THE RISE OF THE MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS

MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS 

This Lesson is on one of my fav All time favorite Tag Teams in Wrestling . Literally the first time I saw these guys they were amazing. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin are an amazing team and also amazing singles wrestlers on their own. 

 In the heart of Detroit, Michigan, a city known for its grit, engines, and revolution, two young wrestlers were carving out their legacies. Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley were never meant to blend in. From the start, they moved differently, thought differently, and—when they finally joined forces—they changed professional wrestling forever.

It was 2006, and TNA Wrestling was becoming the home of wrestling’s fastest, most daring stars. That’s when Sabin and Shelley—already admired as singles competitors—clicked in a way few teams ever had. They weren’t just another thrown-together duo. They were brothers in the fight, perfectly synchronized, blending high-flying risks with technical precision. They became the Motor City Machine Guns, and the name alone made fans perk up. You could feel the engine revving when they entered the arena.

They weren’t handed anything. They fought wars—especially against the brutal veterans, Team 3D (The Dudley Boyz). That feud wasn't just storyline—it was a test. Could the new school really take on the old guard? When MCMG beat Team 3D in a chaotic Street Fight at Against All Odds, they didn’t just win a match—they earned respect.

But respect wasn’t enough. Championships were still out of reach. Sabin and Shelley fought with a chip on their shoulders, always a step away from the gold. That changed in 2010, when they entered a now-legendary feud with Beer Money, Inc. Their series of matches became instant classics, showcasing what tag team wrestling could truly be. And finally, at Victory Road, they captured the TNA World Tag Team Championship—a moment that felt like destiny fulfilled.

They weren’t done pushing boundaries. They headed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where they introduced their hybrid American-Japanese style to new audiences and won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Titles, proving their excellence crossed oceans.

But even legends face detours. In 2012, Shelley left TNA. The team disbanded. Sabin soldiered on, even winning the TNA World Championship, but the magic of MCMG felt like it had vanished into the past.

Then, like the roar of a rebuilt muscle car, they returned in 2016—this time in Ring of Honor. Their chemistry hadn’t faded. They captured the ROH World Tag Team Titles, adding another notch to their tag team résumé. But in 2018, Shelley quietly stepped away from wrestling, and the Guns were parked once again.

Until 2020.

Amid the uncertainty of a pandemic, Slammiversary brought surprises—and none louder than the return of MCMG to IMPACT Wrestling. They hit the ring like they’d never left, instantly winning the Impact Tag Team Titles again. Older, wiser, sharper.

And then came the move no one expected…

In 2024, the Motor City Machine Guns arrived in WWE. Not as rookies. Not as reinventions. As themselves—legends of the game. They debuted on SmackDown, and within months, did what no team before them ever had: they won the WWE Tag Team Championship, becoming the first team in history to hold major tag titles in TNA, NJPW, ROH, and WWE.

They were no longer the underdogs. They were the standard.

As singles Competitors they have won the TNA HW Championship.