NXT The Great American Bash (2023)

The 2023 NXT The Great American Bash was the 11th Great American Bash professional wrestling event produced by WWE, and 25th Great American Bash event overall. It was held exclusively for wrestlers from the promotion's NXT brand division. Unlike the previous three years, which aired as television specials of NXT, the 2023 event aired as a livestreaming event, marking the first Great American Bash to air on both Peacock and the WWE Network. It took place on Sunday, July 30, 2023, at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park in the Austin suburb of Cedar Park, Texas.

Seven matches were contested at the event, including one on the pre-show. In the main event, Carmelo Hayes defeated Ilja Dragunov to retain the NXT Championship. In other prominent matches, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio defeated Wes Lee and Mustafa Ali to retain the NXT North American Championship and Tiffany Stratton defeated Thea Hail in a submission match to retain the NXT Women's Championship. The event was notable for the professional wrestling in-ring debut of Olympic Gold medallist Gable Steveson.

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, the promotion revived the event as their own annual pay-per-view (PPV) in 2004, 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 special episode of SmackDown but was again discontinued. In 2020, WWE again revived the event, this time for the developmental brand NXT as an annual television special of the NXT program. On May 28, 2023, during Battleground, it was announced that the 11th Great American Bash under the WWE banner, and 25th overall, would be held on July 30 at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park in the Austin suburb of Cedar Park, Texas. Instead of airing as a television special like the previous three events, the 2023 event was held as a livestreaming event, marking the first Great American Bash to air on WWE's livestreaming platforms, Peacock in the United States and the WWE Network in most international markets.

Storylines
The event comprised seven matches, including one on the pre-show, that resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the NXT brand, while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television program, NXT, and the supplementary online streaming show, Level Up.

At the end of the second week's episode of the Gold Rush special on June 27, Bron Breakker went berserk in Shawn Michaels' office before storming out of the room screaming that he had done his best in NXT and Michaels could not control him. The following week, during a promo where Breakker talked about his match against Raw's Seth "Freakin" Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship during the first week's Gold Rush special, he was interrupted by Ilja Dragunov, who said that Breakker was between him and the NXT Championship. The two then brawled. On July 7, Michaels announced via Twitter that Dragunov and Breakker would face each other on the next episode, with the winner receiving a match against Carmelo Hayes for the NXT Championship at The Great American Bash. The following week, Dragunov won the match.

At the end of the second week's episode of the Gold Rush special on June 27, Tiffany Stratton defeated Thea Hail to controversially retain the NXT Women's Championship; Hail had Stratton in the Kimura lock submission, but due to a distraction by Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey at ringside, the referee did not see Stratton tap out. Three weeks later, Hail wanted a rematch against Stratton for her title at The Great American Bash, which Stratton accepted. Hail also wanted to add a submission match stipulation, but Stratton declined, stating that only she can add stipulations. Hail then put Stratton into a Kimura lock, and Stratton accepted the additional stipulation.

For several weeks, a series of segments showed Tony D'Angelo being arrested, with Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo doing anything to free him, while dealing with Gallus (Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, and Wolfgang). On the July 11 episode of NXT, Stacks defeated Joe in a match. Per the pre-match stipulation, D'Angelo was freed and the charges were dropped. At a special "homecoming" celebration for D'Angelo the following week, The Family (D'Angelo and Lorenzo) challenged Gallus for the NXT Tag Team Championship at The Great American Bash, which Gallus accepted.

During a battle royal to determine the number one contender for the NXT Women's Championship on the June 6 episode of NXT, Blair Davenport showed up at ringside and called out Roxanne Perez. Perez and Davenport brawled at ringside, and Tatum Paxley cost Perez the match. The following week, Perez defeated Paxley, and after the match, she called out Davenport. On the July 4 episode of NXT, Davenport defeated Perez. Two weeks later, during a split screen interview, they both agreed to a rematch at The Great American Bash. The following week, it was announced that the match would be a Weapons Wild match.

During the first week's episode of the Gold Rush special on June 20, Wes Lee defeated Tyler Bate to retain the NXT North American Championship, with Mustafa Ali as the special guest referee. The following week during a backstage segment, Lee confronted Ali about how he refereed the match. Bate then showed up and told Ali that there was no telling who would have won had the match been called fairly. Later that same night, a match between Ali and Bate was scheduled for the next episode, which was won by Ali. After the match, Ali challenged Lee for the title at The Great American Bash, which was made official on July 9. However, Lee lost the title to Raw's "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio on the July 18 episode following interference from Mysterio's fellow Judgment Day stablemates. The following week, a triple threat match between Mysterio, Lee, and Ali was scheduled for The Great American Bash.

On the July 25 episode of NXT, Gable Steveson had to make a decision about his career, then he was interrupted by Baron Corbin, who suggested that Steveson should just not go back to NXT. Steveson answered that Corbin made his decision easier and challenged him to a match at The Great American Bash, which was later official.

Pre-show
During the pre-show, Nathan Frazer, Dragon Lee, Yulisa León, and Valentina Feroz took on Meta Four (Noam Dar, Oro Mensah, Lash Legend, and Jakara Jackson) in an eight-person mixed tag team match. In the closing stages, Frazer delivered a springboard inverted DDT on Dar, but Jackson broke up the pin. Leon and Feroz then delivered a diving dropkick/DDT combination to Legend, but Dar broke up the pin. Mensah then delivered a spinning leg lariat to Frazer, but Dragon Lee immediately delivered a tornado DDT to Mensah. Frazer then delivered a reverse Springboard Spanish Fly to Mensah and a tope con giro to Dar, allowing Dragon Lee to deliver an Asai DDT to Mensah for the win.

Preliminary matches
The actual event began with Gallus (Mark Coffey and Wolfgang) (with Joe Coffey) defending the NXT Tag Team Championship against The Family (Tony D'Angelo and Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo). In the closing stages, D'Angelo delivered a spinebuster to Mark Coffey for a two-count. As Wolfgang was attempting a senton on D'Angelo, he unintentionally delivered the senton on Mark Coffey. Wolfgang then delivered a Pounce and a moonsault to Stacks for a two-count. Gallus then delivered Gallus Gate to Stacks, but D'Angelo broke up the pin. D'Angelo them delivered a powerbomb to Mark Coffey onto Wolfgang into the steel steps. D'Angelo then hit Joe Coffey with a crowbar, allowing D'Angelo and Stacks to deliver the Bada Bing to Wolfgang to become the new NXT Tag Team Champions.

In the next match, Roxanne Perez faced Blair Davenport in a Weapons Wild match. In the opening stages, as Perez was making her entrance, Davenport jumped over the barricade and attacked Perez. Perez then delivered a diving crossbody from the barricade to Davenport. As Perez was attempting a suicide dive, Davenport threw a trash can into Perez. Davenport then delivered multiple chair and golf club shots to Perez. As Davenport was attempting a chair shot to Perez, Perez blocked it and threw a chair into Davenport. Davenport then started beating Perez with a leather belt. Perez then hit Davenport with a cowbell and started throwing Davenport across the barricade. As Perez was attempting the Pop Rox, Davenport countered it into an Alabama Slam. Davenport then delivered a Falcon Arrow to Perez onto a trashcan for a two-count. Perez then delivered a knee strike into the steps, a diving splash onto a table and a Pop Rox onto a pile of chairs for the win.

Next, Gable Steveson faced Baron Corbin. In the closing stages, Steveson delivered a German suplex onto the outside and locked in the ankle lock, but Corbin escaped it and threw him into the ring post. Corbin then delivered a Fireman's carry driver and a lariat for a two-count. Steveson then threw Corbin over the announce table, but Corbin immediately delivered a flying forearm. Both men then threw themselves over the announce table as the referee reached the count of 10, forcing a double countout. After the match, Steveson and Corbin continued fighting, with both men attacking WWE Security and Steveson delivering a belly-to-back suplex to Corbin into the barricade.

Next, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio (with Rhea Ripley) defended the NXT North American Championship against Wes Lee and Mustafa Ali. In the opening stages, Ali and Lee delivered simultaneous chops in the corner to Dominik. As both Ali and Lee were on the top rope, Dominik pushed both men to the outside. Ali and Lee then delivered Three Amigos to Dominik at the same time for a two-count. Lee then delivered a diving Meteora to Dominik, but Ali broke up the pin. As Ali was attempting a 450° splash on the apron to both Lee and Dominik, both men moved out of the way. Dominik then delivered a schoolboy pin to Lee for a two-count. Lee then delivered a suicide dive to Dominik. As Lee was attempting another suicide dive to Dominik, Ripley stood in front of Lee to prevent him, but Lee immediately delivered a tope con giro over Ripley and onto Dominik. As Lee was attempting to bring Dominik back into the ring, Ripley stopped him and delivered a Riptide to him through the table. Dominik then hit Lee with the Women's World Championship for a two-count. As Dominik was attempting the Frog Splash, Ali delivered a dropkick to Dominik and delivered the 450° splash to Lee but Ripley pulled Ali out of the ring to stop the pinfall attempt, allowing Dominik to deliver the Frog Splash to Lee to retain the title.

In the penultimate match, Tiffany Stratton faced Thea Hail (with Andre Chase and Duke Hudson) in a submission match for the NXT Women's Championship. In the opening stages, Stratton locked in the Romeo Special, but Hail reversed it into the Fujiwara armbar, but Stratton escaped. Stratton then delivered a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and a handspring back elbow. Hail then delivered an avalanche fisherman suplex, but as Hail was attempting the springboard senton, Stratton countered it into a bodyscissors. Hail then locked in the Kimura Lock, but Stratton reached the ropes. Stratton then threw Hail into the steel steps, delivered the Prettiest Moonsault Ever and locked in the Boston Crab, but Hail refused to tap out. As Hail was attempting to reach the ropes, Stratton dragged her back into the ring and locked in a half Boston Crab. To prevent more damage to the back, cornerman Andre Chase threw in the towel, forcing the referee to call the match and thus Stratton retained the title.

Main event
In the main event, Carmelo Hayes (with Trick Williams) defended the NXT Championship against Ilja Dragunov. In the opening stages, Hayes delivered a shoulder tackle, a springboard clothesline and a pump kick for a two-count. Dragunov then delivered an enzeguiri, a german suplex and a lariat for a two-count. Dragunov then delivered a jumping kick and a German suplex for another two-count. Dragunov then delivered a ripcord forearm and a chop for a two-count. Hayes then delivered a superkick, but Dragunov immediately delivered a lariat for a two-count. Dragunov then locked in the Cobra Clutch, but Hayes countered it into a pin for a two-count. Dragunov then delivered a roundhouse kick for another two-count. As Hayes was attempting a leg lariat, Dragunov blocked it into an enzeguiri, but Hayes immediately delivered La Mistica. As Dragunov was attempting a chop, Hayes delivered a knee smash, a lariat and the springboard DDT for a nearfall. As Hayes was going to the top rope, Dragunov pushed him down and delivered a diving senton for a two-count. As Dragunov was attempting the Coast-to-Coast, Hayes countered it into a Codebreaker, but as Hayes was attempting the Nothing But Net, Dragunov countered it into a powerbomb and delivered a jumping forearm for a two-count. As Dragunov was attempting an avalanche fisherman suplex, Hayes countered it into a mid-air cutter. As Trick Williams was talking to Hayes on the outside, Dragunov delivered a Torpedo Moscow to Williams, allowing Hayes to bring Dragunov back into the ring and deliver the Nothing But Net to retain the title.

Reception
Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter rated the 8 person tag team match and the Weapons Wild match 3.75 stars, the NXT Tag Team Championship bout 3 stars, the Steveson-Corbin match 1.5 stars (the lowest rated match on the card), the NXT North American title match 4 stars, the NXT Women's Championship match 3.5 stars, and the NXT Championship match 4.75 stars (the highest rated match on the card).