Wrestling titles are weird. If you’ve been following the product for more than a minute, you know that names change faster than a heel turns on his best friend. Specifically, when we talk about the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship, we’re actually talking about a lineage that recently went through a massive facelift.
As of early 2026, the belts you see on Monday nights aren't even officially called the "Raw" titles anymore. They are the World Tag Team Championship. But let’s be real, most of us still search for the Raw version because that’s where the drama lives.
Right now, the scene is wild. The Usos (Jey and Jimmy Uso) are sitting on the throne. They grabbed the gold from AJ Styles and Dragon Lee on the December 29, 2025, episode of Raw. It’s their fourth reign as a duo, and honestly, seeing them back together after all the Bloodline civil war nonsense feels like home. It’s comfortable. It’s dominant.
The Messy History of the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
Let’s look at the "why" behind the name changes.
The title we’re discussing isn’t the original 1971 version—that one was retired years ago. This specific lineage started in 2002 on SmackDown. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit were the first to hold them. Weird, right? The "Raw" title started on the blue brand.
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Eventually, it migrated. By 2016, during the second brand split, it became the Raw Tag Team Championship. Then things got complicated again in 2022 when The Usos unified everything. For a couple of years, it was just the "Undisputed" titles.
WrestleMania XL changed the game.
During that chaotic Six-Pack Ladder Match in April 2024, the titles were literally split apart. Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) climbed the ladder for the Raw side. Shortly after, WWE dropped the "Raw" branding and renamed them the World Tag Team Championship. It was basically a branding exercise to make the show feel more "big league."
Notable Champions You Probably Forgot
- Nicholas: Yeah, the 10-year-old. Braun Strowman literally picked a kid out of the crowd at WrestleMania 34 to win these.
- John Cena and The Miz: They held them for about nine minutes.
- The New Day: These guys are the gold standard. They held a version of these titles for 483 days. That’s over a year of pancakes and trombone solos.
What's Happening Right Now?
The current landscape is tense. The Usos are the champs, but the line of challengers is growing. On the January 12, 2026, episode of Raw in Germany, we saw a massive shift. While Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky are holding down the women's tag titles, the men's division is a shark tank.
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Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez just became the number one contenders for the women's titles, but on the men's side, the focus is on the fallout between AJ Styles and Gunther. Styles is furious about how he lost his titles to the Usos and is currently distracted, which is exactly how Jimmy and Jey like it.
The Netflix Era Impact
WWE moving to Netflix in 2025 changed how these stories are told. We’re seeing more aggressive matches and longer segments. The World Tag Team Championship (formerly Raw) is often the centerpiece of the second hour.
The production value has spiked. If you haven't watched a "Raw on Netflix" episode yet, the lighting is different, the "commercial" breaks are handled better, and the tag team matches actually get 20 minutes to breathe. It’s not just "hit the finisher and go home" anymore.
Why People Get the Lineage Wrong
There is a huge misconception that the current World Tag Team Championship is the same one held by the Road Warriors or the Hart Foundation.
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It isn't.
That 1971-2010 lineage is dead. It was unified into this current one and then vanished. When you look at the record books for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship, you are looking at a history that began in the Ruthless Aggression era.
Expert Note: If you're a stats nerd, Kofi Kingston is the king of this division. Between his time in the New Day and other pairings, he has the most individual reigns at seven. He’s basically the final boss of tag team wrestling.
The Future of the Division
Expect a massive showdown at the upcoming Royal Rumble or the next Saturday Night's Main Event. The Wyatt Sicks are currently holding the SmackDown version of the titles, and rumors are already swirling about another "Winner Take All" scenario.
Fans generally hate it when the titles are unified because it shrinks the roster opportunities, but WWE loves a "super-champ."
If you want to keep up with the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship (or World Tag Team Titles, if we're being "official"), you need to watch the Monday night replays on Netflix. The shift in 2025 made the matches much more physical. The Usos aren't just wrestling; they’re telling a story about redemption and family that started back in 2023.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
- Check the Lineage: If you're arguing with friends, remember that the current Raw titles date back to 2002, not 1971.
- Watch the Anniversary Replays: The Raw on Netflix Anniversary Show from January 5, 2026, is essential viewing for how the current title scene was reshaped.
- Track the Draft: The 2026 Draft is looming. Historically, this is when the tag titles swap brands or get "lost" in the shuffle, so keep an eye on the official WWE rosters.