The Young Bucks have even more reason to claim to be elite after the duo were named at the number one spot in the second annual PWI Tag Team 50.
The tag team specialists have taken the top spot in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s second list ranking the best fifty tag teams in the world. The teams were assessed for the 2021 award between October 1st, 2020, and September 30th, 2021, and criteria such as momentum, win record, chemistry, creativity, overall activity, and “it” factor were all considered in deciding the places.
In that period The Young Bucks captured the AEW World Tag Team Championship for the first time by defeating FTR at Full Gear in 2020. Matt and Nick Jackson went on to defend the titles successfully nine times including against the likes of MJF and Chris Jericho and the team of Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston.
The Young Bucks’ record-breaking title reign came to an end at All Out in September 2021 when they were defeated by the Lucha Brothers inside a steel cage. That match was met with critical acclaim as Dave Meltzer awarded the bout 5.75 stars.
Congratulations to Matt & Nick Jackson, The Young Bucks, for ranking #1 in the second annual PWI #TagTeam50! To see who else made the cut, grab the digital edition or preorder the print magazine from https://t.co/ylNeV87zarpic.twitter.com/3QCzjBkf52
— PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated) (@OfficialPWI) December 2, 2021
The first place ranking marks a big jump from The Young Bucks’ 2020 ranking where the Jackson brothers didn’t even make the top ten. Instead, they were ranked at 11 while the team they won the AEW Tag Team Title from, FTR, took the top spot.
The top five of 2021’s list is rounded out by the current AEW Tag Team Champions, The Lucha Brothers in second place. Third spot goes to current IWGP Tag Team Champions Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi while fourth place is awarded to SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos. The team of ALK comprised of Giulia and Syuri from Stardom make it into 5th place.