Robert Stone’s time leading NXT has come with a clear set of goals, and one of them has now finally become a reality.
During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, the NXT General Manager explained that reviving the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic was something he wanted to accomplish shortly after stepping into his current role.
Stone revealed that he created a personal list of objectives for his first year as GM, with the legendary tag team tournament included from the beginning.
So now, about eight months that I’ve been GM of NXT. When I first started, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish within my first year. One of the things I put on my list was definitely bringing back the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
The idea also has a personal connection for Stone. He spent most of his career competing as a tag team wrestler and has always been a fan of the tournament. More importantly, he believes the Classic can still serve as a platform for developing future stars.
I was a tag team wrestler for the majority of my career, and I was always a fan of watching the Classic. So bringing it back in 2026, we have so many tag teams on the show, and the tournament creates stars, so it was a no-brainer. At some point, I was gonna get it done, and now it was a great time.
WWE has now officially announced the tournament’s return on NXT, but this year’s version is set to be much bigger than a standard developmental showcase.
What makes this year’s tournament especially interesting is that it won’t be an NXT-only affair. Main roster teams from both RAW and SmackDown will join the NXT teams, bringing talent from across WWE into the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Stone has already revealed several teams entering the field. The Creed Brothers, AAA World Tag Team Champions El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and Galeno, and NXT Tag Team Champions The Vanity Project will all participate.
There is also a major advantage for the two championship teams, as they will receive first-round byes. The remaining 12 teams are scheduled to be revealed through NXT’s social media channels later this week.
For Stone, bringing back the Dusty Classic represents more than simply restoring a familiar WWE tournament. It fulfills one of the first major objectives he set for himself as NXT General Manager, while giving WWE another opportunity to develop the next generation of tag team stars.
What do you think about WWE bringing back the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic with RAW and SmackDown teams involved, and which team would you like to see win this year’s tournament? Let us know in the comments.
