NXT: Hayes, Dragunov cannot coexist before The Great American Bash

WWE produces hours of weekly content, and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio has his felonious fingerprints on it all. North American Champion Mysterio and Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley open up NXT, trying to speak over persistent boos and “cut the mullet” chants. Wes Lee – the former champion and probably the lineage’s best, and challenger Mustafa Ali interrupt consecutively to diss “Dirty Dom” before butting heads themselves.

Other challengers at The Great American Bash this Sunday are The D’Angelo Family, whose interview is interrupted by newcomers Lucien Price and Brono Nima. “The Don” sets a challenge for tonight – his first match back from prison. 

WWE social media – begrudgingly featuring the “X” platform already – showed a confrontation between Ripley and Lyra Valkyria, who vows to take The Judgment Day member down in tonight’s main event.

Schism vs Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams, and Ilja Dragunov

NXT Champion Hayes defends against Dragunov this Sunday with a disappointingly weak build-up centered around the age-old question… can they coexist? With main roster competitors integrating into NXT, Hayes’ run has felt secondary – not helped by losses to Finn Balor or meetings with Bobby Lashley on RAW and Smackdown. Schism controls throughout picture-in-picture until the constantly improving “Trick Willy” makes a comeback, halted by an inadvertent Torpedo Moskau by Dragunov. Two masked Schism drones take out Rip Fowler and Jagger Reed as Hayes pins Joe Gacey, and it doesn’t take a True Crime investigation to guess the turned cult members are actually rival Creed Brothers.

Winners: Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams, and Ilja Dragunov

Speaking of backseats, NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton speaks in a promo package about Thea Hail. The 19-year-old challenger might be the most intriguing women’s roster member in NXT – especially over Stratton, and a title change would be welcomed in Sunday’s submission match.

Von Wagner vs Javier Bernal

Mr. Stone accompanies Wagner, who’s turned a new leaf in opening up about childhood trauma. Wagner gets a quick pinfall victory and grants Orlando’s wishes for a table spot, powerbombing Bernal before getting absolutely obliterated by Bron Breakker – no question about it, the best spear in the game!

Winner: Von Wagner

Hayes and Dragunov exchange respect before Williams complains about getting hit with the challenger’s “big ass head.” Hayes tries letting smaller, cooler heads prevail, but Williams is set on calling Dragunov out.

2020 Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson enters the ring to “Gable” chants and some mixed boos. He surveys future career options before Baron Corbin interrupts to unanimous boos, telling Steveson that he’s “swimming with sharks.” Steveson responds, “You just made my decision that much easier… me verse you, in my first match, at The Great American Bash.” He suplexes Corbin until officials separate them, and the “great white” accepts.

Dana Brooke vs Cora Jade – Kendo Stick Match

Brooke’s one fan in Orlando, Kehlani Jordan, accompanies her ringside where multiple kendo sticks decorate the barricade. Booker T is comically taken out by Jade over the announce desk, but she recuperates by slamming Brooke onto the sticks. Jade’s in her wheelhouse, but Jordan helps turn the tide with a pink kendo stick like Barbie besting Oppenheimer at the box office. Brooke hits a Swanton atop the kendo sticks to gain the completely unnecessary victory over rising competitor Jade.

Winner: Dana Brooke 

Dragunov threatens to answer Williams’ challenge by breaking him tonight, much like he guarantees to break Hayes on Sunday despite the NXT Champion’s attempt to make peace.

Damon Kemp forms an alliance with Charlie Dempsey and Drew Gulak based on pure wrestling and grit – like a lesser, villainous version of Diamond Mind, right back where he started.

Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo vs Bronco Nima and Lucien Price

Scrypts joins commentary after joining fellow street fighters Nima and Price last week. “You not from the hood – his name is Reginald,” comments the always hilarious Booker T. As Nima and Price dominate, Axiom flys in to attack Scrypts before D’Angelo makes a comeback. He and “Stacks” hit Bada Bing for victory, already adding an L to the newcomers record, and face NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus up on the titantron. If there was a story built enough for Gallus to lose, it’s certainly at The Great American Bash.

Winners: Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo 

Dijak sends a message to Eddy Thorpe in a promo package: “I hand (a clear stream of justice) down with great conviction and reckless abandon.”

It isn’t WordStar, it’s NXT. Footage of Roxanne Perez and Blair Davenport’s brawl at an Orlando corner store is pieced together, ending in sirens and lights.

Supernova Sessions returns with joint hosts Lash Legend, Jakara Jackson, and Oro Mensah who interview the mute, dejected, wheelchaired Noam Dar. He’s miraculously healed when they present a counterfeit Heritage Cup, and rightful champion Nathan Frazer interrupts alongside Dragon Lee. Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz even the odds, and once again, The Meta-Four are taken out sad.

A training montage for Thea Hail recaps her career progression at Chase University. This is the more fleshed out, D1 version of Alpha Academy with a seasoned protege – incredibly at just 19 years old.

Footage from last week shows the parking lot argument between Humberto Carillo and Angel Garza. “Are we chasing women or are we chasing glory?” asks an extremely fired up Carillo.

Rhea Ripley vs Lyra Valkyria 

With a relatively even opening segment, jacked Women’s World Champion Ripley takes control in picture-in-picture with a dominating presence like no other. Dominik Mysterio takes a hit ringside, but Valkyria capitalizes anyway with a spike DDT and Frog Splash for two. Ripley halts a mid-air maneuver with a big boot and follows with Riptide for the expected victory, and The Judgment Day continues to rule. “Prove me right, and beat Jacy Jayne,” Ripley says.

Winner: Rhea Ripley

Trick Williams calls out Ilja Dragunov and floors him with a dropkick, continuing to batter the number-one contender until the latter recuperates with German suplexes. Dragunov connects with two downward forearms and inadvertently hits Carmelo Hayes – who took his sweet time – with Torpedo Moskau. “Hang onto your friendship with Trick, because after The Great American Bash, he will be all you have left after I take your NXT Championship!” says the challenger, standing tall with the gold.