The 1980s were a critical time for WWE, as that was when the promotion exploded into an international phenomenon. Following Vince McMahon purchasing the then-World Wide Wrestling Federation from his father, stacking his roster with talent and conquering the cable television & pay-per-view markets, the WWE became a juggernaut reaching out to millions of households worldwide.
With Hulkamania in full force and WrestleMania securing WWE’s future, the eighties (and the Golden Era) are looked back on with great fondness, particularly through the catalog of unforgettable championship reigns that are still discussed in great detail today. But alas, there were WWE title reigns throughout the 1980s that (for one reason or another) failed to leave an impression.
Rockin’ Robin Defeated Sensational Sherri Martel For The Women’s Championship In France
Robin Was The Final WWE Women’s Champion When The Title Was Retired From February 1990-December 1993
| Date Of Title Victory | Won From | Date Of Title Loss | Lost To | Length Of Reign |
| October 7, 1988 | Sensational Sherri Martel | February 21, 1990 | N/A (title deactivated | 501 days |
Women’s wrestling may not have been as prominent in the 1980s as it is today, but there were several female legends of the sport who left their mark. Wendi Richter, Leilani Kai, The Fabulous Moolah and, of course, Sensational Sherri Martel. One wrestler who’s definitely not discussed as much as she should be is Rockin’ Robin.
Robin was a popular and talented worker, who feuded with Sensational Sherri and finally defeated her to capture the Women’s Title in October 1988. Despite this historic triumph, The Rockin’ One’s title defenses were mostly confined to house shows, and her 501-day-reign sadly ended when the Women’s Championship was deactivated in February 1990, which is why Robin has criminally been forgotten.
Brutus Beefcake And Greg Valentine Were Hardly The Dream Team When They Became Tag Team Champions
The Barber And The Hammer Chased The Tag Team Championship After Valentine Lost The Intercontinental Title
| Date Of Title Victory | Won From | Date Of Title Loss | Lost To | Length Of Reign |
| August 24, 1985 | The U.S. Express (Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo) | April 7, 1986 | The British Bulldogs | 226 days |
Greg Valentine will be remembered as one of the greatest Intercontinental Champions of all time. Brutus Beefcake will be remembered as being a popular sports-entertainer in his own right. But it’s hard to remember that these two polar opposites were once Tag Team Champions.
Before becoming “The Barber”, Beefcake was a heel who allied with “The Hammer” to form The Dream Team. Although a random pairing, Beefcake and Valentine were a very successful one, enjoying a mighty 226-day reign as Tag Team Champions. But their loss to The British Bulldogs at WrestleMania 2 – as well as their prominent singles-careers – is remembered much more than what the Hall of Famers achieved together.
Moondogs Rex & King Were The Original Titleholders Until Moondog Spot Took Over From King, Who Was Denied U.S. Entry From Canada In May 1981
| Date Of Title Victory | Won From | Date Of Title Loss | Lost To | Length Of Reign |
| March 17, 1981 | Rick Martel & Tony Garea | July 21, 1981 | Rick Martel & Tony Garea | 125 days |
One of the more forgettable tag teams of the eighties, Moondogs Rex & King joined the WWE in October 1980, winning their only World Tag Team Championship in March 1981 from Tony Garea & Rick Martel. During their reign, The Moondogs continued feuding with Martel & Garea and losing many title bouts by disqualification.
The only major thing of note that happened during The Moondogs’ reign was when King was unable to wrestle in the US, and Moondog Spot had to take over for him. The Moondogs were an average stable of brawlers, and fell into obscurity altogether upon losing the belts after a lackluster four-month reign.
The North-South Connection Consisted Of Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch
They Won The WWE Tag Team Championship In A No-Disqualification Match
| Date Of Title Victory | Won From | Date Of Title Loss | Lost To | Length Of Reign |
| April 17, 1984 | Soul Patrol (Rocky Johnson & Tony Atlas) | January 21, 1985 | The U.S. Express (Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo) | 279 days |
Adrian Adonis was one of the AWA’s finest prior to joining the WWE. Dick Murdoch had a successful run in NWA territories before he began teaming with Adrian. Billing themselves ‘The North-South Connection’ to reflect their different lifestyles, Adonis & Murdoch enjoyed a successful run as Tag Team Champions.
But soon after losing the belts, The North-South Connection went their separate ways. Adrian Adonis moved-on to even greater heights with the “Adorable” gimmick, and Dick Murdoch left the WWE soon after to seek brighter pastures in NJPW and Jim Crocket Promotions. Their work as singles-stars easily overshadowed whatever they achieved as a tag team.
Velvet McIntyre’s One-And-Only Women’s Championship Barely Lasted A Week
The Biggest Win Of McIntyre’s Career Came At A Live-Event In Brisbane, Australia
| Date Of Title Victory | Won From | Date Of Title Loss | Lost To | Length Of Reign |
| July 3, 1986 | The Fabulous Moolah | July 9, 1986 | The Fabulous Moolah | 6 days |
Very few wrestlers compete barefooted, but Velvet McIntyre was one of those wrestlers. Born in Ireland, making a name for herself in Canada, and coming to the WWE in 1982, Velvet made an impact by being a two-time (inaugural) Women’s Tag Team Champion. After transitioning towards singles-competition, McIntyre set her sights on The Fabulous Moolah.
During WWE’s tour of Australia in 1986, Velvet upset Moolah at a live event to capture her one-and-only Women’s Championship. Sadly, her moment in the sun didn’t last long as Moolah regained the belt six days later on the same tour. The title change wasn’t even acknowledged by WWE until years later, and Velvet McIntyre got criminally lost in the shuffle.
Strike Force Were Overshadowed By More Colorful & Popular Tag Teams In WWE
Tito Santana And Rick Martel First Teamed Together In The AWA
| Date Of Title Victory | Won From | Date Of Title Loss | Lost To | Length Of Reign |
| October 27, 1987 | The Hart Foundation | March 27, 1988 | Demolition | 152 days |
After his legendary Intercontinental Title ended, Tito Santana eventually reunited with his old partner Rick Martel, who himself had already enjoyed tremendous tag team success in the WWE. The two became Strike Force, and after proving themselves against The Islanders, Tito & Rick upset The Hart Foundation to win the Tag Team Titles.
Strike Force was a popular tag team and had a great run as WWE Tag Team Champions. But as great as the two workers were in the ring, their legacy has been completely overshadowed by more prominent WWE tag teams from the 1980s, like Demolition, The Hart Foundation, The British Bulldogs, and The Wild Samoans.
Rick Martel & Tony Garea Won The World Tag Team Championship Twice Together In WWE
Tony Garea Was A Three-Time Tag Team Champion Prior To Teaming With Rick Martel
| Date Of Title Victory | Won From | Date Of Title Loss | Lost To | Length Of Reign | |
| 1st Reign | November 8, 1980 | The Wild Samoans | March 17, 1981 | The Moondogs | 129 days |
| 2nd Reign | July 21, 1981 | The Moondogs | October 13, 1981 | Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito | 84 days |
As well as Tito Santana, Rick Martel also enjoyed tremendous success with Tony Garea, another tremendous worker who’d secured gold in the tag team ranks. For two years, they were a beloved pairing, even managing to defeat The Wild Samoans to win their first WWE Tag Team Championship in November 1980.
Despite achieving much in a short length of time, Garea and Martel soon went their separate ways after losing the titles to Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito. Their short-time together, along with Martel’s rise up the card and Garea’s eventual retirement in 1986, is perhaps why this team has been forgotten about.
Ken Patera Became The Second Man In History To Hold The Intercontinental Championship
Patera Simultaneously Held The WWE Intercontinental And NWA Missouri Heavyweight Titles In 1980
| Date Of Title Victory | Won From | Date Of Title Loss | Lost To | Length Of Reign |
| April 21, 1980 | Pat Patterson | December 8, 1980 | Pedro Morales | 230 days |
Ken Patera made history when he defeated the late, great Pat Patterson to become only the second man to hold the WWE Intercontinental Championship. An Olympic-level athlete, Patera took the Intercontinental Title to even bigger heights, taking on all-comers and even challenging Bob Backlund for the WWE Championship.
But as great a heel and legitimate a champion as he was, Ken Patera is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Fans & critics naturally discuss Pat Patterson first when it comes to the Intercontinental Title, and Patera’s work has been overshadowed by all his successors throughout the eighties and beyond. Patera’s poor relationship with WWEsince his 1988 departure is perhaps why he’s not celebrated as much as he should be.
The Colossal Connection Marked Andre The Giant’s Final Run In WWE
The Pairing Of Andre And Haku Served As The Last Tag Team Title Reign Of The Eighties
| Date Of Title Victory | Won From | Date Of Title Loss | Lost To | Length Of Reign |
| December 13, 1989 | Demolition | April 1, 1990 | Demolition | 109 days |
Another of WWE’s most forgotten tag teams from the 1980s, The Colossal Connection was a fitting moniker for the pairing of Andre The Giant and Haku. As the decade drew to a close, Andre and Haku defeated Demolition to become the new Tag Team Champions heading into the nineties.
Unfortunately, Andre’s health & mobility had deteriorated at this point and he was wrestling on borrowed time, with Haku doing most of the work in matches. Inevitably, Demolition regained the titles at WrestleMania 6, and the team immediately disbanded. The fact that the team barely lasted a year, and served mostly as a swansong for Andre, is perhaps why fans forget this larger-than-life pairing.
Bob Backlund & Pedro Morales’ Tag Team Championship Reign Was Barely A Footnote On Both Legends’ Careers
Backlund Was WWE Champion When They Won The Tag Team Titles Together
| Date Of Title Victory | Won From | Date Of Title Loss | Lost To | Length Of Reign |
| August 9, 1980 | The Wild Samoans | August 10, 1980 | N/A (Titles vacated) | 1 day |
On paper, the idea of two bonafide legends like Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales teaming together is a dream come true. Especially given that Morales had reigned as WWE Champion for 1,027 days and Backlund was in the midst of his own historic reign as World Champion. When the two iconic babyfaces teamed together to defeat The Wild Samoans for the World Tag Team Titles, the fans rejoiced.
But as historic as this moment was, Pedro and Bob’s prospects were dashed by a nonsensical rule decreeing that no heavyweight champion (Backlund) could hold two belts simultaneously. Thus, the new champions were quickly stripped of the Tag Titles. It’s an integral part of Pedro Morales becoming the first-ever WWE Triple Crown Winner, and worthwhile for Backlund becoming a dual-champion, but the fact that the reign only lasted twenty-four hours unfortunately makes it very forgettable.
