WWE Tag Team Championship (2002)

Years Active 2002 — 2002

Promotion WWE

Brand N/A

About This Championship

The WWE Tag Team Championship name was used in 2002 after the WWF became WWE, continuing the same tag team title lineage that began in 1971. It was a name change to match the company’s new branding, not a new championship.

This version of the title overlapped with the start of the first brand split, when WWE divided the roster between Raw and SmackDown. Early on, the tag titles still moved between both shows, but that changed as the split took hold.

By mid-2002, the belts were tied to a single show based on where the champions landed, and the titles began functioning as Raw or SmackDown! championship titles rather than company-wide tag team belts.

The WWE Tag Team Championship name only lasted a few months, but it marked the moment the original tag title lineage became part of the brand split system.

Championship Name History

WWWF World Tag Team Championship 1971 – 1979

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WWF World Tag Team Championship 1979 – 1983

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WWF Tag Team Championship 1983 – 2002

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WWE Tag Team Championship 2002 – 2002

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World Tag Team Championship 2002 – 2010

WWE Tag Team Championship (2002) Complete Reign History

= Reign Distinction = Includes Reign Notes

# Click to sort	Wrestler Click to sort	Date Won Click to sort	Opponent(s) Click to sort	Event Click to sort	Match Type Click to sort	Partner(s) Click to sort
Championship renamed to WWE Tag Team Championship on May 6, 2002
17	The Rock & Chris Jericho	Oct 22, 2001	The Dudley Boyz(Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley)	Raw is War		8
16	Edge and Christian(Edge & Christian)	Apr 1, 2001	The Dudley Boyz(Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley) & The Hardy Boyz(Jeff Hardy & Matt Hardy)	WrestleMania X-Seven	TLC Match	16
15	The Dudley Boyz(Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley)	Mar 19, 2001	Edge and Christian(Edge & Christian)	Raw is War	Tag Team Match	13
Earlier in the night, The Dudley Boyz were supposed to be the challengers for The Hardy Boyz’ tag titles, but Edge and Christian claimed the Dudleys were not in the building and took the match instead. When Bubba Ray and D-Von arrived later on Raw, they went to Commissioner William Regal and argued that they had been promised the title shot. Regal eventually granted them a match against the new champions, and the Dudleys defeated Edge and Christian that same night to begin this reign.
14	Edge and Christian(Edge & Christian)	Mar 19, 2001	The Hardy Boyz(Jeff Hardy & Matt Hardy)	Raw is War	Tag Team Match	<1
The Hardy Boyz were expecting to defend the titles against The Dudley Boyz, but Edge and Christian came out first and claimed the Dudleys were not at the arena. The Hardys accepted the switch, and Edge and Christian won the championship after Rhyno interfered and hit Jeff Hardy with a Gore.
13	The Hardy Boyz(Jeff Hardy & Matt Hardy)	Mar 5, 2001	The Dudley Boyz(Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley)	Raw is War	Tag Team Match	14
12	The Dudley Boyz(Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley)	Jan 21, 2001	Edge and Christian(Edge & Christian)	Royal Rumble 2001	Tag Team Match	43
11	The Rock & The Undertaker	Dec 18, 2000	Edge and Christian(Edge & Christian)	Raw is War	Tag Team Match	1
10	Edge and Christian(Edge & Christian)	Apr 2, 2000	The Dudley Boyz(Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley) & The Hardy Boyz(Jeff Hardy & Matt Hardy)	WrestleMania 2000	Triangle Ladder Match	57
9	Rock 'n' Sock Connection(The Rock & Mankind)	Oct 14, 1999	New Age Outlaws(Billy Gunn & Road Dogg)	SmackDown!		4
8	New Age Outlaws(Billy Gunn & Road Dogg)	Sep 23, 1999	Rock 'n' Sock Connection(The Rock & Mankind)	SmackDown!	Tag Team Match	21
7	Rock 'n' Sock Connection(The Rock & Mankind)	Sep 20, 1999	Unholy Alliance(Big Show & The Undertaker)	Raw is War		1
6	Unholy Alliance(Big Show & The Undertaker)	Sep 9, 1999	Rock 'n' Sock Connection(The Rock & Mankind)	SmackDown!	Buried Alive Match	11
5	Rock 'n' Sock Connection(The Rock & Mankind)	Aug 30, 1999	Unholy Alliance(Big Show & The Undertaker)	Raw is War		8
4	Unholy Alliance(Big Show & The Undertaker)	Aug 22, 1999	Kane & X-Pac	SummerSlam 1999	Tag Team Match	8
3	Stone Cold Steve Austin & Dude Love	Jul 14, 1997	Owen Hart & The British Bulldog	Raw is War	Tag Team Match	55
After Shawn Michaels was stripped of his half of the WWF Tag Team Championship on June 16, 1997, the WWF held an eight-team tournament to decide who would earn a shot at the vacant titles against Stone Cold Steve Austin and a partner of his choosing. The tournament final took place on July 7, 1997, when Owen Hart and The British Bulldog defeated Faarooq and D-Lo Brown of the Nation of Domination, setting up the title match on Raw is War the following week. Austin appeared ready to go it alone, but Dude Love appeared on the Titantron and inserted himself as Austin’s partner, helping Austin defeat Hart and Bulldog to win the vacant championships. However, their reign was short-lived because Austin’s neck injury at SummerSlam 1997 forced him to step away, and the team later relinquished the titles, sending them back to vacancy.
—	Title Vacated on July 14, 1997
2	Stone Cold Steve Austin & Shawn Michaels	May 26, 1997	Owen Hart & The British Bulldog	Raw is War	Tag Team Match	49
On June 16, 1997, WWF announced that Shawn Michaels was being stripped of his half of the titles after he was taken off TV with an injury explanation (following a backstage incident with Bret Hart), which led to an 8-team tournament to determine who would face Stone Cold Steve Austin and a partner of his choice for the titles. The titles were ultimately vacated on July 14, 1997, when the tournament winners, Owen Hart and The British Bulldog, faced Steve Austin and Dude Love.
Championship renamed to WWF Tag Team Championship on December 26, 1983
Championship renamed to WWF World Tag Team Championship on March 1, 1979
1	Luke Graham & Tarzan Tyler	Jun 3, 1971		House Show	Tournament Final Match	186

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