WWE NXT took its time bringing back one of its best traditions, but the timing couldn’t be better.
On Tuesday’s show, General Manager Robert Stone announced the return of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The tournament kicks off on the September 22 episode and will feature 14 teams from NXT, Evolve, AAA, RAW, and SmackDown.
Stone made the announcement during an interview from his office. Julius and Brutus Creed showed up shortly after, wanting to know their first-round opponents. Stone told them they would have to wait for the bracket, which is expected later this week.
As of now, the Creed Brothers are the only confirmed team. WWE hasn’t explained how 14 teams will fit into the bracket or announced a prize for the 2026 edition. In recent years, the winners have earned an NXT Tag Team Championship match, and that title currently belongs to the Vanity Project.
Those unanswered questions don’t diminish the scale of the announcement. At 14 teams, this will be the largest Dusty Classic since 2021, when 16 competed. The 2022 and 2024 editions each had eight.
Having five brands represented also gives the Dusty Classic a bigger role than just filling a few weeks of television. Evolve was built to showcase WWE’s newest developmental talent, while AAA brings a different style and a different pool of wrestlers.
RAW and SmackDown round out a field that could produce far less predictable matchups than an NXT-only tournament.
The Creed Brothers enter as the obvious favorites. Julius and Brutus won the 2022 Dusty Classic by beating MSK in the final, then went on to capture the NXT Tag Team Championship. They returned to NXT on September 1, and a week later demolished Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno in their first match back.
The last Dusty Classic took place in 2024, when Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker beat Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams in the final at Vengeance Day. Nine days later, they beat Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo to win the NXT Tag Team Championship.
That track record helps explain why the Dusty Classic still matters. When it’s used right, the tournament can launch teams.