Jeremy’s WWE NXT Great American Bash Review 7.5.22

What’s up, NXT peeps? It’s time for the NXT Great American Bash! Jeremy Thomas, here as ever, and I hope you all had a good weekend. Tonight on NXT we have a big show as Cameron Grimes battles Bron Breakker for the NXT Championship, while Carmelo Hayes defends the North American Championship against Grayson Waller. But that’s not all; both tag team titles are on the line with Toxic Attraction hoping to fend off Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade, as well as the Creed Brothers taking on their estranged Diamond Mine brethren in Roderick Strong and Damon Kemp. And of course we will probably have plenty more, but just those matches are enough to have me hopeful for the episode.

Here in Thomas Central, I was busy with a lot of other things so I didn’t get a lot of movies watched. I checked out Pixar’s Turning Red at last on Disney+ and absolutely adored it; I also watched Redeeming Love and The King’s Daughter. What did I think of those? Well, you can find out in my Top 10 Worst Films of 2022 (So Far) column, so…let’s just say they weren’t great.

While those are the only movies I watched in the last week, I did get some other viewing in, checking out Volume 2 of Stranger Things 4 as soon as they released on Netflix. I loved the final two episodes to say the least, and I can’t wait for season five. I’m also keeping up on Ms. Marvel which is a delight on Disney+.

Anyway, we’re gonna have a lot to cover tonight so let’s hop right in.

As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s daughters is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.

* We start off with a vignette featuring Briggs, Jenson and Fallon Henley hosting a great American barbecue and talking about tonight’s matches. Jensen is still a horndog, and Indi and Nikkita think Cora and Roxanne are winning the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships. Nathan Frazier hopes Bron Breakker is okay, but Edris Enofe walks off after a girl. Duke Hudson flirts as he enters the pool, so Sanga cannonballs onto him. Jenson puts lighter fluid on the barbecue as Sanga and Duke start a splash fight, then the grill explodes.

NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
Toxic Attraction vs. Cora Jade & Roxanne Perez

Jacy and Cora start it off and Jacy gets mouthy before they lock up. Jayne with an armdrag, mirrored by Cora before Jacy pushes her up against the ropes. They talk some trash before Cora gets a roll-up for two, shoves Jacy against the ropes and they trade counters before a kick and uppercut by Cora, a snapmare and dropkick for two.

Gigi tags in and starts in with knees and kicks, she takes a swing at Roxy but that lets Cora fight back. Roxy tags in, sets Gigi up and tags in Cora but the ref missed it and TA grab Roxy to choke her against the ropes as we go to PIP break.

Gigi still in control on Roxy as we come back, but Roxy dodges a splash in the corner and rolls Gigi up for two. Gigi takes back over with repeated kicks to the head and grabs Roxy as she cralz to the ropes, curbstomping her into the ropes before covering for two. Jacy tags in and hits a knife-edge chop and snapmare, then locks in a bow and arrow hold in the center of the ring. Roxy is able to flip out and gets up, they hit each other and hit dueling pump kicks to both go down.

Cora gets the tag as does Gigi, Cora in hot and hits a rana off the ropes and an enzuigiri, followed by a high knee in the corner. Cover for two by Cora, and she goes for a DDT but Gigi counters out of it and hits an elbow. Jacy tags in and Cora hits her with a snapmare, cover for a nearfall.

Irish whip into the corner for Cora and Jacy goes down. Roxy tags in, missile dropkick/Russian legsweep combo for a nearfall. Cora tags back in, double superkick and the ref counts but Mandy pulls her out. Mandy’s been ejected from the ring! In the meanwhile, Jacy goes for a rollup but Cora reverses it for two and 9/10th. TA fight back though and Jacy tags in, they take Roxy down and cover but Cora breaks it up. It goes into chaos and Cora tosses Gigi, Roxy with Pop Rocks for the win!

Winner: Cora Jade & Roxanne Perez (10:29)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Very nice match for the most part and the tag title switch happened at last. Hopefully this isn’t just a quick back and forth like Raquel and Dakota’s was. I love TA, but it’ll be nice to see new champions for a while.

* Earlier today, Bron is walking up to the building and says his shoulder is fine.

* Tony D’Angelo tells Elektra, Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro that he had to make a tough decision last week, and made another one last night. He shows picks of Santos Escobar in the hospital and says no one laughs at him. He says Elektra is the only person who’s been doing her part for the family by increasing business at the port. Wilde and Del Toro have to prove themselves next week, or else.

* Pretty Deadly get a vignette talking about how everyone thinks Paris is the fashion capital of the world, but the fashion-forward movement comes from Essex where they wouldn’t be caught dead drinking beer. Prince says that he can’t help thinking of Briggs and Jensen and how they have the NXT UK Tag Team Titles. They plan to take them.

Wes Lee vs. Trick Williams

Lockup to start and Trick knocks Lee down. Lockup again, Lee backed into the corner, and Trick tosses him across the ring. He charges but Lee trips him up and kicks him, Trick backs up and gets some water before getting back up. Lee ducks kick and they both go into a ducking sequence, Lee with a rana and then a heel kick to take Williams down. Williams calls for the water again and then gets up right into a running knee. But Trick grabs him and pulls him into a powerslam, cover for two.

Williams with stomps to the back of Lee and he showboats a bit, then locks in a standing crossface. Lee eventually flips Williams over and hits some stricks, enzuigiri and a double stomp to the back! He comes off with a somersault kick to knock Trick to the outside, Trick covers his hands with something that is apparently rubbing alcohol as the ref and lee are distracted. Spinning pump kick for three.

Winner: Trick Williams (3:46)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: As good as a three and three-quarters minute match could be. The ending wasn’t executed as well as it should have since it required Trick literally toss the evidence to the announcer’s desk, but some credit for something slightly newer.

* Tiffany is getting primped and she says she wants a little more powder. Wendy Choo walks in and throws powder in her face, then says they’re just getting started. We’re on PIP break as Tiffany and Wendy brawl through the back.

Wendy Choo vs. Tiffany Stratton

This match started during the break, and as we come back Wendy hits a two-count on Tiffany, who bails. Wendy grabs Tiffany’s hair but she gets her arm slammed into the ringpost. Stratton runs Wendy’s fingers around the ropes and then slams her into the corner, wrenching on her arm for a four-count. Back elbows until Wendy dodges and hits one of her own, she comes off the ropes for a sunset flip, countered by Stratton with a kick to the head and cover for two.

Stratton goes to work at Wendy’s fingers and pulls one of her nails off. Wristlock by Stratton, Wendy kicks out of it and lays in a shot, belly to belly off the ropes and then a couple dropkicks. Handspring splash in the corner, crossbody off the top. Wendy with an Irish whip reversed, Stratton grabs her into a powerbomb for two.

Stratton gets Wendy on her shoulders but Choo slides off so Wendy flips her over her. Powerbomb countered into a rana, full nelson urenage for two and Wendy locks in a sleeper with the bodyscissors! Stratton manages to free herself by pulling on Wendy’s injured hand, but Wendy with a vicious brainbuster for two!

Wendy goes for the sleeper again, she goes for a German suplex but Stratton flips out. She takes Wendy out, Vader Bomb for three.

Winner: Tiffany Stratton (5:03)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Damn if this one didn’t win me over. Both of these two gave their all and Stratton is definitely improving quickly. I think both characters are silly but the performers did the work it needed to in order to be a good match.

* McKenzie is backstage with Cora and Roxy, and Cora says she finally got to be a champion and do it with her best friend. Roxy says that she can’t believe she did it. They loved knocking Toxic Attraction off their pedastal, and Roxy says that she’s cashing in her Breakout Tournament contract next week on Mandy.

* Bron is working out backstage and Grimes comes in and asks how the shoulder is. Bron says it’s fine. Grimes says he’ll do whatever he can to be champion tonight and Bron says he wouldn’t have it any other way.

* Apollo Crew is here! He gets a mic and thanks the fans for cheering for him. He wants to share something: for the last year, when he got home he would ask the kids what they thought and they said it was clear what they saw wasn’t him and they quit watching. But since he returned to NXT, they’ve been watching every week. They’ve been excited and that brings him excitement; he tells his kids he loves them. He says he’s been back a month and Xyon Quinn was right: this place is different. There’s young talent ready to take their opportunity. He’s been thinking about what it’s like to step into the ring against Tony D’Angelo, Nathan Frazer or the NXT North American Champion. He says he’ll be watching the NXT Championship match because he and Grimes would make magic. And he knows that he and Bron breakker —

Here comes Giovanni Vinci! Vinci says he noticed Crews left him off his list but he doesn’t blame him because it wouldn’t work out well. He says he won’t just keep up with Crews’ skill and athleticism; he’ll outperform him in style.

Crews suggests he step in the ring and they do it now, but Vinci says he doesn’t have him fooled. He’s dressed for a night out, not a night with the audience. But next week, Crews will find out who the next athlete in NXT is, and he’ll lose to Giovanni Vinci. But that gives him seven days to come up with an excuse to tell his children.

* McKenzie is backstage with Ivy and asks if we’re seeing the implosion of Diamond Mine. Nile says they all have healthy egos and we’ll find out who the best tag team champion is. She sees Tatum Paxley arguing with Kayden Carter and breaks it up, then tells Tatum she has to get herself out of those situations. Tomorrow, first thing in the gym.

* Grayson Waller says there’s only one thing left for him to steal: the NXT North American Championship. Meanwhile, Melo says that they used to be boys but that’s over. Trick got his win tonight, and now it’s Melo’s turn.

* JD McDonagh says his dad is a lot like him: a great man. He said when JD was about three he can do whatever he wants to do in life whether the army, art or whatever. And that’s how he became who he is. He’s so far ahead of everyone else, he couldn’t see them with a pair of binoculars. Enjoy Great American Bash because next week NXT 2.0 changes forever.

* The doctor checks with Bron and sees if he has any pain, and he says no. Bron turns down medical tape and walks off.

* Trick Williams gives Carmelo Hayes a pretty badass entrance introduction from the elevated stage before Melo walks in for the match.

NXT North American Championship Match
Carmelo Hayes vs. Grayson Waller

Circle by the two before they lock up, Melo with a headlock, reversed by Waller. Melo forces the break by pulling hair and Waller calls for a shake, Melo goes for it and they nearly hit each other. They go for dual kicks, both caught, traded roll-ups. Melo rolls over the top of Waller and knocks him down. Kick to Waller’s head and a chop, Irish whip reversed, Waller goes out of the ring and goes for his Stunner but Melo blocks it.

Melo charges in but Waller leaps over, he knocks Melo down with a hard right and goes to the second rope, but Melo kips up and hits a big kick. Fadeaway legdrop and a cover for two. Waller gets Melo up on his shoulders, and drops him down to the mat. Melo bails to the outside, Waller with a baseball slide into a clothesline and we’re on PIP break.

We’re back with Waller in control of Melo, locking in an overhead shoulderlock and transitioning to a chinloick. Melo gets to his feet but gets knocked down, Waller talks trash and they start trading blows. Waller with a snapmare, he turns it into a guillotine choke but Melo gets his shoulders on the mat for two. Melo up on Waller’s shoulders, he slips off and takes Waller down, locking in a crossface in the center of the ring! Waller rolls back and Melo has to break the hold to avoid getting pinned.

Waller with another leg choke, Melo gets his shoulders down for two but Waller with a big kick after getting to his feet! Both men are down and slot to get up, they end up in opposite corners and star off before getting to their feet. They trade strikes Melo takes over, Irish whip reversed, springboard clothesline by Melo! Waller dodges a bicycle kick and hits a BIG DDT for two-plus.

Waller tries to Irish whip Melo but Melo holds into the ropes, pump kick, Tornado DDT but Waller counters and hits a Stunner! Melo rolls to the outside, Waller grabs him and rolls him in. He’s setting up for his Stunner into the ring but Trick blocks it — WES LEE TAKES OUT TRICK! Waller goes for the Stunner but Hayes catches him with a lungblower! Up for the top-rope Rocker Dropper and that’s three!

Winner: Carmelo Hayes (11:45)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Fantastic work, not that we would expect any different. Both guys delivered big time and that finishing sequence after Lee got involved was really well-executed.

* We see a QR Code and scanning it reveals “8:10:11” whatever that means.

* McKenzie is backstage with Xyon Quinn who mocks Apollo Crews’ promo. He says he’s a future multiple-time champion and NXT is about the future, while he is the future of this place.

* Ivy leads a group chant with the Creed Brothers, Roderick Strong and Damon Kemp, and that match is next.

* McKenzie asks Mandy about Roxy challenging her for next week. Mandy says Roxy and Cora got lucky tonight, and Gigi and Jacy will correct it later. She adds that when the adrenaline wears off, Roxy will realize she made a big mistake. Neither Roxy nor Cora can beat her and that’s if Roxy even makes it to her match.

* Adrian Chase welcomes the new students into Chase U and starts to talk about American history. Bodhi is falling asleep because Thea Hail, his roomie, doesn’t sleep. Thea said that they watched Money in the Bank a ton of times. Chad says John Adams thought Independence Day should be July 2nd and Chase loses his shit and kicks Chad out. Thea suggests a field trip to London and Chase is all for it.

NXT Tag Team Championship Match
The Creed Brothers vs. Roderick Strong & Damon Kemp

Strong and Brutus start off and go into some mat wrestling, they counter each other for a bit and Strong ends up with a headlock on Brutus. Brutus shoots Strong into the corner and grabs hi,, but strong slides off the shoulder and goes into the ropes but runs into Brutus and gets knocked down.

Julius and Kemp tag in, they go into the ropes and trade moves until Julius hits a suplex. Julius mouths off at Strong and gets suplexed by Kemp, who backs Julius into the corner. Roddy tags in and goes for a suplex, but Julius blocks it. Strong backs Julius into the corner and tags in Kemp, who snapmares Julius over and locks in a chinlock — but Julius picks him up and comes over to tag in Brutus. Suplex into Kemp for two.

Julius back in and they take turns whipping Kemp into fireman’s carry slams. Julius with a backbody drop to Kemp and a clothesline, Kemp escapes to the outside but Strong throws him in! Julius nails Kemp and sends him to the outside, Brutus goes up top for a Brutus Bomp as we go to PIP break.

Back from Break as Kemp wears Julius down with a chinlock. Julius fights to his feet and gets out but gets pushed back into the corner, Roddy tags in and lays in strikes to Julius. Big chop and they trade shots, Julius throws Roddy into the corner but Kemp tags in and stomps Julius from tagging. Julius with a gutwrench suplex, Brutus tags in and lays into Kemp with mounted shots. He goes after Kemp but Roddy tags in, Brutus gets him on his shoulder and he slides off between the Creeds! Strong nails Julius and Julius comes in, Brutus stops him and Strong takes the distraction for a couple high knees.

Kemp tags in and locks the chinlock, he hits a sloppy T-Bone suplex and then spears Brutus into the corner, then a slingshot spear for two. Kemp goes for a bodyslam, but Brutus with the inside cradle for two. Kemp dives in, Brutus dodges and Kemp hits the corner, Roddy and Julius come in and Julius is hot, tossing Strong with suplexes and then goes into full brawl mode. Cartwheel bodyslam, Kemp tags in and also gets one! Diving clothesline for two.

Winner: The Creed Brothers (12:12)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: A technically sound match that ended somewhat anti-climactically. That doesn’t take anything away from the rest of the match, but as a whole I was hoping for something more exciting in an ending.

* After the match, the Creeds help Kemp up. Strong looks uncertain about what’s next.

* We see someone talking about how he was a bright child but that got him bullies so he learned how to fight back. He had a gift for math and would see numbers and equations when he closed his eyes at night. There’s a solution to every problem. It all comes down to an equation and the mind can push you to new heights. He is Axiom.

* A vignette hypes the NXT Championship match with bits from last week’s promo by Grimes talking about their fathers, and Bron saying he’s bigger, faster, and stronger but Grimes saying he doesn’t have heart. That leads into the Rick Steiner insult and then the tussle that led into Breakker hitting the turnbuckle.

* McKenzie is with Von Wagner and company, and Robert Stone is livid that Von isn’t on the card tonight. Sofia Cromwell blames the fans for booing him, but Solo Sikoa walks in and says it sounds like Von thinks someone owes them something. Von tells him to take his best shot and officials come out to separate them.

Set For Next Week:
– NXT Women’s Title Match: Mandy Rose vs. Roxanne Perez
– Apollo Crews vs. Giovanni Vinci

NXT Championship Match
Bron Breakker vs. Cameron Grimes

They lock up to start and Bron pushes Grimes into the corner, ref calls for the break. Another lock up, Grimes twists Bron into the corner and goes for the shoulder but Bron throws him off. Grimes goes for the knee but gets caught in a headlock, Bron cinches it in. Grimes tries to break out and Bron backs off when the shoulder is targeted. Bron with a headlock, shot into the ropes, Bron catches Grimes for an alligator roll and then picks him up for a delayed suplex — but Grimes rolls him up for two!

They jostle for position after, Grimes goes for the shoulder and Bron escapes, he comes off the ropes and clotheslines Grimes hard as we go to PIP break.

Back from break as Breakker drops Grimes in a delayed vertical suplex. He grabs Grimes by the throat and goes for the gorilla press, but Grimes escapes and sends Bron to the outside. Big kick to Bron from the apron and then a cannonball dive! Grimes follows it up with repeated stomps to Bron’s shoulder, he rolls Bron in and covers for two.

Grimes snaps the shoulder down and then kicks HARD into the shoulder, cover for two. He goes to wrench on the shoulder and Bron is looking rough, stomp on the arm and a cover for two from Grimes. Off the ropes with a kick to the shoulder, kick to the chest and another, Bron is psyching up! He catches a kick, drives Grimes into the shoulder and Grimes out into a spinebuster!

Both men are down now, they got to their knees and trade shots. Both men up now, still trading blows, Grimes gets dropped and Bron with repeated shoulderblocks off the ropes and a POWERSLAM! Grimes pulled up and he nails Bron, then hits a superkick. Grimes with the 180 crossbody, cover, NO!

Both men up, Bron sends Grimes to the apron but gets his shoulder snapped on the ropes. Grimes goes up but gets nailed, Bron climbs up and hits a TOP ROPE FRANKENSTEINER! Cover for NO! Bron gets up and lies in wait, Grimes ip, Bron charges but Grimes dodges. Grimes goes for a shoulder submission, Bron stands up and gets him on his shoulder, Grimes slides down, shoulder into the corner, Grimes with the CAVE-IN! Cover but only two!

Grimes is climbing up top — he goes for a Cave-In off the second rope but BRON CATCHES HIM IN A SPEAR! That’s it!

Winner: Bron Breakker (12:31)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: This honestly started out kind of slow but REALLY picked up well in the end. Great match, a great main event and a big Breakker win.

After the match, JD McDonagh attacks Bron as he’s leaving and slams him into the GAB table. He says the necessary evil is hear.

And with that, we’re done for the night!

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

All in all this was another strong themed episode of NXT. Even the non-title matches were solid at worst, and the Women's Tag Team and NXT Championship matches were damned good efforts. As usual, when NXT keeps it to the matches and eases up on the nonsense they have a good thing going.