WWE NXT launches 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

WWE NXT has officially announced the return of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, a 14-team single-elimination tournament featuring talent from NXT, Raw, SmackDown, EVOLVE, and Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. The tournament began on the September 22, 2026, episode of NXT from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

The opening round includes matchups such as The Creed Brothers against Harley Riggins and Jax Presley, and Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno against Los Americanos. Other participants include Fraxiom, BirthRight, DarkState, and the Tokyo Bad Boys. NXT Tag Team Champions Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes, along with AAA Tag Team Champions El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and Galeno, have received first-round byes.

In related news, TNA wrestler Nic Nemeth expressed a desire for more TNA representation in the tournament, noting that while the partnership between WWE and TNA remains active, it appears less central to NXT's current programming than in previous years. Reports suggest WWE's growing relationship with AAA may be a contributing factor to this shift.