The Top Ten Tag Teams In Arizona

This list could be arguable. I have restricted it to those I actually saw from 1969 to 1998. Thus those before or after are not dealt with,. I will leave that to those younger or older than me, if anyone wishes to post an alternative list in comments. As far as Arizona goes, these are my choices....

1. The Comancheros
Known as The Hell's Angels in Michigan.Ohio, they were The Comancheros here. Forget the fact these two ::brothers" were actually gay lovers behind the scenes. Forget the fact they both met sad and tragic ends.  Forget the fact heir behavior otuside the ring was as uncanny as it was in it. They were the best heels to ever come to Arizona and the heat they drew from the fans is still talked about by those who saw them. They used every dirty trick in the book and then some, even finding creative ways of their own to increase their villainy. Every tag team feud they were involved with became an epic battle. Tito Montez & Armon Hussein, Bob Lueck & Ron Pritchard, Luis Martienz & Bob Ellis, Eddie Lopez & Kurt Von Steiger, Sato San & Fuji San, Eduardo Lynch & Apollo Mexicano, Ben Justice & Pancho Pico...on and on....

2. Sergeant Schultz 1&2
Neo Nazis. Need anything else be said to provoke images of hatred from the fans? Everything was ":bad" about them, from their Nazi era theme song to their double teaming in the ring, Huge bodybuilders, wearing matching masks and gear, they were simply awesome in appearance. Sergeant Shultz #1 also made a name for himself in Mexico as Commando Nazi.

3,. The Blackjacks
Lanza & Mulligan were seen as baby faces in Arizona when Gagne made his short lived run at the fairgrounds. Still, these two showed  how tag teaming should be done. Though rule breakers in most other places, they proved capable as fan favorites. They wore white hats and gear in Arizona to enhance their good image, rather than their customary black, but calling the team the White Jacks probably would not have looked that great in the ads.   ,.

4. The Lumberjacks
Varied teams around the world used this name, but these two were legitimate brothers, Russ and David Walters. Their matches with The Black Mamba & Bone Crusher, Black Mamba & Ron Sutherland, David Rose & Pedro El Grande, Bob Yuma & Tito Montez, Special Forces, CC Starr & Thrillseeker  and others were always a hot item.

5. Special Forces
Dealt with in the March section already, these quasi-military wrestlers were over both as villains and as fan favorites.  Eli Hernandez & Mike Contreras were their main rivals in the ring.

6. The Steiners
WWF and WCW booking brought all the top names to the area, but The Steiners stand out, simply due to fan reaction. Not only one of the greatest tag team,s to step into Arizona, but one of the established great teams all over. Need more be said?

7. The Von Steigers
Kurt & Karl Von Steiger took many areas by storm and in the early 1970s, Arizona was no exception. The team was over big, but did not last that long as Karl hated the Phoenix summers and headed for Canada, Kurt remained behind, promoted and incredibly for a ":Nazi" managed to become a fan favorite, when Bobby Mayne (Jaggers) and Jody Arnold turned on him.

8. Eddie Sullivan & Rip Tyler
They had only a handful of matches on Arizona when Rip visited Eddie in Arizona, from his Pensacola home. These two were hot stuff down south and in Japan. To see them in action out west told why. A pity they did not stay longer in the Arizona area as a team, but Rip was just visiting.

9. Black Gordman & Goliath
A legendary combo of international pull. They made varied appearances for different promotions in Arizona over the years, with Gordman also coming to Phoenix as a single, where he feuded with Ricky Romero.  As a team, they were also paired up to face Jerry & Nick Kozak in what ended up some great tag bouts.

10 David Rose & Pedro El Grande
A long-lasting tag team facing the likes of The Lumberjacks, The Golden Eagle &Maniac Mike Gordon and others on the Indy scene.  They were as loved as their opponents were hated, which always makes for a great formula.. Thew were "high fliers" before such was the norm. Few teams in the smallest of the small or the   biggest of the big had such an arsenal of moves and holds.