NXT The Great American Bash (2026)

Background

The Great American Bash is a professional wrestling event established in 1985. Following WWE's acquisition of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in March 2001,^[1] the promotion revived the event as their own annual pay-per-view (PPV) event in 2004,^[2] which continued until 2009. Following this 2009 event, The Great American Bash was discontinued as a PPV. In 2012, WWE revived the event to be held as a one-off special episode of SmackDown. In 2020, WWE again revived the event, this time for the developmental brand NXT, becoming an annual event for the brand. Since its revival for NXT, it has aired as a television special of the weekly NXT program (2020–2022 and 2024)^[3] and as a livestreaming event (2023 and 2025).^[4][5]

On June 2, 2026, NXT's head of creative Shawn Michaels announced that the 14th Great American Bash under the WWE banner, the seventh annual for NXT, and the 28th overall, would take place on Sunday, June 28, 2026, later confirmed to be held at NXT's home venue, the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, promoted as The Great American Bash: Orlando.^[6][7] The event went head-to-head with rival company All Elite Wrestling's event, Forbidden Door, which was co-promoted with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, World Wonder Ring Stardom, and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. Slammiversary, a PPV event by WWE's partner promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), was also planned for the same evening, but TNA moved its start time up to avoid counter programming.^[8] On the June 23 episode of NXT, after speaking with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) General Manager Rey Mysterio, NXT General Manager Robert Stone revealed that wrestlers from AAA would appear at The Great American Bash.^[9]

Broadcast outlets

Following the end of WWE's contract with Peacock in mid-March 2026 for NXT's events, and after NXT's previous livestreaming event, Stand & Deliver, aired on YouTube in early April, later that month on April 28, WWE announced a new multi-year broadcasting deal for NXT's events in the United States in which 20 livestreaming events would air on The CW's linear channel beginning with The Great American Bash; this expanded on an existing deal, as the weekly NXT program had been airing on the network since October 2024.^[10] The next day, it was additionally confirmed that as part of a deal between The CW and ESPN, the latter of which acquired the rights to WWE's main roster PPV and livestreaming events in September 2025, NXT's events would also be simulcast on ESPN Unlimited, also starting with The Great American Bash.^[11] Outside of the US, NXT's livestreaming events remain on Abema in Japan, SuperSport in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Netflix everywhere else.^[12]

Storylines

The event included seven matches that resulted from scripted storylines. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the NXT brand, while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television program, NXT.^[13][14]

On the April 21 episode of NXT, NXT Champion Tony D'Angelo received a white box with the Kanji symbol for war on it.^[15] The following week, Naraku made his WWE debut, confronting D'Angelo with a flag containing the same Kanji symbol. After he left, D'Angelo was attacked by Tavion Heights and a debuting Mason Rook. On the May 26 episode, D'Angelo challenged Naraku, demanding that he openly admit his desire for a title shot. Naraku declared his intention to keep D'Angelo as champion so they could face off. Later that night, Naraku warned Rook not to interfere in D'Angelo's title defense against Kam Hendrix the following week.^[16] On that next episode, Naraku and Rook thwarted Hendrix's attempt to illegally use weapons during his NXT Championship challenge against D'Angelo, who successfully retained the title.^[17] The following week, Naraku and Rook fought to determine D'Angelo's challenger for the NXT Championship at The Great American Bash, with Naraku emerging victorious. Later that night, Naraku gave D'Angelo a card containing a yellow Kanji symbol, inviting him to a battle.^[18][19]

On the May 12 episode of NXT, Kelani Jordan and Kendal Grey, accompanied by an injured Wren Sinclair, battled each other in the ring. During their match, Izzi Dame and NXT Women's Champion Lola Vice brawled from backstage to ringside, accidentally tripping Sinclair and distracting Grey. After losing to Grey, Jordan shoved Vice for hitting her injured ally before Dame knocked Vice out.^[20] The following week, Jordan, Grey, and Dame argued over who deserves to get a shot at the NXT Women's Championship. Vice announced that Dame would received her title shot the following episode. While Jordan was vocally furious at Vice's decision, Sinclair blindsided Jordan with her crutch.^[21] On the May 26 episode, Vice successfully retained the NXT Women's Championship against Dame.^[16] On the June 9 episode, Grey defeated Jordan to earn the right to challenge Vice for the NXT Women's Championship at The Great American Bash.^[18][22]

NXT North American Champion Myles Borne and Tavion Heights were both members of No Quarter Catch Crew. They left the stable to pursue singles opportunities after each of them defeated Charlie Dempsey on the June 3 and July 29, 2025, episodes of NXT, respectively.^[23][24] The following year on the May 19 episode, Borne and Tony D'Angelo faced off against Mason Rook and Kam Hendrix. Heights ran out to assist Borne but accidentally knocked Hendrix into Borne, allowing Rook and Hendrix to attack Borne and secure the victory. Later that night, Borne and Heights had a heated argument backstage, after which Heights stormed off.^[21] On the June 2 episode, Borne and Heights lost against DarkState (Dion Lennox and Osiris Griffin). After the match, Borne helped Heights stand up, but Heights shoved him away.^[17] The following week, Heights challenged Borne to a match for the NXT North American Championship at The Great American Bash. Jackson Drake appeared to state his dislike for Borne giving title matches to his friends. Heights then challenged Drake to a #1 contender's match for Borne's title.^[18] Their match took place a week later. During the match, Borne helped Heights fend off Drake's The Vanity Project stablemates Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes, which allowed Heights to defeat Drake and earn the right to challenge Borne at The Great American Bash. When Borne raised Heights' arm after the match, Heights pulled away, stating that he could have won on his own.^[25]

On the June 16 episode of NXT, Izzi Dame and Arianna Grace were victorious in the first round of the #1 contender's tournament to the WWE Women's Speed Championship.^[25] The following week, Grace defeated Dame after Dame got distracted by her The Culling stablemate Shawn Spears, thus Grace earned the right to challenge Wren Sinclair for the title at The Great American Bash.^[26]

At Vengeance Day on February 15, 2025, Dion Lennox and Saquon Shugars along with Cutler James and Osiris Griffin debuted as the stable, DarkState.^[27][28] At Halloween Havoc that year on October 25, Lennox and Griffin won the NXT Tag Team Championship,^[29] but Lennox relinquished his half of the title to Shugars on the December 2 episode of NXT to pursue singles championships.^[30] The following year on the February 24 episode, Shugars and Griffin lost the tag title to The Vanity Project (Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes).^[31] On the May 19 episode, Lennox and Shugars challenged The Vanity Project for the title with Shugars taking the pin. After the match, Lennox, Griffin, and James attacked Shugars, kicking the "weak link" out of the stable.^[21][16] On the June 2 episode, Shugars attacked James with a bat as DarkState made their entrance.^[17] A week later, Shugars caused a distraction that led to Lennox suffering a loss.^[18] On the June 11 episode, Shugars versus Lennox at The Great American Bash was announced.^[32]

Preliminary matches

The event opened with Tony D'Angelo, with a bandaged eye, defending the NXT Championship against Naraku. D'Angelo immediately blindsided Naraku and speared him through the side entrance. Naraku retreated, but as D'Angelo was on pursuit, Naraku kicked him in the injured eye; Naraku proceeded to his injured eye. The referee checked D'Angelo's condition, contemplating whether to stop the match, but D'Angelo insisted on continuing. He briefly fought back, but Naraku later threw D'Angelo threw the barricade. D'Angelo prevented a superplex and responded with a running powerbomb, leading to a comeback. When Naraku executed a German suplex, D'Angelo immediately got up and connected with Forget About It to retain the title.^[33]

Next, Zaria defended the NXT Women's North American Championship against Tatum Paxley. Both competitors got into a tug-of-war with the championship belt, which caused them to collide. When Zaria had the momentum, Paxley mounted a brief comeback until Zaria headbutted her. After Zaria threw Paxley over the barricade, Paxley immediately got back up and locked in a rear-naked choke from behind the barricade before climbing onto Zaria's back, prompting Zaria to drop backward on the floor. Paxley powerbombed Zaria on the floor and grabbed the championship belt. After Zaria avoided getting hit with the title belt, Paxley performed the Cemetery Drive on the floor, followed by another Cemetery Drive in the ring for a near-fall. Paxley tried the move again, but Zaria countered it into a failed F5 attempt. Zaria responded with a spear and an F5 for a near-fall. She then connected with a curb stomp and an F5 to retain the title.^[33]

The battle between Shiloh Hill and Tristan Angels ensued. Hill had the advantage early until Angels established control with a double stomp. When Hill hid underneath the ring, Angels pursued him; Hill grabbed Angels' leg and dragged him underneath. The broadcast switched to a camera angle beneath the ring. Angels answered a ringing cell phone, hearing a voice repeatedly saying, "The fog is coming." Hill, now wearing a hockey mask, ambushed Angels with a chokehold. Angels escaped and attacked Hill with an electrical cable before fleeing back to ringside. Hill reapplied the chokehold, but Angels broke free and later evaded a diving attack. Angels then placed the steel steps in the center of the ring apron. Hill used the steel steps to spring upward and counter Angels' dive with a spear. Hill then dove, but Angels countered with a Codebreaker for a near-fall. As both men battled on the top turnbuckle, Hill executed Whisper of the Beast to get the pinfall victory.^[33]

In a match with a five-minute time limit, Wren Sinclair defended the WWE Women's Speed Championship against Arianna Grace, who was accompanied by her BirthRight stablemates, including Charlie Dempsey. Grace was in control in the first 90 seconds. In the final minute, Sinclair mounted a comeback until Dempsey caused a distraction. Sinclair knocked Dempsey off the apron, but this allowed Grace to put her in a small package for a near-fall. Sinclair countered Grace and applied the Final Wrench, forcing Grace to tap out with 11 seconds left to retain the title.^[33]

Next, Dion Lennox battled his former DarkState stablemate Saquon Shugars. The two immediately brawled, with Shugars establishing control early. Lennox targeted Shugar's previously injured back. When Shugars halted the onslaught. DarkState members Cutler James and Osiris Griffin appeared, and then Lennox capitalized on the distraction to gain the advantage. Shugars mounted a comeback, later ascending the turnbuckles, but Lennox dropped Shugars back-first onto the turnbuckle. Lennox delivered a modified powerslam and clotheslines for near-falls. Shugars attempted to life Lennox but lost his grip due to his back injury. Shugars scaled the turnbuckles and landed a reverse diving splash to defeat Lenox. After the match, James and Griffin ambushed Shugars, executing a double powerbomb. They then allowed Lennox to attack Shugars with a baseball bat.^[33]

The penultimate match was for the NXT North American Championship with reigning champion Myles Borne defending the title against Tavion Heights. The two had a grappling exchange to open the match before Borne dropkicked Heights over the top rope. Heights executed a series of suplexes and various holds. After striking Borne's throat, Heights threw him over the top rope. Back in the ring, Heights performed a belly-to-back suplex for a near-fall. Borne mounted a comeback until Heights hit him with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex to the outside. Back in the ring, heights put Borne in a fireman's carry; however, Borne countered and connected with the Borne Again to retain the title.^[33]

Main event

In the main event, Lola Vice defended the NXT Women's Championship against Kendal Grey. The match opened with chain-wrestling and mat-grappling. Vice's combination of kicks and strikes gave her the early advantage until Grey countered with technical grappling. Kelani Jordan appeared at ringside, who was quickly intercepted by Wren Sinclair; the two engaged in a brawl towards backstage. While Grey was distracted on the ring apron, Vice knocked her down to the floor. Vice executed a series of German suplexes until the two began trading punches and submission reversals later on in the match. Grey missed a moonsault, which allowed Vice to hit her with a spinning back kick for a near-fall. Vice applied a guillotine choke that she transitioned into a triangle choke. Grey escaped by hitting Vice with a backfist for a simultaneous near-fall. Grey connected with the Shades of Grey to become the new NXT Women's Champion.^[33]

WWE Women's Speed Championship #1 Contender's Tournament