The best thing about NXT is that it always keeps us guessing. Recently, the second edition of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament was announced and after a few nondescript episodes following Takeover: Brooklyn II; NXT was the show to watch one more time.
What made this edition of the tournament so exciting is that after Enzo & Cass, The Vaudevillains and American Alpha have been called up to the main roster; there’s been a reboot in the tag team division once again.
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SPOILER ALERT: With The Revival knocked out of the tournament, because of a kayfabe injury; it means that fresh faces will be crowned as champions. Who will it be then? Let’s find out in our analysis of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament:
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#5 Team Aries
We were baffled about who Austin Aries’ partner would be, coming into this tournament. His momentum suffered a massive setback, considering that his feud with Hideo Itami had to be called off prematurely.
As a consequence, winning the Dusty Rhodes Classic might give him something to do, before Aries gets a main event push. And what better way to showcase NXT’s latest signee- Roderick Strong, than by winning this 16 team battle?
What this will achieve is give a legitimacy to Aries’ character that has been missing since he has been signed to NXT. Nobody doubts his talent or ability, but he’s not been getting over in the wake of far more charismatic stars signing to the brand.
Winning the Tag Team Classic, would shoot Strong right into the thick of things, which would make NXT television interesting indeed!
#4 TM-61
Coming into this tournament, the two of them are probably the most experienced duo who’ve worked as a tag team before. Having won accolades in their native Australia and even in Japan, the awesome twosome are here to make their name in the hottest sports entertainment brand- NXT.
Nick Miller and Shane Thorne are exciting to watch, great storytellers in the ring and a perfect fit for NXT’s current tag team division. We even see them as champions in the future. But will TM-61 be able to kickstart their road to the NXT Tag Team Championships with a win at Takeover: Toronto? Only time will tell!
#3 SAnitY
SAnitY is probably the most exciting thing to happen in the yellow brand after the brand split. Led by their eccentric master Eric Young, with the crazed character of Nikki Cross in tow, this stable seems like it’ll be a big deal!
We saw how destructive Wolfe and Fulton were in their opening match against Tye Dillinger, where Bobby Roode made a hasty exit setting up a new feud. Wolfe and Fulton tag very well together, and because of their intimidating size and gimmick, really come across as a force to be reckoned with.
Since we see them playing a huge part, going forward...maybe the time is nigh for them to begin their path of destruction by winning the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament. We won’t be surprised if they do.
#2 Kota Ibushi and T.J. Perkins
The crowd does not seem to care for the Cruiserweight Division on Raw. NXT, however, is a whole different story. The two best Cruiserweights in the world teaming up to enter the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament is big news indeed.
Kota Ibushi may genuinely be the hottest free agent in sports entertainment, a term that’s loosely thrown around these days. Furthermore, T.J. Perkins is a name that WWE genuinely wants to push to the moon. We don’t think they will squander this massive opportunity.
#1 The Authors of Pain
If anyone in WWE has been booked as strongly as Brock Lesnar, it’s been these two dominant monsters. Being accompanied to the ring by the enigmatic, and vicious Paul Ellering; Akam and Rezar seem like a unit that simply cannot be vanquished by anyone in the developmental brand, and maybe even the main roster.
Think about it! Can you imagine any team in the names that we have outlined, scoring a clean pin on these two? Heck, can you imagine even a team that comprises Nakamura and Samoa Joe beating these monsters?
If they have to be taken out of the tournament, it must be through devious means. And considering that the Authors of Pain are working heel, we don’t see them being cheated out of the ‘favourite’ spot. While we cannot predict a winner in this tournament, we have a strong feeling that Paul Ellering will lead Akam and Rezar to victory in the next Takeover!
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