WWE NXT got the night started with the first of two matches in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, and it would be the team of Malik Blade and Edris Enofe taking on Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams.The match was intense and close to ending at several points, but it was Williams and Hayes walking away with the win. Then The LWO’s Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro faced off against Riley Osborne and Duke Hudson of Chase U, and this match came down to tag team experience. Hudson and Osborne were a lethal team and had The LWO on the ropes at several points, but it was the tag team experience of Del Toro and Wilde that won the day, as they were able to keep Hudson spinning on who was active and get the pin and the win. Now the two teams will face each other in the next round next week.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Hayes got things started with Blade, and the two sprinted back and forth in the ring before a simultaneous dropkick hit reset. Enofe tagged in but so did Williams shortly after, and he knocked Enofe down with a dropkick. The crowd was loudly in Williams’ corner, and he ended up slamming down both Blade and Enofe before tagging in Hayes.
Later on, Hayes and Williams continued to control the match, but Blade did bring that to a momentary halt. Williams had to absorb some big offense from the duo, and they continued that big momentum swing by knocking both stars to the floor and diving on opposite sides of the ring to keep them down.
The tide turned during the commercial break, as the two teams battled for control. Blade went for a cover on Williams but he kicked out and was able to tag in Hayes. Hayes grounded Enofe but almost got pinned. Hayes kept the hold locked, but Enofe pushed Hayes to his corner and tagged in Blade. Blade hit a vicious backbreaker on Hayes, but Hayes kicked out of the cover.
Blade stayed on Hayes, stomping on his back and then hitting numerous strikes to the head. Hayes tagged in Williams and he hit like a freight train, knocking Blade around before missing a roundhouse kick. Williams made up for it though by landing a double slam and flooring both competitors. Then Williams hit a power slam on Enofe for a near fall, but Blade broke it up. Hayes met Blade and then Enofe hit Williams with a suplex. Blade went up top and hit the elbow drop and a cover, but Williams kicked out. Enofe ended up colliding with the floor and Williams tagged in and hit the knee strike on Blade, and that was enough for the cover and the win. Hayes and Williams now move on to the next round.
The second match of the tournament featured Riley Osborne and Duke Hudson of Chase U against The LWO’s Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde. Del Toro and Osborne were in the ring first, trading near falls and holds before Del Toro took control and tagged in Wilde. They went for a cover but Osborne kicked out, and Osborne was able to get to his corner and tag in Hudson. Hudson slammed Wilde down with authority but Wilde countered and tagged in Del Toro. Unfortunately, they couldn’t pick up Hudson, who picked up both, slammed them down, and then clotheslined them over the ropes to the floor.
Osborne flew over the ropes next and knocked the LWO down to the floor once more. After the break, Osborne was trying to get to Hudson, but Wilde cut him off and went for the cover. Osborne kicked out and Wilde tagged in Del Toro, but Osborne took both LWO members out from the top rope. Osborne got some space and tagged in Hudson, who knocked down Del Toro and then connected on Wilde with a big kick to the head. Hudson tossed Wilde up with ease and then tried to hit Del Toro with a powerbomb, but Del Toro turned the tables with a flurry of big offense.
Hudson then spiked Del Toro on the mat and almost got the pin, but Del Toro kicked out. Hudson went for the move again but Del Toro countered once more. Wilde tagged in and hit Hudson from the top rope, which Hudson didn’t realize was the active competitor. Wide then hit a superkick on Hudson and knocked Osborne out on the other side before hitting a huge DDT on Hudson at ringside.
Wilde tagged in Del Toro and Del Toro went for the splash and covered Hudson for the win, meaning LWO moves on to the next round. LWO will now face Williams and Hayes in the second round of the tournament.
What did you think of the matches? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb!
