5 Ups & 1 Downs From Last Night's WWE NXT (Mar 7)

2. The Dusty Classic Begins

A supplemental down for the booking here, as having TM-61 take a straightforward loss to the Authors Of Pain so soon after returning was a moderately disappointing choice. But WWE couldn't just have the AoP fall at the first hurdle, either. Perhaps having them face each other wasn't the best idea, but regardless, the match delivered.

TM-61 started strong, fighting over Akam's initial overpowering with some smart double-team work, then sending the giants to the floor. The Authors inevitably fought back, though. Their heat segment went over well, with Akam grounding Nick Miller, and after a spirited comeback from the babyface duo, him and Rezar finally put them away after powerbombing Shane Throne onto the apron, then nailing his partner with the Final Chapter.

The whole thing was over in just eight minutes. It was a fun, fast-paced start to this year's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic that won't feature on any 'Match Of The Year' lists, but set the tone for the rest of the competition in effective fashion.