By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
NXT TV “Great American Bash Night Two”
Taped today in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University
Aired July 8, 2020 on USA Network
[Hour One] Highlights from Great American Bash Night One aired…
Mauro Ranallo, Tom Phillips and Beth Phoenix were on commentary. Tom Phillips welcomed viewers and noted that NXT will change forever tonight. Phillips also noted that this week’s NXT will also have limited commercial interruption…
Mia Yim attacked Candice LeRae from behind during her entrance. Once LeRae was knocked out, Yim tossed a bunch of weapons in the ring. The bell ran after Yim entered the ring…
1. Candice LeRae vs. Mia Yim in a Street Fight. LeRae grabbed a kendo stick and hit Yim with it a few time. Yim caught one cane shot and shoved LeRae to the mat. Yim grabbed the stick and went to town on LeRae with the kendo stick. Once LeRae was knocked down, Yim brought in tables because the developmental students chanted for it. LeRae gained more recovery time by hitting Yim with a wrecking ball dropkick. Yim reversed a victory roll by sitting down on LeRae for a two count. While Yim attacked LeRae at ringside, LeRae shoved Yim into the ringpost to gain the advantage. LeRae attacked Yim around ringside.
Yim reversed being yanked into the ringpost, tossing LeRae into the ringpost in turn. The action spilled to ringside. Yim tossed LeRae into one of the developmental wrestlers. LeRae threw fruits from the snack table at Yim. Yim hit LeRae with the platter. LeRae tossed more food at Yim. Yim came back with a bowl. LeRae got Yim to her knee with a platter shot. Some developmental wrestler kept saying, “Hit her with the mandarin oranges” to LeRae. LeRae blinded Yim with fire extinguisher spray.
LeRae tried to suplex Yim from a crate to a nearby table. Yim escaped and dropkicked LeRae into the table, heading into the picture-in-picture commercial.[c]
LeRae gave Yim a drop toehold into a chair. LeRae also dropkicked Yim against a chair. This gave LeRae a two count. LeRae tortured Yim’s ribs by jabbing a chair into it and grinding the chair into Yim’s ribs. LeRae bridged a table next to the turnbuckle. Yim countered LeRae’s suplex into her own suplex. LeRae came back with an enzuigiri. Yim returned the favor with a high kick. Yim gave LeRae a few Muay Thai elbows and a corner chop. Yim then put a trash can over the body of LeRae. Yim gave the can and LeRae a yakuza kick and a cannonball in the corner. LeRae kicked out of Yim’s matchbook cover.
Yim pulled out brass knuckles and milked the moment a bit. LeRae used a chair as a shield. LeRae smacked Yim a few times in the back with the chair. LeRae then tossed a bunch of chairs on Yim. LeRae then climed to the top of the table bridge she set up (which was a bit shaky). Yim recovered and punched LeRae out. LeRae and Yim balanced on the top of the table bridge. LeRae managed to yank the knuckles away from Yim. LeRae clocked Yim with the brass knuckles. LeRae hit Yim with a Super Final Cut Suplex for the victory, with LeRae managing to get a hand on Yim.
Candice LeRae defeated Mia Yim via pinfall in 15:51.
Highlights from the match aired…
An Adam Cole vs. Keith Lee hype video aired with Mark Henry giving his thoughts on the match, complementing both men. Henry ultimately picked Keith Lee to win…
The camera cut back to Mia Yim and Candice LeRae still knocked out in the ring. Tom Phillips announced the Papa John’s Sponsored Tony Nese vs. Bronson Reed match. They then cut to picture-in-picture commercials…[c]
John’s Thoughts: A good and safe WWE style hardcore match to get the show to a hot start. Not the greatest match in terms of telling any sort of story, but the action was enough to pick up the energy of the show early on. I would say a few spots were rough and unnecessary. Particularly I thought the parts were they were throwing in chairs was gratuitous. I also thought the table bridge was two awkward and unnecessary to add drama (it was just too cute). Other than that criticism, it was a well wrestled and high energy opener. Bonus points for Yim not doing a deadly spot.
During the commercial, Johnny Gargano helped Candice LeRae to the back while Yim took her time recovering and walking to the back…
The Papa John’s NXT Highlight of the Night was Bronson Reed beating up Leon Ruff and carrying Ruff to the back. They also aired highlights form Leon Ruff vs. Tony Nese that happened some other time…
2. Bronson Reed vs. Tony Nese. Phillips hyped up the Shaq Papa John pizza. Reed no sold Nese’s offense early on and got Nese into an armbar. Nese caught Reed with a back elbow and did a flip over Reed. Reed swatted Nese out of the air. Reed gave Nese a military press and running senton. Nese tossed the ring apron over Reed at ringside and gave Reed a baseball slide. Nese then had the advantage over Reed with methodical strikes. Nese got a one count after an inside cradle.
Nese staggered Reed with a back kick. Reed blocked a bulldog and then rebounded Nese with the top rope. Reed hit Nese with punches, an atomic drop, and bionic elbow. Nese blocked a corner splash with a boot. Nese escaped being caught. Nese hit Reed in the throat. Nese hit Reed with an outside-in moonsault. Reed turned Nese inside out with a lariat. Reed hit Nese with a top rope splash for the win.
Bronson Reed defeated Tony Nese via pinfall in 5:18.
Highlights from the match aired…
A Mercedes Martinez return vignette aired, saying she was returning tonight…
McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Robert Stone and Aliyah. Stone was wearing a new suit. Stone walked up to Shotzi Blackheart in her toy tank and offered her a chance to join the Robert Stone Brand. Blackheart said she doesn’t want to join because she rides solo. Stone threw a fit and accidentally threw coffee at Killian Dain, who tossed him down. Shotzi Blackheart then ran over Stone’s foot with the toy tank yelling “EAT MY TANK!!!”. The show then cut to picture in picture commercial where everyone tried to help Stone’s foot from under the tank…[c]
John’s Thoughts: A well-wrestled match, but ultimately a filler that won’t really push any of these wrestlers forward. I know the Thatcher vs. Lorcan match last week was impromptu and unadvertised, but the match contents of that match were unique enough with Thatcher also getting a push in NXT. This was just two undercard enhancement guys wrestling for no real good reason. Anyway, good match, that didn’t really do much. As for Robert Stone, he’s bringing back a lot of the Robbie E schick, but for some reason I’m getting more laughs out of it these days because it’s separated from the tired and boring Bro Mans act. Can we also turn, Eat my tank!, into a T-Shirt?
Isaiah Scott was making his entrance during the commercial break…
3. Johnny Gargano vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott. Gargano got Scott to the mat early on with a wristlock. Johnny got to his feet and mocked Scott’s “Swerve’s house” catchphrase. Gargano dominated Scott with the next chain wrestling sequence. Gargano worked on Scott with joint manipulation. Scott blocked a huracanrana with a handstand. Both men traded many counters at ringside, ending at a stalemate standoff. The standoff almost caused a double countout, which both men noticed. Scott blocked a One Final Beat. Scott then hit Gargano at ringside with a Fosbury Flop heading into the picture-in-picture. [c]
Gargano had a rally against Scott back from the break. Gargano got a one count on Scott. Scott used a foot to escape Gargano’s hold. Scott hit Gargano with a diving uppercut. Scott hit Gargano with a running boot from the apron to the ringside floor. Scott gave Gargano rapid punches. Scott hit Gargano with a Paydirt for a two count. Gargano eluded Scott and hit Scott with a slingshot spear for a two count. Scott escaped the corner and gave Gargano a deadlift twisting suplex.
Both men escaped each other’s finishers. Gargano got Scott with a kick and Scott came back with a knee. Scott hit Gargano with the House Call, but couldn’t get a hand over Gargano fast enough. Both men traded counters with Gargano locking Scott in the STF. Scott escaped with a rollup, for a two count. Scott hit Gargano with an inverted power bomb for a two count. Gargano rolled to ringside to avoid Scott’s high risk move. Scott kicked Gargano off the apron. Scott missed a KillStomp at ringside.
Gargano slammed Scott into the ringpost at ringside. Gargano then hit Scott with a Poison Rana at ringside. Gargano hit Scott with the One Final Beat for the victory.
Johnny Gargano defeated Isaiah Scott via pinfall in 14:18.
Mauro talked about how Scott hung in the ring with one of NXT’s best…
John’s Thoughts: Another filler match, but this one had a bit more star power with Gargano involved. It was also well wrestled as expected. That said, it still came off as filler because Scott hasn’t been presented in anything meaningful recently. In fact, wouldn’t Tony Nese vs. Isaiah Scott have made more sense today because those had some history dating back form the cruiserweight championship tournament a few weeks ago.
[Hour Two] Tom Phillips noted that the next Women’s Championship match is going to be Io Shirai vs. Tegan Nox after last week’s number one contender’s match. A Io Shirai and Tegan Nox video package aired where Io Shirai acknowledge Tegan Nox making her comeback (which was said in subtitiles). Io Shirai was cutting her promo from underwater in a mysterious way. Tegan Nox cut her promo from a park. Nox talked about how she’s no longer the comeback kid and is coming for the championship. Shirai pointed out how Nox was betrayed by all her friends while Io Shirai only relies on herself.
Nox said having friends is not a weakness. Nox joked about Shirai having Asuka’s help last week. Nox talked about coming from Wales to WWE and to this title match. They showed Nox doing outside weight training. Shirai said the NXT Women’s division is Io Shirai’s. Shirai said she will be waiting. Beth Phoenix announced Io Shirai vs. Tegan Nox for the NXT Women’s Championship next week…
John’s Thoughts: Good stuff from both women. Io Shirai really shines when she gets a chance to show her coolness and sexiness in these really dark segments. She lost a bit of her coolness since her return but has cut some really awesome promos to set up her matches against Sasha Banks and against Tegan Nox. Nox has a really good natural babyface ability to her. The only problem is we still don’t really know who Tegan Nox is aside from that person who survived two career-threatening injuries. Maybe a profile talking about her upbringing because she comes off as a person who would benefit form being relatable?
Keith Lee was shown getting psyched up backstage. Tom Phillips then introduced a Tale of the Tape…
Entrances for the advertised trios match took place. This week Breezango were luchador strippers. Drake Maverick showed up and got his regular entrance…
4. “El Legado Del Fantasma” Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza, and Joaquin Wilde vs. Drake Maverick, Tyler Breeze, and Fandango. Dango and Wilde started off the match. Wilde is no longer dressed like a wrestling DJ and now wears biker gloves. Dango suplexed Wilde on the top rope and tagged Breeze in, who worked on Breeze a bit. Wilde tackled Breeze to his corner to tag in Mendoza who worked on Breeze a bit. Breeze hit Mendoza with back kick and swinging neckbreaker. The babyface team traded tags to keep Mendoza under control. Mendoza caught Breeze with an enzuigiri to regain control for his team.
Mendoza and Santos hip tossed Wilde on Breeze to give Wilde a two count. Breeze escaped a Wilde hold with a jawbreaker. Dango tagged in and hit Wilde with a top rope tive. Dango hit Mendoza with a Falcon Arrow. The heels retreated to ringside. Dango gave Maverick a Military Press onto Legado Del Fantasma at ringside. Dango then hit Legado with a springboard corkscrew Asai Moonsault. Dango sold his knee. The heels tossed the injured Dango into the ringsteps.
Wilde got a one count on Dango. Beth noted that Dango is struggling to even get to his feet. The heels cut the ring in half on the injured Dango with Escobar even getting in some offense with the heels trading tags. Dango got a window of opportunity by dumping Mendoza to ringside. Dango used double boots to shove Mendoza into the plexiglass. Wilde made sure to distract Breeze. Dango tagged in Drake Maverick who rallied against Santos Escobar, punches, and tackles.
Maverick hit Santos with a Bulldog. All six men brawled at ringside. Maverick went high risk, but was tripped by an Escobar superkick. Santos Escobar hit Maverick with a Phantom Driver (Trill of the Hunt) for the win.
El Legado Del Fantasma defeated Drake Maverick and Breezango via pinfall in 10:38.
McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae about their two victories. Gargano said tonight is the day they celebrate great Americans and the Garganos are the best power couple not just in America, but in the world. Gargano then called out Finn Balor for preventing him from being in the main event against Adam Cole. Gargano said he doesn’t forget. LeRae said she doesn’t forget either and both Garganos have some unfinished business. Gargano then said he had to leave with LeRae to start some “fireworks” (I kinda wanna jokingly write “in the bedroom” but I’ll try to stay classy)…[c]
John’s Thoughts: A fun trios match. Nothing really main event level or anything, but it was a well wrestled trios match. This was a good showcase for the heel trio, especially Wilde and Mendoza. The biggest breakthrough though? After about 10+ years or something like that, Joaquin Wilde has finally wrestled in a non-BroMan/non-DJ wrestling gimmick. He looked badass! Thumbs up for my enemy-concept of pro wrestling finally being gone.
Drew McIntyre gave his complements to both of the wrestlers in the main event. McIntyre predicted that Adam Cole would win…
Santana Garrett made her entrance dressed like a sexy ringmaster. She’s against the returning Mercedes Martinez so she’s probably going to lose. Mercedes got some production value during her entrance with new entrance music. She also got some fact graphics…
5. Mercedes Martinez vs. Santana Garrett. Phoenix noted that Martinez was bullied as a kid and uses the ring to let out her pent up aggression against her enemies. Martinez hit Garrett with a few methodical chops. Garrett managed to get into position for an octopus hold, but Martinez reversed it. Garrett got Martinez in the corner and hit her with a handspring back elbow. Martinez came back with a big boot and ground and pound.
Garrett rallied at Martinez with a few forearms, but Martinez ran through Garrett with a clothesline. Martinez hit Garrett with a Fisherman Buster for the victory.
Mercedes Martinez defeated Santana Garrett via pinfall in 2:39.
John’s Thoughts: A really cool moment, seeing Mercedez Martinez finally getting a WWE run at age 39. It’s not often you see wrestlers make their prime debuts this late in their career. It’s cool seeing an indie-legend like Mercedes finally getting her big break. It’s also clear that WWE is giving her a push too, with the vignettes, the way the commentators talk about her, and the entrance with production values.
A Damien Priest promo package aired where he called out Cameron Grimes. He said next week, Grimes has a date with infamy. They showed clips of Grimes’s attacks on Priest over the last few weeks. Priest said he promises he’s giving Grimes a beating next week. Priest said next week the world will know that Cameron Grimes is a little bitch. The word “bitch” was censored…
Mick Foley gave his complements to Adam Cole and Keith Lee. He was in the middle on his prediction. Shawn Michaels gave his thoughts. He said he picks Adam Cole to win even though he wrote Keith Lee on a piece of paper…
Tom Phillips hyped Adam Cole vs. Keith Lee for after the break…[c]
Tom Phillips thanked Asking Alexandria for providing the song “No One Turns To None”…
The commentators advertised Io Shirai vs. Tegan Nox for the Women’s Championship and Damian Priest vs. Cameron Grimes for next week…
Entrances for the main event took place. Alicia Taylor handled the formal in-ring introductions for the championship match. The match started with about 20 minutes left at the top of the hour…
6. NXT Champion Adam Cole vs. NXT North American Champion Keith Lee for the NXT Championship and NXT North American Championship. Tom Phillips noted that this match will be uninterrupted by commercial. Cole started out the match with a side headlock on Lee. Lee tried to suplex Cole out of the way, but Cole kept control of the headlock. Mauro noted that Lee’s trainer in wrestling passed away last week. Lee used his strength to escape the hold. Lee locked Cole in a mercy hold. Cole escaped after a bit of time with forearms. Lee blocked Cole’s kick. Cole asked Lee to put him down and Lee gave Cole a shoulder tackle.
Cole sidestepped Lee at ringside, causing Lee to tackle Plexiglass. Cole slammed Lee around at ringside. Cole gave Lee a bicycle kick. Cole kept Lee under control at ringside with methodical strikes. Lee shoved Cole aside for a bit of respite in the ring. Cole hit Lee with strikes with Lee rebonding off the second rope after each strike. Cole then hit Lee with a swinging neckbreaker. Cole kept Lee under control with a triangle and punches. Lee responded to Cole’s usual trash talk with a choke. Cole hit Lee with a switch kick and neckbreaker.
Lee kicked out right at two. Cole slowly teased The Last Shot, but Lee grabbed Cole’s hand and gave Cole a shortarm lariat. Lee tackled Cole in the corner. Cole came back with a pump kick. Lee hit Cole with a delayed power slam for a two count. Lee was crotched on the second rope and given a Backstabber. Cole got a two count on Lee. Tom Phillips noted that Keith Lee has given Brock Lesnar and Roman Reign’s problems over the last year with his power.
Lee dragged Cole to the corner and deadlifted him from the apron to the second rope. Lee hit Cole with a Deadlift Superplex. Cole kicked out at two. Cole crawled under Lee’s legs and hit Lee with a kick. Lee blocked a Shining Wizard and gave Cole a Spirit Bomb. Cole got his finger to the bottom rope to break the pin. Cole rolled to ringside for a moment of respite. The match was passing the 12 minute mark at this point. Lee avoided a pump kick and gave Cole a Pounce in the ring. Lee hit Cole with a Uranage for a two count.
Keith Lee hit Adam Cole with moonsault for a nearfall. Lee dragged Cole to his feet by the hair. Cole escaped a Big Bang Attack. Cole hit Lee with a superkick. Cole then hit Lee with two superkicks which Lee nosold. Cole kicked Lee twice in the knees. Cole hit Lee with the Last Shot. Keith Lee kicked out of Adam Cole’s pin at two. Phillips noted that not many people kick out of the Last Shot. Cole went for another Last Shot but he ran right into a Keith Lee lariat. Cole kicked Lee to his knee and hit Lee with a Canadian Destroyer/Panama Sunrise for the two count.
The developmental wrestlers fired up with cheers (so much that their masks were starting to fall off). Cole hit Lee with three superkicks in a row for a nearfall. Cole showboated and exposed his knee. Cole gave Lee a Last Shot with the exposed knee. Cole didn’t go for the nearfall though. Cole went for another Panama Sunrise, but he was caught right into a Spirit Bomb. Lee hit Cole with the Big Bang Catastrophe to become the new NXT Champion.
Keith Lee defeated Adam Cole via pinfall in 19:55 to become the dual NXT Champion and NXT North American Champion.
Mauro Ranallo noted that this is the biggest moment in Keith Lee’s career. The referee handed Lee both his title belts, which Lee posed with. Highlights from the match aired. After the highlights, the ring was flooded with confetti and sparklers. The camera cut to the upstairs production booth, where Karrion Kross and Scarlett were watching the victory celebration. Kross and Scarlett laughed. After Scarlett left, Kross watched the celebration a bit longer, soon walking away with the show closing…
John’s Thoughts: A really good Adam Cole-style Takeover Main Event match. Because, we’ve seen this match style a few times before, it did feel a bit familliar, but it was still a solid Takeover level main event. I can’t help but feel a bit of the shock was taken away by the spoiler getting out via instagram (which a lot of us accidentally saw). That said it was still a strong Takeover-like main event match.
Another strong NXT, but I couldn’t help but feel that Night 1 was a bit hotter given that the matches on that show felt like it had more meaning. The best matches on this show were the Lee vs. Cole match and the Trios match with the rest of the show feeling a bit thrown together. It’s not the worst thing ever, but it felt like a lot of matches on this show were tossed together last minute (which they were in fact were given the quick need for Fyter Fest counter-programming). Last week’s Sasha Banks vs. Io Shirai and Timothy Thatcher vs. Oney Lorcan matches were tossed together last minute too, but both of those matches were unique and captivating enough to overcome that slight stigma. Anyway, I’ll have more thoughts on this show in my Dot Net Members Audio Review of the show. Jason Powell will be by with his hit list of the show once he catches it.
I’m not keen on the double champion thing. I feel like either the NA title is going to fall to the wayside, or Lee is going to become over exposed working two programs- and I think Keith Lee is great. I just don’t see how it works, unless the idea is Kross takes a title off of him quickly.