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The year 2020 hasn't been kind to several Superstars, who found themselves on the wrong end of WWE management before being let go by the company.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, WWE had to make some major obligatory decisions from a business standpoint and that included releasing a host of notable Superstars from their contracts.
Throughout this year, WWE had already released the likes of Kurt Angle, Rusev, Heath Slater and Erick Rowan, most of whom were let go in mid-April. Earlier this month, former RAW Tag Team Champions Akam and Rezar, collectively known as AOP, surprisingly joined the list of released WWE Superstars.
As it stands, AOP aren't the only former WWE Tag Team Champions that have been let go by the company in 2020. This article has listed five of those Superstars, some in tag team form, who have been released this year. Without further ado, let's dive straight into it.
#5. Primo and Epico won the WWE Tag Titles at a live event
During their time in WWE, Primo and Epico might not have been on everyone's list of favorite WWE tag teams. However, over the course of their nine-year tenure with the company, the one-time WWE Tag Team Champions sure did have their fair share of memorable moments.
Despite undergoing several gimmick changes, the duo were arguably most popular for their run as Los Matadores. Over the course of their two-year run with the gimmick, Primo and Epico adapted well to their new characters, courtesy of a little help from their mascot El Torito.
Primo and Epico's only run as WWE Tag Team Champions was in 2012 and it began at a Monday Night RAW live event when the duo defeated Air Boom. However, regardless of their title win, they would go on to suffer multiple non-title losses before eventually dropping the belts to the duo of Kofi Kingston and R-Truth.
Fast forward to 2019 when Primo and Epico started working as The Colons. On top of that, they also started helping their father rebuild the World Wrestling Council promotion in Puerto Rico, despite being under contract with WWE. That wasn't the case for too long though, as they were finally let go by WWE in April 2020.
#4. Heath Slater was the inaugural WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champion
Believe it or not, Heath Slater is actually a four-time WWE Tag Team Champion. While his most notable run was with Rhyno on SmackDown Live, the former 3MB member previously won the WWE Tag Team Championships on three different occasions with Justin Gabriel.
Having started out in the developmental territories of WWE, Slater was a part of the original Nexus faction and made his triumphant main roster debut in the summer of 2010. It was as part of Nexus when Slater won the Tag Team Titles for the first time with Gabriel.
Shortly afterwards though, both men walked away from the group and formed a new faction known as The Corre, and it was with the new group when the pairing of Slater and Gabriel won the WWE Tag Team Championships on two different occasions.
However in 2016 after multiple character changes, Slater finally found his rhythm in WWE when he formed an unlikely partnership with Rhyno and became the inaugural SmackDown Tag Team Champions. It's still remembered as one of the most memorable underdog stories in recent WWE history.
In mid-April, Slater was released by WWE but did make a special appearance following his exit during Drew McIntyre's feud against Dolph Ziggler. The former WWE Tag Team Champion is now under contract with IMPACT Wrestling.
#3. Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder won the WWE RAW Tag Titles at WrestleMania 35
The duo of Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder could very well be considered as an underrated duo that wasn't used to their full potential in WWE.
Commonly known as The Major Brothers, the duo of Ryder and Hawkins made their main roster debut in 2007, but it was their alliance with Edge that put them on the WWE map in the first place.
Under the guidance of The Rated-R Superstar, Hawkins and Ryder became a part of the La Familia faction, consisting of the likes of Chavo and Vickie Guerrero, and turned heel for the first time in their careers.
Following their dissolution though, both Hawkins and Ryder focused on their singles careers up until 2019, when they finally reunited and went on to challenge The Revival for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 35.
The reunion paid off at The Grandest Stage of Them All when the duo of Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson were beaten and subsequently, Hawkins also ended his 269-match losing streak at the biggest annual WWE show of the year.
#2. Erick Rowan is a two-time WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champion
For years, Erick Rowan was a tag team player in WWE. Having initially started out as a member of The Wyatt Family, it is safe to say that Rowan didn't have the spotlight on himself while being a part of the group. It was mostly about Bray Wyatt or Luke Harper, or any other member who worked for The Wyatts temporarily.
Despite being a part of The Wyatt Family for years, it could very well be said that Rowan's best piece of work in WWE was during one of his final storylines when he was paired with Daniel Bryan. Being a team player for years, Rowan found a solid amount of success in the tag team division.
The duo of Rowan and Harper won the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Titles as The Bludgeon Brothers before the white sheep of The Wyatt Family once again went on to win the titles with Daniel Bryan.
Much like other notable WWE Superstars, Rowan was let go by as part of the cuts in April.
#1. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows were released by WWE days after headlining WrestleMania 36
Probably the most obvious, yet vital addition to this list; Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows' release from WWE came as big surprise to the WWE Universe. The Good Brothers were let go by the company just days after headlining Night One of WrestleMania 36 with AJ Styles and The Undertaker.
Anderson and Gallows didn't get off to a proper start in WWE and the company's creative team received heavy criticism for how the treated the former IWGP Tag Team Champions.
After a few rare appearances throughout the course of 2018, Anderson and Gallows were finally reunited with their former Bullet Club stablemate AJ Styles for the second time in WWE. That is exactly when things finally started to fall in place for The Good Brothers.
Having already won the WWE RAW Tag Team Titles on one previous occasion, Anderson and Gallows were on course to help AJ Styles win the WWE United States Title off Ricochet and the duo themselves became two-time RAW Tag Team Champions.
With The OC dripping in gold, it then seemed as if the former Bullet Club trio was destined to do great things in WWE. But that wasn't the case, as after making a cameo appearance in the Boneyard Match at WM 36, Anderson and Gallows were released by WWE within the same month.
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