyface team of that group, and WWE officials want to see what they have in Mojo.
[Featured Image by WWE]
