Teams named for 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic on WWE NXT

NXT General Manager Robert Stone announced on the September 15 edition of WWE NXT that the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will return, with the ninth edition set to begin on the September 22, 2026 episode. Fourteen tag teams are entered in the single-elimination tournament, featuring competitors from Raw, SmackDown, NXT, Evolve and Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA).

First staged in 2015 as a tribute to Dusty Rhodes, the tournament makes its comeback in 2026 after a one-year hiatus since the 2024 event. The 2024 edition was won by Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin, while The Creed Brothers (Brutus Creed and Julius Creed) captured the seventh edition in 2022.

The 2026 field will compete in a single-elimination bracket comprising 14 teams. Two teams will be granted first-round byes; one of those byes has been awarded to the reigning NXT Tag Team Champions, The Vanity Project, while the second bye recipient has not yet been revealed. The tournament will commence on the September 22, 2026 episode of WWE NXT following Stone’s announcement.

WWE announced the participating teams via its social media channels, posting: "The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic starts THIS TUESDAY on #WWENXT!Check out who's set to join the tournament below ⤵️👀 pic.twitter.com/dHjkYhI5qk". Khel Now said it will update its article as additional entrants are confirmed.

The 2024 men's tournament was won by the dominant duo of Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker (known as The Wolf Dogs). They defeated Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams in the finals.

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic opens on the September 22, 2026 episode of WWE NXT; for ongoing coverage Khel Now directs readers to follow Khel Now Wrestling on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, download the Khel Now Android or iOS app, or join its communities on Telegram and Whatsapp.