The Great American Bash airs this Sunday on The CW, the first WWE premium live event to broadcast on the cable television network – without needing a premium. Also basically free, Vic Joseph announced that the Great American Bash tailgate and watch party will feature Busted Open Radio’s Dave LaGreca and NXT alum Kevin Owens.
Joseph welcomed Wade Barrett back to commentary, described as a welcome back opposed to Corey Graves’ special-guest spot last week. “You look greyer than the last time,” Joseph said. In the back, General Manager Robert Stone opened the episode with NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo, telling him Naraku has yet to sign their contract.
Aaron Rourke (c) vs Tristan Angels – WWE Evolve Championship
D’Angelo wishes Evolve Champion Rourke luck in his defense – additionally in making his NXT in-ring debut. Joseph mentions the winner will face Max Abrams tomorrow on Evolve Succession III. Barrett sides with fellow Englishman Angels, currently the unofficial Mr. NXT. The actual winner, Shiloh Hill, interrupts with red lighting and a cackle – which Joseph compares to Papa Shango.
Angels controls through picture-in-picture, and Naraku arrives with the contract in-hand thereafter. Rourke makes a comeback as D’Angelo searches for Naraku, and Angels kicks out of a middle-rope Codebreaker meanwhile. Angels retrieves the Mr. NXT sash, only to be kidnapped under the ring by Hill. Rourke capitalizes with Molly-Go-Round for victory.
Winner: Aaron Rourke
Naraku and D’Angelo meet outside, and the challenger hands over the contract. “And new,” Naraku says. The contract book opens to a fireball, taking a literal page out of the Keith Lee GIF in 2020. An ambulance arrives after break. “I’m gonna kill him,” D’Angelo says on the stretcher, smothered by a towel on his face.
Cameras cut to Saquon Shugars in-ring, set to finally meet with former DarkState brethren Dion Lennox. Shugars spent the last month eliminating Cutler James and Osiris Griffin, leading to a one-on-one match at Great American Bash. “I’m just an indie wrestler? Maybe you’re right – emphasis on ‘wrestler.’ This is what I do,” says Shugars, the former Deadlock Pro-Wrestling Worlds Champion. “You can’t lace my boots… If you tried on my jockstrap, it’d be a bad fit.” Lennox insists Shugars is unreliable and self-conscious, a target for Sunday. Orlando splits between them, two guys certainly “up next,” as both describe.
In an NXT Focus package, North American Champion Myles Borne says No Quarter Catch Crew left him directionless. His challenger, and former partner, Tavion Heights claims he’s been pushed aside. “What do I got?” Heights asks NQCC stablemate and Women’s Speed Champion Wren Sinclair. “Anger issues,” she responds. Kendal Grey plans on celebrating Wren-QCC’s double title wins at Great American Bash with a double-layer cake.
Hank and Tank vs Birthright
Comedian Matt Mathews accompanies Hank and Tank with his own “Belly Boys” cropped T-shirt. “Show them your belly button,” bad influence Vic Joseph says to Wade Barrett. “Hank and Tank haven’t really sniffed the tag titles since,” he says later, as they connect with chops, arm drags and atomic drops. Birthright surrounds Mathews, and Hank and Tank save him with stereo dives before break. Tank Ledger receives a hot tag, hitting an apron senton on opponents Uriah Connors and Stacks.
The latter team connects with a springboard stunner and elbow respectively, setting off a chain of maneuvers. Connors caps it with a Swanton to Hank Walker, Lexis King grabs Mathews, and Charlie Dempsey inadvertently slugs and crotches his leader. Meanwhile, Hank and Tank deliver the Honk Honk and running powerslam on Stacks for victory.
Winners: Hank and Tank
Shiloh Hill is interviewed about his stolen Mr. NXT pageant win, threatening to inflict punishment on Tristan Angels at Great American Bash with some oomph. After break, cameras catch Tony D’Angelo being treated at a local medical facility – actually, labeled as the First Response Memorial Hospital.
Like D’Angelo and Naraku, the NXT Women’s Championship match gets a pre-taped contract signing. MMA meets collegiate wrestling as Lola Vice defends against Kendal Grey, and the champion says she has the challenger figured out. “At some point, Kendal Grey will push this women’s division further. But it will be when I’m done, and I’m not done,” Vice says before the Great American Bash.
Keanu Carver vs EK Prosper
Prosper steps up to Carver, sticking up for Tate Wilder last week. He lands a springboard missile dropkick, but Carver kills the fun thereafter. A ringside forearm from Carver takes them into picture-in-picture, and after, Prosper fires up with a springboard moonsault. Wade Barrett calls Prosper an “absolute sensation” after a springboard leg drop. Carver connects with a pounce, but Prosper gets the upset victory with a roll-up. Carver blindsides the victor and powerbombs him through the announce desk – and Vic Joseph’s candy stash.
Winner: EK Prosper
In a promo package, Women’s North American Champion Zaria says she and challenger Tatum Paxley both stepped out of shadows. However, Zaria says Paxley isn’t obsessed with people, but obsessed with pain the champion promises at the Great American Bash.
Naraku laughs in Robert Stone’s face as Carver walks by. Carver vows to run through everyone for an NXT Championship match, although he just lost fair-and-square.
Izzi Dame vs Arianna Grace – Speed Tournament
Grace hopes to avenge Birthright tonight, vying to face Women’s Speed Champion Wren Sinclair at Great American Bash. Dame fends off Stacks, but Grace capitalizes with a running elbow. Shawn Spears asks for a high-five from Dame, and Grace sneaks in a small package for victory.
Winner: Arianna Grace
“Rey, I am looking forward to meeting them all,” Robert Stone says on a call to AAA General Manager Rey Mysterio. At the Great American Bash, Stone announces the appearance of “a few luchadores” and a new opponent for Naraku. Vanity Project steps in about their absence, and Jackson Drake attempts to step up.
In an NXT Origins package, alumni Alexa Bliss speaks on being a homegrown success story. After, fellow homegrown blonds Karmen Petrovic and Nikkita Lyons mock Jaida Parker after her loss to Nattie. “We’re about to take over,” Petrovic briefly says about her AAA debut with the returning Perros Del Mal faction. Speaking of, Bronco Nima (and partner Lucien Price) check in on former OTM stablemate Parker, who says she’ isn’t alright. “I’m just doing what I gotta do for JJ,” Nima says about his younger brother, when asked about Perros Del Mal.
The Culling vs Dorian Van Dux and Sean Legacy
The Culling remains in-ring from a few segments ago, where Niko Vance chastises Spears. The jacked Belgium Van Dux moves with incredible agility, akin to partner Legacy. After break, Vance eats a crossbody for Spears, and Van Dux makes a comeback with a fitting DVD and top-rope moonsault. The Culling connects with an assisted DDT for a two-count, but a springboard 450 Splash from Legacy and Shooting Star Press from Van Dux earn the victory.
Winners: Dorian Van Dux and Sean Legacy
Vance lifts Spears and drops him with a lariat. He chokeslams Spears through the announce desk, standing over his former stablemate with Izzi Dame alongside him.
Robert Stone enters the ring with the NXT Championship belt in-hand. “If you have no one to face me, I will take the championship,” Naraku says to the general manager. Mason Rook interrupts for a clean rematch with Naraku, and Vanity Project’s Jackson Drake offers himself up instead. “Hey, pork chop,” Drake says before Rook brawls with him ringside. “It was never Mason, it was never Jackson, it was always him,” Stone reveals, as the original guy, Tony D’Angelo, arrives with a wrapped and bloody eye.
