The first semifinal matchup of the 2026 NXT Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is set, as Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno will face NXT Tag Team Champions Vanity Project after both teams advanced through the tournament’s earlier rounds.
On the October 13, 2026 episode of NXT on The CW, Vanity Project’s Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes defeated Mini Vikingo and Chazz “Starboy” Hall to secure their place in the next round of the tournament. The win keeps the reigning NXT Tag Team Champions alive in a competition that carries extra significance for them given their current hold on the titles, with a deep tournament run serving as a statement of dominance over the division even outside of title defenses.
Their semifinal opponents, Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno, had already booked their spot in the next round prior to this week’s broadcast, setting up the showdown between the two teams. Details of how Dar and Moreno advanced were not included in the reporting on this matchup, but their presence in the semifinals confirms them as one of the final four teams remaining in the annual tag team tournament named in honor of Dusty Rhodes.
The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic has become a fixture on the NXT calendar, traditionally used to elevate rising tag teams and occasionally to set up future title opportunities. With Vanity Project already holding the NXT Tag Team Championships, their continued advancement raises the possibility of a champions-versus-contenders dynamic extending beyond the tournament bracket itself, depending on how the remaining matches play out.
No date, location, or broadcast details for the Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno versus Vanity Project semifinal match were specified in the available reporting. NXT has not yet detailed the remainder of the tournament schedule, including when the other semifinal will take place or when the final itself will be held.
