TNA Tag Team Champions The Wolves are currently in their second reign with the belts after only having been in the company for half of a year. For those unfamiliar with the work of Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards, they were soon introduced to why the team laid such a quick stake on the belts. However, for those who have followed the two for years, their ascension to the top of the tag division came as no surprise.
In the TNA One Night Only: Joker’s Wild II pay-per-view, The Wolves will need to use that comradery built upon years toiling in various levels of wrestling in order to get a shot at a $100,000 grand prize. Prior to the debut of the show, the TNA Tag Team Champions discussed their history as singles and tag competitors.
Though the art of the tag team is lost in the wrestling mainstream, The Wolves believe in their ability to elevate and contribute to reviving the art within TNA. “We’re at a genesis where we’re starting over with tag team wrestling,” Richards said. “I understand people have been kind of down about the amount of tag teams in TNA, but I can tell you that’s being remedied as we speak. We’re happy to be at the forefront of it.” Edwards added, “I think the fact that there aren’t a lot of tag teams around shows how special it is and we’re looking forward to bringing that back.”
Additionally, The Wolves believe that their brand of tagging lends to a special art. When asked about the prestige that remains in tag team wrestling, Richards seemed optimistic. “Maybe even more so now than ever, ” he stated. “Ricky Steamboat, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, James Storm. All these guys who were once tag wrestlers had success as singles wrestlers,” said Richards, commenting on the opportunities tag team wrestling can provide as a singles competitor.
Singles success is often the downfall of a tag team. History shows that when looking back at teams such as The Hart Foundation, The British Bulldogs, and The Rockers. However, The Wolves bring a different perspective, despite both men having a wealth of success as singles competitors. Richards spoke on the team’s separation between the two types of competition; “That’s why me and Eddie have always stood out the most, despite us having singles runs in other countries and other promotions. We look at ourselves as a team first and foremost.”
“It’s just how it meshes, how the guys like together. Me and Davey were singles guys when we tagged and when we tagged, we clicked. The rest is history,” Edwards added simply.
The Wolves entered TNA with a lot of hype surrounding them earlier this January. Coming off a brief NXT tryout in WWE and years spent in Ring of Honor, the duo seem to be happy to work a little more for the greater exposure they see in a company like TNA. “NXT wasn’t a long thing, so we couldn’t compare those,” Edwards recalled. “Ring of Honor, schedule-wise, it’s a whole different ballgame here. We’re on the road a lot more and we’re on TV shows all the time where Ring of Honor is just one or two times a month.”
The Wolves name is not just one that looks pretty when put to paper or on screen. Richards and Edwards pride themselves on being fierce competitors in the ring. Their take on all comers attitude has gained them respect among fans and rivalries among contemporaries, perhaps none more so evident than their recent clashes with Robbie E, Jessie Godderz, and DJ Z of The BroMans. Despite the heated feud, Edwards was nothing but complimentary of the men behind the team. “”They are very talented guys. Very underrated guys as far as what they can do. They are very eccentric outside of the ring, but they are just as good in the ring as the promos they cut outside of it.”
At TNA One Night Only: Joker’s Wild II, The Wolves will put their tag team chemistry to the test against teams of all sorts. Brand new singles competitors forming a temporary bond, old teams reuniting, and current teams aiming to prove their mastery of the art of tag team wrestling all will come together to earn a shot at the $100,000 gauntlet prize. The Wolves made clear where they stand on any team, new or old, that stands in front of them at any TNA event.
“We welcome any challenge. The more, the merrier.”
TNA One Night Only: Joker’s Wild II is available May 9th on pay-per-view.
DAVEY RICHARDS STORIES
- May 5, 2013: London vs Richards: Working through a concussion
- Dec. 20, 2011: Davey Richards: ROH’s champion and leader