‘WWE NXT 2.0: Great American Bash’ Review (July 5th 2022)
Welcome to this week’s review of NXT 2.0, a show that – if I’m honest – rarely gets me excited to watch the programme these days. This week’s show is the Great American Bash episode… NOT a pay-per-view, just a themed show for the Independence Day celebrations. Let’s see what it has to offer!
Match #1: NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Match – Cora Jade & Roxanne Perez def. Toxic Attraction
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After defeating Katana Chance & Kayden Carter to earn an NXT Women’s Tag Team Title Match, the fledgling duo of Cora Jade & Roxanne Perez looked to strike a decisive blow to the dominant Toxic Attraction. The newcomers went toe-to-toe with the champions until a devious distraction from Jacy Jayne allowed Toxic Attraction to take control. The veteran partnership of Gigi Dolin & Jayne isolated and pummeled Perez until a pair of simultaneous kicks knocked out both Perez and Jayne. After finally tagging in Jade, she answered back for “Team 2001” as the upstart duo took the fight to Toxic Attraction nearly earning the pinfall if not for Mandy Rose pulling the referee out of the ring, resulting in her ejection from ringside. Despite losing their numbers advantage, Dolin & Jayne still dished out punishment upending Perez with a knee to the head and a clothesline in quick succession. Jade jumped in to break up the pinfall and prevent any further interference from Jayne which allowed Perez to nail Dolin with Pop-Rox to earn the 1-2-3 and become the new NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Trick Williams def. Wes Lee
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Wes Lee promised to show Trick Williams what true strength looked like, and he did just that in a heated showdown with Carmelo Hayes’ right-hand man. Lee had Williams reeling with an array of acrobatic attacks forcing Williams to take a few water breaks with Hayes at ringside. After his quick rest, Williams planted Lee with a powerslam, but Lee quickly rallied with a flurry of kicks. Williams was ready with a surprise, however, squirting an unknown liquid onto his hands and rubbing it into Lee’s eyes before leveling him with a thunderous big boot to record the pinfall victory.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Tiffany Stratton def. Wendy Choo
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The fireworks between Wendy Choo and Tiffany Stratton began before the pair hit the ring as Choo stepped in as Stratton’s make-up artist and pelted “The Buff Barbie Doll” with a face full of powder resulting in a backstage brawl. Although their match was slated for later in the night, the two Superstars battled their way out to the ring where the bell was eventually rung. Stratton slammed Choo’s arm into the ring post and continued to inflict as much punishment as she could onto Choo’s digits. Favoring her hand, Choo fought back to toss Stratton across the ring before landing her sleeping elbow drop. The two heated rivals battered one another in a punishing match until Stratton landed on her feet off an attempted German Suplex to send Choo flying with a dropkick and a spinning corner splash to earn the win.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: NXT North American Championship Match – Carmelo Hayes def. Grayson Waller
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Grayson Waller shot his shot and tricked Carmelo Hayes into defending his North American Title, but the self-proclaimed “A Champion” was more than ready for a fight as the two went toe-to-toe. The two former friends had each other scouted until Hayes earned the upper hand with an enziguri to the back of the head and a springboard leg drop. Waller fired back with a massive clothesline to swing the momentum back in his favor as the two Superstars went back-and-forth in a thrilling showdown that had the NXT Universe in attendance on their feet. “The Arrogant Aussie” nailed Hayes with a stunner, but the “A Champion” wisely rolled out of the ring to avoid a pin. After rolling Hayes back into the ring, Waller set up for his rolling stunner when Trick Williams stepped in his way. Wes Lee then came flying out through the crowd to jump Williams. Free from Williams’ attack, Waller rolled into the ring and right into a pair of knees before Hayes made the climb and hit his top rope leg drop to retain the North American Title.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: NXT Tag Team Championship Match – The Creed Brothers def. Roderick Strong & Damon Kemp
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Despite their recent tensions, all five members of Diamond Mine joined together for a pre-match huddle before squaring off for the NXT Tag Team Titles. The Creed Brothers showed Roderick Strong & Damon Kemp their power in the opening minutes until Julius Creed started to argue with Strong allowing Kemp to catch Julius with a German Suplex. The newest Diamond Mine member held his own for a short time before Julius lifted him up and walked him over to the corner to tag in his brother Brutus. The NXT Tag Team Champions dished out a lesson Kemp wouldn’t forget before Brutus leveled the up-and-comer with a Brutus Bomb. The four bruisers pummeled one another in a hard-hitting affair with Julius finally getting his hands on Strong, launching him across the ring with multiple suplexes and slams. Strong escaped to tag in Kemp, but the rookie ran right into a rolling slam and a monstrous clothesline from Julius to suffer the pinfall. Afterwards, The Creed Brothers shook hands with Kemp as Strong leered on.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #6: NXT Championship Match – Bron Breakker def. Cameron Grimes
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
A little over 24 hours after being medically cleared for action, NXT Champion Bron Breakker marched down to the ring to defend his title against Cameron Grimes. Breakker shrugged off any apparent pain, but that did not stop Grimes from targeting the recently injured right shoulder. Breakker went for his patented Gorilla Press Slam early, but he could not hold Grimes up as “The Richest Man in NXT” turned things around and threw Breakker outside the ring for a thunderous kick and a splash to the outside floor. Grimes tried to keep Breakker down, but the NXT Champion fired up to plant Grimes with a spinebuster as the two traded shots in the center of the ring. Heavily favoring his left side, Breakker continued to fight hitting a top rope Frankensteiner for a nearfall. Grimes nearly earned the upset after throwing Breakker shoulder first into the turnbuckle and flattening him with a picture perfect Cave In for a shocking two-count. Unsure what to do next, Grimes climbed to the top rope for a splash, but was caught in mid-air by a spear as Breakker picked up the 1-2-3 to retain his NXT Championship. As Breakker celebrated, JD McDonagh raced in out of nowhere to drop the champion and put him through a table to announce his presence on NXT 2.0.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
This was undoubtedly one of the strongest “episodes” of NXT in some time. OK, a loooong time! Great to see a bunch of title matches with some hard-fought and well-earned wins. Why can’t NXT 2.0 be this good each and every week? Or how about every week is a “special episode” and thus a decent show!
