wrestling / TV Reports

Kevin’s NXT The Great American Bash Night Two Review 7.08.20

July 8, 2020 | Posted by Kevin Pantoja
NXT Great American Bash Keith Lee
8
The 411 Rating
Community Grade
12345678910
Your Grade
Loading...
Kevin’s NXT The Great American Bash Night Two Review 7.08.20  

We start with a night one recap. It was a hell of a show.

Street Fight: Candice LeRae vs. Mia Yim

Mia jumps Candice during her entrance. They’re in street fight gear, which is appreciated. She sends Candice in and throws chairs, kendo sticks, and trash cans inside. Candice uses them first but Mia blocks and wails on her with it. Mia brings out a table. Candice sends her back with a wrecking ball dropkick. Candice gets aggressive as they spill outside and pulls Mia’s shoulder into the ring post. The fight moves over towards a seating area and they throw all sorts of catering items at each other. They get on a platform and Mia blocks a suplex off through a table. She then dropkicks Candice off and through the table heading into break. During the PIP break, they get back to the ring where Mia stays in control. Returning, Candice hits a drop toe hold onto a chair and a dropkick while Mia is seated in a chair for two. She drives a chair into Mia’s ribs. Candice lays a table flat on the top turnbuckle in the corner. Mia puts a trash can on her head and hits a big boot followed by a cannonball. Mia tries using brass knuckles but Candice blocks with a chair and then hits her with it. The ladies fight up to the table set on the top. Candice steals the brass knuckles and clocks her. She then hits Mrs. LeRae’s Wild Ride off of the table and onto a pile of chairs to score the win.

Winner: Candice LeRae in 15:49 [A hell of a fight. It had some violent moments and felt fitting of the rivalry. Great start to the show. ***3/4]

It looks like throughout the night we’ll hear various legends make their picks for the main event. Mark Henry goes with Keith Lee.

Both women are still laid out in the ring. During the break, Johnny Gargano runs out to help Candice up and to the back.

Bronson Reed vs. Tony Nese

In a pre-show “dark match,” Tony Nese disrespected Leon Ruff while beating him. Reed, watching in the crowd, went after Nese to help his buddy Ruff, setting this up. It’s all a big bit to showcase Papa JOhn’s, the sponsor for it. Nese uses his quickness toa void Reed and taunts him. However, his leap frog attempt sees him get slammed down with ease and then press slammed, followed by a THICC BOI SENTON. Nese comes back with a few bits of offense and hits Reed in the throat to set up a springboard moonsault near fall. It is no matter as Reed rebounds and wins with a big splash.

Winner: Bronson Reed in 5:18 [A solid enough little match here. **1/4]

Time for a final Mercedes Martinez vignette. She is on tonight!

Robert Stone and Aliyah come over to Shotzi Blackheart to try and sign her. Shotzi calls the brand a dumpster fire and declines. Stone gets mad and launches his coffee cup over his shoulder. It happens to spill on Killian Dain, who launches him into a wall. As he’s on the ground, Shotzi Blackheart runs over his leg in her tank. Stone shouts that he’s dying as he sells the hell out of it.

Isaiah Scott vs. Johnny Gargano

They start with some even mat work before Scott uses his quickness to get the upper hand. Johnny avoids a superkick on the apron and they start countering the hell out of each other. Scott even Matric avoids a clothesline and pops back up for a standoff outside. They go in and Scott blocks the slingshot DDT before hitting a Fosbury Flop. We go to break. Returning, Johnny has gained control and holds serve until eating a right hand. They start going back and forth and Johnny gets two on a slingshot spear. Quick paced back and forth action continues, with the highlight being Scott nailing the House Call kick. Johnny catches his next kick and applies the STF. Scott gets free and picks up a big near fall that he can’t believe on the JML Driver. Johnny comes back and hits the One Final Beat DDT to win.

Winner: Johnny Gargano in 14:09 [I’m glad this got time. Scott got to show how good he is and Johnny is much better in this role than as the heel who needs generic help and tactics. ***1/2]

A video package airs to hype Io Shirai vs. Tegan Nox. Io says they’re similar in their beginnings and how they fought to get here. Tegan says she’s over the sympathy and being the comeback kid. She’s the top contender for a reason. Io says the difference between them is that Tegan needs friends, even those who turn on her. Io does it on her own. Tegan says Io does it by herself…except last week when she had help from Asuka. That match happens next week!

Breezango and Drake Maverick vs. Legado Del Fantasma

Breezango’s entrance sees them dress as luchadors. Breeze and Mendoza get off to a fast start before Drake enters. Things go downhill for the faces when Breeze comes in. Legado del Fantasma hit a nice triple team move that ends with a moonsault to put Breeze in trouble. However, he tags out to Fandango who hits a Falcon Arrow (HE DID THE DEAL). Escobar avoids Drake but then Fandango press slams him onto them and adds a springboard corkscrew dive. He seems to have hurt his knee and the heels isolate him after his knee is sent into the steel steps. His leg is targeted as he’s isolated for several minutes. He finally makes the hot tag to Drake who is able to get his hands on Escobar. Drake does his thing but makes a mistake by going up top. Escobar kicks him down and then wins with the Phantom Driver.

Winners: Legado del Fantasma in 10:39 [A fun six-man tag with action from bell to bell. ***]

The Garganos are interviewed about a successful evening. They celebrate but Johnny blames Finn Balor for getting in his way of being in tonight’s main event. They both have wrongs they need to make right.

Mercedes Martinez vs. Santana Garrett

Martinez seems to have a very serious, possibly heel demeanor. She starts with some loud chops. Garrett with an arm wringer and handspring back elbow. However, Martinez runs her straight over with a big boot. Garrett fires off some kicks of her own but is knocked over again. She wins with a fisherman buster.

Winner: Mercedes Martinez in 2:40 [Exactly the squash it needed to be. NR]

A Damian Priest vignette airs. He faces Cameron Grimes next week and will get revenge.

Mick Foley gives the edge to Adam Cole tonight. Shawn Michaels does as well but can see Lee winning.

NXT and North American Championships: Adam Cole [c] vs. Keith Lee [c]

Another commercial-free main event this week. Cole works a headlock and talks trash but Lee powers out. He wrenches on Cole’s hand to the point where the champion goes to the apron for a break. Lee waits for a four count and then just pulls Cole back in legally. They go outside and Cole avoids a charging Lee who crashes through the plexiglass. Cole sends Lee into the steps a few times. Inside, Cole hits a backbreaker and wears Lee down. Lee fights back and gets two on a monster spinning powerslam. Lee says a Drago, “I must break him” before going up but Cole cuts him off with a kick and adds a backstabber. Soon after, Lee deadlifts Cole into a superplex that gets a near fall. Cole pulls a Kevin Owens when he eats a Spirit Bomb and only survives by getting one finger on the bottom rope.  Lee destroys him with the POUNCE and adds a spinebuster but it’s still not enough. Lee adds a moonsault on top of it all and Cole still kicks out. Time for Cole to fight back but Lee won’t stay down after multiple superkicks. Two to the legs and a Last Shot get him down. Lee kicks out aggressively though. His next Last Shot attempt is cut off by a clothesline. Cole hits a massive Panama Sunrise but Lee somehow kicks out. A trio of kicks is still not enough. Cole adds a Last Shot and knows he needs more. His Panama Sunrise attempt is countered into a Spirit Bomb. Lee picks him up right after and hits the Big Bang Catastrophe that ends it.

Winner: Keith Lee in 19:54 [Highlights from this match will be awesome. As a whole, it started well but kind of felt like it just went into a bunch of finisher kickouts and close calls in the end. Still really good, though. ***1/4]

Keith Lee gets the big celebration with confetti and everything. As he does this, Karrion Kross and Scarlett watch from somewhere above the ring.

8.0
The final score: review Very Good
The 411
I liked night one a bit more but this was still a great episode of TV. The two hours mostly flew by, everything had a purpose, and there were some really good matches in there. Lee winning was a big deal and a strong capper for the two nights. NXT hit a home run with these shows.
legend