The Great American Bash is returning to NXT for 2023.
During NXT Battleground on Sunday night, WWE revealed the date and location for NXT’s next streaming special. NXT Great American Bash 2023 will take place from Cedar Park, Texas on Sunday, July 30. The show will air live on Peacock/WWE Network.
While this will be the fourth straight year an NXT Great American Bash event has taken place, it’s the first time the show has been a streaming special. All three previous editions of NXT Great American Bash were special episodes of NXT television.
Great American Bash is being held at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park. Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 11 a.m. Eastern time on Friday, June 9.
Earlier this month, Dave Meltzer reported that WWE was considering running NXT Great American Bash as a special TV episode on July 4. Meltzer noted that the potential TV special had been talked about but was not official.
A creation of Dusty Rhodes, the Great American Bash was one of the NWA/WCW’s signature events. It also was used as a WWE pay-per-view name in the mid 2000s.
Tuesday’s Great American Bash episode of NXT averaged 593,000 viewers on the USA Network, up four percent from last week.
In the 18-49 demo, NXT finished 27th on the cable charts with a 0.12 rating, which is up 9.1 percent from last week. That matches NXT’s second-lowest number in the demo since May.
NXT’s ratings were even or up in all categories with the exception of men 18-49, which were down 11.8 percent. The biggest increase was with women in that same age group (up 33.3 percent).
As compared to the same week in 2021, NXT’s overall viewership was down 9.3 percent and its 18-49 rating was down 33.3 percent.
Listed below are the last 11 weeks of overall viewership and 18-49 demo ratings for NXT, along with the 10-week averages in both categories. This week’s show was essentially even in overall viewership but down 7.7 percent in 18-49 as compared with the recent averages.
Four title matches took place on last night’s Great American Bash edition of NXT.
Bron Breakker vs. Cameron Grimes for the NXT Championship headlined the Great American Bash special. Breakker was able to retain his title, but a new challenger quickly emerged. JD McDonagh (Jordan Devlin) attacked Breakker on the stage as the show was about to go off the air. McDonagh then gave Breakker a Devlin Side suplex through a table.
NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes and NXT Tag Team Champions The Creed Brothers were also successful in their title defenses. Hayes defeated Grayson Waller, while The Creed Brothers defeated their Diamond Mine stablemates Roderick Strong & Damon Kemp.
The NXT Women’s Tag Team titles did change hands, with Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade defeating Toxic Attraction’s Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne to become the new champions. Perez also announced that she’s cashing in her Breakout Tournament title shot contract for a match against NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose next week.
The Great American Bash tradition lives on as the classic WCW/Jim Crockett Promotions event returns to NXT for the third straight year.
Four title matches are set for tonight’s special Great American Bash edition of NXT. That includes the NXT Championship, with Bron Breakker defending his title against Cameron Grimes in tonight’s main event.
The NXT North American Championship, NXT Women’s Tag Team titles, and NXT Tag Team titles will also be on the line. Carmelo Hayes defends his North American title against Grayson Waller, Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade challenge Toxic Attraction for the Women’s Tag Team titles, and The Creed Brothers will face off with their Diamond Mine stablemates Roderick Strong & Damon Kemp with the NXT Tag Team titles at stake.
Plus, Wendy Choo vs. Tiffany Stratton and Wes Lee vs. Trick Williams round out the card for tonight.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The show opens with a vignette where some of the NXT roster have a poolside barbeque to celebrate The Great American Bash, and maybe also American Independence Day. There is a cannonball into a pool, and the BBQ grill also explodes.
Vibes from the start of the show try to convey this is a supercard, but the setting for the card is the same soundstage seen every week. The graphics are different than usual, with a patriotic twist. Great production aside, the setting is same old hat. The opening bout at least felt like a special moment, especially with a title change.
Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade defeat Toxic Attraction (Gigi Dolan & Jacy Jayne with Mandy Rose) to win the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship
Perez pins Jade after a code red, and the challengers win the tag titles.
Babyfaces shine early on. Given plenty of time, the match goes through a commercial break. Just before the show cuts to commercials, the defending champions use an old heel trick on an inept referee, and they to cut off Perez.
Heat on Perez. Double high kick, leading to a double down. Hot tag to Jade, and she runs wild. Near fall for Jade. Perez & Jade, who wore matching gear, use double team moves for more near falls.
NWO spot where NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose pulls the ref out of the ring on a near fall. Somehow there is no disqualification despite blatant outside interference. The match continues, but the ref does at least eject Rose from ringside.
Yet another near fall for the challengers. They go on to trade near falls with Dolan & Jayne. The heels attempt a double team on Perez, but Jade awkwardly jumps in to make a save.
Perez executes Pop Rocks (code red) on Dolan, and Perez pins Dolan for a three count. And new…
Tony D’Angelo is addressing the former Legado del Fantasma members. Of course, they are now in D’Angelo’s “family.” D’Angelo show a picture of Santos Escobar on his phone, where Escobar is in a hospital. The implication is D’Angelo put him there for the prank from last week.
D’Angelo is upset the others contributions to the family, except for Elektra Lopez. She has apparently increased business in the ports. D’Angelo gives Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro an ultimatum. They have until next week to prove their loyalty to the family. All the makings of a potential RICO investigation.
Pretty Deadly cut a promo on Briggs & Jensen. The former champs want their titles back, alluding to Briggs & Jensen having won the NXT UK Tag Team Championship.
Trick Williams (with Carmelo Hayes) defeats Wes Lee
Williams cheats to pin Lee, after Williams blinds Lee with an unknown liquid. Good match while it lasted, but it was rather short. Williams wore gear and a robe as a tribute to Muhammad Ali.
Fast paced at first with Lee in charge. Eventually, Williams slows the pace as he briefly works over Lee. Pace soon quickens again as Lee fires up.
Williams retrieves a water bottle from Hayes, who causes a distraction. With the referee distracted, Williams pours liquid from the bottle all over his hands. Williams then darts back into the ring with his wet hands.
Rubbing his wet hands in Lee’s face, Williams blinds Lee with an unknown substance. A blinded Lee falls prey to a spinning high kick. Williams then covers Lee for a pinfall.
Tiffany Stratton is backstage in the makeup chair when she is jumped by Wendy Choo. A brawl erupts between the two as the show cuts to a split-screen commercial break.
A wacky brawl ensues that would have fit well on the WCW Backstage Assault video game. They fight their way onto the soundstage, heading towards the ring. They are in the ring and their match is joined in progress as the show returns from the commercial break.
Tiffany Stratton defeats Wendy Choo
Stratton pins Choo to win clean. Stratton targets Choo’s injured hand as part of the story in the match.
Stratton begins to work over Choo, and Stratton targets the hand. Stratton rips the fake nails off the fingers of Choo. Still selling her hand, Choo makes a comeback.
Wicked uranage by Choo for a near fall. Stratton targets the injured hand to escape a sleeper hold, but Choo then gives her an even more wicked-looking brainbuster for another near fall.
Stratton stomps on the injured hand, and Stratton follows up with a shotgun dropkick in a corner. Stratton for the finish springboards into a corkscrew splash. Stratton then scores a three count.
McKenzie Mitchell interviews the new NXT Tag Team Champions — Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade. Perez announces that next week she is cashing in her Breakout contract for a title match against NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose. I thought she used that contract for the title match tonight, but apparently not. Rose defends against Perez next Tuesday on NXT.
Another challenge for next week
Apollo Crews is headed to the ring for a monologue promo.
Crew basically says his children watched him on the main roster, and they thought his character was not his true persona. They are now excited to watch him on NXT.
Crews contemplates out loud who he should face in a match as runs down a list of names. He is soon interrupted by Giovanni Vinci.
Vinci calls out Crews for leaving him off the list of names. Vinci says he is the one guy in NXT that can outperform Crews. Immediately challenging Vinci, Crews dares Vinci to get in the ring. Vinci scoffs, saying he is not dressed to wrestle. Instead, the match is made for next Tuesday on NXT.
Ivy Nile in a backstage skit comes to Tatum Paxley’s aid when she gets into a shoving match with Kayden Carter & Katana Chance. Nile is upset with Paxley, and she orders her to be at the dojo in the morning.
Bron Breakker is in the trainer’s room, and he declines tape for his injured shoulder.
Grayson Waller and Carmelo Hayes separately cut promos on each other before their match.
NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes (with Trick Williams) defeats Grayson Waller to retain the title
Hayes pins Waller to retain his title in what is the best on the show so far.
Hayes gets pyro and a special introduction by Williams for his entrance.
Hayes shines early on, until he is cut off. Waller with a baseball slide into a lariat, and he seemingly decapitates Hayes before the show cuts to a commercial break. Waller works over Hayes during the break, and Waller continues doing so as the show returns from commercials.
Hayes fights back after the break, and he plants Waller with a La Mistica tilt-a-whirl. Trading submission holds, Waller goes for a triangle.
Double down, and the crowd starts to chant. Fighting spirit exchange as a slugfest develops. Back-and-forth action, and another near fall. Slight botch on the execution of a pop-up cutter, but they quickly recover. The cutter plays into the story of the match.
Hayes is down selling when Williams gets in Waller’s face. Out of nowhere, Wes Lee jumps the barricade and attacks Williams. Waller goes for his roll through into a pop-up cutter, but Hayes counters with a codebreaker.
Off the top rope, Hayes leaps into a guillotine legdrop from the heavens. Hayes then covers Waller to retain the title via pinfall.
A cocky Xyon Quinn proclaims himself “the future of NXT.”
NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose cuts a promo on Roxanne Perez ahead of their title match next week.
Andre Chase is teaching class at Chase University. Bodhi Hayward cannot stay awake, and he blames his roommate. Thea Hail. Chase then cuts an unhinged promo on a student for asking a question. Hail suggest the class go to London, so Chase announces the class is going to England. Field trip upcoming.
NXT Tag Team Champions The Creed Brothers (Julius & Brutus Creed) defeat Roderick Strong & Damon Kemp to retain the titles
Julius Creed pins Kemp to win clean, as the Creed retain their titles.
Hard hitting action during the match. At one point, Kemp is sent outside the ring. Strong is upset with him, and he rolls Kemp right back into the ring. Kemp is immediately thrown out on the other side of the ring.
A flying Brutus leaps off the top and makes himself into a human wrecking ball that takes out Kemp. The show then cuts to a commercial break. Kemp recovers by the time the show returns from the break.
The challengers attempt to single out Julius, and they try working him over. Brutus is finally able to tag in, but Strong able to counter with a dosey doe. Strong rocks Brutus with a pair of jumping knee strikes.
Brutus is worked over by the challengers. Hot tag to Julius, and he cleans house on Strong. Julius is a house of fire, and he pummels Strong. Kemp tags in, and he fares no better against Julius.
Julius plants Kemp with a slam, and then Julius follows with a sliding lariat. Julius then covers Kemp for a pinfall.
The Creeds help Kemp to his feet in a show of sportsmanship after the match. Nonetheless, tension still remains in Diamond Mine as Strong glares at them. He is not happy.
A vignette teases a new character named Axiom. His gimmick is he is really good at mathematics.
Mr. Stone, speaking on behalf of Von Wagner, is mad that Wagner is not booked on the card. Solo Sikoa interrupts, and he cuts a promo on Wagner. Responding to Sikoa, Wagner speaks for himself in saying they should fight right now. Referee separate them.
Matches made official for next Tuesday on NXT:
Mandy Rose defends her NXT Women’s Championship against Roxanne Perez
Apollo Crews vs. Giovanni Vinci
NXT Champion Bron Breakker defeats Cameron Grimes to retain the title
Breakker pins Grimes after fighting through a storyline injury. Maybe not the best match on the show, but this was still really good. Some viewers might even argue it is the best bout on the show.
Shades of grey aspect to the story, as plays subtle heel against the babyface champion. Breakker favors the injured shoulder throughout the match, which plays off the cliffhanger ending to last week’s episode. Grimes targets the shoulder at times during the bout.
The match goes through a split-screen commercial break, and the show heads into the break with Breakker standing tall. Grimes continues to target the injury, and he works the arm during the break.
As the show returns from the break, Breakker reverses a vertical suplex. The champ is back in control, but not for long. Grimes kicks Breakker in his injured shoulder, and Grimes sails off the apron into a somersault senton.
Grimes is in control until Breakker answers back with an Arn Anderson spinebuster. Flurry of shoulder tackles while Grimes bumps and feeds into Breakker.
Great false finish when Grimes executes his running one-man Spanish Fly, and Grimes gets a close near fall. Breakker kicks out at two and a half. They go on to trade near falls after Breakker uses a Super Frankensteiner.
Grimes does a tilt-a-whirl and transitions into applying an octopus hold. Breakker powers out, only for Grimes to deliver a Cave In. Breakker kicks out for a one last near fall.
For the finish, Grimes jumps off the middle rope, and Breakker spears him in mid-air. Breakker then scores a pinfall on Grimes to retain the title.
JD McDonagh, who was featured in a vignette before the title match, runs in for post-match attack. McDonagh jumps Breakker, and he puts Breakker through a table set up on the stage. McDonagh stands over a prone Breakker for a show-closing cliffhanger.
WWE has revealed when NXT’s next special event will be taking place.
During NXT In Your House on Saturday night, it was announced that NXT Great American Bash 2022 is set for Tuesday, July 5. The show, which is a special episode of NXT, will air live on the USA Network starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
This will be the third straight year that an NXT Great American Bash event has taken place. It’s the first Great American Bash since the NXT 2.0 rebrand.
There have yet to be any matches announced for the show.
The Great American Bash was first held in 1985, with the show being given its name by the legendary Dusty Rhodes. It was one of WCW/Jim Crockett Promotions’ signature events.
WWE also used the Great American Bash name for an annual pay-per-view from 2004-2008, and a WWE PPV called “The Bash” took place in 2009.
The Great American Bash returns again as WWE presents a special episode of NXT tonight.
A grudge match will take place in the main event as former Undisputed Era stablemates Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole face off. O’Reilly defeated Cole when they met in an unsanctioned match at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver this April.
Three title matches are also set for tonight’s show. MSK will put their NXT Tag Team titles on the line against Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher, Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell will defend their NXT Women’s Tag Team titles against Io Shirai & Zoey Stark, and LA Knight will defend the Million Dollar Championship against Cameron Grimes. If Grimes loses, he has to become Knight’s butler.
Plus, NXT Champion Karrion Kross and Johnny Gargano will meet face-to-face. Hit Row will also deliver a “Championship Cypher” to celebrate Isaiah “Swerve” Scott defeating Bronson Reed last week to become the new NXT North American Champion.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The voice of Dusty Rhodes fittingly opened The Great American Bash in a canned intro. The video package ran down the card, and it closed by again featuring the voice of The American Dream.
Holy cow, this show has a corporate sponsor with an advertising tie-in, and it may be the most mainstream sponsor ever on NXT. Bud Light Seltzer was the sponsor of the GAB. While not the very much more mainstream Bud Light beer, the seltzer cousin will have to do. Please drink responsibility.
The red, white and blue ropes are back. Couple that with it being The Great American Bash, and I’m now super nostalgic.
The show is kicking off with a men’s tag team title match.
NXT Tag Team Champions MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter) defeated Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher to retain their titles
Lee cradled Thatcher for a pinfall, and the champions retain in a fantastic bout. Freaking great opener to kick off the card. Challengers looked strong throughout the match, but MSK were still able to remain the champs.
Ciampa & Thatcher worked over Wes Lee, proverbially cutting the ring in half as they punished him. Ciampa gets caught with a dropkick out of nowhere by Lee, and Carter is able to tag in. Carter is on fire, culminating in a springboard quebrada to the floor. Thatcher took the bullet for Ciampa and stepped in to catch Carter. That allowed Ciampa to waylay Carter with a lariat. The show cut to a commercial break, and Lee down selling at ringside.
Hot tag soon as the show returned from the break, and Lee cleaned house. Lee was on a roll when he too was waylaid by the challenger. Thatcher lowbridged Lee as he ran the ropes, and Lee tumbled outside. The challengers again targeted Lee, but both of the defending champs fought back to counter Thatcher. However, the champs were cut off. Carter was now the target, and he was worked over.
Fighting spirit and Ciampa is rocked by a jumping knee strike. He was on rubber legs, and MSK looked to set up their finisher. Ciampa escaped with Thatcher’s helping to make a save. That would backfire on the challengers when Thatcher hit his partner with an uppercut by mistake. Ciampa went down, and Thatcher walked into a superkick. Lee went for a crazy looking handspring flipping move, but Ciampa nailed him in mid-air with a shotgun dropkick.
Close near fall after a Project Ciampa. Lee countered another Ciampa’s finisher, but the challengers turned the tide after some quick tags. Carter countered a super Air Raid Crash. MSK double team Ciampa. Carter with a swanton bomb, and Lee with a corkscrew senton for a two count. Thatcher dragged Lee out of the ring, and Thatcher also clocked Carter with a right hand. The challengers had again cut off the champs.
Ciampa executed an assisted Fairy Tale Ending on Lee, and Thatcher applied an ankle lock. Carter back in to make a save, and Lee trapped Thatcher in a small package. 1…2…3. The champs retain in a great bout.
NXT Champion Karrion Kross and Johnny Gargano face-to-face
General Manager William Regal and Samoa Joe are in the ring to host a segment where they attempt to settle things between Gargano and Kross. This is pro wrestling, so talking their problems out erupted into mayhem.
Gargano claimed Kross was scared to face him in the ring. Regal said this feud cannot go on, which is departure from this feud must continiue. Regal announced a title match between the two next week. Kross objected to a title match, and Kross said he was not afraid of Gargano.
Kross has three goals when he wakes up every morning. He wants to remain the NXT Champion, he wants to main event WrestleMania, and he wants to become WWE Champion. He insulted Gargano by saying he was wearing his wife’s jeans.
Kross said this was not a cartoon. This was real life! Regal interrupted to say next week in the title match there is a special referee, and that person is none other than Samoa Joe. The crowd popped, and Gargano threw a zinger as he was leaving the ring.
Gargano said it was funny Kross mentioned Gargano’s wife when “Kross couldn’t even lace my wife’s boots.” Kross had heard enough. He wanted to fight right now, but Joe stepped in to block his path. Kross had a staredown with to conclude the segment.
A vignette hyped NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida.
Million Dollar Champion LA Knight defeated Cameron Grimes to retain his title
Knight pinned Grimes, so Grimes must now become Knight’s bulter per the stipulations of the match. Decent enough match that leads into the next chapter of this feud.
Grimes showed fire at the start, leading to a flying cross body off the top rope. Knight would briefly counter Grimes, but Grimes with a counter of his own. Knight regained the advantage as the show cut to a picture-in-picture commercial break.
Knight was on offense during the break, so I almost lost interest. Didn’t help that a commercial with Ric Flair was stealing the show. The show returned from the break, and Knight was still in control. Grimes struck with a one-man running Spanish Fly, leading to a double down.
They traded strikes, and they would go on to trade near falls. Grimes fired up on Knight, and Grimes began a comeback, and Grimes gets a near fall after a swinging uranage slam. Grimes skinned the cat, only get caught in a Torture Rack and dropped into a facebuster. Two count for Knight. Grimes again kicked out moments later after taking a superplex.
Knight fetched the Million Dollar title belt. He brought the belt into the ring, and the ref took it from him. Meanwhile, Grimes was able to use an O’Connor Roll. Knight reveresed with a handful of tights. Knigth takes a poision rana, and yet another two count.
The fighting spilled outside. Knight gave Grimes a DDT onto the title belt on the floor. They teased a countout, but Grimes was able to get back into the ring. Grimes was unsteady, and he took a headlock DDT in the ring. Knight then covered Grimes for a pinfall.
NXT Breakout Tournament entrants were introduced. The tourney includes Trey Baxter, Carmelo Hayes, Andre Chase, Josh Briggs, Ikemen Jiro, Joe Gacy, Odyssey Jones and Duke Hudson. The tournament begins next Tuesday on NXT with Jiro vs. Hudson in a first round match.
Zoey Stark & Io Shirai deafted NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions The Way (Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell) to win the titles
Stark pinned Hartwell during a finish that featured the surprise return of Tegan Nox. New champions are crowned, and LeRae looks to be in feud with Nox moving forward.
The champions wore gear inspired by The Kliq from the era of The New Generation. Hartwell was Razor Ramon, and LeRae was 1-2-3 Kid.
Shirai got to shine early on, and then it was Stark’s turn to shine. The match went through a commerical break with the champions in control.
During the break a cross-promotional spot with WWE and the Olympics. The spot featured Bobby Lashey and Olympic Gold medalist Zack Snyder. Synder said he might want to try wrestling.
Back to the match, with heat on Stark. Hot tag to Shirai, and she sqaured off with LeRae. Those two are so good against each other. Stark & Shirai with double team moves, and Stark looked strong getting a near fall.
No water in the pool on a Shirai moonsault. LeRae applied a Gargano Escape on Shirai. Hartwell then jumped in the ring to apply an Anaconda Vice (Dexter Lumis’ finishing hold) on Stark. The challengers escaped the holds, and LeRae is dropped with a plam strike. Shirai again went for a moonsault, but LeRae with counter suplexed Shirai off the ropes.
Teased ending another match on the show with a cradle, yet it was only a two count. The lights inside the CWC went dark. The battery that had been charging appeared on a video screen. It went for 99% to 100% and the lights powered on in the arena. Tegan Nox appeared on the stage.
LeRae looked as if she saw a ghost. Shirai knocked LeRae out of the ring. Stark then delievered suplex into a knee strike, and Stark covered Hartwell for a pinfall.
Nox and LeRae brawled after the match, with LeRae fleeing the scene and Nox giving chase.
Dexter Lumis came to ringside during a commercial break, and he carried away Hartwell in his arms. Love is apparently in the air.
Toni Storm cut a promo on NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez. Storm was asked about Sarray wanting a match with her. Storm scoffed at the thought, and declined the challenge.
Hit Row’s North American Championship Cypher Celebration
The Hit Row group looked like superstars in this segement. This was basically a live rap concert, and it was arguably the best hip hop segment ever in WWE that did not star a professional musical act. Instead of simply cutting a promo, members of Hit Row spit bars. B-Fab rapped first, then Top Dolla, and Isaiah “Swerve” Scott concluded with his own rap. Ashante “Thee” Adonis was their DJ.
Very different than anything else on WWE television, Hit Row hit a home run with this segment. Not sure it got them over as heels, but they looked like superstars nonetheless. Hard to describe it in typed words, it has to be seen with the sound on for the full effect.
Adam Cole defeated Kyle O’Reilly
Cole pinned O’Reilly in a great pro wrestling match. Much different than their unsanctioned match. That previous match might be better, but personally I liked tonight’s match more simply because it was a straightforward wrestling bout with no gimmicks. But it this was a bloodfeud (if WWE allowed the use of blood), although the match did not start out accordingly.
They did start what was a grudge match in this bitter feud with a collar and elbow, which is my only criticism. The story apparently being this match was about proving who was better in the ring, as opposed to their prior meeting in what was basically a lights out match. That follows the recent WWE trend of following up a stipulation match with a straight wrestling match. Go figure. Tonight’s bout was nevertheless a great match.
They grappled, and Cole powdered out before a commercial break. More grappling as the show returned from the break. Cole was reeling as O’Reilly was dominating him, but the tide soon turned into Cole’s favor. Cole with a neckbreaker on the floor, and Cole targeted O’Reilly’s neck.
O’Reilly fired up on Cole, and O’Reilly targeted an arm. Great back-and-forth action. Cole lambasted O’Reilly with trash talk, causing O’Reilly to hulk up. O’Reilly was raining down punches in a corner when Cole escaped his clutches, and Cole blasted O’Reilly’s knee with a superkick. Cole followed up by smashing O’Reilly knee into the ring post.
The show cut to picture-in-picture commercial break with O’Reilly on the mat selling his knee. Cole worked over the knee during the break. On cue, O’Reilly valiantly began to fight back when the show returned from commercial, leading to a double down.
Cole was again targeting O’Reilly knee, but O’Reilly with a recepit attacked Cole’s knee. Dragon screw in the ropes by O’Reilly. They traded strikes and kicks. Near fall by Cole after a running high kick. Cole unabel to connect with the Panama Sunrise, and O’Reilly answered back with a series of strikes.
O’Reilly blocked a superkick, catching Cole’s leg. Cole then took a cradle suplex at the hands of O’Reilly, but Cole somehow kicked out. O’Reilly with Kawada kicks, and then O’Reilly with a takedown. O’Reilly tried to transition into an armbar, but Cole blocked the hold. Small package for two. Cole with a counter for a heel hook, and Cole locked in a figure four leglock. O’Reilly countered to apply a heel hook where he also hooked the other leg with his legs. Cole managed to crawl to the bottom rope, breaking the hold.
More back-and-forth with each rocking the other. O’Reilly fell out of the ring, and Cole executed a Panaman Sunrise off the apron on the floor. Cole rolled O’Reilly back into the ring, and O’Reilly got his foot in the rope to break up a pin.
They traded strikes, and Cole takes a brainbuster. Cole was prone on the mat as O’Reilly climbed the turnbuckle. O’Reilly leapt off the top with a bombs away knee drop, but Cole rolled out of the way. O’Reilly crashed and burned. Cole delivered a Last Shot, yet O’Reilly kicked out at two and three quarters.
Cole went for a Panama Sunrise, and O’Reilly blocked it with a knee strike. However, O’Reilly delivered the strike with his injured knee that Cole worked over previously in the match. Cole then executed the Panama Sunrise, and he followed with a Last Shot. Cole went on to cover O’Reilly for the deciding pinfall.
A look back at all the WWE cuts of the last week, person by person, with the background, what the direction the company is going. We look at where different people would be best served working at next, highlights of their WWE careers, and a lot more about the cuts.
Also in this issue:
A feature on Del Wilkes, known as The Trooper and The Patriot, his drug issues, his multiple arrests, his entire career, his noteworthy college football career, his biggest matches, how he broke in, and days in AWA, Global, All Japan, WCW and WWF, the origin of the idea of The Patriot that few know about, kicking his drug problem, what others have said about it, and his life after wrestling.
A talent move that will be very interesting to watch and long-term repercussions of this move, Great American Bash news, Money in the Bank news, ticket sales for all WWE shows and Breakout Star tournament news
AAA’s biggest show of the year, with a look at the TripleMania lineup, Verano de Escandalo as well, restrictions and angles leading up to the big matches.
This past week’s UFC show with Cyril Gane and Alexander Volkov, the next heavyweight title match, why Gane vs. Derrick Lewis is happening, why it’s a bad idea, plus match-by-match coverage.
All Japan crowning a new Triple Crown champion after Suwama vacated the title due to COVID and the three-way with Jason Lee, Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoagi, the complete All Japan Ota Ward show.
More detail on the ratings than any other source, we have how every segment on NXT and AEW did with different age groups, genders and more, plus a look at all other wrestling shows of the past week, how many different viewers the shows had, DVR numbers and how long the average fan watches.
Results of the major pro wrestling events of the past week.
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TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
WWE on Twitter sent out well wishes to Terry Funk, who confirmed through representatives that he is going through multiple health issues.
Matches taped prior to Raw for this week’s Main Event include Jeff Hardy vs. Veer and Angel Garza vs. Shelton Benjamin.
John Pollock of Post Wrestling reported that WWE is taping the final episode of Raw at the Thunderdome today.
Eva Marie spoke to Bleacher Report about her WWE return. She mentioned that after being signed back in October, there were times where she was slated to come up prior to vignettes airing in May. “There’s always so many things where creatively, story-wise, there were so many [things] where I was going to come back before ‘Mania, and then I wasn’t,” she was quoted as saying. “Timing is everything, and just making sure it made sense. That’s kind of where it was at where I thought I was returning a lot sooner, and then it didn’t make sense. WrestleMania wasn’t the right moment, and right after wasn’t, either. It was just looking for that right little slot to insert the storyline and create it and start it.”
A match between Quinn McKay and Mandy Leon has been set for two weeks from now on ROH television. If McKay wins, she will be entered into the Quest for Gold tournament.
Cody Rhodes, when asked about WWE continuing to use The Great American Bash name, responded on Twitter: “Business is business. They have the rights to many of Dusty’s greatest creations. My hope is that they do them justice and I will never be bitter about his legacy being honored and a whole new generation seeing he was a genius w/lasting concepts.”
Don West on Twitter regarding his recent brain lymphoma diagnosis: “I know that I am going through a tough deal but seeing all of your well wishes has boosted my spirit tremendously. Thank you to everyone for your support and your prayers and your kindness and I am going to beat this cancer so that I can go on the air again.”
On the All Night Long podcast, the former Killian Dain revealed that both he and Drake Maverick tested positive for COVID during their run as a tag team, causing he, his wife Nikki Cross, and Maverick to isolate. “There was a period where we were supposed to do something with the Undisputed ERA. We did one little thing with them, but boom. I have COVID,” he recalled. “I don’t even have symptoms. That takes [Nikki Cross] off TV, she was doing a thing with Bayley. She didn’t get [COVID-19], but she had to isolate.”
Shota Umino, who has been out of action during the course of the pandemic, will make his in-ring return to RevPro on July 18 when he faces Dan Moloney.
The NWA released a video called Race To The Chase, highlighting their upcoming show at the Chase Park Plaza.
Cezar Bononi will make his GCW debut on the second night of GCW Homecoming on July 25.
Regarding trademarks, Matt Cardona has filed to trademark the term “Major Bendies.” Ruby Riott, who is now going under the name Ruby Soho, has filed to trademark “The Runaway.” The former Vanessa Borne has trademarked “The Fetish,” and Lady Frost has filed to trademark her in-ring name.
Chris Adonis spoke to Metro on drawing the ire of Hardcore Holly early in his WWE career.
Wrestle Zone spoke to Chuck Palumbo on his new YouTube series and his run as a professional wrestler.
Danhausen is the guest on this week’s Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette.
The NXT Champion and his likely next challenger will go face-to-face at the NXT Great American Bash.
WWE announced today that NXT Champion Karrion Kross and Johnny Gargano will take part in a face-to-face segment at NXT Great American Bash on Tuesday. NXT authority figure Samoa Joe will also be there to make sure things don’t get out of hand.
Kross told Gargano to leave his family at home for the face-to-face segment. Kross said he’ll leave Scarlett at home as well.
Kross and Gargano brawled throughout this past Tuesday’s NXT episode. As they fought in the parking lot, Kross put Gargano in the Kross Jacket and then tried to run him over with his car. Joe moved Gargano out of the way before Kross could hit him. Joe told Gargano that perhaps Gargano pushed Kross a little too far.
WWE has also announced that Hit Row will host a “Championship Cypher” at the Great American Bash. The segment will be a freestyle rap from Hit Row. It’s in celebration of Hit Row’s Isaiah “Swerve” Scott defeating Bronson Reed on this past Tuesday’s NXT to win the North American Championship.
This is the second straight year that WWE has presented a special Great American Bash edition of NXT. Here’s the updated card for the show:
Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly
NXT Tag Team Champions MSK defend against Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell defend against Io Shirai & Zoey Stark
Million Dollar Champion LA Knight defends against Cameron Grimes (if Grimes loses, he has to become Knight’s butler)
NXT Champion Karrion Kross and Johnny Gargano will go face-to-face
Goose stepping your way to the WWE title, and a storyline homicide were the themes of what was the worst WWE PPV show in a long time.
One of the key reasons WWE business overall, even with popularity falling, looks nothing like WCW, is because WWE has maintained a large percentage of its PPV audience. The reason? Unlike with WCW at the end, WWE PPV shows consistently deliver. But a collection of matches, most of which had no storyline build-up, featuring talent that wasn’t ready for the PPV stage, led to a sad undercard. John Bradshaw Layfield became the most unlikely WWE champion, with the possible exception of Vince McMahon, in company history, by winning a bullrope match over Eddie Guerrero, ending a planned long-term reign that wound up lasting four months.
But the company can’t afford too many shows like the 6/27 Great American Bash at the Norfolk Scope Arena.
The NXT Tag Team titles will be on the line at the Great American Bash.
On tonight’s NXT episode, it was announced that MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter) will defend their NXT Tag Team titles against Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher at the Great American Bash. The show is taking place on Tuesday, July 6 and is a special episode of NXT.
Ciampa & Thatcher were set up as the top contenders to MSK’s titles by defeating The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) in a tornado tag match in the main event of last week’s NXT.
Ahead of Great American Bash, there will be a face-to-face segment with MSK and Ciampa & Thatcher on NXT next Tuesday.
MSK have been NXT Tag Team Champions since winning the titles in a triple threat match against The Grizzled Young Veterans and Legado del Fantasma (Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde) at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver this April. The titles were vacant heading into that match.
It was also announced tonight that NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell will defend their titles at the Great American Bash. Io Shirai & Zoey Stark, NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai, and Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon will face off in a triple threat tag match on NXT next Tuesday to determine LeRae & Hartwell’s challengers for the Great American Bash.
Here’s the updated Great American Bash card:
Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly
NXT Tag Team Champions MSK defend against Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell defend against either Io Shirai & Zoey Stark, Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai, or Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon
For the second straight year, the Great American Bash is making its return as a special edition of NXT.
During NXT TakeOver: In Your House tonight, it was announced that NXT Great American Bash 2021 will take place on Tuesday, July 6. The show will air live on the USA Network starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Last year’s NXT Great American Bash was the first time WWE had used the Great American Bash name for a show since an episode of SmackDown that took place in 2012. NXT Great American Bash 2020 was held over two weeks. Night one was headlined by Io Shirai defeating Sasha Banks. In the main event of night two, Keith Lee defeated Adam Cole in a title vs. title match where the NXT Championship and NXT North American Championship were both on the line.
Great American Bash was originally an NWA/WCW event. WWE later used the show’s name for an annual pay-per-view between 2004-2008. A WWE PPV named “The Bash” also took place in 2009.
World Wrestling Entertainment faces a major challenge this coming summer due to ambitious plans being made at a time when the situation looked a lot different.
The company will be doing three PPV shows in a six-week period, unprecedented for them, with Raw’s Bad Blood on 6/13 in Columbus, OH, Smackdown’s Great American Bash on 6/27 in Norfolk and Raw’s Vengeance on 7/11 in Hartford. This precedes the summer’s major event, SummerSlam on 8/15 in Toronto.
The split brand shows are a challenge due to all the problems that have cropped up with talent losses and injuries since Wrestlemania. The Smackdown brand, badly sputtering at present, will rematch Eddy Guerrero vs. John Bradshaw Layfield, coming off their bloodbath match. It is unknown what stipulations will be added, but coming two weeks after a Hell in a Cell match on the Raw brand show, even throwing in a specialized cage or gimmick will lose some of its effectiveness trying to hype what people think is a weaker show two weeks after a Hell in a Cell match.
The final night of NXT’s Great American Bash was headlined by a winner-take-all title vs. title match.
Keith Lee defeated Adam Cole, ending the longest NXT Championship reign in history. Lee is now a double champion and holds the NXT Championship and NXT North American Championship.
Cole hit his second Last Shot of the match near the finish. He then went for the Panama Sunrise, but Lee gave him a Spirit Bomb. Lee then hit the Big Bang Catastrophe to get the win.
Lee celebrated in the ring to close the episode. It was also shown that Karrion Kross and Scarlett were watching on as Lee celebrated.
Night two of the Great American Bash also featured Mia Yim vs. Candice LeRae in a street fight, Johnny Gargano vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Bronson Reed vs. Tony Nese, Legado del Fantasma vs. Drake Maverick & Breezango, and Mercedes Martinez returning to television against Santana Garrett.
Keith Lee has ended Adam Cole’s year-plus long title reign and is now a double champion.
In a match where both of their titles were on the line, Lee defeated Cole in the main event of Great American Bash night two to win the NXT Championship and retain the NXT North American Championship. This is the first time Lee has held the NXT Championship. He’s been North American Champion since defeating Roderick Strong for the title in January.
The finishing sequence saw Cole hit his second Last Shot of the match. But instead of going for the pin, he climbed the ropes and went for the Panama Sunrise. Lee countered and hit a Spirit Bomb on Cole. He then hit the Big Bang Catastrophe to win the winner-take-all match.
Lee celebrated in the ring to close the show. It was shown that Karrion Kross and Scarlett were watching on during the celebration.
It was noted on commentary that Lee is the first person in NXT history to hold two singles titles at the same time.
Cole had been NXT Champion since winning the title from Johnny Gargano at TakeOver: XXV in June 2019.
The result of Cole vs. Lee had been spoiled by a now-deleted photo of Lee celebrating in the ring that was posted on Instagram by NXT’s Saurav when the match was taped last week.
A winner-take-all title vs. title match headlines night two of NXT’s Great American Bash tonight.
NXT Champion Adam Cole and NXT North American Champion Keith Lee will face off in tonight’s main event with both of their titles on the line. Cole has been NXT Champion for more than a year, while Lee has held the North American title since January. He was confirmed as Cole’s opponent for tonight’s show by retaining the North American title against Finn Balor and Johnny Gargano in a triple threat match two weeks ago.
Mia Yim vs. Candice LeRae in a street fight, Gargano vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, and Legado del Fantasma (NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde) vs. Drake Maverick & Breezango are also set for tonight’s show.
Plus, Mercedes Martinez will make an appearance. WWE has been hyping her reintroduction with videos over the past few weeks.
Robert Stone has also hyped that he’ll be revealing a “HUGE new signing” to the Robert Stone Brand tonight.
Our coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The show opened with a grudge match from the women’s division.
Candice LeRae defeated Mia Yim in a street fight
LeRae pinned Yim in a WWE-style brawl with weapons that had a few nods at old school ECW. Both were dressed in street clothes. Yim attacked LeRae on the stage during LeRae’s entrance. They fought to the bring where Yim pulled weapons out from underneath the ring. There were the usual WWE tropes like kendo sticks, chairs, and trash cans. They proceeded to trade strikes with the kendo sticks. Yim momemts later introduced a table into the match.
They fought in the ring, and then the fight spilled outside to the floor. They posted each other, and they left ringside to brawl around the building. LeRae blinded Yim with a fire extinguisher, and then tried to suplex her off a stage through a table. Yim blocked the suplex, and then she threw a dropkick. LeRae with a Nestea Plunge through a table just before the show cut a picture-in-picture commercial break.
There were back in the ring when the show returned from break. The brawling continued in a ring littered with weapons. LeRae threw even more chairs in the ring than there already was beforehand. She also bridged a table on the top rope. Yim fought back and dropped LeRae with a kick. A double down turned into a comeback for Yim when she fired up on LeRae. Yim put a trash can over the head of LeRae, and then she kicked it. She also did a rolling cannonball into the trash can.
Yim reached into a pocket to retrieve some brass knuckles. LeRae blocked the knux with some chair shots. She buried Yim in a pile of chairs. She climbed on top of the table she had earlier bridged on the top rope. Yim cut her off, and then Yim also got on the table. LeRae was able to take the brass knux away from Yim, and LeRae hit her with the knux. LeRae hooked Yim for Mister Toad’s Wild Ride off the table on to the pile of chairs. LeRae then covered Yim for the pinfall.
LeRae and Yim stayed down selling as the show went to commercial. LeRae rolled out of the ring, and Yim saved some face as she was able to get to her feet and walk out of the ring.
Bronson Reed defeated Tony Nese
Reed pinned Nese in a match that was set up during an angle from last week where Reed made a save to run off Nese. It was a decent match, but it seemed like filler programming.
Reed gained an early advantage until Nese trapped him in the apron skirt. Nese capitalized as he began working over Reed. Nese continued his onslaught, but Reed soon was fighting back. Reed was manhandling Nese, when Nese was able to snap Reed’s neck on the top rope. Nese followed with a Super Crazy springboard moonsault for a two count.
For the finish, Reed mowed Nese down with a lariat. Reed then jumped off the top rope with a splash, and he covered Nese for the pinfall.
A vignette highlighted the return of Mercedes Martinez.
Robert Stone was backstage saying we were about to witness history. Stone got angry at Shotzi Blackheart becasue she did not want to join the Robert Stone Brand. He threw his cup of coffee over his shoulder. Much to his chagrin, Killian Dain was hit with the coffee cup. He was very upset by this so grabbed Stone by the lapels and threw him into a cart. Blackheart then ran over Stone’s leg with her mini-tank. Stone screamed in pain. I guess this was done for comedy.
Undisputed Era arrived to the building, and Kyle O’Reilly was with them.
Johnny Gargano defeated Isaiah “Swerve” Scott
Gargano pinned Swerve in a good match. Much like the previous match on the show, this match was also set up in an angle last week. The difference was this match was announced ahead of time, albeit only yesterday via social media. And it was all already taped last week. [Insert Toru Yano shrug.]
The match began with grappling on the mat before the pace quickened into more intricate spots. They built to a Fosbury Flop by Swerve before a commercial break.
The show returned from break with Gargano in control, and Swerve soon cut him off. A pop-up flatliner by Swerve netted a two count. They traded near falls as Gargano hit Swerve with a spear for another two count.
They were trading strikes and kicks when Swerve caught Gargano with the House Call. That led into a double down. Gargano was soon able to apply a STF. Swerve escaped the hold, but after a tilt-a-whirl a moment later saw Gargano go for his submission finisher. Swerve again escaped, and Swerve then executed a falcon arrow for a near fall.
Swerve went for a double stomp off the turnbuckles to the floor, but Gargano avoided it. He posted Swerve, and then gave him a poison rana on the floor. That led to Gargano slingshotting into the ring for his signature DDT, and Gargano covered Swerve for the pifall.
A great video package set up Tegan Nox challenging Io Shirai for the NXT Women’s Championship, and that title match was announced for next week on NXT.
El Legado del Fantasma (NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde) defeated Drake Maverick and Breezango (Tyler Breeze & Fandango)
Escobar pinned Maverick to win the match. The match was good for what it was, but this did not feel special. It gave the new heel trio a win, though.
Breezango spoofed them being luchadores for their entrance as they wore masks and jumped around. I guess it was supposed to be funny, but it just seemed folish. It certainly didn’t make me want to take them seriously. Maverick on the other hand had a look of determination on his face.
Mendoza & Wilde wore matching gear, and Escobar wore similar gear. They all wore armbands because that is something heel factions do in WWE ever since Nexus. Undisputed Era does it too. Escobar’s armband was a different color because he is the boss.
The heel trio worked over Breeze. A hot tag later and Fandango was cleaning house. Fandango press-slammed Maverick over his head and threw him outside onto the heels. Fandango springboarded into a flip dive. Fandango got up selling his knee, and then his knee was rammed into the ring steps. The heels got heat on Fandango, and they at first didn’t work the leg all that much. They eventually got around to targeting the leg.
Maverick ran wild after a hot tag. He was a house of fire as he exploded on Escobar. However, Escobar was able to crotch him on a turnbuckle. Escobar then gave him the Phantom Driver, and he covered him for the pinfall.
Mercedes Martinez defeated Santana Garrett
Martinez pinned Garrett, and Martinez looked very strong in doing so.
Martinez had a badass new ring entrance. She looked like a superstar. Martinez wasted no time in clubbing Garrett as the match began. Garrett fought back briefly as she applied a cobra twist. Garrett also did a handspring back elbow, but Martinez no sold and mowed her down with a high kick.
Martinez with ground and pound as she pummeled Garrett. Martinez dashed a hope spot before delivering the fisherman’s buster suplex, and then she pinned Garrett.
A vignette focused on the rivalry between Cameron Grimes and Damian Priest. A match between the two is official of next week.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee defeated NXT Champion Adam Cole in a winner-take-all title-for-title match to become double champion
Lee pinned Cole to become the first person to hold both male singles titles in NXT at the same time. This was a one match show, and this one match did deliver. It was pretty dang great. Lee was put over like a superstar.
They started with a methodical pace. Cole was cocky, and Lee soon shut him up. Cole begged off, but he baited Lee into following him outside the ring. Cole sidestepped, and Lee smashed into the guardrail and plexiglass partition.
Cole went to work on Lee. Cole got cocky again as he started to taunt Lee. That soon angered Lee, but Cole dashed a hop spot. Cole went back to work as he called Lee a “nobody”, and Cole claimed Lee “can’t win the big one.” Lee soon hulked up and peppered Cole with punches.
Lee with a huge powerslam for a near fall. Cole cut him off when he tripped up Lee in the ropes. Cole with a backstabber on Lee looked to regain the advantage. Lee cut him off, and Lee deadlifted him into a superplex for a big pop from the planted crowd.
Cole fought back, only for Lee to give him a pop-up powerbomb. Lee went for a cover, and Cole was able to barely get a rope break with one finger on the bottom rope. Cole ate a pounce, and then took a chokeslam of sorts. Yet, Cole still managed to kick out.
Lee with a moonsault press for another two count. Cole escaped the Big Bang Catastrophe, and he hit a superkick. Lee hulked up. Cole hit him with another. Lee hulked up even greater. Cole took out Lee’s legs with superkicks, and Cole followed with The Last Shot. Lee kicked out to fight on.
Cole measured Lee for another Last Shot, but Cole instead took a nasty bump when Lee caught him with a lariat. Cole somehow managed to recover, and he executed the Panama Sunrise. Lee kicked out again, and Cole was in disbelief.
Cole threw several superkicks at Lee, and Lee still kicked out yet again. Cole pulled down his kneepad, and he delivered a Last Shot with the exposed kneecap. Cole then climbed on the turnbuckles seemingly going for another Panama Sunrise. Lee blocked it to give Cole a Spirit Bomb, and then the Big Bang Catastrophe for the pinfall.
Lee celebrated with both championship belts as confetti rained down around him. Karrion Kross & Scarlett were shown watching from above. They have their sights set on the new champion.
