8 New WWE Tag Teams After SummerSlam 2026

WWE

WWE SummerSlam 2026 is on the horizon and looks set to be one of the most important premium live events of the year for the company.

Coming out of SummerSlam 2026, the promotion might introduce some new pairings as they look to revive their tag team division.

With recent reports indicating that WWE wants to build new duos from within, there could be some stars who form partnerships in the coming weeks and months.

Here are eight new potential WWE tag teams after SummerSlam 2026.

8. Danhausen & Joe Hendry

Over the past few weeks, fans have seen Joe Hendry and Danhausen form a friendship from their individual rivalries with The Judgment Day.

This led to Hendry and Danhausen collaborating for a concert and a new single called ‘I Believe That You Are Cursed.’

Despite these interactions and their run-ins with The Judgment Day, Hendry and Danhausen have yet to team together in a WWE ring.

Coming out of WWE SummerSlam 2026, the company could set up a heated grudge match with The Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh facing off with Hendry and Danhausen in the weeks following.

7. Carmelo Hayes & Ilja Dragunov

During their time together on NXT, Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov battled over the NXT Championship and delivered some of the most memorable matches of that era of the brand.

Then, Hayes and Dragunov would meet again when they got called up to the main roster and joined the Friday Night SmackDown brand.

This led to Melo defeating Ilja to win the United States Championship at the tailend of 2025 and the two men actually working together in tag team action.

Hayes and Dragunov becoming a permanent pairing could be what both stars need right now to gain a prominent role on SmackDown moving forward.

6. Giulia & Jordynne Grace

Another pair of WWE main roster stars who became familiar with one another on NXT is Giulia and Jordynne Grace.

In 2025, Grace and Giulia had one of the most physically intense matches that the NXT women’s division had to offer.

While many fans have wanted to see these two ladies clash again on SmackDown, ‘The Beautiful Madness’ and ‘The Juggernaut’ have formed a close friendship outside the squared circle.

Needing something to regain a consistent spot on the blue brand, Grace could join forces with Giulia, especially following her recent split from Kiana James.

5. Finn Balor & Shinsuke Nakamura

Following WWE Clash In Italy 2026, Finn Balor was moved from Monday Night Raw to Friday Night SmackDown.

Upon heading back to the blue brand, Balor mentioned that he had a lot of old friends and enemies on SmackDown.

One of those mentioned old friends is Shinsuke Nakamura, stemming from their time together in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

While they have teamed in the past, Balor and Nakamura would be a new duo that could make a significant impact on the SmackDown tag team scene.

4. Lyra Valkyria & Tatum Paxley

After building up frustrations over losing multiple title opportunities, Lyra Valkyria decided to turn on her friend and tag team partner Bayley.

At the July 18 WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, Valkyria defeated Bayley. After the win, Lyra brutally assaulted Bayley, ending with the Night Wing on top of the steel steps.

Meanwhile, it seems like Tatum Paxley has finished her stint on the NXT brand after dropping the NXT Women’s North American Championship to Zaria and being attacked by the debuting Reina Volcan.

With their established friendship from their shared time together on NXT, Paxley could debut to become another deranged individual who wants to help Valkyria with her mission to win back some gold.

3. Cruz Montana & Saquon Shugars

On the July 21 episode of WWE NXT, Mike Santana officially ‘crossed the line’ when he signed with the company and made his debut on the brand as a member of the roster.

No longer known as Mike Santana, the recently christened Cruz Montana appeared on the July 28 NXT and interacted with several stars on the roster.

One of those such stars was Saquon Shugars who had a somewhat tense interaction where Montana brought up the former Dark State getting beat by him in Madison Square Garden the last time he saw him.

Despite this tension, there was some underlying respect between the two men, which might lead to Montana becoming the only ally of Saquon in his feud against Dark State moving forward.

2. IYO SKY & Sol Ruca

In recent weeks, IYO SKY has found an ally against The Judgment Day in Sol Ruca, who has come to her aid on more than one occasion.

On the July 27 edition of Monday Night Raw, Raquel Rodriguez defeated Sol Ruca to win the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship.

Meanwhile, IYO is set to challenge Liv Morgan for the WWE Women’s World Championship at SummerSlam 2026.

Following WWE SummerSlam 2026, IYO might want to work alongside Sol to get a bit of revenge on Liv’s stablemates Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez depending on the results of the event.

1. Sami Zayn & Johnny Gargano

Sami Zayn has been dealing with a great deal of frustrations as of late thanks in large part to perceived disrespect from the WWE locker room and management.

From others getting better treatment to winning and losing the Undisputed WWE Championship in nine days, Zayn has been through it all in 2026 so far.

All the while, Zayn has had a willing ear to listen to his grievances in none other than Johnny Gargano.

Finally finding a way to break his friend out of his depression and slumber, Zayn could get Gargano back into the tag team mix where they have both garnered success in the past and can somehow reach the mountaintop once again.

To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, follow us on Threads by clicking this link!

• wwe
• SummerSlam

Share this article with friends