8 WWE Tag Team Stars Who Couldn't Cut It As Singles
7. Albert
Oh Albert/A-Train/Baldo/Prince Albert/Jason Albert/Tensai/Sweet T/Hip-Hop Hippo/Matt Bloom/Giant Bernard, you just never seemed to find your true self, did you?
The hairy-backed one debuted in WWE in 1999, teaming with Droz. Unfortunately, Droz was paralysed during a tragic in-ring accident later in the year, and the team were split. Albert then briefly teamed with Big Boss Man, before Bull Buchanan came along and took his place.
The multi-pierced one landed on his feet, however, being recruited by newcomer Trish Stratus to form a team with Test, known as T&A (geddit?). The team were an ever-present in the tag title division and were rather successful, contesting well-received feuds with The Dudleys, APA and Hardy Boys among others.
The team split in early 2001 (WWE had big plans for Test) and Albert spun his wheels a little before hooking up with X-Pac and Justin Credible to form the unbelievably lame X-Factor stable. Once that sh*t show had run its course, Albert began teaming with Scotty 2 Hotty. They were strictly opening match material, but had a goofy sort of chemistry.
And then came the serious attempts to repackage Albert, now known as A-Train as a singles star. John Laurinaitis was so high on him that he overlooked the popular and talented Matt Hardy and placed him in a feud with Edge. Then the Train was given high-profile feuds against The Undertaker and Chris Benoit.
Regrettably, he failed to get over like management had hoped and was quietly released a short time later. Following some great years working for New Japan (where he formed another tag team with Karl Anderson), Albert returned to WWE in 2012 as main event heel Tensai.
The gimmick was a dud and Albert bombed in the role. So guess what happened next? They put him in a tag team, first with Santino Marella and then Brodus Clay. Both were fine for what they were.
It was obvious that the current head coach at the WWE Performance Center couldn't make it on his own and only really flourished when he had another person by his side.