WWE NXT live results: Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic begins

The road to the 2024 Dusty Cup begins on WWE NXT tonight.

On tonight’s NXT episode, the first two matches in the 2024 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will take place. Former rivals Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin are teaming up for the first time ever against Gallus. In the other tournament match, Axiom & Nathan Frazer are facing Hank Walker & Tank Ledger.

The team that wins the Dusty Classic earns a shot at the NXT Tag Team titles. Those belts are currently held by Tony D’Angelo & Stacks, who have a title defense against Bronco Nima & Lucien Price tonight.

Cora Jade vs. Gigi Dolin and Blair Davenport vs. Nikkita Lyons have also been announced.

Plus, we’ll get a look at Tiffany Stratton’s day working as a ranch hand for Fallon Henley. Stratton had to work on Henley’s farm for 24 hours as a stipulation of her loss to Henley last week.

Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

The shows begins with a recap from New Year’s Evil, which was last week’s episode. Opening the show is a grudge match that started as a fight in the parking lot.

Nikkita Lyon is jumped “moments ago” by Blair Davenport. They are supposedly separated, and each goes to their locker room. The two start brawling again after they have their gear on, and they conveniently brawl their way on to the sound stage. 

They brawl to the ring just in time to be the opening match on a nationally televised episodic professional wrestling program of sport entertainment.

Blair Davenport defeated Nikkita Lyons

Davenport pinned Lyons, after Davenport targets an injury. Their fight ends up outside the ring. Lyons goes for a roundhouse kick, but Davenport moves out of the way, and Lyons smacks the ring post with her leg. That spot would lead into the finish, playing off a previous injury suffered by Lyons.

As Lyons was going back through the ropes, Davenport strikes with a chop block on Lyons’ injured knee. Davenport then delivers her knee strike finisher, and Davenport covers Lyons for a three count. 

Cody Rhodes voiced over a video package that hyped the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The tag tournament is set to begin after a commercial break.

When the show returns from the break, Carmelo Hayes is in the locker when he gets “good news” for himself and Trick Williams. Yet, Williams questions whether he wants to hear the news. 

Hayes goes on to ask if Williams knows how long Ilja Dragunov will be out. Williams does not know, so Hayes tells him that Hayes secured them the last spot in the Dusty Classic. Williams is again unsure, as Williams says he still needs to focus on his upcoming title match with Dragunov. 

Hayes continues to hype up Williams, vowing they will win the tournament. Then, they will go on to win the tag titles. Trick will win the singles belt, and Hayes proclaims him “Two Title Trick” ahead of time. Williams like the sound of that. 

Baron Corbin & Bron Breakker defeated Gallus (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang with Joe Coffey) in a first round mach if the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

Corbin pinned Mark Coffey to win the match. Corbin & Breakker advance to the semifinal round. 

In a spot similar to the opening match, Corbin smacks the ring post. This time it was an errant punch by Corbin. Gallus capitalizes after Corbin punches the ring post, and they target Corbin’s hand.

Gallus works over, until a hot tag brings in Breakker. Gallus bumps all over for Breakker. They do a convoluted spot where Breakker does a suplex on both Wolfgang and Coffey.

For the finish, Corbin executes End of Days on Coffey, and Corbin covers Coffey for a pinfall.

Fallon Henley is at a horse barn, waiting on Tiffany Stratton to arrive for her role as a ranch hand. Stratton is late, but Henley is ready to make her work hard. Stratton arrives dressed like she on the set of Barbie. Stratton refuses to wear the work clothes Henley has for her, despite Stratton having trouble walking in high heels. Stratton is also freaking out by the thought of “mucking” the stalls, and any mention of horse manure. To be continued…

NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria is in the ring for a monologue. Valkyria wonders who she will face in four weeks at the next NXT PLE. Valkyria announces a 20-woman battle royal to decide the number one contender, but with a “twist” as Valkyria puts it. When the battle royal comes down to the final four, it becomes a fatal four-way. Why? Because why not, I guess. 

Valkyria is interrupted by Lola Vice and Elektra Lopez. Vice still has her contract she can cash in at any time. Vice and Lopex confront Valkyria. There is a terrible back-and-forth dialogue by Valkyria and Vice. Valkyria issues a challenge for a title match right now. They square up just about the time Lopez blindsides Valkyria. Lopez and Vice jump Valkyria, until Tatum Paxley runs in for a save. Paxley fights off the heels, and they flee. This would seem to clearly set up a tag match. 

NXT North American Champion Dragon Lee is talking with Ava when they are interrupted by Lexis King. Lee signs a contract for a title match tonight, without letting a lawyer look at it first. That is a horrible business decision, but not as horrible is these skits tonight. Another horrible skit set up the next bout.

Josh Briggs defeated Oro Mensah (with Noam Dar, Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend)

Briggs pinned Mensah, in what was a showcase match for Briggs. Noam Darr interfered at one point. He tried again, and it backfired on him. That led to Mensah missing a kick in a corner, and Briggs hits him with a Stan Hansen Western Lariat. Briggs hooks and leg and covers Mensah for a pinfall. Briggs glares a Dar after the match, so they are clearly setting up a match there.

A video montage shows Tiffany Stratton doing chores around the barn. Stratton is then ordered to bath a horse. When Stratton thinks she is done, she is then made to “muck” the horse stalls. She is basically being forced to clean up manure and such. To be continued…

NXT Tag Team Champions The Family (Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo with Adriana Rizzo) defeated OTM (Bronco Nima & Lucien Price with Scrypts) to retain the titles

The match goes through a commercial break. Modified Doomsday Device on the floor by OTM, and Stacks is in trouble as the show goes into the break. Stacks is being worked over as the show returns from commercials. 

Hot tag to Tony D, and he cleans house. However, Tony D is soon cut off. Stacks fights his way back into the ring. 

Scrypts tried to interfere, but his interference was thwarted by Rizzo. Stacks does a dive moments before Tony D executes a fisherman’s buster suplex. D’Angelo then pins Price to win the match and retain the titles.

Oba Femi is being interviewed by Kelly Kincaid when they are interrupted by Lexis King. They is some bickering and bad dialogue.

Another backstage skit sets up a match between Ridge Holland and Joe Coffey.

Cora Jade defeated Gigi Dolan

For the finish, Dolan went for her crucifix bomb finisher. Jade grabs the referee to counter the move. Jade then delivered a double-arm DDT, and Jade covered Dolan for a pinfall. Jade continues to get a big push.

Nathan Frazier & Axiom defeated Hank Walker & Tank Ledger in a first round match in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

This was a good match that was fun to watch. Lots of action throughout. Hank & Tank have charisma as a team. Too bad they can’t seem to get a push.

A parade of dives and high spots led into the finish. As they go home, Frazier executes a Phoenix Splash on Walker. Frazier then covers Walker for a pinfall. 

Axiom & Frazier advance to the semifinals where they meet the team of Baron Corbin & Bron Breakker. 

Back at the barn, where Tiffany Stratton is cleaning the horse stalls. Fallon Henley and her friends laugh and mock Stratton. Henley says Stratton is done, yet the stall still looks dirty. Whatever. Stratton is cutting a promo, only for her to slip in horse manure. Stratton takes a bump into a water trough. 

The skit ends with an angry Stratton kicking, screaming and splashing water, while Henley and her friends walk away. Jimmy Garvin and the Von Erich did this whole angle far better in World Class, or at least I remember it that way. Tonight’s version was not even funny. 

Edris Enofe & Malik Blade cut a promo on Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams ahead of their Dusty Classic match next week. Someone doing a personal trainer gimmick bursts in wanting to train Enofe & Blade. She promises they will have six-packs in no time. They show her they already have six-packs.

Dragon Lee defeated Lexis King to retain the NXT North American Championship

Dragon Lee has now apparently been dubbed “the future of lucha libre.” 

Trey Bearhill came to ringside to cause a distraction. He has an ongoing beef with King.

King is working over Lee when King begins to taunt Lee. That fires up Lee, and he makes a comeback. They go on to trade near falls. 

Lee counters King just before the finish, where Lee does a title-a-whirl into a slop drop. Lee the covers King to win the match and retain the title.

Oba Femi marches down to ringside after the match. Femi cashes in his contract for a title match, thus starting an impromptu title match.

Oba Femi defeated Dragon Lee to win the NXT North American Championship

Dragon Lee took the fight to Femi, but Femi was too much. Lee even got a near fall, only for Lee to take a Last Ride powerbomb. Femi then covered Lee for a three count. And new… 

Oba Femi celebrates by holding his newly won North American title belt over his head, as he stands over a fallen Dragon Lee.