5 Best Real Brother Tag Teams (& 5 Best Kayfabe Brothers)
Wrestling families have been a part of the business since the beginning. Rocky Johnson passed down his charisma, and physical dominance to his son “The Rock”. Randy Orton is the living legacy of his grandfather Cowboy Bob Orton.
RELATED: The 10 Best Third-Generation Wrestlers In WWE History
There is a special chemistry when family members get into the ring. Like the uncle and nephew team “Los Guerreros” there was an obvious fluidity and harmony that not all tag teams posses. In a division where you depend on your partner, there is not a more trustworthy partner than your brother.
Imagine growing up together, training together, and dreaming about winning the tag team championships on the big stage. For many biological brothers, this epic journey was a reality.
For this reason, countless teams have been billed as brothers, and some like The Undertaker and Kane, had impressive backstories woven into their characters. Arguably, many of these tag teams would work so much together that they built a level of brotherhood.
10 Real: Young Bucks
Nick and Matt Jackson went from little to no success as jobbers in WWE, to the executive vice presidents in the hottest new promotion AEW. Today, they are regarded as one of the best in-ring performing tag teams, with synchronized athleticism, and an unmatched pace.
RELATED: The Young Bucks Show Names Of Recently Released WWE Stars [Video]
Before being recognizable to the mainstream American audience, the two California boys made their name in New Japan Pro Wrestling. With their unique and flashy style, The Bucks have superkicked their way to tag team gold around the world. The elite team is just one Meltzer driver away from becoming AEW champions.
9 Kayfabe: Bart and Billy Gunn
The Smoking Gunns debuted in the WWF in 1993. The Texan “brothers” would have a solid three-year run, winning three Tag Team Championships in their tenure. Billy and Bart Gunn had a unique debut entrance, entering with real guns firing blanks.
RELATED: 10 Facts You Didn't Know About WWE's Brawl For All
Their resume of defeated opponents includes: Owen Hart and Yokozuna, The Godwinns, Bob Holly and The 1-2-3 Kid, The Headshrinkers and Money Inc. Billy Gunn went on to have a Hall of Fame career through D-Generation X while Bart won the infamous Brawl For All tournament and got knocked out at WrestleMania 15 by Butterbean.
8 Real: Hardy Boys
WrestleMania 33 became unhinged when the unexpected music of the Hardy Boyz hit. The crowd took a euphoric stroll down memory lane, reliving the insane, jaw-dropping moments of Team Xtreme in decades past.
RELATED: 10 Best Edge & Christian Vs Hardy Boys Matches, Ranked
Matt and Jeff Hardy, two brothers from North Carolina, worked the local independent scene as a tag team. They would make an unforgettable impact during the attitude era, as high flyers and daredevils. With storied and epic rivalries with top competitors in the division, the multi-time tag team champions would be synonymous with three letters: TLC.
7 Kayfabe: The Major Brothers
The Major Brothers are the model "dream come true" story for any wrestling fan. Known famously as Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder, Brett and Brian Major got their big break at the 2007 Armageddon pay-per-view where they played Edge's doppelgangers, known as the Edgeheads, to help the “Master Manipulator” win the Heavyweight Championship
Their relationship to Edge got them involved in the main event of WrestleMania 24 with The Undertaker. A huge step, considering they were in developmental a year prior. The two also won the Tag Team Championships in 2008 and 2019. Sadly they were released from WWE in April 2020.
6 Real: Harlem Heat
The Hall of Fame Huffman Brothers were a dominant force that tagged for nine years in WCW. They would win 10 Tag Titles in WCW, to accompany Booker T’s five WCW championships. Although Booker T went on to have major singles success, it was his brother Stevie Ray that introduced him to the world of wrestling.
RELATED: The Revival Continues To Try And Goad Harlem Heat Into One More Match
With Ray being the enforcer, and Booker T providing the acrobatic and technical maneuvers, the duo complemented each other in look and skill. In 2015, the team reunited in Booker T’s promotion Reality of Wrestling to win the tag team championships.
5 Kayfabe: Edge and Christian
Edge debuted in the WWF in 1998 and not too long after his legitimate childhood best friend Christian would show up not too long after. The two had such a close bond that they easily could have been mistaken for brothers. Their looks, however, raised some questions but we looked passed it.
E&C won 7 Tag Team Championships through jaw-dropping and classic matches, some of the aerial and weapon variety. The two split paths and had successful singles careers with both becoming Heavyweight Champions.
4 Real: Steiner Brothers
The physically impressive brothers Rick and Scott had amateur wrestling backgrounds before becoming an international team. With tag team championships in almost every major promotion in the world, the legendary team may be one of the best of all time.
RELATED: 10 Backstage Stories About Scott Steiner We Can't Believe
The brute strength of the Steiners was exhibited in their physique and ability to suplex and military press almost any man. With their signature pose, The Steiner Brothers, hailing from Bay City, Michigan were an unmatched global force. Long before Big Poppa Pump was a singles star, he reached hall of fame status with his brother.
3 Kayfabe: Brothers of Destruction
Kane debuted in the first Hell in a Cell, costing The Undertaker the match and driving self-conflict into the undead soul of the Phenom. Taker spoke of his “brother” afterward, “When I looked into his eyes, I didn’t see the love of a long-lost brother, but the hatred of a man whose mind has been poisoned.”
It was said that Undertaker started a fire as a child that caused his younger brother to be horribly disfigured. Kane eventually forgave his brother in order to break the ankle of Vince McMahon. The two would make a hellacious and badass team that would eventually win tag team gold.
2 The Wild Samoans
From the Isle of Samoa, the brothers Afa and Sika were imposing figures and monsters among men. The unique and untamed duo would succeed in the various promotions they fought for. While being managed by Lou Albano in the WWF, they captured three tag team titles.
RELATED: Dynasty: 10 Best Samoan Wrestlers Of All Time
As part of the Anoa’i family dynasty, the Wild Samoans are uncles to Rikishi, Tonga Kid, and the late Umaga. Sika is the father of Roman Reigns and the late Rosey. Afa and Sika struck fear into the hearts of fans and opponents, but are beloved as cornerstones of the tag team division.
1 Kayfabe: The Dudley Boyz
The Dudley family tree is rotten from the roots up. “Big Daddy” Dudley was a traveling salesman throughout the United States and had numerous illegitimate children. The clan met up in ECW in the '90s and it was far from a happy family reunion.
Buh Buh and D-Von fought at first with the latter forming a team with The Sandman. D-Von turned on the kendo stick swinging beer drinker to join his “brother”. The two would form a 23-time tag team champion, Hall of Fame team that won gold around the world. Despite some time as singles, The Dudleyz will forever be remembered for their affinity for tables, and tag team legacy.
