As announced by Shawn Michaels on social media today, NXT Great American Bash will air live on The CW on June 28. With Naraku and Mason Rook eyeing him, Tony D’Angelo defends the NXT Championship against Kam Hendrix in the first episode of the month.
Zaria vs Lizzy Rain
Rain announces she’s going “red-head hunting” in her entrance, following up on her pull-apart with Zaria last week. As Zaria takes over, Women’s North American Champion Tatum Paxley joins the announce desk. After break, Rain hits a hurricanrana, and Zaria comes back with a spear. They trade strikes, and Rain makes a comeback with a tornado DDT. She fires up with a cutter, but Zaria catches her with a German suplex, spear and F5 for victory. Post-match, Paxley stops Zaria from hitting another F5, offering her a Women’s North American Championship match next week.
Winner: Zaria
Tavion Heights suggests Dorian Van Dux and Sean Legacy team up the way he Myles Borne used to in No Quarter Catch Crew. Behind them, Shawn Spears apologizes to Niko Vance for his lack of communication in attacking OTM last week. Izzi Dame says The Culling has business to attend to, making sure their OTM problem is finished.
DarkState surrounds the ring for their match against Borne and Heights, but Saquon Shugars avenges himself by blindsiding Cutler James with a baseball bat. After break, Vic Joseph says General Manager Robert Stone has postponed the match and moved up the following.
OTM vs The Culling
OTM jumpstarts like Spears did previously. Joseph mentions that Bronco Nima’s younger brother is in attendance, the one featured in OTM’s profile piece. “X Factor” Vance showcases his usual aggression, while partner Spears is seemingly on the outskirts of his own faction. Lucien Price makes a powerhouse comeback after break, and The Culling recuperates with an assisted powerslam. OTM throws Vance ringside, doubling up on Spears with a finishing slam. Don’t pick up your phone, Spears.
Winners: OTM
In the locker room, EK Prosper tries coaching Tate Wilder into slowing down his risk-taking. Kam Hendrix calls him reckless, mocking him and Prosper as he challenges for the NXT Championship already.
Jackson Drake vs Tate Wilder
Drake earns the distinction of being in Booker T’s fav five, the only male too. Wilder makes Drake pay for the hip swivel with a slingblade and senton to all of Vanity Project before break. Drake hits an innovative backflip kick on the apron and crotches Wilder on the top rope. Wilder connects with a sunset-flip powerbomb and twisting frog splash for two, right before Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes distract the referee. Myka Lockwood catches Wilder’s seated senton and slams him into the steps, allowing Drake to capitalize with a 450 Splash for victory.
Winner: Jackson Drake
Emily Agard interviews Robert Stone about Great American Bash, the first PLE on The CW. DarkState’s Osiris Griffin storms in about Saquon Shugars as Jasper Troy enters. “Who invited him?” Griffin says as Dion Lennox smacks Troy with a steel chair. Troy runs into the camera, prompting a malfunction effect as DarkState destroys Stone’s office.
NXT Women’s Champion Lola Vice enters the ring to ask who’s next, and Kehlani Jordan stakes her claim. She compares her time in TNA to Vice’s time in AAA, except the former felt she was criticized. Predictably, another interruption occurs, and Kendal Grey boasts pinning both women. Vice puts together her own number-one contendership match next week, where the winner will challenge at Great American Bash. Jordan grabs her belt, and Vice inadvertently drops Grey with a backfist.
A package previews “Mr. England” Tristan Angels and Shiloh Hill’s Mr. NXT Pageant next week. They’ll compete in attire, talent and public speaking in front of three special-guest judges. Hill and Tatum Paxley watch the monitors, and the former attends to “some raccoon business.” Zaria timely attacks Paxley, and Hill runs back for help.
Mason Rook tells Tony D’Angelo he should be challenging for the NXT Championship tonight instead of Kam Hendrix. Robert Stone jumps in, telling Rook he’ll get an opportunity against Naraku next week. “Sure thing, Stone,” Rook responds to being asked not to interfere tonight.
Romeo Moreno vs Lexis King (c) – Speed Championship
After defeating Nathan Frazer last week, 23-year-old Moreno advances to the championship finals under a five-minute time limit. He hits a springboard missile dropkick, and King comes back with a springboard double stomp. Moreno fights back with consecutive suplexes and Rings of Saturn at the two-minute mark. He leaps onto Stacks and Uriah Connor ringside, and King catches him with a single-leg Boston Crab. The champion avoids a springboard moonsault, capitalizing with a running knee and the Coronation for three.
Winner: Lexis King
Nattie calls Jaida Parker’s performance against Layla Diggs last week mediocre. She doesn’t buy Parker’s “act,” calling her scared and soft. The women’s locker room says she deserves it, and Hank Walker says he’d cry.
In the trainer’s room, Keanu Carver says Tate Wilder has a death wish. EK Prosper threatens to humble Carver, and in the next chair, an injured Wren Sinclair feels she’s getting in Kendal Grey’s way. “You need to face Kehlani on your own,” Sinclair suggests.
DarkState vs Tavion Heights and Myles Borne
Considering all of def rebel’s lazy intros, Heights’ theme song starting with a numerical count up to nine might be the worst. Heights and Borne immediately cannot coexist, but the former connects with a frightening belly-to-belly suplex on Dion Lennox at ringside. Those historically do not end well. DarkState controls after break, and Lennox and Osiris Griffin are the complete-package tag team of their combinations. Heights receives the hot tag with more suplexes, but DarkState connects with the Doomsday Device for victory. Saquon Shugars stalks them from the podium, baseball bat in-hand.
Winners: DarkState
Kam Hendrix vs Tony D’Angelo (c) – NXT Championship
Booker T calls Hendrix’s signature pose his Heisman, and Vic Joseph tells him to look at a Google photo of one. Hendrix hits a Showtime Kick right when the bell rings, and the challenger continues the early attack. D’Angelo fights back with grappling throws as Naraku spectates ringside, vowing to protect the match’s sanctity. After break, D’Angelo hulks up with suplexes and Forget About It for a two-count.
The referee catches Hendrix’s rope leverage attempt, but the challenger follows with another Showtime Kick and a powerbomb. D’Angelo delivers one of his own, Hendrix tries grabbing a steel chair, and Mason Rook’s big foot stops it. The champion back-drops Hendrix onto the announce desk and hits Dead To Rights to retain.
Winner: Tony D’Angelo
Naraku hands D’Angelo the belt and bows to the champion. Before NXT goes off air, Joseph announces the winner of Naraku and Rook next week will challenge D’Angelo at Great American Bash.
