TNA signs the greatest tag team of the 21st century.

TNA, Total Nonstop Action, has signed the tag team who were known as the “Dudley Boys.” This is huge for TNA. After all, with a resume like the Dudley’s have, any company that signs them will most likely have success in their tag team division.

8 times ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) tag-team champions, 9 times WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) tag-team champions, and 1 time WCW (World Championship Wrestling) tag-team champions. That IS impressive.

The history of Bubba and Devon goes back to 1997 when ECW was broadening their audience by establishing a more extreme style of wrestling where tables, chairs, and ladders were just as legal in a match as a hammerlock. The Dudley’s would win the ECW tag-team championship from another impressive and innovative tag-team in ECW, the Eliminators (Perry Saturn and John Kronus).

Both Bubba and Devon would play to the crowd, but since they usually played heels, or “bad guys,” they would end up “urinating” the crowd off. I remember watching Bubba and Devon in Dayton, Ohio in which Bubba and Devon almost, if not, caused a riot in the arena, and all Bubba and Devon did was belittle the crowd. However, what made Bubba and Devon stand out was their “gimmick” of using tables, but instead of just driving a person through the wooded furniture, they would first place thumbtacks on it and then set the table on fire. It was certain that this would prove the impact Bubba and Devon would have as heels, because even a hardcore ECW wrestling fan felt uncomfortable with fire. You know you’re good when you scare the hell out of an ECW fan.

With ECW ready to debacle, Devon and Bubba would abridge their talent from ECW to the WWE. A lot of fans thought that Bubba and Devon’s success would falter in the WWE, because other ECW stars like Raven, Rhino, and Perry Saturn had lackluster careers in the WWE, but Bubba and Devon would not be denied success in the WWE.

Bubba and Devon would capture the WWE tag-team championship after defeating the New Age Outlaws, Billy Gunn (Kip James) and Roaddogg (B.G. James). This would launch Bubba and Devon as a successful tag-team, but that was just the beginning, because they would capture the WWE tag team titles 8 more times, along with a WWE owned WCW run as tag team champions.

Recently, Bubba and Devon were ordered by Vincent Kennedy McMahon and the WWE “suits” not to use the name or gimmick of the “Dudley Boys,” because Vince trademarked the name "The Dudley Boys." Bubba and Devon may not be the “Dudley Boys,” but fans know who they are and they will accept them as a legitimate tag team that was so good as a team that they would capture all 3 major tag team titles of the last era of professional wrestling (ECW, WCW, WWE). The only other tag team to ever accomplish winning 3 major titles was the Road Warriors (AWA, NWA/WCW, WWE).

TNA understands that tag team wrestling plays just an important part in professional wrestling as the heavyweight division. Imagine a tag team match between Bubba and Devon and America’s Most Wanted.

I’m sure that is why Vince trademarked their name, he knew that wherever Bubba and Devon go success will follow and success will once again follow for both Bubba and Devon. They may not be called the Dudley Boys anymore, but one name that Vince can’t order Bubba and Devon not to use is tag team champions and that name will once again be the subtitle for the greatest tag team of the 21st century.