Welcome to the Fightful.com live coverage for tonight's episode of WWE NXT! Tonight we finish the matches in the first round of the Dusty Tag Classic as Hoho Lun and Tian Bing make their NXT debut against Tomaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano and in our main event we have Kota Ibushi teaming up with his new partner TJ Perkins after Hideo Itami was taken out of the tournament due to injury against Lince Dorado and Mustafa Ali! Be sure to come back here at 8PM EST for all of tonight's action!
#DIY vs Hoho Lun & Tian Bing
Ciampa and Bing start it off and Bing drops Ciampa repeatedly, first with a shoulder block then a kick. Bing tags in Lun who Ciampa completely overpowers and tags in Gargano who gets a quick 2 count off of a neckbreaker. Lun hits a series of kicks then tags in Bing, the two hitting running knees in the corner to Gargano. Bing gets a quick 2 count then puts a rear headlock on Gargano who quickly powers out of it and Bing drops him with kicks, Bing tagging in Lun and Gargano tagging in Ciampa. Ciampa drops Lun with a discus lariat then goes for a powerbomb, but Lun counters. Gargano gets in and they hit a double running knee to Lun in the center of the ring for the pin and the win.
Winner: #DIY via pinfall
-TJ and Ibushi backstage being interviewed and Kota says respect brought them together as TJ makes a high school lunch room metaphor. Kota says there's a 99% chance they will win tonight. Joe is interviewed in the back and talks about his match with Shinsuke at Takeover:Toronto. Joe says Shinsuke is afraid and that he'll be the next champion.
Aliyah vs Billie Kay
Billie gets a quick 2 count after she drops Aliyah then smacks her before Aliyah hits her with a series of forearms then hits a snapmare into a blockbuster, following up with an axe kick in the corner then a step up enzugiri. Kay drops her with a right hand as Liv Morgan comes out and attacks Peyton at ringside, Aliyah using it to get the roll up and the win.
Winner: Aliyah via pinfall
-After the match Liv attacks Billie Kay then Aliyah comes in and Billie Kay and Peyton hit a running knee on Aliyah before hitting a bulldog into Billie's knee.
Noah Potjes vs Tye Dillinger
They lock up early then Tye plays to the crowd, Noah capitalizing on it, but it's short lived as Tye stomps on him in the corner then hits the Tye Breaker for the pin and the win.
Winner: Tye Dillinger via pinfall with the Tye Breaker
-Tye is interviewed after the match about his match with Bobby Roode at Takeover:Toronto. Roode attacks him from behind then pounds on him on the ground before hitting a DDT on the ramp. TM61 are interviewed backstage about facing Austin Aries and Roderick Strong in the next round.
Asuka vs Thea Trinidad
Thea tries to hit Asuka repeatedly, but Asuka dodges and mocks her then drops her with a hip attack as Asuka plays to the crowd, getting mad when she hits her. Asuka catches a kick and puts Thea in an ankle lock then a german suplex into an armbar for the tap.
Winner: Asuka via submission with a Fujiwara armbar
-After the match it announced that Asuka will be taking on former WWE Diva Mickie James at Takeover:Toronto. Ellering and AOP are interviewed in the back, Mark saying that Swann and Jose will not advance in the tournament, the big guys speaking in Samoan.
Kota Ibushi & TJ Perkins vs Mustafa Ali & Lince Dorado
TJ and Lince start it off, doing a lot of flipping and arm drags. They shake hands then Ali and Ibushi get in. Ibushi gets a series of quick 2 counts. Ali hits a dropkick then Ibushi hits one of his own as we go to commercial.
We come back with TJ and Ali with TJ hitting a series of suplexes for a quick 2 count before going for the kneebar, but Ali gets to the ropes.Lince gets back in then Ali and Lince go to double team TJ, Lince diving overtop of Ali and onto TJ on the outside, sending him back into the ring and hits a crossbody for a quick 2 count. TJ goes to tag in Ibushi, but Ali drops him on the apron then hits a neckbreaker on TJ for a quick 2 count. Ali puts a side headlock on TJ before he powers out and tags in Ibushi as Ali tags in Lince. Kota drops them both with a series of kicks then hits Lince with a series of punches and kicks into a leg lariat. Kota goes for a powerbomb, but Lince slaps him, Kota hitting a double pele kick. Lince hits a superkick then Ibushi hits a powerslam into a moonsault then tags in TJ who hits a splash for a close 2 count that Ali breaks up. Ibushi hits the tirangle moonsault then TJ hits a wrecking ball dropkick. TJ goes for the kneebar, but Lince counters into a roll up twice. Ali gets in and drops Ibushi with a roundhouse before TJ puts on the kneebar for the tap and the win.
Winner: Kota Ibushi and TJ Perkins via submission
