Nic Nemeth Addresses Lack Of TNA Representation In WWE NXT Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

The WWE NXT Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is set to get underway on Tuesday, September 22 with 14 teams from across the WWE main roster, NXT, EVOLVE, and Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, but there is no TNA representation in the tournament despite the working relationship between WWE NXT and TNA Wrestling.

Nic Nemeth addressed the lack of TNA talents in the Dusty Classic, noting it doesn't make him upset on a personal level due to how busy he and brother Ryan Nemeth are, but it does sadden him as a TNA wrestler as a whole.

"It doesn't because I, myself, and my brother are comically busy at the moment. But it does, as a TNA wrestler, yeah it does, but there’s a relationship there. We’ve had some moments where we got a lot of NXT people who were brand new, gave them a shot, gave them some TV time, got those reps in. It would be nice to see it replicated but, of course, it’s not always the time and place for it. There were times for months where we were going back and forth. All over NXT our guys and gals were and all over TNA the NXT guys and gals were, and some people were going to Raw and SmackDown. It led to Leon Slater getting some cool moments and Joe Hendry getting some cool stuff when he was still with us," Nemeth said on Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez.

"All those moments can still happen and they will when the time is right. It would be great to be represented out there, but also I’m super busy right now. I'm not interested in doing NXT as the world champion and tag team champion, but down the line I would love to see more of an interaction if we continue that relationship because it was really fruitful for both sides."  

Nic Nemeth is the reigning TNA World Champion, as well as one-half of the TNA World Tag Team Champions with Ryan Nemeth. Current TNA tag teams include The System, The Hardys, The Righteous, and BDE & Rich Swann.

TNA and WWE NXT have worked together since May 2024, with the working relationship being formalised in January of 2025. The two sides exchanged wrestlers on a regular basis and TNA President Carlos Silva noted the working relationship would "absolutely" continue after TNA IMPACT began airing on AMC in January 2026. The crossover has slowed down considerably in 2026, however, with some of the rare examples of talents popping up elsewhere this year being TNA's Leon Slater challenging Carmelo Hayes for the WWE United States Championship on the January 16 episode of SmackDown and Thea Hail and Wendy Choo competing in the TNA Knockouts Television Title tournament in the summer of 2026.

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