Posted on 9/23/126 by Bob Magee
… So, as I was saying, Grayson Waller was on the treadmill…
And next thing you know, it’s a new episode of NXT. Tonight,
there’s a couple of matches about people not wanting to join
groups fighting in groups, as well as not one, but TWO Dusty
Classic First Round matches, so if we aren’t careful here, a
wrestling show might break out!
To begin, Cody Rhodes made an appearance in at taped
vignette that ran down the history of the Dusty Classic and
the man behind it. It was pretty cool, to be honest. Even in
the year 2026 it’s that 289lbs of blue-eye’d soul, Dusty
Rhodes that’s come to save us.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Los Americanos
(Rayo & Bravo) vs Romeo Moreno & Noam Dar
Well now, would you look at that. The Dusty Classic is
always a blast and pitting these teams against each other in
the first round should make for a darn good wrestling match!
Dar and Rayo kicked things off with some fast switches and
then Bravo danced his way in to face Moreno. Moreno and
Bravo ran the ropes until Bravo caught him with an atomic
drop and tagged in Rayo. He started throwing open hand
chops, but Moreno tripped him up and Dar came in with a kick
off the blind tag.
Rayo grabbed a headlock on Dar, but Dar was alble to get out
of it and sweep Rayo to the mat. Rayo came right back though
with some strikes, but Dar caught him in a body scissor and
then Bravo scopped up Moreno and slammed him onto Dar to
break the hold.
Dar and Moreno were sent to the outside and Bravo dove
through the ropes, Matador style onto them. Rayo pulled Dar
back in and stomped on his hand. Moreno tagged in and sent
Rayo to the corner. They both tried suplexes, but Rayo was
able to get an X-Plex in for a two count.
Bravo came in for a double head butt. Bravo, stretched
Moreno in a back hold, before trying a backslide for two.
Fast tags were the order of the day for Los Americanos as
they switched in and out to work over Moreno. Moreno managed
to sneak in a power bomb on Bravo and crawled towards Dar.
Bravo got to Rayo first and Ray cut off Morneo from the tag.
Dar met him halfway and cleared the ring of Luchadors. He
hit a suplex on Bravo and then put him in an ankle lock.
Bravo rolled through, but Dar came back with some strikes.
Moreno tagged in and Dar held Bravo for a double stomp from
the top rope. Moreno tagged in Dar who went to the second
rope, but Bravo got them both stacked up on his back and hit
a double airplane spin into back body drops.
Ryao and Bravo then hit stereo head butts from the rop
turnbuckles and Bravo went for a cover on Dar, but it was
broken up. Dar lured Rayo into a knee bar and Mroeno
superkicked Bravo. Rayo got out of it and face slammed Dar,
but Moreno broke up the cover.
Bravo and Rayo pounded on Dar, but Moreno came in to shove
them off. Moreno hit a missile dropkick, but Bravo pump
kicked him out of the ring for Rayo to take out. Bravo went
for a Tiger Driver, but Dar countered it and grabbed another
ankle lock. Bravi had no where to go and forced Dar over,
countering with a suplex.
Moreno got caught on the outside by and elbow from Rayo and
Bravo hit a superrana from the rope rope on Dar. Ray
followed that with a splash, but somehow Dar kicked out.
Rayo grabbed Dar and bent his fingers back before stomping
his ahand and tagging in Bravo.
Dar hit a back elbow and sent Rayo to the outside while
Moreno grabbed Bravo from the top rope for a superplex. Dar
tagged back in and they went high/low on Bravo to pick up
the win and be the first team to advance in the 2026 Dusty
Classic.
Match Result: Romeo Moreno & Noam Dar defeated Los
Americanos
-Next a recap package that featured Grayson Waller on a
treadmill aired, running us through last week’s triple
threat that ended with Mason Rook as the #1 Contender to the
NXT World Title.
-back from break, Kendal Grey was talking to what I can only
assume was a therapist in the brand new NXT Therapy Playset.
She talked about how her vertigo is preventing her from
regaining her title and so she doesn’t know where she’s
going (same, girl, same). She talked about how it felt like
when she got hurt in university, but she can’t see this
injury so it’s hard to know it’s healing. Grey said that she
doesn’t know what’s happening or when she’s coming back. The
Therapist then ended the session, asking Grey to think about
who she is outside of wrestling.
Kali Armstrong vs Skylar Raye
Raye attacked Armstrong last week for reasons, so now they
are having a match.
Raye charged off the top, but Armstrong caught her and threw
her into the corner for some strikes. Armstrong had a
serious muscle and size advantage, so Raye relied on her
quickness to keep out of Armstrong’s reach. Raye hit a
headscissor and Armstrong slid out to regroup.
Armstrong checked for something under the ring, but didn’t
see it so she got back in and threw some jabs. Armstrong
dropped Raye with a powerslam and then went to hit a buckle
bomb, but Raye rolled through it and tried to stack her up
for two. Raye hit a cross body off the ropes and then threw
body shots.
Raye caught Armstrong with a spin kick, but Armstrong came
back with a running powerslam. Armstrong grabbed a headlock,
but Raye worked out of it and went back to the body shots.
Raye went for a crossbody, but Armstrong caught her for a
fallaway slam. Armstrong speared Raye in the corner twice
and then suplexed her in the middle of the ring for two.
Raye managed to get a backstabber in and fought Armstrong
back with a punch in the gut. Raye started picking up speed
with a hip attack in the corner and then a satellite DDT.
Raye went up top and hit a frog splash, but it wasn’t enough
and Armstrong kicked out at two.
Armstrong hit her with a spinning slam and a spinebuster,
but Ray kicked out at two. Raye went up top for a
blockbuster, but Armstrong caught her and countered into a
power slam. Armstrong started running the ropes and
accidently hit the ref. Suddenly, Reina Volcan showed up and
took out Raye and Armstrong. She draped Raye’s hand over
Armstrong and the ref came to in time to count to three.
Match Result: Skylar Raye defeated Kali Armstrong
-In the NXT Robert Stone’s Office Playset, Saquon Shugars
and Shiloh Hill were discussing talking raccoons and poison
mist in front of Stone, who seemed like he was offended by
this. He said that he’d see about getting them matches for
next week.
-Footage was shown from earlier of Wren Sinclair being
reminded that she’s suspended byt Robert Stone and security.
NXT Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan & NXT Women’s North
American Champion Zaria vs AAA Reina De Reinas Champion La
Catalina & Thea Hail
From WWE.com “AAA Reina de Reinas Champion La Catalina made
a shocking appearance in NXT last week to confront NXT
Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan, all while NXT Women’s North
American Champion Zaria and Thea Hail were caught in the
middle.” And by “caught in the middle,” they mean were
standing in the ring as part of an interruption circle that
never seemed to end. It did though, and now this.
Hail charged Zaria to start the match, but Jordan tagged
right in and Hail hit her with a shoulder block. Jordan
responded with a dropkick and then Hail hit her with a drop
toe hold and tagged in Catalina for stereo hip attacks.
Zaria charged in to help, but Hail pulled down the top rope
and she stumbled out.
Hail held the ropes open for Catalina to dive onto them and
then Hail dropped down on the field. Hail and Catalina
danced for a moment before everyone got back into the ring.
Catalina and Jordan faced off with Catalina dropkicking her
into the corner. Hail tagged in and they hit Jordan with
double back elbows.
Hail started working Jordan’s arm and shoulder, locking in
an armbar and pulling back on it hard. Jordan managed to
counter with a rollup then made a quick tag to Zaria. Zaria
hit a discus lariat and then threw Hail at the ground a
bunch. She hit an elbow in the corner then suplexed Hail
across the ring for two.
Jordan came in and they double suplexed Hail. Jordan then
tagged Zaria back in who put Hail in a staaaaaaallllling
suplex, but Hail countered it into a sleeper. Zaria threw
her off and Jordan made a blind tag. Zaria body dropped Hail
and Jordan hit a second rope moonsault, but Hail kicked out
at two.
Jordan put Hail in an abdominal stretch until Hail countered
it onto one of her own. Hail did some dodging and weaving,
but couldn’t get the tag to Catalina. Jordan hit a
wheelbarrow suplex and Zaria tagged in for a spear as Jordan
knocked Catalina off the apron.
Hail ran Zaria into the ringpost, then dumped Jordan to the
outside. She caawled to the corner and Catalina stretched
hard until Hail got the hot tag and she hit a missile
dropkick on Zaria. Catalina suplexed Jordan and rolled up
Zaria for two. Catalina set them up in opposite corners for
multiple hip attacks which blew Booker T’s brain.
Zaria grabbed Hail and went for an F5, but Hail rolled
through and stacked up Zaria to get the pin.
Match Result: La Catalina and Thea Hail defeated Kelani
Jordan and Zaria
-In the NXT Locker Room Playset, Dorian Van Dux was trying
to convince Sean Legacy and Zilla Fatu that his collapsed
lung wasn’t that bad and he’ll be in the match tonight.
Legacy did not want that to happen and said that he had a
replacement: EK Prosper. DVD said he understood.
-Cruz Montana came down to the ring next and I think this is
a good time to debut my new NXT Promo Checklist. You can use
this to run through, predict or follow along with any NXT
promo. It goes like this:
Talk about being underappreciated.
Talk about being the best.
Talk about struggle.
Talk more about being the best.
Call out or put someone or a division “on notice”
Get interrupted.
So, Montana ran through this right up to the interruption
when suddenly, DarkState arrived. Dion Lennox grabbed a mic
and said no one cares about Montana (rude). Lennox said that
there’s nothing in front of Montana. Montana told him to
shut up and send his
“bum ass” friends to work the Dusty Cup and take him on in
the ring.
Lennox said that Montana was the man in TNA, but he’s not
better than he is. Lennox was mad that Montana called EK
Prosper the future of NXT. Montana said that he’s worked
hard, and yes, struggled, to pay his dues and get here, so
he can say anything he wants. He said that Lennox has
nothing on him.
Montana said that Lennox got into wrestling because nothing
worked out for him, but Montana earned his way in. Lennox
responded by saying “wasn’t your mama a drug dealer?” Then
he said that he did everything right and WWE begged him to
come to NXT. But for some reason, people hate him and love
Montana.
Lennox said that Montana is no hero, and Lennox has always
been somebody. That made Montana mad and they started
brawling towards the back.
In case you were wondering, the other members of DarkState
just kind of wandered off at some point during the
discussion.
-In the NXT Robert Stone’s Office Playset, Stone was
congratulating Mason Rook on his win last week when Hank &
Tank came in. They offered Rook some encouragement in his
upcoming promo segment. Rook left and then they thanked
Stone for putting them in the Dusty Classic. They said a
whole bunch of stuff that made no sense while Stone nodded
and said “good to hear it” before the segment ended.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: The Creed
Brothers (Brutus & Julius) vs Harley Riggins & Jax Presley
Former NXT Tag Team Champions Brutus Creed and Julius Creed
take on Evolve’s Harley Riggins and Jax Pressley in what is
sure to be an even and competitive affair. The Creeds won
the Dusty Classic in 2022 and this seems like a way to start
the trek before claiming trophy #2.
Riggins and Presley didn’t get an intro, which didn’t bode
well for them. The Creeds jumped them right before the bell
and when it rang, Julius suplexed Presley. They tried a
double team, but Presley fought them off. Presley
clotheslined Julius and then clotheslined him over the top
rope (kinda).
He followed him out and got thrown into the steps by Brutus
for his trouble. Brutus sent Presley back into the ring
where the Creeds hit a double knee on him. Julius whipped
Presley into the corner and then knocked Higgins off the
apron, preventing a tag.
Higgins grabbed a blind tag and came in and wrecked shop.
Presley put Julius on his shoulder for Riggins, but Brutus
sent Riggins flying and Julius suplexed Presley to death to
get the win.
Match Result: The Creed Brothers defeated Harley Riggins &
Jax Presley
-A recap video of the ups and downs of the friendship
between Tavion Heights and Myles Borne played next, ending
with last week’s attack on Heights by Borne.
Zilla Fatu, EK Prosper & Sean Legacy vs BirthRight (Stacks,
Uriah Connors and Lexis King)
BirthRight really, really want to get with Fatu, but Fatu is
like “nah, you’re not my type, plus I have a crush on the
Bloodline already. Having seen too many 90’s Rom Coms,
Birthright decided that pestering Fatu to death about it
will change his mind. So Fatu came down a winding staircase
while “kiss me” played, took off his glasses and he… was…
beautiful. And also in a six man match against Birthright,
which is how I heard “She’s All That” ends too.
Anyways, Dorian von Dux was supposed to be in this match,
but isn’t cleared due to a pesky hole in his lung, so Legacy
made a call and Prosper answered it.
Legacy and Stacks kicked things off with Legacy using his
agility to get the drop on the Brithright member. He hit a
standing moonsault for a two count and then Connors came in
to help. Prosper grabbed a blind tag and ran circles around
Connors until catching him with a dropkick.
Connors came back with asome corner isolation and King came
in for a clothesline and some kicks. Prosper caught him with
a high kick for two. Fatu tagged in and scooped up King,
slamming him repteatedly. Stacks and Connors tried to help
but Fatu took them both out while Booker T said “rumble bad
man, rumble” which was interesting.
Stacks started working Fatu, but fell to a belly to belly
suplex. Prosper tagged in and Fatu threw him at Connors.
Then Fatu whipped Legacy at Stacks in the corner while
Prosper dove onto the Birthright. He got back into the ring
and all three went over the top rope to take out Birthright.
Birthright started a bit of a comeback with Connors taking
down Legacy and isolating him in the corner. Brithright made
some quick tags and worked him over. Legacy came back with
an arm drag on King, just as Prosper tagged in and hit a
stomp from the top rope.
Prosper continued the work on Stacks’ arm until Stacks was
able to worm out of it and tag in Connors. Connors and
Stacks double teamed Prosper, but couldn’t get a pin.
Prosper got to his feet and countered a suplex into a
cutter. He hit a hurricanrana on Stacks for a two when King
broke up the pin.
Fatu tagged in and clotheslined King, sending him to the
outside for a dive. In the ring, Stacks and Prosper battled
with Connors helping out with some combinations offense.
Everyone returned to their corners while Connors and Prosper
battled in the ring. Connors hit a high kick and then a
cutter, but could only get a two count.
Prosper avoided a charge and got a hot tag to Fatu who took
out all of Birthright until King hit him with a superkick
that Fatu no-sold. King tagged out, but still got Samoan
Dropped for his trouble. Fatu hit a hip attack on Connors in
the corner. Ariana Grace then distracted the ref, allowing
Connors to roll up Legacy for the win.
Match Result: BirthRight defeated Zilla Fatu, EK Prosper &
Sean Legacy
After the match, King got in Fatu’s face and was just about
to get a samoan spike for his trouble when Birthright pulled
him out and saved him.
-Backstage, we learned that Thea Hail will be getting a shot
a Zaria’s Women’s North American title. Zaria started her
promo checklist, but then Izzi Dame then showed up and
played footage of Zaria in a play in high school? Then Zaria
ran away and Dame left? Then it was over?
Last week, Mason Rook won a triple threat match to become
the #1 Contender to the NXT Title while the title holder
Grayson Waller ran on a treadmill. Now we have to talk about
it.
Waller stopped the PA from giving Rook a mic, saying he
doesn’t know how to use it, so he won’t need it. Waller said
that he is bringing the prestige back to the NXT title by
defending it against the best and that means Rook. Waller
then made some fat jokes that I’m sure someone somewhere
found cruelly funny. Waller then started his promo
checklist, peppered with more food and fat jokes.
Waller said that Rook has quit in him and he’s the type of
soft, lazy guy that brought Waller back to NXT in the first
place. Waller said that he’s going to work Rook until he
quits and he will. He then handed Rook a mic with one more
fat joke.
Rook took the mic and said that he’s not an idiot. He sees
what Grayson is trying to do and said that there is a theory
why Waller is in NXT. It’s that he doesn’t quite fit the
“Vision” of the main roster. Or maybe he’s just upset that
John Cena knew who he was before he even got to NXT.
Rook said that he’s not here because he couldn’t make it on
another brand. He’s here because he earned it as the best
big man in the game. Rook said that when he chokes Waller
out, all the funny jokes and promo time isn’t going to save
him.
Next week:
Mason Rook vs Grayson Waller for the NXT Championship
Zaria vs Thea Hail for the NXT Women’s North American Title
Fraxiom vs DarkState in a Dusty Classic First Round Match
Brithright vs Chazz Hall and Mini Vikingo in a Dusty Classic
First Round Match
Myles Borne returns to talk about what he did. Again.