Murphy’s Blog: NXT Great American Bash Predictions – Oba Femi vs. Yoshiki Inamura for the NXT Championship, Ethan Page vs. Ricky Starks in a Falls Count Anywhere match for the NXT North American Title

By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)

The NXT brand presents its annual Great American Bash show on Saturday, emanating from Atlanta, Georgia’s Center Stage. I’ve been a fan of Center Stage going back to WCW in the 1990s. The presentation should be fine, and while the matches don’t jump off the page, the in-ring work should be fine. Let’s run down the card.

Oba Femi vs. Yoshiki Inamura for the NXT Championship. Femi is starting to spin his wheels, as they don’t really have any credible contenders. Inamura is fun, but he’s been teaming with Josh Briggs, and his singles ascent feels rushed. This should be a good match, and it seems like they’re planning to split off Inamura from Briggs. That could potentially come into play here if Briggs turns heel and costs Inamura the match.

Don Predicts: Oba Femi retains the NXT Championship.

Ethan Page vs. Ricky Saints in a Falls Count Anywhere match for the NXT North American Championship. Ethan Page is gold and should be headed to the main roster in short order. He’s tailor-made for a run with either the Intercontinental or United States title, and I can see him slotted into the main event picture with either of the world titles. Saints will make it as well, but I could see him having a run in NXT for a bit longer.

Don Predicts: Ricky Saints wins the NXT North American Championship.

Sol Ruca vs. Izzi Dame for the NXT Women’s North American Championship. Dame has really stepped up since joining The Culling. This could be the sleeper match of the night, and I expect Zaria and Tatum Paxley to play a role in the finish, leading to a title change.

Don Predicts: Izzi Dame wins the NXT Women’s North American Championship.

NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne and Fallon Henley vs. Blake Monroe and Jordynne Grace. This is interesting, as Jayne defends the title the following night against Grace. Normally, that would mean the heel team would go over here, but I don’t think they’re going to have Monroe on a losing team in her first NXT match. So I think the babyfaces go over with Monroe pinning Henley, sparing the two wrestlers involved in the title match for Evolution.

Don Predicts: Blake Monroe and Jordynne Grace defeat Jacy Jayne and Fallon Henley.

Jasper Troy vs. Je’Von Evans. Troy has the potential to be a star but needs a big win after dropping two in a row. Evans is the lovable, energetic babyface who can easily absorb a loss, while also making Troy look good in the process. This seems pretty straightforward.

Don Predicts: Jasper Troy defeats Je’Von Evans.

The contract signing for Trick Williams vs. Joe Hendry vs. Mike Santana for the TNA World Championship at Slammiversary. This will be a fun little segment to break up the action and sell the story heading into the three-way title match next weekend. I suspect this is designed to put heat on Williams and make the babyfaces look sympathetic.