And you thought fireworks were only for the Fourth!

NXT begins another tradition as The Great American Bash returns! And it will end with a bang as Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole go one more round!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• NXT Tag Team Championships: MSK VS Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher; MSK wins and retains the titles.
• Million Dollar Championship: LA Knight VS Cameron Grimes; Knight wins and retains the title, Grimes is now his butler.
• NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships: Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell VS Io Shirai & Zoey Stark; Shirai & Stark win and are the new NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions.
• Adam Cole VS Kyle O’Reilly; Cole wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

NXT Tag Team Championships: MSK VS Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher!

Nash Carter & Wes Lee want the NXT locker room to finally respect them, and they’ll gladly fight to earn it! But when they’re fighting Old Man Ciampa and Toothless Timmy, will they be the ones on learning a thing or two?

The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and the Bash starts off with some fireworks!

The teams sort out as fans chant and duel, “MSK!” “SUCKS!” Ciampa starts with Carter, they circle, tie up, and Ciampa powers Carter to a corner. The ref counts, Carter pushes back but Ciampa wrenches the arm. Ciampa has the wristlock, Carter rolls, handsprings and flips but Ciampa CHOPS him down! Things speed up, Carter hurdles and dodges to springboard and tornillo body attack! Ciampa gets up and Carter blows him a kiss, but Thatcher tags in. Thatcher and Carter tie up, go around with chinbars inside the collar ‘n’ elbow, but Carter gets Thatcher on ropes. Thatcher pushes back, wrenches the arm, but Carter tags out to Lee!

Lee runs in, body shot, MSK fires off kicks! Thatcher ducks the enziguri to SLAP Carter! And ENZIGURI Lee! Ciampa gets in to BOOT Carter! Ciampa & Thatcher get MSK in dueling clubbing forearms! Fans fire up with the gritty duo as Thatcher clamps on a chinlock. Lee endures but Thatcher keeps him down. Thatcher even fish hooks Lee’s face! The ref reprimands, Thatcher rams knees in, then gets a leg for a deep bending crossface! Lee endures so Thatcher drops an elbow on him! Tag to Ciampa, he stomps Lee down, then CHOPS him into the corner! Ciampa goes side to side to KNEE Lee in the corner! Ciampa mockingly says, “Night night,” then covers, TWO!

Ciampa keeps on Lee with a grinding chinlock. Fans rally and duel, Lee fights up but Ciampa throws in a knee! Ciampa scoops, Lee slips out and shoves Ciampa, but Ciampa holds ropes to stop things from speeding up. Ciampa rams Lee with a shoulder, but Lee gets back up to dropkick Ciampa down! Ciampa is dazed and ends up in the MSK corner! Lee runs in to uppercut, tag to Carter! Feed to a headbutt, uppercut, and ENZIGURI! Ciampa staggers about as fans fire up, and Carter runs in to SHINING WIZARD! Snapmare roll and PENALTY KICK! Ciampa bails out but Carter goes to the apron. Thatcher gets Ciampa out of the way to take the MOONSAULT!

Ciampa LARIATS Carter down, and then pats himself on the back as NXT goes to break!

NXT returns and Ciampa whips but Carter boots him back! Ciampa waistlocks but Carter elbows him. Ciampa ripcords to a back suplex but Carter lands on his feet! Hot tag to Lee and Lee rallies with forearms! Thatcher avoids Lee’s superkick, Lee fires off on Ciampa! Snapmare and basement dropkick! Lee fires up, runs as Ciampa is on ropes, but Thatcher dumps Lee out! Fans cheer Thatcher and he gets Lee up to put him in the ring. Lee is mad but Ciampa KNEES him down! Cover, TWO!! Lee lives but Ciampa tags Thatcher. Thatcher drags Lee by a leg but Lee kicks away on him! Lee gets free and tags Carter!

MSK rallies on Thatcher with the kick combo, and this time top it off with the double stomp! And the PUSH-SAULT! Cover, TWO! Thatcher is still in this but Carter fires off CHOPS! Thatcher clinches to Belly2Belly suplex! Tag to Ciampa, and Thatcher digs a knee in while Ciampa stomps. Ciampa CHOPS Carter in the corner, fires off forearms, then tags Thatcher. Thatcher throws EuroUppers on Carter over and over, lets off to tag in Ciampa, and Ciampa CHOPS Carter! Carter hits back but Ciampa throws forearms. Carter CHOPS Thatcher, ROCKS Ciampa, repeat! Ciampa knees low, fires off hands and SLAPS Carter to then KNEE him!

Carter is on noodle legs and Ciampa eggs him on. Carter slaps himself, Ciampa fires forearms, and we have a brawl! Carter trips Ciampa up and rains down rights! Ciampa shoves him away, BOOTS him, then runs into Carter’s KNEE! Tag to Lee, Carter gets Ciampa up but Thatcher gets in! Lee hits Thatcher, but then Lee sends him into Ciampa! SUPERKICK, Thatcher is on ropes! Lee hits a CORNER 619! Thatcher wobbles, Lee springboards and handsprings, into a dropkick! Ciampa gets Lee up, for a PROJECT CIAMPA!! Cover, TWO!?! Lee lives and no one can believe it! Ciampa gets Lee up as fans go nuts!

Ciampa underhooks but Lee blocks! Ciampa CLUBS away on him, but Lee back drops to a bridging cover! TWO, and Ciampa tags Thatcher! Thatcher gets a leg, Lee kicks and gets free, then tags Carter! Carter runs in, Thatcher dodges, but Carter holds off the sleeper! Thatcher ripcords but Carter KNEES back! Ciampa tags back in to rally with clotheslines on MSK! Ciampa puts Carter up top, climbs up to join him, and gets him in position, only for Carter to sunset through! Ciampa goes to punch but gets tucked in, CHEEKY NANDOS! Tag to Lee, then tag back to Carter. Lee runs in to uppercut Ciampa, RAILGUN DROPKICK!

Carter and Lee take a corner each, climb up top, and SWANTON BOMB and tag to Lee! TORNILLO SENTON!! Cover, Thatcher drags Lee off the cover!! Thatcher leaves Lee on the floor, Carter runs in but gets DECKED! Thatcher puts Lee in at 6 of 10, tags in, and Ciampa gets Lee up. Double underhooks, for the ASSISTED FAIRY TALE ENDING!! To ANKLE LOCK!! Ciampa intercepts Carter but Carter slips out of Willow’s Bell to ram challengers into each other! Thatcher gets back up but Lee gets a cradle! MSK WINS!!

Winners: MSK, by pinfall (still NXT Tag Team Champions)

The Must-See Kids won by the skins of their teeth! Thatcher is shocked, Ciampa is disappointed, but are they learning to respect the young guns and their savvy?

The battery is still charging.

It is at 91%. It is almost done, but what will 100% mean?

NXT returns, and William Regal and Samoa Joe stand in the ring.

The NXT General Manager and his special enforcer are here as Regal speaks on the confrontations between Johnny Gargano and Karrion Kross. Therefore, Regal demands both Gargano and Kross make their way to the ring. Speaking of which, Johnny makes his way out to the ring first. Then Kross, without Scarlett, storms his way out to join them all. Joe keeps the peace but Johnny also keeps his distance from Kross. Regal says these two need to settle things. Gargano can’t believe Regal says he’s antagonizing Kross. Let’s get the formalities out of the way, “You suuuuuck~!” Kross seethes as fans echo Gargano’s chant.

Gargano continues by saying he’s been living rent free in Kross’ head, and there’s a lot of room in there! He’s living like a king! At TakeOver: In Your House II, Kross realized that he is not in Gargano’s league! That is why Kross tried to hit Gargano with a car! Kross is terrified to get in the ring 1v1 with Gargano because Gargano will expose him! Regal says he cannot in good conscience let this continue. Next week, it will be Gargano VS Kross FOR THE NXT CHAMPIONSHIP! Kross says, “Hold on a minute! You think I’m afraid of you?!” Gargano says yes, as do the fans. Kross didn’t try to run Gargano over, Gargano almost got himself run over, because he was in the way.

Size isn’t the only advantage Kross has over Gargano. He also has stronger convictions. For example, when Kross gets up in the morning, the same three things are on his mind: Never lose the NXT Championship; one day, main event WrestleMania; and one day, become WWE Champion. And what does Gargano do? Put on his wife’s jeans? Kross knows Gargano thinks he’ll do all these cool technical moves and win the match, but guess what! This isn’t a cartoon movie or a comic book! This is real life! And in real life, people like Gargano “get the living daylights beaten out of them” by people like Kross. And that’s just the way it is. Next week will be no different.

Then to ensure everything goes accordingly, Regal says there will be a special guest referee: Samoa Joe! Gargano and the fans like that idea! See you next week, Kross! Oh, and actually, it’s funny Kross mentions his wife’s pants, when Kross couldn’t even lace his wife’s boots! Kross says, “Why wait ’til next week?” But Joe stands in Kross’ way! Fans want to “Let Them Fight!” but Joe keeps his cool, and Kross has no choice but to stand down. Will Gargano get his way and embarrass Kross while dethroning him?

Kushida speaks.

“Against Kyle O’Reilly, it was a special moment for us. But suddenly, we were attacked from behind by the Diamond Mine. I’m ready to fight anytime.” Kushida is a proud Cruiserweight Champion, and he will defend this title that is “more valuable and shines brighter than diamonds.” So if the mine is open, Kushida is ready and waiting!

Million Dollar Championship: LA Knight VS Cameron Grimes!

The Million Dollar Legacy is more than just a belt, and the Million Dollar Feud is far from over! But with a Million Dollar Wager on top of this, will the Carolina Cash Money Caveman go #ToTheMoon? Or will he end up going wherever Knight tells him to as the Million Dollar Megastar’s butler?

The introductions are made, the most lavish belt ever is raised, and this Million Dollar Rematch begins!

Fans fire up for Grimes and he BOOTS Knight, then clotheslines him out of the ring! Grimes keeps going, aims from the apron to PENALTY KICK Knight down! The ref reprimands but Grimes fetches Knight to put him in the ring. Grimes climbs a corner, leaps, and CROSSBODIES! Cover, TWO! Knight escapes but Grimes is right on him with a headlock! Knight fights up, Grimes grinds him down, and fans rally behind Grimes. Knight still gets up, powers out, and CLOBBERS Grimes with an elbow! Knight stomps Grimes, fans taunt him with “You Suck!” but Knight just smirks. Grimes shoves Knight but Knight whips corner to corner. Grimes reverses and Knight hits buckles hard!

Knight gets to the apron, Grimes storms over but Knight HOTSHOTS him! Knight slingshots but into a SUPER FOREARM! Cover, TWO!! Knight survives but fans rally with “To The Moon!” behind Grimes. Grimes gets Knight, drags him from the ropes but Knight boots him away! Grimes comes back, Knight avoids the kick but to the STANDING MOONSAULT! Grimes clamps back onto Knight with a chinlock, and digs his knuckles into Knight’s forehead and face! Knight endures, fights up, and shifts around to back suplex! Grimes lands on his feet, but Knight goes to a corner and rams Grimes into a buckle! Knight shoves, tilt-o-whirl POWERSLAMS! Cover, TWO!

Grimes gets to the apron as NXT goes picture in picture, but Knight stalks him around the way. Knight stomps Grimes, drags him out to the apron and CLUBS him! Grimes sputters as he gets away but Knight is after him. Grimes CHOPS Knight, and CHOPS him, but Knight throws him by his hair! Knight tells the fans to shut up and then stomps Grimes to ropes again. The ref counts as Knight digs his foot in, but Knight lets off at 4. Knight stands Grimes up to throw hands, then whips him to ropes. Grimes ducks and dodges to CROSSBODY again! Cover, TWO! Grimes whips Knight corner to corner, but Knight dodges the splash to hit a NECKBREAKER! Knight hurries to cover, TWO!

Knight keeps on Grimes with a chinlock and grinds him down now. Grimes endures, reaches out, but Knight keeps him from ropes. Knight squeezes tight but Grimes fights up as fans rally. Grimes stands, throws body shots, then CHOPS Knight again! Grimes runs, Knight follows and gets him with a kitchen sink knee! Knight soaks up the heat while posing on the corner, then he stalks Grimes as he crawls. Knight stomps Grimes, kicks him to ropes, then gets the legs for a ROPE GUILLOTINE! Grimes sputters and Knight swaggers around as he says HE is the champ, not Grimes. Knight stomps Grimes more, brings him up by his hair and CLUBS him back down.

Knight taunts the fans as he pulls Grimes up and CLUBS him down again. Knight gives toying kicks, then says his name, “L! A! KNIGHT!” NXT returns to single picture as Knight wraps Grimes up in anther chinlock. Grimes fights up and jawbreakers free! Fans cheer but Knight throws body shots! Knight whips Grimes to ropes again but Grimes ducks and dodges again, for a COLLISION COURSE! Fans fire up with “TO THE MOON! TO THE MOON!” as both men slowly rise. Grimes stands first and fires off hands on Knight! Knight hits back and they go back and forth! Knight uppercuts but Grimes fires forearms! Grimes runs but Knight pulls hair again!

Grimes glares at Knight to fire off slapping shots! Knight is against the ropes as Grimes fires off! Fans fire up with Grimes and Grimes whips Knight. Knight reverses but Grimes clobbers him! And again! Grimes scoops and swings Knight for a SLAM! Cover, TWO!! Knight still lives and Grimes can’t believe it! Grimes snarls as Knight goes to a corner. Fans still rally behind Grimes as he runs in and clotheslines! Knight crawls, Grimes waistlocks and dead lifts but Knight elbows free! Knight throws Grimes out but Grimes skins the cat, but into a torture rack! INVERTED DEATH VALLEY! Cover, TWO!! The fans are thunderous and Knight is furious!

Grimes gets up, avoids Knight’s finish and backslides him up, TWO! ROUNDHOUSE! Knight staggers to a corner, Grimes runs in but Knight puts him on the apron. Grimes ROCKS Knight, climbs up, but Knight springs up there fast for a BIG SUPERPLEX! Cover, TWO!! Grimes still lives and Knight is furious again! Knight goes out to grab the belt and just wants to leave?! Champion’s Advantage, of course! But wait, he gets in the ring with the belt! Knight wants the ref to check something on the floor but the ref knows what’s going on! He takes the belt, Grimes rolls Knight up! TWO and Knight has the cover now! TWO!! Knight flounders for the belt but fumbles it out of the ring!

Knight turns around into a POISON-RANA!! Cover, TWO!?!? Knight lives and Grimes is shocked! Fans chant, “That Was Three!” but not quite it seems. Grimes goes to a corner, demands Knight stand up, and then shouts, “TO! THE! MOOON!” But Knight bails out before the Cave-In! Grimes goes to the apron, but Knight trips him up! Knight gets Grimes in position, DDT onto the title!! The ref couldn’t see it from in the ring, and now Knight leaves Grimes for dead! Grimes is down at 5 of 10, but flounders at 7! He stands at 8 and Knight is bragging, Grimes is in at 9.999!!! Knight is shocked but the fans are electric!

Knight stalks Grimes as Grimes wobbles and staggers, into the BFD!! Cover, Knight wins!

Winner: LA Knight, by pinfall (still Million Dollar Champion)

Though every trick in the book wasn’t enough, Knight had one that was purely his own brand of underhanded! And now he has Grimes as his butler! What will he make Grimes do first?

Backstage interview with Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai.

The NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships are on the line next, so how do these two feel about that match? They both want to respond to McKenzie, but Dakota says she’ll handle this. “If it wasn’t for Shotzi and her little sidekick, I would be walking out of the Great American Bash a champion.” And Ember is just this bug that won’t die! If they have to squish her once and for all, they will do that. As for Shotzi herself, “green hair troll doll” she is, they’ve put her on the shelf before. Raquel promises next time will be for good! Well, they didn’t worry at all about the title match, but will Ricky Desperado & #CobraKai crush everyone in their way back to those belts?

NXT introduces the 2021 Breakout Tournament entries!

Trey Baxter, Carmelo Hayes, Andre Chase, Josh Briggs, Ikemen Jiro, Joe Gacy, Odyssey Jones, and Duke Hudson are the eight young, fresh faces ready to break out! The tournament begins next week, who will be the first four through to the next round? Our first match-up will be Jiro VS Duke! Will the Breakout Tournament be handsome? Or will it belong to the young Duke of NXT?

NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships: Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell VS Io Shirai & Zoey Stark!

The Way is a family, and doesn’t think a duo that aren’t even friends stands a chance! But the Evil Genius and the Rising Star(k) have put aside their differences for a chance at glory! Will Shirai fly and Stark steamroll their way to the top against Candice & Indi Wrestling?

The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and we see which way the NXT Women’s Division goes from here!

The teams sort out, Shirai starts against Indi and they tie up. Shirai waistlocks, Indi switches and SLAMS Shirai down! Indi keeps the waistlock but Shirai slips out to get a wristlock. Indi gets up, wrenches through, and puts the wristlock on Shirai. Shirai rolls, handsprings and breaks free. Indi rushes in, Shirai redirects and dropkicks a leg out to then basement dropkick Indi down! Shirai gives toying kicks, gets Indi up, but Indi fireman’s carries! SNAKE EYSE, then a tag to Candice! Candice covers, TWO! Another try, TWO! Candice is annoyed but she tags in Indi. They get Shirai up, whip her to a corner, but Shirai boots Indi away and dodges Candice for a swing kick!

Shirai climbs, aims, and missile dropkicks Indi down! Cover, TWO! Indi reaches out but Candice is still down, and Shirai bumps Indi off buckles. Tag to Stark and she brings Indi around. They double suplex Indi for a BIG slam! Cover, ONE! Indi gets up but Stark whips her to ropes. Indi reverses, Stark stops herself and kicks back to then spin and backslide! TWO, Indi ducks a buzzsaw but not the heel kick! Stark fires up, runs corner to corner but Indi pops her up to a fireman’s carry! Stark fights, shoves Indi but Indi back elbows Stark back! Indi brings Stark around to hang her out to dry! Stark flops off the rope, hits the apron and then the floor as NXT goes to break!

NXT returns Indi grinds Stark down with a top wristlock. Stark endures, fights up, but Indi throws her back down! Indi leans on the hold, grinds Stark into the mat but Stark fights up. Stark arm-drags free, leaps at Indi but is caught! Indi shoves her, but Stark comes back with a HEEL KICK! Both women crawl, tag to Candice! Candice hurries but Stark leaps, hot tag to Shirai! Candice and Shirai fire off fists! The CWC fire sup, Shirai shoves and runs Candice over, then does it again! Shirai FLAPJACKS Candice, and Candice ends up on ropes! Shirai runs in, 619! Candice flounders, Shirai springboards to missile dropkick! Cover, TWO!

Shirai keeps on Candice with a whip to the corner. Shirai back elbows, tags Stark, and Stark runs in to SHINING WIZARD! Shirai METEORAS, then gets Candice up, underhooks, SUPERKICK TIGER BACKBREAKER COMBO! Stark fires up, runs, SLIDING KNEE! Cover, TWO!! Candice is tough but Stark tags Shirai back in. Shirai has Candice in a drop zone as she climbs up top, OVER THE MOON FLOP! Candice dodges, then gets Shirai for a GargaNO Escape! Indi intercepts Stark with a SIDE EFFECT to SILENCE?! #InDex represented with dual submissions, but Shirai rolls Candice to a cover! Indi lets Stark go to break the cover!!

Candice staggers up, gets Shirai up, but Shirai SHOTEIS! Down goes Candice, and Shirai hurries to the corner! Shirai goes up and up but has to hit Indi away first! Candice gets up to SUPER GERMAN Shirai down! High stack but Stark blows it up! Indi BOOTS Stark down! Tag to Indi, she gets Shirai up and atomic lifts, Candice gives it a push start as she runs at Stark, Indi hits an impressive BLUE THUNDER BOMB! Stark is down, Indi high stacks Shirai, TWO!?! Shirai survives and shocks The Way! Tag to Candice and she gets Shirai up but Shirai cradles! TWO!! Candice SUPERKICKS Shirai down for that one!

Tag back to Indi, but the lights go out?! The battery is done charging?! And when the lights come back on, it’s TEGAN NOX!! Nox is 100% again and Candice is in shock! Shirai gets up, Indi springboards in but into a SUPERKICK! Shirai dropkicks Indi into Candice and Candice falls out! Tag to Stark, she gets Indo for ZK360!! Cover, Stark & Shirai win!!!

Winners: Io Shirai & Zoey Stark, by pinfall (NEW NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions)

Nox is pumped, but she also gets after Candice! Candice can’t get away before Nox fires off hands on her! Nox has Candice in the ring and rains down fists! Indi is in no shape to save Candice and Nox keeps raining down fists! Candice shoves Nox away, runs for it, but Nox pursues! That aside, Shirai & Stark now have the gold, will they take over the entire summer?

Backstage interview with Toni Storm.

Toni requested this time to say, “How can Raquel Gonzalez set her sights on the likes of Shotzi Blackheart when the global superstar, Toni Storm, deserves a championship match?” And she’ll answer her own question, too: Raquel knows that if she stepped in the ring with Toni, Toni would become champion. McKenzie says that while Toni waits on that, there is the challenge of Sarray. How does Toni respond? Oh it was cute, how Sarray said, “For example, Toni Storm.” Like she picked Toni’s name out of hat or something. Toni is not an example but the exception to the rule. Sarray was a big deal in Japan, but only after Toni left.

Toni has won more matches in Japan than Sarray’s had hot dinners! And yet Sarray wants a match with her? Sarray is not on Toni’s level, so the answer is NO. Toni storms off, but is she the one avoiding a match she might lose?

NXT shares footage from over the commercial break.

After The Way lost and Candice ran away from Tegan Nox, Indi was left all alone in the ring! And Dexter Lumis came to her aid! #InDex lives again, and Beth Phoenix leads the shippers in rejoicing!

Hit Row presents their Championship Cypher!

“Ladies and gentlemen, but especially the ladies,” this is Ashante Thee Adonis, and welcome to the NXT North American Championship Cypher Celebration. Don’t act like they ain’t got no matters. Ladies first! B-Fab Briana Brandy says we might be looking at the money, but look where that money goes! B-Fab says they about to put ’em in a hearse, it’s ladies first. Things poppin’, now the bubble burst. Feelings get hurt thinking you can stop the cream, the expiration date’s come, y’all’re souring. B-Fab knows you big mad, frown up, the count up, big bag. She comes through to any fool with a big mouth. She from up north, they thinking down south.

B-Fab the ritual, blessin’ every room. She know they hate like an album tune. Try to times B, you’ll never add to where she’s at. She just different, just sittin’ back. Here’s a big fact: nobody’s close to B. She’s the next closest to the closest B. Let ’em know! Top Dolla, let ’em know! Time to change the vibe just a bit, get it back to the hood. He grew up listening to rap music. He don’t act bougie, he don’t act stupid. Matter fact, he dap shooters, and those with packs moving. Where he from, brothers rarely make it out. And those that do, they have similar routes. You either ball or make music, but if you do both, you get seven figured out.

That’s why Hit Row at the tippy top. You gotta be a top dolla shot calla to get a shot! So like being in the backseat, you’ll be bumped and bruised like chicken pox. They gettin’ guac, hit the block, double date at the dinner spot! NXT, you ours now, and Swerve has his, so now the others gonna get their crowns! Put ’em on notice! MSK, Timmy ‘n’ Ciampa, Ray-Ray, Pooky and they mamas! They the emperors with their new groove like llamas. Hit Row gonna get hits in a row with an entendre! Who hotta than Top Dolla? Not nada! Now, the champion’s in the house! The one true champ, Swerve!

Swerve City, Hit Row in the building! Swerve so fast, why even bother keeping up? He gives it back to Dolla and Dolla says put respect on the name! Swerve slows it down so even mere mortals can understand: “I worked too hard to give you haters laughter, so I’m building classics as North American Champion!” They finish off with their group hit, the Hit Row theme song! And if you didn’t know, now you know!

Backstage interview with Samoa Joe & William Regal.

Before the main event, what are their thoughts on the Great American Bash? It’s been a great night so far, as MSK has earned the respect of Ciampa & Thatcher, there are NEW NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions, and Tegan Nox has made her return. Plus, it seems Cameron Grimes has a new occupation. With Cole VS O’Reilly 2 left to go, Regal is looking forward to next week’s big NXT Championship match. Speaking of that, things were boiling over tonight, what is Joe’s take being special referee? Joe would agree here but he assures us that he will not change the trajectory of the match. So long as he is not provoked, it should all be okay. So may the best man win.

Adam Cole VS Kyle O’Reilly!

Normally, an unsanctioned match where anything goes would be the end of things. But for these two, who have known each other for almost two decades, that is never enough! Will bringing things back to a standard singles match be what puts the punctuation on this rivalry?

The bell rings, the two circle and the fans rally and duel already. Cole and Kyle tie up, go around, and Kyle puts Cole on the ropes. The ref counts, Kyle lets off at 4, and the two go again with knuckle locks. Cole trips Kyle but Kyle holds on and fights back with his legs. Fans duel, Kyle rolls Cole over for a double knuckle lock cover. Cole keeps pushing his arms up, uses his legs against Kyle and tucks him for a sunset, TWO! Kyle and Cole reset and fans fire up again! They go again, Kyle wrenches, Cole ends up on ropes but turns things around. Kyle turns it back around, lets off, but Cole ducks the roundhouse! Kyle stares Cole down as NXT goes to break.

NXT returns and Cole ROCKS Kyle, then wrenches and whips. Kyle reverses, but Cole sunset flips! Kyle stays up and gets an ARMBAR! Cole scrambles, clasps hands, but Kyle goes for a leg! ANKLE LOCK! Cole screams, reaches, and gets the ropebreak! But Kyle KNEES The arm reaching out! Kyle stomps Cole, drags him up and YANKS the arm, then wrenches. Kyle hammerlocks and wrangles Cole down to CLUB him in the ribs and KNEE him in the back! Kyle floats over to CLUB and KNEE again, then runs to sliding KNEE Cole in the back! Kyle stomps Cole as fans duel, and Kyle wrenches the arm. Cole ROCKS Kyle, Kyle still wrenches.

Cole ROCKS Kyle, Kyle hammerlocks, but Cole elbows free! Cole runs but into a ROUNDHOUSE! Cole bails out, Kyle reaches for him, but Kyle avoids the Pele! Kyle knows Cole too well, but so does Cole as Cole avoids the flying knee! RUNNING NECKBREAKER takes Kyle down! Fans fire up for “NXT! NXT!” as a ring count starts. Cole throws Kyle into barriers at 4, then follows him into the ring at 5. Cole BOOTS Kyle down, covers, TWO! Cole gets the bad arm moving, drags Kyle up, and turns him, for another NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO!! Fans fire up and duel as Cole drags Kyle back up and bumps him off buckles.

Cole wrenches, whips Kyle corner to corner hard, and Kyle bounces off buckles chest first! Cole drags Kyle around, sits him up and wraps on a headscissor squeeze! Fans rally and duel hard as ever as Kyle endures, but Cole throws elbows into Kyle’s head! Cole lets Kyle go and paces as Kyle sits up. Cole brings Kyle up to a fireman’s carry, but Kyle fights free! Kyle throws elbows, Cole powers up but Kyle slips off. Kyle shoves to kitchen sink knee! Cole sits up and gasps but Kyle grits his teeth as he comes back around. Kyle clinches for knees and kicks and a furious flurry of strikes! Leg sweep and Cole goes scrambling to a corner!

Kyle runs corner to corner and forearm smashes! Kyle wrenches to an ELBOW BREAKER, but Cole ROCKS him! Kyle KNEES, BUTTERFLY SUPLEX after BUTTERFLY SUPLEX! Cover, TWO! Cole gets to ropes, fans are thunderous, and Kyle KICKS Cole in the leg! Kyle gets Cole up, grabs the leg, SHIN BREAKER! Cole tries to enziguri but he misses! Cole avoids Ax ‘n’ Smash to hit a BACKSTABBER! Cover, TWO!! Cole grows frustrated, and says “I’m better than you, O’Reilly. Always have been and always will be! You are a disappointment!” Kyle gets up as Cole says Kyle is a disappointment to himself, and his “stupid wife!” Kyle gets pissed and fires off on Cole in the corner!

The ref backs Kyle off, Kyle lets off only to go after Cole more! Cole slips out from under to SUPERKICK a leg out! Kyle falls hard to the mat and fans are thunderous as Cole brings Kyle to the corner. Cole SLAMS Kyle’s leg into the post over and over! The ref reprimands, Cole lets off, but NXT goes picture in picture!

Cole stalks Kyle on the apron then into the ring. Cole grins as he takes his time getting in. Cole gets a leg for a foot DDT! Kyle clutches his leg but Cole gets him up to bump him off buckles. Cole puts the leg around ropes and pulls! The ref counts, Kyle tries a chinlock in retaliation, but Cole lets off to dropkick the leg! Cole taunts Kyle as he’s stuck in the ropes, and then drops a knee on the knee! Kyle writhes and clutches the leg but Cole stalks him. Kyle kicks from below but Cole stomps away on the leg! Cole drops an elbow on the knee, pulls on the toehold, but Kyle refuses to give up! Kyle uses a chinlock but Cole gets out to SPLASH the bad knee!

Cole smirks as he gets the leg and drags it to the ropes. Cole springboards for a straddle attack! Kyle writhes, Cole shoves him back to center and puts on a standing KNEEBAR! Kyle endures, keeps his shoulders up and kicks with the free leg! Kyle kicks Cole away, NXT returns to single picture, and Kyle stands. Kyle throws forearms but Cole trips him! Cole steps through, Kyle kicks out of the Figure Four, things speed up and DOUBLE CLOTHESLINES take both men down! Fans are thunderous again as both men stir. Kyle sits up first but Cole follows. Kyle throws a forearm from his knees, but so does Cole. They go back and forth, forearm for forearm, and fans rally up!

Kyle hits, Cole staggers, and Kyle fires off more! Kyle spins but into a BOOT! Kyle yoyos but Cole blocks to HANGING HALF CRAB! The ref counts, Cole lets go at 4 and Kyle CHOPS him away! Kyle gets to the outside but Cole goes through the apron, into Kyle’s DRAPING DRAGON SCREW! Cole falls back into the ring, Kyle hobbles after him! Kyle gets Cole up for a suplex, but Cole fights free! Cole tries to suplex but Kyle fights free! Kyle ROUNDHOUSES the bad arm, but Cole kicks the bad leg! They go back and forth like this, Kyle wrenches the bad arm but Cole CHOP BLOCKS the bad leg! Cole takes aim, runs, and SHINING WIZARDS! Cover, TWO!!

Fans can’t believe it but they should know both men are tougher than this! Cole goes to the corner, climbs up, and aims as Kyle rises. Cole leaps, but Kyle gets under! Cole’s leg jams, Kyle fires knees and fast hands! Kyle kicks, sweeps but Cole jumps it to SUPERKICK! WHAT?! Kyle endures the kick to FISHERMAN BACK SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!! Both men are down and the fans are electric again! “This is Awesome!” as Cole stands and Kyle KICKS him back down! Kyle gets Cole up, fires off Kowata Kicks, but Cole fires forearms in return! Kyle trips Cole to float for a ground ‘n’ pound! Kyle wants the armbar but Cole blocks that side, so Kyle switches!

Cole gets up, steps through, but Kyle cradle counters! TWO!! Kyle shoots in, rolls to a HEEL HOOK! Cole moves around fast and uses that to get a FIGURE FOUR! Kyle endures now, fans rally both ways, and Kyle turns over, only for Cole to roll it through! Kyle pries at the legs, gets one for a DEATHLOCK HEEL HOOK FUSION!! Cole endures, this move would’ve put him away at TakeOver if not for Kross! Cole reaches over, ROPEBREAK! Cole saves himself this time and Kyle lets go more out of exhaustion than frustration. Kyle and Cole slowly rise, Kyle reels Cole in but Cole grabs ropes! Kyle has the leg but Cole ENZIGURIS him back!

Kyle staggers, but he steps over Cole’s takedown attempt to KNEE! AX ‘N’ SMASH!!! Kyle gets Cole in a waistlock but Cole PELES! Kyle comes back to PENALTY KICK but then he continues and falls out of the ring! A ring count starts but Cole doesn’t want to win like that. Cole is on the apron at 4, aims at Kyle, and leaps, PANAMA SUNRISE to the floor! Cole drags Kyle up, puts him in, covers, ROPEBREAK!! Kyle’s foot saves him and Cole can’t believe it! Cole takes aim but Kyle trips him! Cole kicks Kyle away, ducks the Penalty Kick to roll and SUPERKICK Kyle! Kyle yoyos to LARIAT!! Kyle fires up and reels Cole in, BRAIN BUSTER!

Kyle hurries up top, wanting to end this like he did at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver! KING KONG KNEE FLOP!? Cole avoids it to hit the LAST SHOT!! Cover, TWO!??!? How!?!? The CWC and commentary is losing their collective minds, and maybe so is Cole! Cole goes to the corner, climbs up, but Kyle SUPER ARM-DRAGS him down! Cole clutches that arm but avoids Kyle to mule kick and mule kick again! The knee takes damage, Cole climbs up again, PANAMA- KNEE!! Kyle’s bad knee hits Cole but that hurts Kyle more! Cole goes back up, PANAMA SUNRISE AGAIN!! And the LAST SHOT!!! Cover, Cole wins!!

Winner: Adam Cole, by pinfall

What a finale to the Bash! These two bashed it up, and Cole got the better of Kyle this night! But if the Unsanctioned match wasn’t the end, what’s to say this is the end?

My Thoughts:

What a great NXT and great second Great American Bash in NXT history. It was definitely like a two hour TakeOver on TV, and we even got some great story progression along the way. Opening with the men’s tag titles is very TakeOver formula, and that is a tried and true formula. MSK VS Ciampa & Thatcher was awesome stuff, MSK’s best match in NXT, and it was just a bit of a surprise that MSK retained. I feel like maybe Ciampa & Thatcher should’ve won to freshen things up a little, but I suppose MSK still has Imperium and Hit Row to face. Of course, some of those cuts by Nick Da Prick really hurt the path the other teams could take. Hit Row doesn’t get to face feud with Ever-Rise more and Imperium is just done with Breezango despite that loss.

The face-to-face of Kross and Gargano was great stuff, especially with Samoa Joe there. Gargano loves digging at Kross over in-ring skills, and it is a simple but effective burn in the eyes of certainly the NXT fans. Adding Joe as a special guest ref is quite the interesting move, and it at least will bring us ever closer to Joe’s in-ring return. Joe VS Kross would be a pretty badass match, even if the title isn’t involved, and it’d be a battle of rear naked chokes for the ages. Kushida calling out Diamond Mine is good stuff, and I feel like we should get Kushida VS Tyler Rust first before Kushida VS Strong for the Cruiserweight title. For that matter, why not get Diamond Mine on 205 Live for scouting? If 205 Live still matters, they need to make it look like it matters.

Which brings me to the Breakout Tournament participant announcement. Weren’t we supposed to get two more qualifiers for this week’s 205 Live? But we have our eight, and they all look very impressive. It is anyone’s guess how the brackets go, but I feel like Jiro is going to put Duke Hudson over. Jiro has had some exposure already because of 205 Live and his few NXT matches, and Duke is the new guy, so it just adds up to Duke moving on to round two. The Million Dollar rematch was great, maybe even a touch better than their ladder match. I had a feeling Grimes was losing this, he will be funnier as Knight’s butler. I hope this is an improvement upon how NXT UK had Nina Samuels as Xia Brookside’s assistant. Nina didn’t do any plotting, but maybe Grimes purposefully messes up to troll Knight.

Pretty much everything with the Women’s Tag titles was great. Good promo from Dakota & Gonzalez, awesome match from The Way VS Shirai & Stark, and Tegan making her return was great stuff. The battery vignette being for her made a lot of sense, a lot of people expected it to be her, and the return costing The Way the titles was a natural move. Nox can go after Candice 1v1, the titles move over to have Shotzi & Ember VS Raquel & Dakota again, winner more than likely challenges Shirai & Stark after. Maybe another tag team steps up to get in the mix, too. Lumis showing up to whisk Indi away was also a great touch, this #InDex stuff is really growing on me.

Storm replying to both Gonzalez looking past the singles division at the same time as responding to Sarray’s challenge was a good promo, too. I feel like Storm will go after Sarray as Sarray wins more and is named the contender over Storm. The Hit Row Cypher was a unique segment for NXT, which NXT likes to do. They do their best to innovate for WWE, and I do admit that I had no chance at keeping up with Swerve there. B-Fab and Top Dolla were still tricky at parts, but that just shows how good they are. Well, to be fair, Top Dolla felt slightly off with his lines here and there but it’s not like he stumbled or anything. And this moment shows NXT is investing in Hit Row, is seeing them as a top faction already, and they’re just going to get bigger from here.

I also feel like maybe this was pre-filmed and put where it was, because Dolla mentions MSK and Ciampa-Thatcher, as if that match hadn’t been resolved yet, but Hit Row definitely wants next on those titles. Maybe B-Fab finally gets in the ring, too? The main event was awesome stuff. For being a normal singles match, it really pumped up the intensity to keep even with the unsanctioned match. Kyle won the unsanctioned, Cole won this match, I’m thinking if there’s a TakeOver in August, that is the tiebreaker and it can be a Loser Leaves NXT, aka Loser Goes to RawDown. The WWE Draft is being dug back up, I think Cole loses so that the Draft puts him on one of the other shows.

Cole’s farewell match will be epic, he and Kyle could steal whatever weekend it’s put on, and even in losing, Cole will still have all this buzz showing up on draft night. Hopefully he goes to SmackDown. Raw might be building back up but not enough to really prove anything, so Cole on SmackDown would be the best for him.

My Score: 9.4/10