Cruz Montana taught Dion Lennox a lesson in respect on October 20, headlining a loaded episode of WWE NXT live from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida — while the 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic locked in its next semifinalists.
Montana picked up the win over the DarkState member in the night’s main event, and the Dusty Cup quarterfinals sent both the Creed Brothers and Los Hermanos Wagner through to the next round.
Cruz Montana (Credits: Fightful)
Montana Stands Tall Over DarkState
The headline singles match saw Montana go one-on-one with Lennox, and Montana emerged victorious. The result continues Montana’s strong run — he had already beaten Lennox days earlier on NXT’s Canadian tour, when DarkState interference caused a disqualification. This time, there was no controversy: Montana won clean and made his point about respect and strength of character.
The win keeps Montana positioned as one of NXT’s rising forces, and DarkState’s inability to bail out their man on television is a crack in the faction’s armor.
Dusty Cup Quarterfinals Deliver
The 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic continued with two quarterfinal bouts. The Creed Brothers (Julius and Brutus Creed) defeated Hank Walker and Tank Ledger to advance, while Los Hermanos Wagner (Galeno and El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr.) got past BirthRight’s Lexis King and Charlie Dempsey to punch their own ticket forward.
Both winning teams looked every bit the contenders in a tournament that honors one of wrestling’s greatest tag team legacies. With the field narrowing, the Dusty Cup is shaping up for a thrilling finish.
Halloween Havoc Takes Shape
The road to Halloween Havoc ran through the entire show. NXT Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan and Wren Sinclair took part in a contract signing for their upcoming title clash, making their showdown official. Earlier in the night, Tony D’Angelo and Grayson Waller came face-to-face to jaw over who walks out on top at the premium live event.
Elsewhere, Izzi Dame’s bullying in the women’s locker room finally caught up with her — Layla Diggs stepped up to Dame, setting up a match between the two as Diggs looks to get back into title contention. The six-man tag saw The Vanity Project take on E.K. Prosper, Mini Vikingo and Chazz “Starboy” Hall, keeping the tag division buzzing.
With Halloween Havoc looming, every storyline on NXT is accelerating — and Tuesday’s show made sure no rivalry is cooling off.
Also Read: WWE NXT Preview October 20, 2026: Confirmed Matches, Contract Signing, How to Watch Grayson Waller Had A T-Shirt With Stephanie Vaquer’s Viral Title Photo On It That He Couldn’t Wear on TV
Source: Fightful — read the full story there.
