NXT Great American Bash Review – 06.28.26

By Niz on 29 June 2026

It’s time for the Summer showcase that is NXT’s Great American Bash. Tonight’s show is the first NXT Premium Live Event to be broadcast on the CW, so we’ll all learn what this is like together this evening. The show emanates from The Performance Center in Orlando, FL. The announcing team for tonight’s show are Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett on match calls and analysis, Mike Rome on ring intros, and Emily Agard and Blake Howard on breaking news and interviews. It’s a big night, so let’s watch some wrestling!

Then, Now, Forever…..TOGETHER

Here’s some folks either at work or arriving to work: WWE Women’s Speed Champion Wren Sinclair sits with best pal and number one contender for the NXT Women’s Championship, Kendal Grey. Grey’s opponent NXT Women’s Champion and AAA Mixed Tag Team Champion Lola Vice has arrived and is looking determined. Here’s Shiloh Hill and Tristan Angels looking decidedly different prior to their matchup, while Dion Lennox and Saquon Shugars consider their meeting tonight in different ways (Lennox = walking into the the building, Shugars = fondling a bat).

NXT Men’s Championship: Tony D’Angelo (C) vs NARAKU

D’Angelo’s head is covered in bandages from the heinous “contract (that actually shoots fire at your face) signing” that occurred Tuesday night this week. Mike Rome does in-ring intros and we’re off. D’Angelo fires off right hands and then immediately drives NARAKU right through the bottom of the NXT Roost. D’Angelo yanks NARAKU out and tosses him back in for more ground and pound. NARAKU bails and catches D’Angelo with kicks when he tries to re-enter the ring. NARAKU drives D’Angelo into a corner and then drags D’Angelo’s face along the top rope. D’Angelo fires up and drives a shoulder into NARAKU but NARAKU goes to the eyes in response and D’Angelo drops in agony to the floor. The ref checks on D’Angelo and appears to be ready to stop the match but D’Angelo insists on that not happening before re-entering. D’Angelo hits a lariat and an overhead suplex and NARAKU bails again. NARAKU trips D’Angelo up and drives him back-first into the apron. NARAKU dumps D’Angelo back in and covers him for two. NARAKU pounds away and yanks D’Angelo up for a backbreaker. NARAKU hits a rolling facebreaker and covers D’Angelo for two. NARAKU sits down in a half-crab but D’Angelo breaks out of it. NARAKU yanks a charging D’Angelo into an Exploder before covering D’Angelo for two. We go to commercials.

NARAKU is on the floor with D’Angelo heading out when the show returns. NARAKU drives D’Angelo into the barricade and then they go back in for a NARAKU Michinoku Driver that gets two. NARAKU mounts D’Angelo in a corner and ascends but D’Angelo slips out and powerbombs NARAKU. We reset with both guys down. NARAKU chops away and D’Angelo fires up. D’Angelo hits a lariat and a corner splash. D’Angelo hits a bulldog and some Germans before nailing NARAKU with a lofted powerslam that gets two. D’Angelo yanks NARAKU up but gets caught with a German. D’Angelo no-sells that and hits Dead To Rights to end things.

So this is going to basically be a souped-up regular television show with built-in commercial breaks as I figured. Good to know. I thought this was a workman-like fight with a fair amount of physicality. I was slightly surprised at the decisiveness of the outcome because that was as clean a finish as you’ll ever see. 3*

Winner AND STILL NXT Men’s Champion – Tony D’Angelo (Dead to Rights)

Here’s a promo from NXT Women’s North American Champion Zaria regarding her defense on tonight’s show versus Tatum Paxley. (It’s the same on from Tuesday night’s show about how they were both in other people’s shadows during this show last year). Tatum Paxley has a response where she promises to regain the title tonight. We go to commercials.

NXT Women’s North American Championship: Zaria (C) vs Tatum Paxley

It takes Joseph about five seconds after Zaria emerges from the back to mention Sol Ruca because that’s the entirety of Zaria’s character – “used to be friends with Sol Ruca before stuff happened”. Paxley is wearing a school girl’s outfit and has red contacts in, while Zaria is in black and red as usual. There’s a tug of war over the belt prior to the bell, and Paxley starts clubbering immediately. Paxley hits a dropkick and then runs into Zaria dumping her on top of the top rope. Zaria sends Paxley to the mat and then yanks her up for some corner work. Zaria nails Paxley with a running pump kick and then crushes her with a release German. Zaria dumps Paxley over and then yanks Paxley up for some shoulders in a corner. Paxley ducks a charge and hits a double stomp on Zaria before mashing her wit a corner splash. Paxley runs into a lofted headbutt from Zaria and bails to the floor. Zaria gives chase and hits a hangman’s choke on Paxley. Paxley pulls Zaria down between the apron and the ring skirt and blasts her with a pump kick and an enziguri. Paxley’s charge is seen by Zaria who side-steps and dumps Paxley into the NXT UNIVERSE. Paxley springs onto Zaria’s back which results in a Zaria backdrop on the floor. Zaria screams at Paxley as we go to commercials.

Paxley is winning a slugfest mid-ring when the show returns. Paxley hits an enziguri but gets caught by Zaria when she charges. Zaria hoists Paxley up, trudges the entire length of the ring, and drops her belly-first onto a top turnbuckle. Zaria ascends and puts a boot on Paxley’s jaw. Paxley lifts a knee and then smashes Zaria’s head onto the top of the ring post. Paxley ascends for a huge cross-body and then mashes Zaria with a flurry of kicks. Paxley yanks Zaria into a German and then superkicks Zaria in a corner. Paxley ascends and they slug it out before Paxley snaps off a superplex. Paxley floats over and runs right into a Zaria spear. They slug it out again and Zaria wins the skirmish with a lifted knee. Zaria yanks Paxley up in a corner and goes back to the hangman’s choke, but Paxley slips out and tosses some chops at Zaria. Zaria ends up in the Tree of Woe and Paxley ascends. They lock eyes and decide to slug it out on the apron. Zaria hits a pump kick and yanks Paxley up, but Paxley slips down and hits a sunset flip powerbomb on Zaria. Paxley touches the title belt but Zaria yanks it away and runs right into a Paxley Pele Kick. Paxley hits Cemetery Drive on the floor and pulls Zaria in for a cover that gets two. Paxley can’t believe it and starts pounding on Zaria’s head. Paxley wants another Cemetery Drive and then rolls through for a two count after Zaria prevents it. Zaria fires up with a spear and an F5 but Paxley kicks out at two. Zaria pounds away on the back of Paxley’s head and then stomps her down from behind. Zaria hits a second F5 and that ends things.

I didn’t figure we’d see a title change here. This was a physical war and I thought one of Zaria’s better non-Ruca efforts, so we’ll see if this feud ends now and Zaria moves on or we just keep on going with this. The finish was clean, and there was only some minor stuff in the structure that seemed a little awkward, but overall this got the job done. 3.5*

Winner AND STILL NXT Women’s North American Champion – Zaria (F5)

Here’s Wren Sinclair and Kendal Grey discussing tonight while Sinclair paces. Grey is grateful for Sinclair rebuilding NQCC with just the two of them and knows Sinclair will beat Arianna Grace tonight. Sinclair says Grey will beat Lola Vice and prove she is the NOW. We go to commercials.

The Vanity Project are with NXT GM Robert Stone who says that they made this past Tuesday a living hell for him. Brad Baylor wants to know if Stone wants to make money or not. Stone doesn’t take kindly to that and mentions that Jackson Drake will be facing Mason Rook this Tuesday night, while Baylor and Ricky Smokes will defend their NXT Tag Titles against El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. and Galeno Del Mal this week as well.

Blake Howard is with Dave LaGreca and a thinned out Kevin Owens at the parking lot watch party. Owens is proud of Tony D’Angelo for retaining with one eye, while LaGreca puts over Zaria and Tatum Paxley’s match.

Shiloh Hill vs Tristan Angels

Angels tries some shenanigans at the bell but Hill shakes it off and trucks him down. Hill trucks Angels a second time and Angels bails to the floor. Hill gets his hands on the Mr. NXT sash and then yanks Angels into an airplane spin. Angels bails again to collect himself and then comes back in. Angels flips Hill around in a corner and slaps him in the back before hitting a rope-assisted stomp. We go to commercials.

Hill escapes to the floor and scurries under the ring when the show returns. Angels gets dragged under the ring and the lights go out so we can see what’s happening. Angels hears an alarm going off and finds a phone and when he answers it, a voice says THE FOG IS COMING. Hill sneaks in behind Angels to put him in a rear naked choke, and then when he emerges Hill flies in from out of nowhere to smash Angels around. Hill drops a leg on a prone Angels and then ascends for a huge lariat. They go back to the floor and Hill misses a dive. Angels yanks Hill up and runs him back in before moving the ring steps into position on the side of the ring. Angels kicks Hill and then wants to backdrop him onto the steps. Hill gets dumped onto the top rope when he charges and then run into the bottom rope and we go to more commercials.

Angels runs Hill out and to the floor but Hill springs up and spears Hill through the ropes. Hill dives into an Angels Codebreaker that gets two. Angels misses a charge and Hill mounts him in a corner. Hill pulls Angels into The Whisper of the Beast and that finishes things.

Three segments feels excessive for this but here we are. I thought this wasn’t intense enough for the promos that were cut around it, but I’m sure both guys had some nerves for this. For a feud over a beauty pageant sash, I thought maybe we’d see something weirder but I guess whatever that under-the-ring segment was will have to suffice. 2.5*

Winner – Shiloh Hill (The Whisper of the Beast)

Emily Agard wants a word with Shiloh Hill and my signal goes wonky as Hill responds. It comes back as Hill says no one sleeps on him and leaves with the Mr. NXT sash.

Here’s Nattie with Evolve Women’s Champion Nikkita Lyons, Karmen Petrovic, and Layla Diggs. Nattie is putting over her shoot abilities and congratulates all the ladies for their current successes. Nattie calls Jaida Parker soft again, and Diggs suggests giving Parker some grace, which Nattie laughs off. Petrovic will face Parker on Tuesday night with the other ladies in tow.

Here’s EK Prosper with Robert Stone who mentions that he’ll have to wait for revenge on Keanu Carver, because he’s earned a Latin American title shot versus El Hijo del Vikingo on Tuesday night. We go to commercials.

WWE Women’s Speed Championship: Wren Sinclair (C) vs Arianna Grace

Grace is out with Stacks Lorenzo, Uriah Connors, Charles Dempsey, and WWE Men’s Speed Champion Lexis King. There’s a five minute time limit here as per Speed title rules. Grace grabs a roll up just after the bell and gets two. Sinclair trucks Grace down and hits a sitting bulldog for two. Sinclair eats a Grace right hand and a rolling neckbreaker that gets two. Grace gets dumped to the apron and kicked down to the floor. Sinclair goes out and Grace slams her back-first into the apron. Grace pushes Sinclair back in and mashes her with a flying forearm. Grace shoves Sinclair into a corner and puts the boots to her. Grace continues pounding away and then yanks Sinclair into a back suplex. Grace hits another forearm and covers Sinclair for two. Grace puts the boots to Sinclair and covers her for two again. Grace gets pulled into an inside cradle that gets two, and then Grace grabs a roll up for two. Sinclair ascends and Grace kicks her to break up whatever she was planning. Grace ascends and they slug it out a bit. Sinclair hits a cross-body and smashes Grace with some chops. Sinclair hits a double underhook suplex and Dempsey climbs up on the apron for some verbals. Sinclair pounds him down and walks into a Grace roll up that gets two. Sinclair fires off a right and then pulls Grace into an airplane spin. Sinclair slaps on the Final Wrench and Grace taps with twelve seconds left on the clock.

Sinclair does her best to make a meaningless title feel important. I will say that I think Arianna Grace has improved from “unwatchable” to “competent” in the ring in a fairly short amount of time, so credit to her. She’s always been good at the character stuff and she’s working hard to round out the in-ring stuff. 2.5*

Winner AND STILL WWE Women’s Speed Champion – Wren Sinclair (Final Wrench)

Here’s a look at the ongoing struggles of Darkstate. We go to commercials.

Saquon Shugars vs Dion Lennox

It’s a shame Booker is not here to help call this match, he loves Shugars. Lennox pops Shugars at the bell and they start firing off bombs. Shugars fires off some chops and Lennox responds by dumping Shugars to the apron. Shugars flies back in for some rights and then flies out of a corner with a lariat that drops Lennox. Shugars hits a basement dropkick and Lennox fires off some rights in response. Shugars kicks Lennox down and covers for one. Shugars runs into a Lennox back body drop and some clubbering sledge fists. Lennox hits a couple of backbreakers and covers Shugars for two. Lennox gets rolled into a neckbreaker and Shugars covers for two. Shugars bullies Lennox who doesn’t take kindly to it as Shugars calls him soft. Shugars hits a sit-down neckbreaker and rolls to the apron as here’s Cutler James and Osiris Griffin out to help. Lennox yanks Shugars over the top rope and then drops him with a uranage. Lennox hits a splash and covers Shugars for two. We go to commercials.

Lennox stalks Shugars when the show returns, but Shugars sneaks in a roll up for two. Shugars wants a backslide but Lennox slips out. Lennox plants Shugars with a spinebuster that gets two. Lennox ties up Shugars legs and torques back on his knee. Shugars rolls through and kicks Lennox off and down to the floor. Lennox slides back in and walks into a Shugars basement dropkick. Shugars fires off some offense and drops the straps for some chops and kicks. Lennox eats a back body drop and Shugars then hits a backdrop/Flatliner that gets two. Shugars eats a boot during a charge but then immediately responds with an enziguri that drops Lennox to the mat. Shugars covers and gets two. Shugars goes the apron for a rope-assisted leg drop that gets two. Shugars pulls Lennox into position and ascends but Lennox springs up and crotches him. Lennox goes up and they slug it out before Lennox drops Shugars spine-first over the turnbuckle metal. Lennox hits a sit-out spinning powerslam that gets two. They slug it out and Lennox mashes Shugars with two clotheslines that get two. Shugars fires up with an enziguri and then mounts Lennox. Shugars drops Lennox and hits a sort-of UFO splash that ends things.

Yeah, I thought this would feel more intense and I think they thought they were really going for it, but this didn’t really get to the point of me thinking these are two guys who hate each other. It was a battle and I think I might have booked it a bit differently but Shugars gets the win and then eats a huge beatdown in response. Obviously we’re not done with this feud. 2.25*

Winner – Saquon Shugars (Reverse splash?)

James and Griffin attack immediately after the final bell and they leave Shugars laying. Lennox grabs the baseball bat and blasts Shugars in the gut with it. We go to commercials.

Tatum Paxley is with Emily Agard and she feels empty without the North American title. Here’s Kelani Jordan in to put the stink-mouth on Paxley and says she’s constantly overlooked for people like Paxley. A fight breaks out and I guess that will be a thing moving forward.

NXT Men’s North American Championship: Myles Borne (C) vs Tavion Heights

There’s a show of respect before the lock up. They grapple through some standing switches and no one can gain control. They each go to the face and the ref breaks it up. Heights grabs a jackknife roll up for two and Borne reverses out of it. Borne hits a backslide for one and Heights flies out of a corner to crash heads with Borne. Borne drops Heights to the floor with a dropkick and Borne goes right out after. They go nose-to-nose and we go to commercials.

Borne gets dropped by a Heights right hand when the show returns. Heights crushes Borne with a lariat and covers him for two. Heights fires off a forearm and then yanks Borne up for some tosses before covering and getting two. Heights works a rear chinlock and leans back into it. Borne eats some elbows and then Heights slaps on a sleeper. Borne fights out of it and Heights just yanks him over in another t-bone suplex that gets two. Heights goes back to the chinlock and then shoves Borne down to put on an elbow lock submission. Heights rams Borne down and works towards a Fujiwara armbar. Borne hits a Northern Lights suplex and covers Heights for two. Heights hits a throat thrust and then dumps Borne to the floor. Heights goes out and runs Borne back in before covering and getting two. Borne fires off some elbows and then misses a charge. Heights yanks Borne up for a belly-to-back suplex that gets two. We go to commercials.

Borne hits some lariats and a dropkick when the show returns. Borne drops Heights and covers him for two. Borne drives Heights to the floor with a lariat and then comes out. Heights tosses Borne over with an overhead belly-to-belly and then tosses Borne back in. Heights covers and gets two. Heights hits a backdrop suplex and ascends for an ugly splash that gets two. Borne pulls Heights into a German but misses a dropkick. Heights yanks up Borne but Borne slips off and hits Borne Again to finish things.

I was impressed at this in terms of how it was laid out, because it played to Heights strengths of catch wrestling and countering, where Borne had to use all his guile and technical skill to prevail. It wasn’t exactly lighting up the crowd but they don’t see stuff like this often. Borne is becoming a solid babyface champion and his backstory will obviously be a thing should he get to move up, and I think you can point to matches like this along the way where you saw him have to deal with a certain style that he had to really struggle to overcome. Heights was good here, more in control and working at a solid pace instead of his normal frenetic one. No major complaints with this one. 3.5*

Winner AND STILL NXT Men’s North American Champion – Myles Borne (Borne Again)

Emily Agard is with Borne after the match and wants to know how he’s feeling. Borne says he fought his hardest and him and Heights push each other every day. Borne says Heights pushed him tonight and Heights will be a champion soon, but it’s not tonight. Borne says it doesn’t matter if you’re a friend or a foe, he’s going to be champ for a long time.

Lola Vice is taping up as we go to commercials.(There’s 45 minutes left here so expect a whole bunch of padding prior to this next and final match.)

Blake Howard is with LaGreca and Owens again, and LaGreca thinks Grey will emerge triumphant while Owens thinks Vice will retain. LaGreca was impressed with Myles Borne and Owens liked Tatum Paxley’s toughness. Owens enjoys watching Darkstate implode and suggests he’s never turned on anyone in his life to a pop from the crowd. LaGreca thought Wren Sinclair dominated and looked great. Here’s Hank & Tank fresh from the grill up on stage and they are fired up. Here’s Keanu Carver out to yell about EK Prosper and Carver doesn’t want to be touched by Security. Carver shoves a Security dude into Hank who flies off the stage and through a table.

Here’s a look at the build-up to the main event as we see Lola Vice become NXT champion by defeating Jacy Jayne with a backfist. Kendal Grey beat Kelani Jordan in a number one contender’s match to earn her spot in this match. Grey and Vice head to the ring as we go to commercials.

Joseph runs down Tuesday night’s card when the show returns.

NXT Women’s Championship: Lola Vice (C) vs Kendal Grey

Grey’s family is in the crowd and she greets them during her entrance. (Hmm. Well, there you go.) Vice greets her family including her mother who is cancer-free for ten years as of today – congrats to Mama Loureda. Grey wants a single leg, and Vice tries it as well. Vice dumps Grey down and we reset. Vice wants an armbar but Grey rolls through and rolls Vice over for one. Vice breaks out with a back elbow but Grey uses some quickness to escape further damage. Vice finally catches Grey with a double arm takedown that gets two. Vice fires off an uppercut and a roundhouse kick to the gut. Grey slams Vice down and gets a two count before a series of standing switches. Vice fires off a kick to Grey’s face and then blasts her in the spine with a kick. Vice starts firing rights and lefts but Grey reverses for some of her own. Grey smacks Vice with some chops and Vice responds in kind. Vice hits a few armdrags and Grey rolls the last one over into a side headlock. Vice gets a one count after rolling Grey over and then slaps on some headscissors. Grey slips out to go back to the side headlock. Vice breaks out but misses a charge. Grey goes to the floor to smash Vice with an uppercut and then rolls her back in. Kelani Jordan emerges to try to mess with Grey, and Wren Sinclair charges out to immediately start fighting with Jordan. They fight all the way to the back and Vice blasts a distracted Grey with a high boot. Vice hits a seated senton and we go to commercials.

Vice smashes Grey with some kicks when the show returns and then drops her in a corner. Vice hits the Hip Attack twice and then yanks Grey up for a half-and-half suplex. Grey slips off and smashes Vice with a German before dropping the straps. Grey hits a belly-to-back and Vice reverses into a German. Grey hits a German and Vice hits another one in response. We reset before they meet in the middle of the ring to slug it out. Vice gets the better of that but wanders right into a Grey superkick. Vice fires off a reverse thrust in response and Grey goes to the floor. Vice comes out and hits another seated senton but Grey rolls through and slaps on the ankle lock. Vice rolls through and Grey leaps onto the barricade to hit a charging Vice with Shades of Grey. The refs count gets to seven before everyone returns as Grey ascends. Grey leaps and catches Vice in another ankle lock. Vice rolls through and slaps the ankle lock on Grey. Grey rolls Vice over and wants an armbar but Vice locks her arms together. Vice rolls over and wants the armbar but Grey prevents it. Vice grabs a sleeper and Grey rolls over and gets two. Grey grabs a sleeper and Vice shakes her off by running Grey into the ropes. Grey ascends and misses a moonsault before Vice mashes her with a reverse roundhouse that gets two. Vice puts on a guillotine and Grey slips out and fires off a Northern Lights that gets two. Vice yanks Grey into a triangle but Grey rolls over and gets two. Vice hits the backfist and Grey mashes her with a back elbow. They fall and each extends a hand to cover the other as the ref counts two. They slug it out and Grey finally hits a springboard Shades of Grey to end things.

Damn. That was a hell of a spectacle right there. You might not see a better technical women’s match all year, group. Now, I thought there were some instances where folks were obviously getting themselves into place and for me, that’s minor but it does take away a BIT from the final rating here. Overall though, this was really good and probably Vice’s best match in NXT thus far. Grey’s ceiling is unlimited in my view but I wouldn’t keep her down at the PC for too long, honestly. Let’s get through this reign and get her up to toss some folks around because there’s definitely something here. I thought Shawn might wait to make her title win be a huge deal, but he outsmarted me and just did it tonight. Excellent match. 4.5*

Winner AND NEW NXT Women’s Champion – Kendal Grey (Springboard Shades of Grey)

Post-match sees Wren Sinclair charge out to celebrate with Grey while a sad Vice looks back. Grey celebrates with her family, the credits roll, and we’re out.

The negatives – this felt like a souped up television show rather than a PLE, and the midcard is sorely lacking in talent right now. The positives – the last two matches were very good and saved what was mostly a pedestrian effort until they happened. Only one title change but they really made it feel special by putting on a tremendous main event. I’d say seek out the Men’s NA title match and the main, but everything else is good enough to just catch on youtube highlights and the Tuesday night recap. We’ll see how this CW experiment goes moving forward.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Have a good week.