wrestling / TV Reports
Cook’s NXT Great American Bash 2026 Review
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hey kids! Steve Cook here with you for the NXT Great American Bash 2026 live on the CW! It’s a big ol’ day of wrestling and there’s a lot to keep track of, so I’ll do my best here to keep you up to date with all the NXT happenings. We’ve got five championship matches and a couple of grudge matches that have been well-built on the weekly show, so I’m expecting a good time tonight!
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Cook’s NXT Great American Bash 2026 Review
Then. Now. Forever. Together!
We’re in Orlando! Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair are SITTING AND TALKING! Lola Vice is WALKING! Shiloh Hill is WALKING! Tristian Angels is WALKING! Dion Lennox is WALKING! Saquon Shugars is SITTING!
We get an opening video package highlighting the upcoming matches and the American flag since it’s the Great American Bash. Vic Joseph & Wade Barrett are our hosts tonight!
NXT Men’s Championship Match: Tony D’Angelo (c) vs. Naraku: Tony D has some heavy tape over his eye due to the fireball on Tuesday. Mike Rome gives us the super special ring announcing. Red, white & blue ring ropes as the Good Lord intended and as I grew up on. Tony attacks right away and he spears Naraku through some gosh darn podium or something. I’m not sure what that was. In any event, Naraku is on the back foot until getting the upper hand in the ring. He rakes Tony’s face against the top rope, then Tony shoulderblocks Naraku in the corner before getting gouged. The referee is very concerned about Tony flailing about on the outside. Tony tries to clothesline Naraku over the top rope, that doesn’t work so Tony vertical suplexes him and he rolls outside. This leads to Naraku tripping Tony on the apron. Back in the ring, Naraku gets a nearfall and clubs on Tony. Backbreaker by Naraku, then a faceplant gets two. Naraku applies a half crab. Tony gets out, only to get suplexed into the turnbuckle for two. We go to Nonstop NXT!
Clothesline and a senton by Naraku gets two. Naraku applies an STF. Tony breaks out and locks in a Crossface. Naraku gets out of that, but gets suplexed over. Naraku rolls outside as we return full-screen.
Naraku avoids Tony on the dive, sends Tony into the barricade and hits a slam for two. After some jockeying on the turnbuckle, Tony hits a running powerbomb on Naraku. Naraku with some strikes, Tony fires back. Clothesline, bulldog out of the corner, German suplex, a powerslam gets two on Naraku. Naraku avoids a move, hits a German but Tony powers up and hits a chokeslam for the three count!
Winner: Tony D’Angelo (10:12 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/2
Bit of a surprise to me, I thought this set up perfectly for Naraku to get the win. I suppose he’ll have to get more EVIL in order to take control of NXT.
We see a video package building up Zaria vs. Tatum Paxley. We’ll see that match next!
Women’s North American Championship Match: Zaria (c) vs. Tatum Paxley: Tatum wearing the Goth Catholic schoolgirl outfit tonight. Zaria just wearing her usual attire and scaring the hell out of me like usual. Mike Rome with the super special ring announcing again. They tug over the title belt and that leads to a bell. Tatum gets the early advantage but Zaria drops her on the ropes and clotheslines her. Elbow in the corner, then a pump kick and a slam. Another slam to Tatum. Zaria smashes Tatum into the corner, but Tatum tries to fight back before getting headbutted down. Tatum drops Zaria into the ring apron and lands some shots. Tatum breaks the count of the referee then gets tossed into the front row. Tatum gets a sleeper on Zaria until Zaria drops her on the floor.
We go Nonstop NXT! Back in the ring, Tatum tries to fight back but keeps getting smacked down. Two count for Zaria. A couple of splashes in the corner by Zaria. Tatum fights back, but not for long, Zaria hits her with some strikes and gets another near-fall. Tatum gets dropped on the mat. Zaria makes Tatum humble with the camel clutch. Tatum fights out.
As we go back full screen Tatum keeps fighting. Zaria drops her on the top turnbuckle and stretches her there. Tatum hits a knee and knocks Zaria off the turnbuckle. Crossbody by Tatum, she hits a German on Zaria. Zaria placed up top, Tatum sets her up for the superplex, she hits it, but then gets speared by Zaria! Strikes are exchanged. Zaria hits a knee strike to a running Tatum, then choke lifts her in the corner. They fight on the top turnbuckle, Zaria falls into the Tree of Woe. Zaria gets out before Tatum can capitalize. They fight on the apron. Tatum slips out of Zaria’s grasp and powerbombs her on the floor! Tatum gets the North American belt, Zaria takes it from her but Tatum hits the Cemetery Drive on the floor! Tatum hits it in the ring as well, but that only gets two! Tatum gets another near-fall rolling out of an F-5, Zaria gets a near-fall as well after hitting an F-5! Zaria hits another F-5 and finally gets the pin.
Winner: Zaria (14:08 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***
I was not surprised this match delivered the way it did. Zaria is great as a monster and Tatum is great at trying to fight monsters. I don’t know how long they plan on keeping both of these folks here, but they’ve got some chemistry.
Wren Sinclair paces backstage and Kendal Grey tries to chill her out. It seems to work.
Robert Stone informs Jackson Drake that he’ll be facing Mason Rook on Tuesday, and the Wagner Brothers will be getting a Tag Team Championship then as well. El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. & Galeno appear in order to confirm it. The Vanity Project doesn’t seem happy.
Kevin Owens is here with two other guys to discuss the events so far.
Shiloh Hill vs. Tristian Angels: Hill works Angels over early. A shoulderblcok sends Angels outside. Airplane spin! Glad somebody’s trying to bring that back. Hill drives Angels into the corner. Angels takes over and doublestomps Hill off the second rope as we go Nonstop NXT.
Hill walks into a kick but it doesn’t much matter. He knees Angels off the apron to the floor. Angels almost gets an advantage but then Hill clotheslines him on the floor. Back in the ring is where Angels finally gets some control. Angels with some kicks to Hill in the corner. Hill misses a charge in the corner and Angels hits a cravate. Elbowdrop gets two for Angels.
We go back full screen and Hill goes under the ring. Angels goes outside and gets drug under the ring. We are now treated to a camera under the ring showing Angels. A phone under the ring tells him the moment is coming. Some rando attacks him under the ring and he gets out, only to be met with a Hill attack. Hill hits a clothesline off the top rope. Hill misses a dive off of the steps. Angels takes the steps and places them at the center of the side of the ring. Suplex is blocked by Hill, but then he gets sent into the ropes at a hard angle. We’re going back to Nonstop NXT? OK.
Angels hits an enziguri in the corner. They both go down after a clothesline. Angels is up first, he goes up top and misses an elbowdrop. My Internet goes down at this point, might be for the best. Once I can finally get it back, it’s time for the next match! It turns out that Shiloh Hill won.
Mr. NXT is just getting STARTED! 👏@shiloh_wwe pic.twitter.com/sGq3QMwiYy
— WWE (@WWE) June 29, 2026
Women’s Speed Championship Match: Wren Sinclair (c) vs. Arianna Grace (w/BirthRight): Five minute time limit for title matches here. Wren hits a clothesline and a kick for two. Wren hits a fisherman’s neckbreaker for two. Grace gets knocked to the floor, Wren follows her, keeps the upper hand and stomps Grace down in the corner. Grace with a suplex, gets a nearfall and targets Wren’s knee. Wren blocks the suplex and hits one of her own. Arianna goes for the superplex, gets knocked off and clotheslined. Wren suplexes Arianna and kips up. Wren knocks Dempsey off the apron and almost gets rolled up but kicks out. Cattle Mutilation! Arianna taps out!
Winner: Wren Sinclair (4:50 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **
I liked this mostly because Wren finally got some payback off that Dempsey goof that sold her a bill of goods.
We see a video package about the history of DarkState.
Dion Lennox vs. Saquon Shugars: Dion wanders out through the audience, I’m old enough to remember when that type of thing got people over, now it’s a yawn. Some back & forth right away. Shugars trying to power up right away out of anything. He even hits Dion with his jacket. Dion hits a backdrop, then a back breaker. Another one, but Shugars replies with a neckbreaker. The injured members of DarkState come out as Dion takes the advantage. They actually went Nonstop NXT with this match too, truly dedicated.
Dion takes the upper hand while I wonder about Shugars’ Lawler/Brian Christopher tribute attire and what people might think about it. I mean, the dude’s wearing Lawler’s single-strap long tights gimmick with zebra stripes and black stripes down the leg. What am I supposed to think?
We go back full screen to some near-falls. Lennox starts working the legs. Shugars kicks him out of the ring. Shugars slams Dion, cartwheels and kicks him. Backdrop to Lennox, a suplex gets two. Shugars gets two off of a legdrop. Dion crotches him on a moonsault attempt. Dion drops Saquon on the top turnbuckle to the floor. A cover gets two. Saquon fights back and gets the three count!
Winner: Saquon Shugars (14:19 via pinfall)
Match Rating: *3/4
Didn’t think much of this match going in and wasn’t really grabbed. I don’t really want to bury both of these guys, they’d probably both have some potential outside of this DarkState stuff that needs to go away.
The other DarkState guys attack right away. They drop Shugars with a double powerbomb. Dion hits him with a baseball bat. This feud must continue! I was hoping it wouldn’t.
Emily Agard interviews Tatum after her loss. Kelani Jordan appears to put Tatum in her place, which leads to a fight that needs to be broken up.
Men’s North American Championship Match: Myles Bourne (c) vs. Tavion Heights: Some nice grappling early. Fun to watch! Some near-falls. Myles kicks Tavion out of the ring, they bow up at each other and we go Nonstop NXT.
Back in the ring, some more carrying on. Myles takes the upper hand briefly, they keep grappling, Tavion spears Myles in the corner. Both men tumble outside as we go back full screen. Big clothesline from Tavion gets two. Tavion drops Myles, gets two again. Tavion keeps working that chinlock. Exploder by Tavion gets two. Tavion works Myles’ arm. Myles counters with a Northern Lights and Tavion kicks out at two. Tavion dumps Myles outside, rolls him in and covers for two. Tavion hits a back suplex for two.
We going Nonstop NXT again. Tavion goes to the sleeper. Myles fights out, hits a suplex for two and another suplex for two. Tavion fights back and gets Myles into a cross arm-breaker. Once we go back full screen Myles is out and hitting clotheslines. Tavion sent over the top rope. Tavion suplexes Myles on the floor. Back in the ring, Tavion covers for two. Splash off the top by Tavion gets two. Tavion lifts Myles up, Myles hits the Bourne Again knee out of that for three!
Winner: Myles Bourne (17:12 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/2
It’s been a weird dynamic between these guys for awhile now. I assume that this result will send Tavion off the deep end, which is probably a good place for him right now.
Myles tells Emily that the title means more to him than anything, and he’ll hold it for a long time.
NXT Heatwave Texas will take place on August 30! There will be a AAA show that same weekend. We then get thrown by Vic & Wade to Kevin Owens & two other people. No offense to the two other people, I’ve just never seen them before in my life. KO puts Tatum Paxley over, then claims he’s never turned against anyone in his life, which is pretty hilarious. Hank & Tank join them, then Keanu Carver comes out and puts Hank through a table. Well, that was certainly a thing that happened.
After a video package, Lola Vice & Kendal Grey are WALKING! We’ll see them face off next!
Tuesday: Mason Rook vs. Jackson Drake! Jaida Parker vs. Karmen Petrovic! Wagners vs. Vanity Project! El Hijo del Vikingo vs. EK Prosper!
NXT Women’s Championship Match: Lola Vice (c) vs. Kendal Grey: Both the Vice & Grey families are in attendance for this one. Tieup and some grappling early on, Vice takes Grey down. Vice tries to get an armbar, Grey rolls out. Lola lands the first strike, then she knees Kendal. Grey takes Vice down, some reversals, Lola kicks Kendal down. Lola with strikes in the corner, Kendal fights back with strikes of her own. Lola with arm drags, Kendal hits one and then the headlock takeover. Lola takes control of Kendal after the brief distraction from Kelani & Wren, then we go Nonstop NXT.
We got Ric Flair out here selling Carshield, wut da hail as Booker T would say if he was calling this show. Double clothesline takes both women down. Lola kicks Kendal down. Rapid kicks from Lola lead to the hip attack, and another one. Back suplex by Lola, Kendal fights back with a German suplex. Straps are down and Grey hits multiple suplexes. Lola fights back with a German suplex. Strikes exchanged. Kendal springboards into a kick. Seated senton by Lola on the floor, Kendal reverses into the ankle lock! Back in the ring, Kendal jumps into a kick and locks the ankle! Lola gets out, locks Kendal’s ankle! Kendal gets out and grabs Lola’s arm. Lola reverses by grabbing Kendal’s arm. Lola works to a choke, Kendal reverses to one of her own. Kendal misses a moonsault, Lola hits a spin kick for two. Lola tries a guillotine, then a triangle. Both women hit a backfist and both kick out at two. Strikes exchanged. Some back & forth, Kendal hits Shades of Grey for the three count!
Winner: Kendal Grey (15:14 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/2
I absolutely love seeing Lola & Kendal work together. They’re both so technically sound and have good chemistry with each other, so Kendal taking the title here will build into their future relations with each other. I can’t wait to see them in a match 5 years from now.
Kendal & Wren celebrate as our live event comes to an end. So long for now!
If you’d like to chime in with your own thoughts on tonight’s show, feel free to join your fellow 411 Maniacs down in the comment section! As the legendary Larry Csonka always said: Have fun and don’t be a dick. When I’m not here you can catch me on social media from time to time. To be honest, e-mail is a better option and you can reach me at [email protected].
