The women’s division of WWE has certainly gone through a massive evolution the past few years. We have seen the division get more TV time, more matches, and even their own PPV. Now we can add the Dusty Classic to that impressive list.
NXT began the men’s Dusty Classic back in 2015, where Finn Balor and Samoa Joe were the eventual winners. It has taken us six years to get to the point of the women getting their own Dusty Classic. The women’s division has been carrying the WWE, especially in 2020, and a lot of that has been thanks to NXT.
There are so many possibilities available in a tournament like the Dusty Classic. With a vast and insanely talented women’s division, the WWE could make the tournament strictly just women’s tag teams from their company. Of course they could go this route, but that hasn’t been their style when it has come to the Cruiserweight Classic or The Mae Young Tournament.
The WWE could use this tournament to showcase how far women’s wrestling, especially tag team wrestling, has come by inviting teams from outside their folds. The indie wrestling scene stays filled with impressive women just waiting for more fans to be able to see their work.
The tournament was stacked, but let’s take a look at possible teams who should have been competing alongside them.
- The Sea Stars
As I previously said there is a plethora of talent on the independent scene and the Sea Stars are at the top of that list. Ashley Vox and Delmi Exo have been teaming on the indie scene for about five years now and have been impressing fans everywhere they go. 2020 was a branch out year for the two women, both as a team and on their own.
Being a team since 2015 is an impressive feat, it seems tag teams in women’s wrestling don’t last long. The Sea Stars not only have been tagging for a long time, but they are actually sisters. Being family just adds to what makes this team special. If you want to see how the two work as a team, watch some of their matches from Shimmer, especially when they won the Shimmer Tag Team Titles. What may stop this team from being in the tournament, would be the fact that Vox has been wrestling some matches for AEW. Even still, The Sea Stars would make for some interesting competition!
- The Beautiful People
Now of course this is a long shot, but any incarnation of the Beautiful People would bring eyes to the tournament. Angelina Love and Velvet Sky have been The Beautiful People since 2007, which is who I would have entered the tournament. With so much experience a few things could happen; they could win a lot of matches or give the younger tag teams advice and encouragement behind the scenes.
Although The Beautiful People haven’t truly been a tag team in a number of years, there are benefits to having them come to NXT for however long the Classic lasts. With their experience and knowledge, facing teams like Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell could be very entertaining. Like it or not, The Beautiful People were one of the biggest draws for TNA Wrestling back in the day. A chance to be in this historic tournament could only add to their narrative in women’s wrestling history.
- The Riott Squad
This tournament won’t just showcase new teams or teams from the indie scene, there are teams on the main roster that also deserve this opportunity. Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan have been pillars of the tag team division for quite some time, but have yet to gain any accolades. Joining the Dusty Classic could be the moment they have been looking for.
Riott and Morgan could make history by winning the Dusty Cup and make a stronger case for a shot at the Women’s Tag Team Championships. It seems like a win-win situation here: add the Riott Squad and see their stock rise and have a well established tag team in your tournament.
- Allysin Kay and Marti Belle
Again this team could be a tad out there to some of you, but they both are former competitors in the Mae Young Classic. With the history they have already in WWE and their history together, they’d be an intriguing team.
Kay and Belle recently took on The Sea Stars for the Shimmer Tag Team Titles, but came up short. Even in defeat, Belle and Kay have chemistry as a team. If given the opportunity they could grow as a team and do some pretty cool things.
- Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke
A tournament is the perfect time for a comeback, don’t you think? It has been a bit of time since we have seen Shafir and Duke on NXT TV, but making a run at the Dusty Cup could be just the thing to bring them back. With Shayna Baszler on the main roster, Duke and Shafir have slipped far to the background of WWE. The Supernova of Moldova and The Appalachian Amazon have never really been given the chance to show what they can do without Baszler.
As members of the Four Horsewomen of MMA, they could be rather destructive and win the whole tournament. With their time away, Shafir and Duke most likely have been spending time training and getting even better. Of course this isn’t MMA, but imagine the chaos they could create.
I know there are many teams I have missed or looked over, but the five listed would have made things very interesting. With Covid still being a cause of concern, travelling from out of the country is out of the question. It would be nice to see teams from Japan or the UK have an opportunity to compete at some point, but for this year that seems to just a Dream.
If restrictions weren’t in place my honorable mentions would have included teams like Blue Nation (Charli Evans and Jessica Troy), Cosmic Angels, The Woke Queens, and Medusa Complex. A team of WWE Legends could also be fun, one like Mickie James and Melina or Natalya and Beth Phoenix.