4 facts about Motor City Machine Guns every WWE fan should know
As Triple H navigates WWE into the Netflix era, all three rosters are stacked with top-tier stars. With that said, there's always room for more talent at the table. The company recently signed one of the best tag teams in the world, The Motor City Machine Guns.
The Bloodline has possession of the tag titles on SmackDown. There are also several other teams on the Blue Brand who are perforiming at the highest level. Now with Sabin and Shelley preparing to debut, SmackDown will be the home of the best tag team action in the world.
This is our list of four facts every WWE fan should know about The Motor City Machine Guns.
#4 - The Motor City Machine Guns have a connection with the nWo
At the height of the Monday Night Wars, the nWo was at the forefront of WCW's massive popularity. One of the original founding members of the nWo is WWE Hall of Fame legend Kevin Nash.
Before Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin formed The Motor City Machine Guns, they were rivals in the TNA X-Division. At the time, Kevin Nash was feuding against the entire division. Nash eventually joined forces with Shelley in the stable called Paparazzi Productions.
Shelley, Sabin, and Nash are all Detroit natives. Their common ground provided a perfect storm for the trio to align for a brief period. Nash became a manager for The Motor City Machine Guns while they were all competing in TNA.
#3 - The Motor City Machine Guns have a history with WWE's Finn Balor
New Japan Pro-Wrestling has always been a place where iconic tag teams are produced and showcased in front of the Japanese fans. The locals often refer to outsiders as "gaijin," which basically means someone who comes from a foreign land. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin spent time in the land of the rising sun, honing their skills and competing with some of the very best.
There have been a number of current WWE superstars who have previously spent time in Japan. AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Finn Balor are a few current WWE stars who have had success in NJPW.
Balor was known as "Prince Devitt" and was once paired with Ryusuke Taguchi, and they held the IWGP Jr. Tag titles multiple times. Devitt and Taguchi ran into The Motor City Machine Guns several times in 2009 and 2010. Devitt and Taguchi defeated Sabin and Shelley, becoming the new IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champions.
#2 - Sabin and Shelley are proven singles stars
Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin got together and formed The Motor City Machine Guns during their early days with promotions like PWG and Ring of Honor. They debuted in TNA in 2007, which is when things really took off for the duo.
Prior to forming The Motor City Machine Guns, Shelley and Sabin were elite singles wrestlers. During their time with TNA/IMPACT Wrestling, both men had world title runs. They also held the X-Division Championship as well, with Sabin being the all-time record holder with ten reigns, resulting in over 600 days with the belt.
#1 - The Motor City Machine Guns have ties to The Bloodline
Before signing with WWE, Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin profoundly impacted the global wrestling scene. Many fans remember them best for their runs with IMPACT Wrestling and ROH. However, The Motor City Machine Guns were globetrotters in the industry, leaving their mark everywhere they competed, including Japan.
Shelley and Sabin spent a lot of time with the Japanese-based company NJPW. During that time, they crossed paths with a couple of members of WWE's Bloodline, Tama Tonga, and Tonga Loa. At the time, they were known as Guerillas of Destiny, also associated with Bullet Club. Both teams enjoyed a lot of success in Japan, as they both captured tag team titles during their stints with NJPW.
