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In previous eras, being part of a thriving wrestling tag team was an end in and of itself. For Demolition and The Midnight Express, competing in two-on-two competition wasn't merely a stepping stone to a singles push, but rather an opportunity to write their names in the annals of history.
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Today, however, things are a little different. Almost all wrestlers in WWE crave the chance to fight at the top of the card, however successful they may be in the tag division. Take The New Day, for instance, Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E are great together, but they'd gladly trade in their triple act for a run with the World Heavyweight Championship or the Universal Championship.
Unfortunately, making real your singles aspirations isn't always straightforward. Just ask Jason Jordan, who has struggled to get the crowd on his side since cutting ties with former American Alpha running mate Chad Gable last year.
Equally, the examples of Edge, Christian and Jeff Hardy show us that it is possible for tag team stars to break out in their own right provided they are popular with the WWE audience, to begin with. Here are five more who would succeed after going solo.
#5 Sheamus
A four-time WWE World Champion, Sheamus is no stranger to singles success. In fact, prior to pairing up with Cesaro two years ago, he had carved out one of the most prolific solo careers in the company's history, having also won the 2012 Royal Rumble and been crowned King of the Ring in 2010.
Reports earlier this year suggested that the Irishman's time in the squared circle was nearing its end, owing to a persistent neck injury of the same kind that brought the curtain down on Edge's wrestling career seven years earlier.
However, that only underlines the importance of giving him another solo run. He may only have a couple of years left as a full-time wrestler, and as one of WWE's most reliable workers, he deserves a final chance to wear one of the two world title belts.
#4 Big E
Some fans are nervous about Big E's rumored singles push, fearing that it will ultimately lead to the break-up of The New Day, who have been one of the most entertaining acts in WWE since they came together four years ago.
That, however, is by no means guaranteed. Even if he decided to leave the group for a run at SmackDown's world title, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods could still keep the flag flying in the tag team division in his absence. It wouldn't be as good without him, admittedly, but it would still be one of the company's leading tag teams.
For Big E, meanwhile, it could be an enormous opportunity to break out on his own. WWE officials have always regarded the former Intercontinental Champion as a potential main event star, as illustrated by his time down in NXT, where he wore the brand's biggest prize for nearly six months.
#3 Harper
The Bludgeon Brothers - at least under their current name - are a relatively new act in WWE. They only debuted on SmackDown in October of last year, and have since won their maiden tag team titles with victory over The Usos and The New Day at WrestleMania 34.
While Harper's career is in good health at the moment, it can't be ignored that he has fallen down the WWE ladder since his involvement in the WWE Title scene at the beginning of 2017. After being dumped out of the Wyatt Family he came within a battle royal victory of a massive match on the Show of Shows.
All of that is to say that, despite his tag team success, Harper still has enormous potential as a singles star. He's great in the ring, brilliant at acting, and genuinely likable - all things that can help you become one of the most popular stars in the company.
#2 Woken Matt Hardy
Like Sheamus, Woken Matt has already achieved plenty of success as a singles wrestler. In TNA, he twice wore the company's World Heavyweight Championship, headlining countless pay-per-views after transitioning to his Broken guise in 2016.
Despite his brilliant solo run in the Impact Zone, however, Matt is yet to ascend to the top of the WWE ladder. A brief run with the ECW Championship aside, he has never really been the "top guy" under the employ of Vince McMahon.
Given that his current gimmick is so popular with the audience, there is no better time to finally push him towards the main event. He could even do so with tag team partner Bray Wyatt still by his side in some capacity - just as long as he doesn't steal Matt's spotlight.
#1 Cesaro
While Sheamus has already had an amazing singles career, the same can't be said of current tag team partner Cesaro. Since arriving in WWE eight years ago, the former Ring of Honor star has never had a meaningful run at a world title belt.
For most fans, his big push should have belatedly arrived four years ago when he claimed victory in WrestleMania XXX's Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Unfortunately, however, he was quickly lost in the shuffle and thereafter paired up with Tyson Kidd.
His union with Sheamus has been much more fruitful. Now, along with his in-ring ability, he has an arrogant streak and personality on the microphone. It's now the perfect time for him to break with his past failures and make a run for the main event.
Who else do you think should move from the tag team scene to an independent run? Let us know in the comments below!
