411’s NXT Great American Bash 2026 Preview

Hello folx, we are at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, for the 14th NXT Great American Bash! This is the 28th Great American Bash in history, and the seventh under the NXT banner. We have some great matches on the card tonight, from both the women’s and men’s divisions! We also have more championship matches than Night of Champions! So, without any delay, let’s get into the card

Tristian Angels wants to show Shiloh Hill who the real Mr. NXT is! Arianna Grace looks to win the WWE Women’s Speed Championship, but she will have to get through Wren Sinclair to do it. Will the numbers advantage help Grace? Saquon Shugars is looking for revenge against former DarkState stablemate Dion Lennox!

Myles Borne looks to continue his North American Championship reign as he defends against Tavion Heights! Tatum Paxley looks to get her Women’s North American Championship back as she takes on current champion Zaria! Tony D’Angelo defends his NXT Championship against the very evil Naraku! And in our main event Lola Vice defends her NXT Women’s Championship against the impressive Kendal Grey!

Shiloh Hill vs. Tristan Angels

Image Credit: WWE

This all started because Tristan Angels lost the Mr. NXT pageant to Shiloh Hill. And honestly, in the grand scheme of reasons to feud in wrestling. It isn’t the worst reason. Way better than a Japanese Shampoo Commercial, at least. After Hill won the contest, Angels attacked him, and then Hill distracted Tristian, costing him the EVOLVE Championship match. This led to this match being announced for the card.

I’m all for more non-title feuds. It gives wrestlers who aren’t in the championship scenes something to do and gets them out there. Both Hill and Angels are full of potential, and this match should hopefully help both men connect with the fans. We need more men in both the North American and NXT Championship divisions, and both Hill and Tristian can help fill those spots.

As for this match, it’s the first between the two, which suggests to me that Tristian will take the win, albeit in a questionable manner. Then Hill can continue his creepy pseudo-supernatural stuff. Messing with Tristian’s head until he agrees to a rematch. I think the match could be good, as both men have shown they are decent wrestlers. And I’m looking forward to the feud continuing.

Winner: Tristian Angels

WWE Women’s Speed Championship
Arianna Grace vs. Wren Sinclair

Image Credit: WWE

I’m liking what I’ve seen from both Grace and Sinclair. And with recent call-ups thinning the top of the card, the sky is the limit for both of them. Sinclair has done a decent job as champion, and the nature of the championship allows the champion to lose without it hurting them too much. And with Grace also having Legacy behind her, Sinclair can take a loss here and then easily move into the Women’s North American Championship scene.

Meanwhile, Grace probably needs the title more. If Grace wins the title, that would give BirthRight both Speed Championships, and they could use that to build momentum. I’d like to see Conners and Dempsey win the Tag Team Championships, and Stacks could do well in the North American Division. But that could be my love of seeing a heel stable all holding gold.

Either way, I am firmly behind Grace getting the win here. She has done a great job in her TNA appearances, and as I said, it’s time for Sinclair to move up the card.

Winner and new WWE Women’s Speed Champion: Arianna Grace

Saquon Shugars vs. Dion Lennox

Image Credit: WWE

A lot has been written about DarkState, and none of it has been good. I don’t get the hate; it has been a decent enough stable, and Shugars and Lennox have been the standouts. So, it makes sense that one of them had to be kicked out, and with Shugars being the veteran who can hold his own, he was the best choice. Shugars will hopefully use this to move himself up the card, because the guy can go and is charismatic. Lennox still needs some seasoning, and having a group behind him will help to hide his faults as he continues to grow.

Just like Tristian vs Hill, this is the first major match between the two, and that usually leans towards a heel win. And if you add in the numbers game, this match heavily favors Lennox. And I don’t think this will buck that trend. If Shugars wins, it will be due to a DQ, but I think it’s more likely that Lennox gets the distraction finish. Which could lead to a rare NXT Cage match.

Shugars is primed to be a breakout star for NXT, and after this feud, I could see him getting put into the NXT Championship mix. He’d fit in with D’Angelo, Rook, and Naraku easily, and I am looking forward to seeing him as a future NXT Champion.

Meanwhile, Lennox will probably need to spend some time in the North American division, which should do him a lot of good. Let him get the belt in a few months and then use the numbers game for the long run.

But for now, both men have to settle their differences, and that starts here with a cheap win by Lennox, so the feud can continue.

Winner: Dion Lennox

NXT North American Championship
Tavion Heights vs. Myles Borne

Image Credit: WWE

Former No Quarter Catch Club stablemates, Tavio Heights and Myles Borne, have been climbing their way up the card over the last year. And now it looks like some tension is forming between the two friends. There has been some mistimed and/or unwanted assistance. And it looks like Heights is jealous of Borne’s success. And while this whole thing is a common wrestling trope. That doesn’t mean it’s bad.

Heights, using his jealousy to up his game, can be a great story. I also think we may get a heel turn from one of the two men soon. Heights seems to be the prime candidate; it would be easy to have him lose here and then attack Borne post-match. But I think a better story would be Borne winning and then turning on Heights. Heights claimed he didn’t need help to win the number one contender match. But if he loses tonight, then Borne can feel justified that his former friend isn’t on his level.

This would give us an ultra-arrogant Borne against the former Pan-American Champion. And I’m here for that. Heights, as the heel would work, but I think he is better served as a face for now. So, I am going to go with Borne for the win in a hard-fought and close contest. Maybe Borne even wins off an “accidental” low blow. And then either in the post-match or in the coming weeks, he will fully turn on Heights, leading to a bigger feud between the two.

Winner and still NXT North American Champion: Myles Borne

NXT Women’s North American Championship
Tatum Paxley vs. Zaria

Image Credit: WWE

With Ruca having been called up, Zaria has finally been freed up to show what she is made of. She is built to be a monster heel, and it’s about time she is booked like one. Paxley is a bit bulletproof; she can take losses and bounce back quickly. She doesn’t have to hold titles for a long time to stay over. She is over because of her talent both in the ring and out of it.

And that is why it seems like she is on the way to Raw or SmackDown, which makes this match seem like a foregone conclusion. Paxley is on the way up, hopefully to insert herself in the Bayley vs Lyra feud, and Zaria is staying in NXT. Which means Paxley should be taking the loss tonight, but as predictable as that is, that doesn’t take away from the quality of the match.

Both women are very talented wrestlers, and I can see this one being a hard-hitting affair that will do a lot to protect Paxley in a loss. Zaria can look like a monster as she batters Paxley around the ring. And Paxley can use her own power to make a few hope comebacks before ultimately dropping the match to Zaria. This will solidify Zaria as the woman to beat as she goes on a monster run as champion, and that run starts with a solid victory tonight.

And as I said, Paxley is ready for a call-up. I can see her going to Raw to try to talk sense into Lyra, only for Lyra to manipulate her into joining her. Then we will have Lyra and Paxley against Bayley, which will be a solid feud going into SummerSlam.

Winner and still NXT Women’s North American Champion: Zaria

NXT Women’s Championship
Kendal Grey vs. Lola Vice

Image Credit: WWE

Wren Sinclair is a future champion. She has all the tools needed to be a huge star. And while all that is true, tonight is not her night. Lola Vice has done a great job as champion, and with her crossover appeal in AAA, I don’t see her losing the title yet. I do expect this match to be one of the best of the night, though. You have two of the best women in NXT going at it for the top prize in NXT.

The women’s division has long been the highlight of NXT and tonight will be no different. Vice has really come into her own over the last couple of years, and Sinclair is one of the best going today.

I would go so far as to say this might be the match of the night. Both women are firing on all cylinders, and fans are in for a treat with this match. I expect Vice to hold the title until at least the end of the summer, if not the end of the year. Sinclair’s time will come, but not quite yet. Vice is going to win this one, but it will be close. Grey is going to pull out all the stops to win the title, and Vice is going to have to dig deep to retain. So, I expect a match filled with some vicious strikes and great technical skills on display.

Winner and still NXT Women’s Champion: Lola Vice

NXT Championship
Naraku vs. Tony D’Angelo

Image Credit: WWE

Since returning to NXT, Tony D’Angelo has been on a tear. He won the title at Stand & Deliver and has been doing a great job as champion. And I also think his reign will be a short one. Not because he has failed, but because he is primed for the main roster. Many of us thought that was where he was headed after the end of The D’Angelo Family. But instead, we got a retooled D’Angelo that has been, most likely, a trial run for his main roster gimmick.

And on the other side, the former EVIL finally made his NXT debut after months of speculation. And so far, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen. Naraku has done everything he can to ensure D’Angelo made it to Great American Bash as champion, so that he could be the one to beat him for the NXT Championship. Not only has he kept others from cheating and interfering. He also knocked off rookie sensation Mason Rook to earn his title shot.

Naraku isn’t a guy you can waste time on; he is already 39, and if the WWE wants to use him on the main roster, then an NXT Championship run will help him build momentum before his debut on Raw or SmackDown. D’Angelo is also probably primed for a call-up. He has now done everything he can in NXT, and he has all the skills to be a solid addition to the Intercontinental or United States Championship scenes.

I don’t think this will surpass Vice vs Sinclair for match of the night, but I do expect it to be a good hoss battle. And with the talent involved, it will be a great example of what two meaty men slapping meat can do.

Winner and new NXT Champion: Naraku