Hank Walker and Tank Ledger joined BirthRight in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic as the opening round concluded on WWE NXT on October 6.

Both teams earned hard-fought victories, although BirthRight’s route into the match came after a backstage attack forced a late change to the tournament.

Hank and Tank took on WWE EVOLVE pairing Shido Ash and Viktor Zanov, with the former Olympic judokas giving the former NXT Tag Team Champions a difficult start. Ash and Zanov kept Walker isolated, cutting off his attempts to reach Ledger.

Once Ledger finally tagged in, the momentum shifted. His explosive offence brought Hank and Tank back into contention, setting up a decisive closing stretch.

Ledger took Zanov out at ringside with a suicide dive, while Walker flattened Ash with a lariat inside the ring. The pair then connected with a double splash before finishing the match with a powerslam and forearm combination.

The victory sets up a quarter-final meeting with Julius and Brutus Creed, putting two former NXT Tag Team Championship teams against each other.

The night’s other tournament match required a replacement after BirthRight members attacked Sean Legacy and Dorian Van Dux backstage. The assault left both men unable to compete in their scheduled match against the Tokyo Bad Boys, Kento and Takuma.

William Regal stepped in with a proposal for NXT General Manager Robert Stone. Although BirthRight’s Channing Lorenzo and Uriah Connors had already been eliminated, Lexis King and Charlie Dempsey were available to take the vacant spot.

Stone initially had reservations, particularly as King had already competed earlier in the evening, but eventually approved the change.

Kento and Takuma came close to making BirthRight regret entering the tournament. The Tokyo Bad Boys impressed with their aerial offence, including Kento catching Dempsey with a spear through the middle rope.

Takuma followed with a one-man Spanish Fly and a springboard 450 splash on Dempsey, bringing his team within reach of an upset.

However, another trip to the top rope proved costly. Dempsey caught Takuma with an avalanche butterfly suplex before delivering a fisherman’s suplex to seal the win for BirthRight.

King and Dempsey now move on to face AAA World Tag Team Champions El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and Galeno in the quarter-finals.

Which team do you think will go all the way in this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic? Share your predictions in the comments.

BirthRight makes the MOST of the opportunity and ADVANCE in The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic!! 😲 pic.twitter.com/bVSmjkINfu

, WWE (@WWE) October 7, 2026