NXT Breakout Tournament update: First semifinal matchup set

The semifinals for the 2021 NXT Breakout Tournament are almost fully set.

Carmelo Hayes (formerly known as Christian Casanova) advanced to the next round of the Breakout Tournament by defeating Josh Briggs on NXT tonight. Hayes will face Duke Hudson (Brendan Vink) in the semifinals.

On the other side of the bracket, Odyssey Jones (former Syracuse football player Omari Palmer) has advanced to the semifinals. He’ll be facing either Trey Baxter (Blake Christian) or Joe Gacy.

The first-round match between Baxter and Gacy is set for next Tuesday’s episode of NXT. WWE hasn’t announced when the semifinal matches will be taking place or when the finals will be held.

The winner of the Breakout Tournament will receive a shot at the NXT title of their choosing.

This is the second-ever NXT Breakout Tournament. The tournament spotlights eight newcomers to NXT. The inaugural edition of the tournament took place in 2019 and was won by Jordan Myles (ACH). It also featured Cameron Grimes, Bronson Reed, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Dexter Lumis, Joaquin Wilde, Angel Garza, and Boa.