Tag: Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Returning To WWE NXT

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is making its return to WWE NXT.

NXT General Manager Robert Stone made the announcement during Tuesday night’s episode, confirming plans to revive the annual tournament as part of his ongoing efforts to strengthen the brand’s tag team division.

Speaking in a backstage interview, Stone pointed to recent additions and increased competition within the division before revealing the tournament’s return.

According to Stone, this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will feature 14 teams from across WWE and its partner promotions, including NXT, Evolve, AAA, Raw, and SmackDown.

While the full field has not yet been announced, WWE is expected to reveal the tournament brackets on social media later this week. The first-round matches are scheduled to begin on next week’s episode of NXT.

The most recent edition of the tournament was won by Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin, who defeated Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes in the finals. The duo, known as the WolfDogs, later went on to capture the NXT Tag Team Championship.

First introduced in 2015, the tournament honors the legacy of WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes and has become one of NXT’s most prestigious annual events. Since 2018, the winning team has earned a future shot at the NXT Tag Team Championship.

The return of the tournament could also create another opportunity for the recently returned Creed Brothers, who captured the Dusty Cup in 2022 before moving on to championship success.

At this time, WWE has not announced whether the women’s version of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will also return in 2026.

More details, including the participating teams and tournament bracket, are expected to be revealed in the coming days.

WWE NXT Preview 2/10/2021 – Dusty Rhodes Classics Continue

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will be the go-home show for Sunday’s “Takeover: Vengeance Day” event.

WWE NXT Preview 2/3/2021 – Edge To Appear, Dusty Rhodes Classics To Continue

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will be headlined by WWE Hall of Famer Edge making his first appearance on the brand.

WWE NXT Preview 1/27/2021

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will see the Men’s & Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournaments continue.

* Kyle O’Reilly and NXT Champion Finn Balor vs. NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch in a non-title match

* Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinals: The Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake, Zack Gibson) vs. Leon Ruff and Kushida

* Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinals: Drake Maverick and Killian Dain vs. MSK (Wes Lee, Nash Carter)

* Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez vs. Aliyah and Jessi Kamea

* NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar defends against Curt Stallion

Men’s And Women’s Dusty Classic Matches Set For WWE 205 Live

This week’s WWE 205 Live episode will see the WWE NXT Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and the NXT Women’s Dusty Classic continue with first round matches.

The men’s tournament will continue this Friday night with the final first round match. Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari will face Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher. As noted, Thatcher and Ciampa are replacing Ashante “Thee” Adonis and Desmond Troy after Karrion Kross injured Adonis during their squash match on last night’s NXT show.

The second first round match in the women’s tournament will take place on 205 Live with The Way (Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell) vs. Gigi Dolin (Priscilla Kelly) and Cora Jade (Elayna Black). This will be the first time a women’s match has been held on 205 Live.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Mystery WWE NXT Team To Debut, Full Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Brackets Revealed

The full brackets have been announced for the 2021 WWE NXT Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

The tournament will feature 16 teams. WWE previously announced 12 teams but 4 more were revealed today.

One mystery team on the bracket is called MSK. WWE had filed to trademark the “MSK” name but there’s no word yet on who this is for. WWE posted a teaser tweet for the MSK team today, seen below, and fans are speculating that this could be the new name for Desmond Xavier and Zachary Wentz, formerly known as The Rascalz in WWE. Xavier and Wentz recently signed with WWE but there’s no word yet on when they will debut.

The first round of the tournament will kick off tonight with The Undisputed Era vs. Breezango and Ever-Rise vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans. The winners of the tournament will receive the Dusty Classic Cup and a future title shot from NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch.

Below is a look at all 16 teams for the tournament, and the full bracket. Stay tuned for more.

FIRST ROUND
* The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong) vs. Breezango (Tyler Breeze, Fandango)

* Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari vs. Ashante “Thee” Adonis and Desmond Troy

* Kushida and Leon Ruff vs. The Way (Austin Theory, NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano)

* Ever-Rise (Chase Parker, Matt Martel) vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake, Zack Gibson)

FIRST ROUND
* MSK vs. Jake Atlas and Isaiah “Swerve” Scott

* Killian Dain and Drake Maverick vs. Curt Stallion and August Grey

* Imperium (Marcel Barthel, Fabian Aichner) vs. Lucha House Party (Lince Dorado, Gran Metalik)

* Legado del Fantasma (Joaquin Wilde, Raul Mendoza) vs. The Bollywood Boyz (Sunil Singh, Samir Singh)

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 1/13/21

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will feature the beginning of the 2021 Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

Alex Shelley To Make WWE NXT TV Debut Next Week Reuniting With Kushida In The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

Wrestling veteran Alex Shelley will make his big WWE NXT TV debut next Wednesday night as he reunites with former tag team partner Kushida for the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

Time Splitters were an active team from 2012-2015 and last competed together in 2016.

Alex Shelley is most famously known for his time in TNA/Impact Wrestling as one half of the Motor City Machine Guns with Chris Sabin. He recently guest coached at the WWE Performance Center, leading many to speculate he’d team with Kushida in the tourney, but Shelley attempted to downplay this last night on Twitter.

“Everybody seems to think Kushi needs me,” he wrote. “Kushi and I, and The Bucks, and Forever Hooligans, and ReDragon, helped change [NJPW]’s jr. tag division. But really, he’s going to be awesome with any partner.”

Dusty Classic tournament matches set for next Wednesday are The Time Splitters (Kushida and Shelley) vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson and James Drake). Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne vs. Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster will also take place next week, putting an end to the first round.

Tonight’s NXT episode saw the tournament kick off with Imperium’s Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner defeat Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler of The Forgotten Sons, while NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish defeated NXT UK Tag Team Champions Wolfgang and Mark Coffey of Gallus to advance.

Sources: Wrestling Inc. and Pro Wrestling Sheet

WWE NXT Preview 3/6/19

NXT, tonight at 8 ET on WWE Network.

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic kicks off

* #DIY reunite in NXT against The Undisputed ERA (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly)

* Moustache Mountain battle The Street Profits

* Aleister Black & Ricochet take on Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel

* Lorcan & Burch collide with The Forgotten Sons

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Is Returning

nxt, dusty classic, dusty rhodes, ciampa, gargano

The annual Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is returning and a major duo have been confirmed as participants … but for those who don’t want to be spoiled, this is your warning.

According to those in attendance, the return of the Dusty Classic was announced during tonight’s NXT TV tapings in Orlando.

The round of tapings began with a Johnny Gargano promo which was interrupted by his former DIY tag team partner Tommaso Ciampa, who suggested the pair reunite to compete in the tournament.

Gargano accepted the invitation as the two shook on it.

The other teams in the tournament are Street Profits, Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel, Moustache Mountain, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch, Ricochet & Aleister Black, Forgotten Sons and Undisputed Era.

It’s been quite a week for Ciampa and Gargano. DIY not only made surprise appearances on Raw and SmackDown Live, but they were victorious on both shows — defeating The Revival and The Bar.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet