FanPost

Tag Team Weekly Roundup and Power Ratings: Braun Strowman is the worst thing to ever happen to the WWE tag division

WWE.com

When the WWE Universe heard the familiar "RAWR!" that kicks off Braun Strowman's theme, any number of emotions might have run through their heads -- from excitement to disappointment to ambivalence.

If you care at all about tag teams, you might have thought, "Oh great, he's gonna destroy a bunch of tag teams again."

Through no fault of Braun's own, his track record involves destroying tag teams and, at one point, the whole division. That's especially when Strowman by himself won a tag team title opportunity for WrestleMania 34, picking 10-year-old Nicholas Cone as his tag partner. They (well, Braun mainly) then defeated The Bar -- Sheamus and Cesaro, two of the best wrestlers on the roster then -- for what some would consider a feel-good WrestleMania moment but others would consider part of the continuing indictment of how Vince McMahon (mis)treated the tag division.

With Triple H in charge, a guy that built some amazing tag teams in NXT (many of whom were miscast on the main roster), certainly that wouldn't happen again?

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. As if it weren't bad enough that nobody's booked in The Usos' league, four teams billed as worthy of a #1 contender match (despite some of them having losing streaks) were nothing more than cannon fodder for the returning Monster Among Men. Sure, the visuals of him spearing Otis through a barricade or slamming Angelo Dawkins (also not a small man) through the announce table looked cool and popped the crowd, but it also made four teams look like chumps nowhere near worth a title opportunity.

Stay tuned when Braun probably beats Los Lotharios and/or Alpha Academy in handicap matches to further devalue WWE's tag teams.

At least he didn't destroy the eight-man match on SmackDown, so that's something.

The following Tag Team Power Rankings take into account wins, power and placement of segments, recentness of appearances, creative direction and momentum for teams and factions.

WWE Tag Team Power Rankings through Sept. 9:

1. The Bloodline (last week: 1)

Pro: Still holding unified singles and tag gold, now with a dynamic new member in Solo Sikoa.
Con: All The Usos and Sami Zayn might not have presented Solo losing his first main-roster match to Drew McIntyre if not for Karrion Kross.

2. Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah (2)

Pro: The WWE women's tag champs retained on Raw over Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H., then on SmackDown over Toxic Attraction.
Con: But can they survive Monday's rematch with Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai?

3. Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai) (3)

Pro: The Role Model is the #1 contender for Bianca Belair's crown, and her associates have a shot at the women's tag titles. Plus Bayley's line about not working on Labor Day was great.
Con: Will WWE finally commit to making them the top women's faction?

4. Imperium (4)

Pro: Gunther remains the Intercontinental champion, and the trio picked up a win in a fun six-man tag match on SmackDown.
Con: If they're feuding with Brawling Brutes (sure looks like they are), don't be surprised to somebody take an L or two to Sheamus' boys to keep things running.

5. Judgment Day (10)

Pro: A good bounce back Raw with Dominik Mysterio officially joining, a beatdown of Edge and Damian Priest defeating Rey Mysterio.
Con: For Dom to beat Edge, he's going to need a lot of help from his new friends.

6. Pretty Deadly and Lash Legend (5)

Pro: The new unified NXT/UK tag champs were all over this week's episode, which is a good sign for them.
Con: Have to defend against Creed Brothers next week in a match where viewers pick the stip.

7. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter (6)

Pro: Still the NXT women's tag champs.
Con: Could benefit from having some programs for them.

8. Street Profits (7)

Pro: On the winning end of an eight-man tag on SmackDown, and their appearance in the main event might mean they're not done with The Usos yet.
Con: Were part of the pile of bodies (well, Angelo Dawkins anyway) fed to Braun Strowman on Monday

9. Hit Row (not ranked)

Pro: Picked up the pinfall in an eight-man match on SmackDown.
Con: It was a win over jobbers that will probably involve some rematches, but wins are good.

10. Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H. (not ranked)

Pro: The Scotswomen finally picked up a much-needed win with a victory over Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin.
Con: Came after losing to the women's champs on Raw.

Best tag segment of the week: Throw some combination of Imperium and Brawling Brutes into the ring, and you'll get spectacularly brutal magic. Likely not the last we'll see of this idea, and that's a good thing.

Grade: B

It was great to see the main-roster women's champs get two wins, but most of the other divisions were more in table-setting mode.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Cageside Seats readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cageside Seats editors or staff.