The 2021 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Tournament returned in exciting fashion this week, with the brackets being officially released on WWE The Bump Wednesday morning. Some exciting matchups have been set up between 16 teams, including The Grizzled Young Veterans and The Undisputed Era picking up huge first round wins this week. However, The most curious entry on these brackets was the inclusion of a never-before-seen team simply being called MSK.
MSK (Nash Carter and Wes Lee) defeat Isaiah “Swerve” Scott and Jake Atlas in First Round
MSK = Wes Lee & Nash Carter#WWENXT #DustyClassic @DezmondXavier @zachary_wentz pic.twitter.com/GDFoL8tXwF
— WWE (@WWE) January 14, 2021
We did not have to wait long to figure out who this mystery tag team was, as Nash Carter and Wes Lee debuted in sensational fashion this week on NXT when they defeated Isaiah “Swerve” Scott and Jake Atlas to progress to the second round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
While the NXT universe has never been introduced to this team before, fans of IMPACT! wrestling will recognize them as 2 thirds of The Rascalz, who just wrestled their farewell match for the company on November 17th of last year. Shortly after, on December 2nd, Carter (FKA Zachary Wentz) and Lee (FKA Dezmond Xavier) had reportedly officially signed a deal with WWE.
With this win, MSK now moves to round two of the tournament to battle the winner of Killian Dane/Drake Maverick versus August Grey/Curt Stallion in Round 2.
The Rascalz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3pf0gsr6UY
Wentz and Dez signed with IMPACT! Wrestling in 2018 along with former partner Trey Miguel. They quickly became fan favorites, coming off as “boys will be boys” type protagonists, always having a good time with everything they do. However, they knew how to flip a switch and separate the world of “The Tree House” from getting their work done in the ring.
Despite The Rascalz insane talent, they never seemed to pick up the momentum they needed in IMPACT! wrestling. They challenged for the IMPACT! World Tag Team Titles three times but were unable to beat the likes of The North, The Motor City Machine Guns, or LAX (Santana and Ortiz). They worked as defiant babyfaces throughout their tenure and were a great hand in their tag team division, but left IMPACT! with hopes for bigger things in their careers.
With their win in the first round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, the newly christened MSK may finally have found their footing. However, It is unknown as of writing if Trey Miguel will soon join his former partners or where he may end up in 2021.
