Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno are the 2026 WWE NXT Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winners after defeating Hank and Tank in the tournament final on the November 5 edition of WWE NXT. The victory brought an end to a 14-team field and immediately positioned Dar and Moreno for a major championship opportunity.
Following the match, Cody Rhodes presented the Dusty Trophy to Dar and Moreno at ringside. Rhodes also announced that the newly crowned tournament winners will challenge The Vanity Project for the WWE NXT Tag Team Championship next week on NXT.
The final was built around a clear contrast in styles. Hank and Tank repeatedly leaned on their power advantage, while Dar and Moreno relied on quick movement, targeted submissions, and well-timed tandem offense. Both teams had moments in which the match appeared to be within reach, but the decisive sequence came after Dar and Moreno capitalized on the physical damage sustained by their opponents.
A tournament final defined by contrasting approaches
Hank and Tank entered the final with the kind of physical presence that can change a tag team match in an instant. Their offense repeatedly placed Dar and Moreno in difficult positions, and the larger team was able to impose its strength when it found opportunities to keep the action grounded.
For more background on this topic, read Paul Heyman Explains Why His WWE Suit And Tie Are Essential To The ‘Wiseman’ Character.
Dar and Moreno, however, had a different answer for nearly every power-based surge. Moreno consistently avoided trouble when space was available, while Dar used his technical instincts to create openings and isolate targets. That combination allowed the eventual winners to survive stretches where Hank and Tank appeared to have the momentum firmly on their side.
The most memorable near-fall came when Hank and Tank sent Moreno into the lap of Rhodes, who was seated at ringside for commentary. With Moreno temporarily removed from the immediate action, Hank and Tank hit Dar with two splashes. Dar narrowly kicked out, denying his opponents what looked like a likely tournament-clinching sequence.
That kickout proved essential. Hank and Tank attempted to press their advantage and put Dar away, but Dar and Moreno turned the match into a submission battle. Moreno grabbed Tank's ankle and applied an ankle lock, while Dar trapped Hank in a knee bar.
For a moment, the dual submissions left Hank and Tank in serious danger. Tank was able to break free before Hank submitted, preventing Dar and Moreno from winning through the simultaneous holds. The escape gave Hank and Tank another chance to recover, and Hank soon drove Dar down with a Black Hole Slam.
With Tank returning to the action, Hank and Tank again looked prepared to deliver their finishing sequence. The accumulated damage from Dar's knee bar changed the situation at precisely the wrong time for them, though. Hank stumbled as he attempted to move into position, and the opening allowed Moreno to re-enter the match.
Dar and Moreno seize the opening
Moreno struck Hank with a jumping side kick, disrupting Hank and Tank's momentum before their offense could be completed. Dar followed by catching Tank with a spinning back elbow. The rapid sequence left both members of Hank and Tank vulnerable and gave Dar and Moreno the chance to close out the final on their terms.
With Rhodes still at ringside, Dar and Moreno paid tribute to the man presenting the trophy. They delivered stereo Cross Rhodes attacks, then followed with a sweeping back elbow combination for the winning fall.
The finish was particularly fitting given the match's central theme. Hank and Tank had repeatedly threatened to overwhelm Dar and Moreno with force, but Dar and Moreno found success by remaining composed, exploiting a damaged limb, and striking when their opponents' timing broke down. They did not need to overpower Hank and Tank; they needed one opening, and they made it count.
The result officially placed Dar and Moreno at the top of the 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic field. Fourteen teams entered the tournament, but the November 5 final came down to two teams with sharply different methods of reaching the closing stage. Dar and Moreno now leave with the Dusty Trophy and a direct route to the NXT Tag Team Championship picture.
Cody Rhodes presents the Dusty Trophy
Rhodes' involvement at ringside became a notable part of the closing moments. He had been present for the final's biggest near-fall, when Moreno was press slammed into his lap, and Dar and Moreno later incorporated Rhodes' Cross Rhodes move into their match-winning combination.
After the bell, Rhodes presented Dar and Moreno with the Dusty Trophy. The presentation formally recognized them as the winners of one of NXT's key tag team tournaments, but it also served as the bridge to their next challenge.
Rhodes informed Dar and Moreno that their reward is not limited to the trophy. Next week, they will face The Vanity Project for the WWE NXT Tag Team Championship. The announcement gives Dar and Moreno little time to celebrate before they must prepare for the most significant tag team match of their run together.
Winning the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic has established Dar and Moreno as the next challengers, but a tournament victory and a championship match present different tests. Their performance against Hank and Tank showed that they can withstand a difficult physical matchup and adapt after their plans are disrupted. Against The Vanity Project, they will need to carry that resilience into a title contest with the championships at stake.
What the win means for NXT's tag team division
The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is designed to determine a team capable of stepping into the championship conversation, and the 2026 edition has done exactly that for Dar and Moreno. Their win did more than settle a final against Hank and Tank. It elevated them from tournament contenders to the designated challengers for NXT's tag team titles.
For Hank and Tank, the loss will sting because they came close on more than one occasion. The two splashes on Dar nearly ended the contest, and the Black Hole Slam created another clear chance to finish the match. Their defeat ultimately came after the knee bar compromised Hank at a pivotal moment. In a tightly contested final, that brief stumble was enough for Dar and Moreno to take control.
Dar and Moreno's route to victory also offered a concise statement about their chemistry. Dar's technical work damaged Hank and created the opening. Moreno's ankle lock kept Tank occupied and prevented him from immediately assisting his partner. When the chance to strike arrived, both men executed the closing offense together. Their final combination was not an individual escape or a lucky break; it was a coordinated finish delivered after they had turned the match in their favor.
The next chapter arrives next week on NXT, when Dar and Moreno challenge The Vanity Project for the WWE NXT Tag Team Championship. They will enter that match as Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winners, carrying both the tournament's momentum and the confidence that comes from surviving a demanding final against Hank and Tank.
For now, the 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic belongs to Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno. They outlasted a 14-team tournament field, overcame Hank and Tank in the final, received the Dusty Trophy from Cody Rhodes, and secured a championship opportunity in the process.
In pictures
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.