The odd couples: Unlikely, shocking and just plain weird pairings
When the WWE Universe learned The Rock would pair with John Cena at Survivor Series, questions swirled if they could possibly co-exist. After closer inspection, the unlikely pairing wasn't such a crazy idea after all (WHY ROCK AND CENA MAKE A GREAT TEAM).
However, before The Rock and Cena team up on Nov. 20, WWE.com looks back at some of the couplings in history that are indeed odd.
Chris Jericho & The Rock
Jericho & The Rock, side-by-side? Just one night prior to teaming together,
Jericho had defeated the Brahma Bull for the WCW Championship. But as WCW &
ECW invaded WWE, the two put aside their differences to capture the World Tag
Team Titles. Shortly after losing them, though, the rivalry started up again
for the WCW Championship.
Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
If you told us a Vegas crooner in his mid-80s could make beautiful music with the “Poker Face” vamp who once wore a dress made of meat, we’d have to wonder if your head had been recently paired with multiple turnbuckles. But when you hear this doubtful duo belt out “The Lady is a Tramp,” you cast all aspersions aside – at least those about Bennett.
Shawn Michaels & "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
Bitter rivals through most of their careers
in WWE, "Stone Cold" and HBK put aside their differences in 1997 and won the
World Tag Team Titles. Nine months after losing them, the on-again,
off-again tandem was off for good, as Austin challenged Michaels for the WWE
Championship at WrestleMania XIV.
Felix & Oscar
Be it Randall & Klugman, Lemmon & Mathau or Broderick & Lane (forget Glass & Wilson; they were terrible), Neil Simon's saga of a neat-freak and a slob
trying to share an apartment without driving each other crazy is the hands-down
champion of tag team comedy.
Booker T & Goldust
Long before he reigned as King Booker, the former World Champion teamed
with Goldust to form one of the most memorable tandems in WWE
history. Their barking banter out of the ring was as smooth as their in-ring
chemistry, leading to one reign as World Tag Team Champions. Now, can you dig THAT, Suckaaaa!
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Chocolate and peanut butter? Two great tastes, tasting great together? Who
knew?
Dude Love & "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
When Mankind attempted to team with “Stone Cold” and challenge for the World
Tag Team Titles, The Rattlesnake refused, opting to go alone into his
match. So, out of Mick Foley's past came the coolest dude with attitude, Dude
Love! Austin & Dude Love won the titles, and the era of the Dude in WWE was
born. Have Mercy!
Spock & Kirk
One rejects human emotion and
employs unbridled logic in his decisions. The other commands purely on
gut instinct and hammy dialogue. Together, though, they are the galaxy’s
best line of defense against those that threaten it in the 23rd
Century. So long as they don’t start comparing their mating rituals or
success rate, they’ll get along just fine.
Bret Hart & Bill Goldberg
This combination goes down as one of the most baffling in sports-entertainment
history. Bret defeated Goldberg for the U.S. Title. Goldberg challenged Bret
for the WCW Heavyweight Championship. In between occurrences, they teamed to
win tag team gold. And it gets weirder: Goldberg caused Bret Hart's career-ending
injury. He screwed Bret!
Rocky Balboa & Apollo Creed
They had two epic battles in the ring which crowned Rocky as boxing's
Heavyweight Champion. (see, "Yo Adrian, I did it!") But nobody could
have predicted Apollo training the "Italian Stallion" for his rematch
with Clubber Lang in Rocky III.
Mankind & Kane
Both Superstars were crazy about dishing out punishment, but each in a
different way. While Kane loved to inflict pain on others, Mankind's pleasure
came from self-mutilation. Together, however, they were a formidable double
creature-feature, and they captured the World Tag Team Championship by
defeating the New Age Outlaws.
The Lone Ranger & Tonto
In the Old West, a masked cowboy and a Native American riding side-by-side to
the "William Tell Overture" just wasn't natural. But nothing could stop these
crime-fighting kimosabes from hunting down outlaws in those thrilling days of
yesteryear. Hi-yo, Silver!
Shawn Michaels & John Cena
Michaels & Cena became World Tag Team Champions while opposing
each other on the Road to WrestleMania 23. They had each other's backs,
at least for a short while. But this powder keg blew up big-time on Raw a
day after their WrestleMania bout, when HBK's Sweet Chin
Music to the WWE Champion cost them the tag titles.
Wade Boggs & The 1996 New York Yankees
Long before he inducted "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig into the WWE Hall
of Fame, Boggs himself had a Hall of Fame career in baseball. After most of his
career was spent living with the "Curse of the Bambino" as a Red Sox, Beantown fans groaned for about 8 years as Boggs celebrated his first (and only)
World Series ring as a Bronx Bomber.
MVP & Matt Hardy
MVP was all about "ballin'" - and bawlin' about Matt Hardy's bid to capture his United States Title. He thought that might change when he and Hardy were forced into a WWE Tag Team Title Match - and won. It didn't. This diametric duo spent months as champions, but Matt never gave up on taking the U.S. Title from MVP (and eventually did).
Danny DeVito & Arnold Schwarzenegger
In the 1988 movie Twins, the former Governor of California teamed with
legendary comic Danny DeVito to form an unlikely tandem. Arnold's
"Julius" was the goody-good to DeVito's career criminal
"Vince." Against all odds, they muscled their way up to the top of
the box office. Girly Man!
Mankind & The Rock
Affectionately known as "The Rock 'N' Sock Connection," our fans
worldwide loved the pairing of Mankind & The Rock. They defeated Undertaker
& Big Show to capture the World Tag Team Championship, but the real gold
came when Mankind presented The Rock with "Mr. Rocko," a jacket and a
trip down memory lane – Have a Nice Day!
Salt & Pepper
Not since oil & vinegar have confectionary goods had at it this much. For
centuries, these granular gladiators have stared each other down on kitchen tables
everywhere, yet they still somehow manage to condiment – oops, compliment
each other. They also performed at WrestleMania XI – wait, that was Salt-N-Pepa.
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