With summer underway, NXT announced an official tailgate and watch party outside the Performance Center on June 28. It starts at 6 p.m., coinciding with the Great American Bash airing nationally on The CW. Summer is underway, and Vic Joseph announced that Booker T is on vacation, welcoming in Corey Graves tonight as replacement.
After recapping last week’s episode, NXT opened with new Women’s North American Champion Zaria. Despite holding gold, she harped on about Sol Ruca’s casted shadow until Kehlani Jordan interrupted. Jordan offered her advice, calling the division unfair for giving Kendal Grey an NXT Women’s Championship match. The formulaic interruptions continued with Grey and Lola Vice, who face each other at the Great American Bash. General Manager Robert Stone cut into the bickering, and Vice made the Teddy Long announcement for him: Grey and Vice versus Zaria and Jordan tonight.
Tavion Heights vs Jackson Drake
The winner challenges North American Champion Myles Borne at the Great American Bash. Olympic wrestler Heights stretches and suplexes Drake until Ricky Smokes of Vanity Project makes a distraction. Drake throws Heights into the steel steps before break, and they collide in-ring thereafter. Heights makes a comeback, but Drake ups the ante with a handspring cutter, standing Shooting Star Press and outside dive.
Heights hits an avalanche belly-to-belly and Frog Splash for a two-count. He throws Drake into Vanity Project, who eat a clothesline from Borne, and follows with another belly-to-belly for victory. “I can do this myself,” Heights tells his former No Quarter Catch Crew partner.
Winner: Tavion Heights
Footage from last week shows Evolve Champion Aaron Rourke, Hank and Tank, and comedian Matt Mathews dissing Tristan Angels to Robert Stone. Birthright steps into the office, and Mathews calls Lexis King “Temu Bret Michaels.” Hank and Tank step up for Mathews, challenging Stacks and Uriah Connors tonight.
Thea Hail vs Izzi Dame – Speed Tournament
Hail sips an energy drink, although she certainly doesn’t need caffeine. The Culling is whole, for now, coaching Dame from ringside. She delivers a big boot, Hail hits a neckbreak and loosely applies a vague-looking armbar. Dame avoids a senton, winning with a running knee at the 40-second mark.
Winner: Izzi Dame
In the locker room, Women’s Speed Champion Wren Sinclair and Kendal Grey plan on leaving the Great American Bash as a championship duo. NXT Women’s Champion Vice objects, and Sinclair points out the “will they, won’t they coexist” trope.
A vignette follows NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo near presumably the Red Chinese Ting monument in Orlando, foreshadowing his Japanese opponent Naraku. After break, a contract signing ensues in front of the monument. D’Angelo qualifies Naraku’s 14 championships in Japan with his “pack of wild animals,” referring to Bullet Club and House of Torture. He accuses him of desecrating tradition and says he can’t defeat him alone. “In due time, Tony-san,” Naraku says, promising to sign next week. “Evil is coming.”
On the phone, Robert Stone mentions a Great American Bash cookout in the parking lot – what Bryan Alvarez once imagined. Keanu Carver steps into the office, where Stone names EK Prosper his opponent for next week. Prosper tells Carver he isn’t a scrub, sharing the same “death wish” as Tate Wilder.
Jaida Parker vs Nattie
An NXT Focus package highlights Nattie’s sidequest, where she insists that Parker is soft. Nattie acknowledges Karmen Petrovic and Nikkita Lyons in the hallway, either hinting at an alliance or complimenting all their blond hair. Parker is scrappy against the Dungeon-trained veteran and eventually catches her in Rings of Saturn. After break, Nattie tosses Vic Joseph’s notes and goads Orlando into jeers at ringside. Parker catches her in an STF, and Nattie again reaches the ropes.
Nattie forces a hand by slapping Parker’s half-exposed butt, executing a Surfboard Stretch with excellent ring psychology. Parker makes a comeback with a corner hip drop and Hipnotic for a two-count. They trade submission attempts before Nattie throws Parker’s targeted knee into the steel steps. She follows with a Sharpshooter, and despite a raucous Orlando, Parker is forced to tap. Petrovic and Lyons raise her victorious hands in the entranceway.
Winner: Nattie
English newcomers Mason Rook, Lizzy Rain and Tristan Angels congregate backstage. Angels boasts being undefeated and best-dressed, but Evolve Champion Aaron Rourke reminds him that Shiloh Hill won the Mr. NXT Pageant – “no stranger to coming up short.” However, Angels explains the fine print, defaulting as Mr. NXT after taking out Hill.
Arianna Grace vs Layla Diggs – Speed Tournament
Orlando vibes out to Diggs’ R&B theme, sure to be changed by def rebel eventually. Vic Joseph says Corey Graves’ hips don’t lie, and the latter gets familiarized with his signature antics. Diggs hits a Shining Wizard at the two-minute mark and kicks Stacks off the apron under one minute. She moonsaults onto Birthright at ringside, and Grace possums with an inside cradle for victory.
Winner: Arianna Grace
Noam Dar tells Sean Legacy and Dorian Van Dux that teaming with Romeo Moreno wasn’t on his radar. “It felt so special,” Moreno says, and Dar agrees. Legacy thinks he and Van Dux can also team, but the latter interestingly loses focus in The Culling behind him. He urges Legacy to make a tag team match official with Robert Stone.
In a vignette, Tate Wilder shares his broken finger, accomplished via failing a backflip. Wilder still searches for his first NXT victory, alongside searching for risks and thrills.
Saquon Shugars versus Dion Lennox is announced for the Great American Bash. In an NXT Chronicle package, Shugars shares his gift of gab – and backstory from the inner city. He appreciates the accolades of DarkState but vows to take his hustling to Lennox. “We’re gonna see who made a mistake,” Lennox responds to the monitors.
Next week, Tristan Angels challenges Aaron Rourke for the Evolve Championship, Hank and Tank face Birthright, and the Women’s and Men’s NXT Championship competitors sign their contracts for the Great American Bash.
Kehlani Jordan and Zaria versus Kendal Grey and Lola Vice
“Seemingly overnight, Kendal Grey grasped this game and is excelling at it,” Corey Graves says, joining the widespread fervor. Vic Joseph pitches to footage of Vice at the Puerto Rican Day Parade, another highlight for New York City this week. After an even opening half, Zaria catches Grey with a knee lift, and Jordan follows with an apron senton. Proceeding break, Vice makes a comeback with rapid kicks and hip attacks. She exchanges submissions with Jordan, Zaria spears Grey, and the latter smoothly counters the F5 with an armbar.
They floor each other to “NXT” chants, and Vice and Grey eventually apply a guillotine and ankle lock respectively. Jordan hits an Asai Moonsault onto Grey, Vice counters with a seated senton, and Zaria caps it with a spear. Former Women’s Speed Champion Tatum Paxley pops up from the barricade, allowing Vice to capitalize with a spinning backfist on Zaria for victory.
Winners: Kendal Grey and Lola Vice
Paxley splashes onto Zaria from the barricade, commencing in a pull-apart brawl. Jordan steals away the NXT Women’s Championship belt, and Grey inadvertently pulls it into Vice at show’s end.
