World Tag Team Championship ( WWE ) The World Tag Team Championship was the original professional wrestling world tag team championship contested for in World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) . The championship was generally contested in professional wrestling matches , in which participants execute scripted finishes rather than contend in direct competition . History . The World Tag Team Championship was originally known as the " World Wide Wrestling Federation ( WWWF ) World Tag Team Championship " . Following the title ' s introduction in 1971 , Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler became the inaugural champions on June 3 . In 1979 , the title became known as the " World Wrestling Federation ( WWF ) World Tag Team Championship " when the promotion was renamed the World Wrestling Federation . It began to be referred to as the " WWF Tag Team Championship " for short in the mid 1990s . In March 2001 , the World Wrestling Federation purchased World Championship Wrestling . Soon after , " The Invasion " took place in which the WCW / ECW Alliance was ultimately dismantled . At the 2001 Survivor Series pay - per - view , the title was unified with WCW Tag Team Championship in a Steel cage match . The WCW Tag Team Champions , the Dudley Boyz , defeated the WWF Tag Team Champions , the Hardy Boyz , and were named the last WCW Tag Team Champions while becoming the new WWF Tag Team Champions . After the WWF / WWE name change in 2002 , the championship was subsequently referred to as the " World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) Tag Team Championship " . Then , during a period of open free agency after the Brand Extension , the Tag Team Champions were signed to appear and defend the title on the Raw brand only , leaving the SmackDown ! brand without a tag team title . As a result , SmackDown ! General Manager , Stephanie McMahon , commissioned a new WWE Tag Team Championship to be the exclusive tag team title for the SmackDown ! brand . With the introduction of the World Heavyweight Championship on the Raw brand after the WWE Championship was moved to the SmackDown ! brand , the Tag Team Championship on Raw was now being referred to as the " World Tag Team Championship " . This was done so that the names of both tag team titles would mirror the names of the top championships on their respective brands . When the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship switched brands during the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery , however , neither of the tag team titles were renamed . On April 5 , 2009 at WrestleMania XXV , WWE Tag Team Champions The Colóns defeated World Tag Team Champions John Morrison and The Miz to unify both titles into what WWE referred to as the " Unified WWE Tag Team Championship . " On the August 16 , 2010 episode of " Raw " , the unified titles were consolidated into one championship with the physical representation of one set of belts , presented to then - champions The Hart Dynasty ( David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd ) . WWE confirmed via their website that this title would be retired in favor of having the WWE Tag Team Championship continued in being defended as WWE ' s sole tag team championship . Reigns . The final champions were The Hart Dynasty ( David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd ) , who were in their first reign . They won the titles from ShoMiz ( The Big Show and The Miz ) on the April 26 , 2010 edition of " Raw " . After the retirement of the World Tag Team Championship , the duo continued to serve as the WWE Tag Team Champions until their loss of the titles at Night of Champions on September 19 , 2010 .