Tag team

In professional wrestling, a tag team consists of two or more wrestlers who are working together as a team. They usually wrestle against a like number of opponents, however in the occasional "handicap match" there may be an unequal number of competitors (the late André the Giant was often pitted against two or more opponents). The term "tag team" has since become used in a metaphorical sense for a pair of partners who alternate in participation in an activity, and "tag-teaming" for the act of alternating with an ally, e.g. a couple tag-teaming in an argument with another person.

Tag-team match variations

Just about any singles or melee match type can be adapted to tag teams. For example, a tag team match may be held under hardcore rules, submission only rules, or ladder match rules. Stipulations, such as "I Quit" or "loser leaves town" may also be applied. The following are match variations that are specific to tag team wrestling.

Related Topics:
Match type - Hardcore rules

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Tag-Team match

A match in which two teams of two wrestlers face each other. Only one wrestler from each team is allowed in the ring at a time, though heels will often break this rule and gang up on a single opponent. The other(s) wait on the apron outside the ropes in a specified corner adjacent to the other team. Offensive cooperation from a team member can happen as long as they are within the referee's count of five and after an official tag. A tag team match involving more than two wrestlers per team is often referred to by the total number of people involved (eg. a six-man tag team match involves two teams of three), while a tag team match involving more than two teams is referred to by normal qualifiers (eg. a triple threat tag team match involves three teams of two).

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A wrestler must do the following in order to make a legal tag:

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• Both feet of the wrestler on the outside must be flat on the apron.
• The wrestler outside the ring must hold on to the tag rope tied in the corner
• Tags must be done over the top rope.
• Tags are legal as long as the two team members touch.

A referee can be allowed to overlook any of these tag rules at his discretion. All standard match rules apply but the legal man must make a pin or submission on another legal man to win. Only legal men can be counted out but either team can be disqualified regardless if a team member is legal or not.

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Intergender Tag-Team Match

This is a tag-team match featuring mixed-sex teams. It differs from a Mixed Tag-Team match (see below) in that men and women can be in the ring at the same time.

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Mixed Tag-Team Match

This type of match also features mixed-sex teams, but differs from an Intergender match in that only wrestlers of the same sex may be in the ring at the same time. For example, if a woman tags her male partner, both women leave the ring and both men enter.

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Parejas Incredibles Match

In this match the teams are composed of enemies or rivals. It is meant to illustrate the tension between the desire to win and the hatred for one's rival. As the name suggests, these pairs matches are used more frequently in Mexico than anywhere else.

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Elimination Tag-Team Match

Same as a tag-team match except that the wrestler suffering the loss of a fall is eliminated from participation. The match continues until all members of one team are eliminated. The WWE uses the term Survivor Series Match to denote a ten-person match held during the yearly Survivor Series pay-per-view. Lucha Libre uses the term Torneo Cibernetico (cybernetic tournament) for multi-man elimination matches. Sometimes in these matches, there can be only one winner so even after the other team has been eliminated, former team mates face each other in an elimination match.

Related Topics:
WWE - Survivor Series - Pay-per-view - Lucha Libre

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Four Corners Tag Team Elimination Match

Four teams compete with one member of each of two teams starting. Anyone could be tagged in and subject to immediate disqualification for failure to accept a tag. Elimination by any means and the last team standing wins. This match has been called the RAW Bowl and Superstars Bowl.

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Parejas Suicidas

Another lucha libre variation of the tag team match. It begins as a regular tag match but the two members from the losing team face each other in a Lucha de Apuesta.

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Scramble Cage

A match held a cage with wooden platforms in each of the corners for "high risk" moves. All men are allowed to go inside and outside of the cage. A new team comes in every 2 minutes and the match cannot be won until every team is in the match.

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This match is a specialty of Ring of Honor. The first such match took place January 11, 2003 at the "Main Event Spectacles" event. The Backseat Boyz defeated Hart Foundation 2.0 (Jack Evans and Teddy Hart), The S.A.T., Special K, and the Carnage Crew. Jack Evans made his debut in this match.

Related Topics:
Ring of Honor - January 11 - 2003 - The Backseat Boyz - Hart Foundation 2.0 - Jack Evans - Teddy Hart - The S.A.T. - Special K - Carnage Crew

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Street Fight

This is a team match where all wrestlers involved are allowed in the ring at the same time. All men are legal so any wrestler is vulnerable to a decision. There are no disqualifications or count-outs. Despite its name, it is not a true tag-team match, as it involves no tagging. Street Fight matches are often named after the city where the match is being held, such as Atlanta at Starrcade '85. The most common city affiliation has been that of Chicago, such as at WrestleMania XIII. Street Fight matches are so synomynous with Chicago that often times matches held in other cities are called Chicago Street Fights.

Related Topics:
Atlanta - Starrcade - Chicago - WrestleMania

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Tag team battle royale

This match is conducted similarly to a battle royale. If a wrestler is thrown over the ring ropes, both he and his partner are eliminated from the match. In most cases both wrestlers are considered active at the same time and there are no tags, as in a tornado tag match.

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Tag team elimination match

The match starts with one team occupying each corner of the ring. In some variations, a wrestler is allowed to leave the match by tagging any corner, not just his own. The losing team in each fall is eliminated from the match.

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In the WWE, this is called a Tag Team Turmoil match.

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Tornado Tag-Team Match

This is a team match where all wrestlers involved are allowed in the ring at the same time. All men are legal so any wrestler is vulnerable to a decision. Usually there are no disqualifications or count-outs. Despite its name, it is not a true tag-team match, as it involves no tagging.

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Trios rules (Relevos Australianos)

A six-man tag match between two teams of three wrestlers. Each team has one wrestler designated as team captain. To win, a team must either score a fall against the opposing team's captain, or one fall each against both of the other wrestlers. These matches are often two out of three falls and rules about tagging in are often stretched.

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This match type is called Relevos Australianos ("Australian Tag Team Match") in Mexico and is most often seen in lucha libre promotions such as AAA and CMLL although some promotions have used them as gimmick matches.

Related Topics:
Lucha libre - AAA - CMLL

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