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The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic has taken over WWE NXT. This tournament is no longer just a single-gender tag team experience as the women will compete at the same time as the men.
The January 20 edition of NXT included three big matches in the Dusty Classic. First, for the men, Johnny Gargano teamed up with Austin Theory. The two members of The Way would fight their recent rivals Kushida and Leon Ruff.
Lucha House Party also dropped by from Monday Night Raw to compete in the tournament. Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado hoped to win against the former NXT tag team champions Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner.
The first round of the women's Dusty Classic began with underdogs Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter fighting two of the most dangerous women in NXT. Toni Storm and Mercedes Martinez have been after Io Shirai but were glad to make history in the tag team tournament first.
All of this was building up toward the main event where Tommaso Ciampa would step into the NXT Fight Pit against the man who brought it to the black-and-gold brand, Timothy Thatcher. All that could be predicted was pure unadulterated violence.
This show had a packed card that was promised a week back, setting up some of the best wrestlers in the world to go out and compete at the highest level.
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Austin Theory showed early impressive ability to counter the speed of Leon Ruff and Kushida, keeping the heels in the match after Johnny Gargano got overconfident. Theory though made the big mistake of trying to grapple with Kushida, who was able to easily counter him.
The heels found the best strategy was to isolated Ruff. The Way looked cohesive throughout their domination, though Ruff fought through. He kicked out of an elevated spinning neckbreaker and hit a springboard cutter to get the tag to his partner.
Kushida planted The Rebel Heart on the outside with a DDT then locked the NXT North American champion in a cross armbreaker. Theory barely saved his mentor. Ruff dived onto Theory to take him out of the action then pinned The Rebel Heart clean with a double underhook suplex.
Result
Kushida and Ruff def. The Way by pinfall to advance in the men's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Grade
B+
Analysis
Gargano and Theory have instantly established chemistry as a tag team. The Rebel Heart has found a rhythm with the young star that no one else could. Hopefully, they will continue to work as a tag team, even though it was not their time in the men's Dusty Classic.
Kushida pinning Gargano clean was a surprise but a welcome one. The Japanese Superstar has built up serious momentum lately. It almost feels inconceivable that he would not win the NXT North American Championship in the next month.
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Pete Dunne cut a pre-taped promo on Finn Balor, explaining that he was better than The Prince and both of them knew it. Malcolm Bivens waited outside William Regal's office while Tyler Rust asked for a match against Bronson Reed.
Ashante Thee Adonis tried to get in a few good kicks, but Karrion Kross badly injured his neck on a trio of Saito suplexes, sealing an emphatic win. Afterward, he locked in the Kross Jacket.
NXT showed a video package for MSK where Ember Moon put over the innovation of Wes Lee and Nash Carter.
Result
Kross def. Adonis by pinfall.
Grade
D
Analysis
What Kross needs right now is a chance to fight worthy opponents. He needs to do more than just hit a few suplexes and win. Adonis is established enough that he could have gotten in a little offense. Instead, he was squashed like every other Performance Center talent.
We have all seen it at this point. It is clear that Kross can be dominant. He can take longer than one minute to wrestle and still seem dominant. The important piece is to help the former NXT champion get back in ring shape before facing Finn Balor.
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Imperium tried to set a steady pace early, but Lucha House Party were too explosive. Gran Metalik got into the action and dived onto Marcel Bartel with a splash off Lince Dorado's shoulders. The luchadors fought to the outside and got slammed by Bartel and Fabian Aichner on the hard floor.
Metalik fought back with a springboard hurricanrana and springboard moonsault to Aichner for a nearfall. Lucha House Party then hit a combination dropkick/sunset flip powerbomb, forcing Bartel to save his partner from the pinfall. Action broke down as both teams closed in on signature tag team finishers.
Dorado finally got Bartel alone to connect with a superkick and shooting star press for the win. Alexander Wolfe appeared on the stage to look upon Bartel and Aichner after their loss.
Result
Lucha House Party def. Imperium by pinfall.
Grade
A
Analysis
This match had potential going in, but it was absolutely above and beyond any expectations. Imperium have been wrestling sprints so often that it was nice to see them get time and work as the true heels. Lucha House Party pushed Bartel and Aichner with some incredible moves throughout.
It was great to see Metalik and Dorado working so motivated. It was the best the team has looked in years. While Imperium deserve a major run in NXT down the line with only a short NXT Tag Team Championship reign so far, this was the time to take a chance to put over an underused team.
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January 21, 2021 at 07:33AM
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WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from January 20 - Bleacher Report
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