10 Things Impact Wrestling Fans Should Know About Beer Money

The success of Beer Money in TNA aka Impact Wrestling made them arguably the greatest tag team in company history. James Storm and Bobby Roode had a great run together starting off as a makeshift tag team that became synonymous with each other. Both men had great singles success as well, but most Impact fans think of their Beer Money run first.

RELATED: Why Beer Money Is The Best Tag Team In TNA History (& Why it's MCMG)

TNA had the rare tag team act that could have a main event match or carry a program typically designed for singles main event acts. Many interesting tidbits went into their noteworthy tag team run in the second-biggest United States promotion at the time. The following things will help Impact fans learn more about Beer Money.

10 Both Wrestlers Were Coming Off Failed Singles Pushes

The main reason that TNA felt comfortable placing James Storm and Bobby Roode together was that both badly needed something new to stay on the show. Both wrestlers were coming off failed singles push after ending their previous teams.

RELATED: Impact Wrestling's 10 Most Popular Tag Teams: How Were They Formed?

Roode was playing a rich heel after his time in Team Canada ended. Storm also turned heel at the end of the America’s Most Wanted tag team. TNA had them in makeshift tag matches at first against mutual enemies. However, their chemistry formed to the point where a full run as Beer Money entered the plans.

9 Jacqueline Was Already Managing James Storm When Tag Team Formed

WWE Hall of Famer Jacqueline was the most respected female wrestler of the Attitude Era that contributed in every role possible. TNA placed Jacqueline with James Storm when she joined the company in a role designed for more physical managing.

Gail Kim aligning with Petey Williams and Chris Harris when they feuded with Storm set up the spots of Jacqueline fighting back and forth with her. Storm forming Beer Money with Roode saw Jacqueline managing them at the start of the act since she was already so linked to him.

8 Forced Hector Guerrero To Never Manage LAX Again

The first noteworthy feud for Beer Money came against the babyface version of LAX towards the end of their first run. Hernandez and Homicide had Hector Guerrero and Shelly Martinez managing them at various points after Konnan left the company in controversial fashion.

TNA did a good job in previous eras of booking stipulation matches with finality. Beer Money defeating LAX saw Hector removed the former’s act as part of the stipulation. LAX not having Guerrero in their corner gave LAX the rub from that win, but it was done to move Hector fully to commentary.

7 Off The Wagon Open Challenge Became Strong Part Of Their Success

Beer Money started to get more over when getting their own weekly segment of an open challenge at a time before that was extremely common on wrestling shows. The Off the Wagon open challenge basically gave opportunities to teams trying to move up the ladder.

Eric Young and Petey Williams were the first team to play into Roode’s past of facing his former Team Canada peers. The Rock n Rave Infection and LAX received tag title shots as well during this concept. Team 3D trying to get their tag title shot led to Beer Money ending the open challenge like true heels.

6 Represented Frontline Faction Vs Main Event Mafia Tag Team

TNA decided to use the reality of assumed tension between the veterans and homegrown stars with the Main Event Mafia vs Frontline feud. Beer Money were forgotten members of the Frontline since they remained heels while working with the generally babyface side.

The TNA Tag Team Championship chase saw Booker T and Scott Steiner coming after them as Main Event Mafia members. It only made sense that the true-blue homegrown heels joined the Frontline during this program since they were already on opposing sides.

5 Hulk Hogan Changed Both Careers During World Title Feud

Beer Money did not break up ahead of Bobby Roode’s babyface push challenging Kurt Angle for the TNA World Championship. Hulk Hogan burying the story of Roode being a generic face chasing the top prize in radio interviews led to his backstage presence changing all plans.

RELATED: 10 Backstage Stories About Bobby Roode We Can't Believe

Roode’s planned title win over Angle saw him losing with James Storm getting a title shot days later and winning the top prize instead. However, this worked out well for Roode who turned heel to cheat his best friend out of the title and end Beer Money. Storm and Roode had a tremendous main event feud that proved they were now top stars for TNA.

4 Tied For Most Impact Tag Team Championship Reigns

The history of the Impact Tag Team Championship sees Beer Money at the top almost every list. Only two teams are tied for the most total times holding those tag titles with five reigns. Beer Money and the American Wolves hold that record with the former having more total days holding the gold.

TNA trusted Bobby Roode and James Storm to lead the tag division as the champs as much as any team in company history. Jeff Jarrett has praised Beer Money being the unsung heroes of TNA house shows since their tag title matches often created credible semi-main events that fans were invested in.

3 Were Meant To Be The Arn & Tully Of Fortune

Another noteworthy step in the Beer Money run featured them joining the Fortune faction. Ric Flair managing AJ Styles led to him starting his own group based on the legendary Four Horsemen with James Storm and Bobby Roode as the official tag team of the faction.

Fortune had other names like Desmond Wolfe, Frankie Kazarian, Matt Morgan and Douglas Williams join the group. Styles and Beer Money felt like the only locked in members since AJ represented the Flair role as top champ and the tag team mirrored Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard’s roles competing together but also having singles credibility.

2 Had One Of The Most Beloved Feuds Vs Motor City Machine Guns

The tag team division of TNA may have peaked during the best of five series between Beer Money and the Motor City Machine Guns. TNA had the perfect story of Beer Money being the dominant heel Impact Tag Team Champions with the underdog babyface team challenging them in a best of five series.

All five matches received positive attention as this feud still has fans arguing for it as the best rivalry in Impact Wrestling history. The fifth deciding match remains on the list of all-time popular TNA matches with fans vouching for it over a decade later.

1 James Storm Turned Down WWE Deal To Reunite In Impact Before Bobby Roode Left

James Storm appeared for NXT in between his TNA stints to have fans excited about the potential change. However, a WWE contract offer was for development and didn’t see him getting the financial figure he wanted. Storm opted to pick TNA over NXT with the creative plan of having a big Beer Money reunion.

Bobby Roode and Storm had one more tag title reign and other fun moments, but it ended abruptly. The contract of Roode expiring led to him leaving when he felt he’d be better off in NXT when WWE came calling. Beer Money missed out on a longer reunion in either NXT or TNA if they got on the same page about their contracts.