During last night’s NXT broadcast on the USA Network, Mauro Ranallo announced that the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will return next year.
The teams involved and dates for the tournament will be announced on the New Year’s Day edition of NXT.
The #DustyClassic RETURNS in 2020! 🖤💛
The teams will be announced on the New Year's Day edition of #WWENXT. pic.twitter.com/VpSLwgHQxx
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 19, 2019
The tournament was founded in 2015 as a tribute to the legend and Hall Of Fame entrant, Dusty Rhodes. A three-time NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, and a multi-time United States and Tag champion. He will be most remembered by younger fans as being a huge part of the WWE Performance Center. Where he helped future WWE stars realize their potential before being placed on RAW and SmackDown.
The past winners of the tournament are –
- Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
- Authors Of Pain
- Undisputed Era
- Aleister Black and Ricochet
Blake’s Take – This is pretty much nailed on as an annual event now. The only difference is now NXT is a live TV show as opposed to being a Network-specific taped show. Could the fact that it’s now a live show give the tournament a new different feel? The last two years Classics, in this writer’s opinion, have felt a bit flat. The live TV crowd could inject some new enthusiasm into the tournament. But when all is said and done, the NXT Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is always a draw, just for the “makeshift” teams 😉