The Big Picture
Following our live analysis on the Great American Bash review, the division's hierarchy has completely shifted. With five titles defended as noted in our Great American Bash results page, NXT delivered a high-stakes night in Orlando. The summer heat has officially boiled over as new champions emerged and old rivalries reached violent new peaks.
The Rankings: Great American Bash 2026
10. Keanu Carver Drives Hank Walker Through a Table
Keanu Carver made the most of his limited screen time by launching Hank Walker off the outdoor stage and through a wooden table. The backstage segment added a chaotic spark to the broadcast, validating Carver's role as a dangerous loose cannon. Walker took a brutal bump that left security scrambling and Tank Ledger screaming for help. While the spot succeeded in generating a visual, it ranks at the bottom because it was a standard table bump with zero match stakes. It keeps Carver's streak of violence alive but does little to progress a mid-card feud that is already starting to lose steam.
9. Myles Borne Retains Against Heights with Borne Again
Myles Borne retained the NXT North American Championship by countering Tavion Heights into his signature Borne Again driver. The bout pitted former No Quarter Catch Crew stablemates against each other after Heights won a number-one contender match on June 16. Heights threw everything at the champion, including a beautiful T-Bone suplex and a high-angle frog splash for a close two-count. The post-match handshake was a massive disappointment for fans expecting Heights to finally snap and turn heel. While the technical wrestling was crisp, the booking felt far too safe for a developmental brand that usually thrives on high-energy drama.
8. Wren Sinclair Defeats Arianna Grace Under the Speed Clock
Wren Sinclair defended the Women's Speed Championship by forcing Arianna Grace to tap out to a reverse Chicken Wing. Sinclair had to overcome a late-game distraction from Charlie Dempsey, who hopped on the apron to help Grace steal the win. Sinclair dispatched Dempsey before locking in the submission, forcing the tap-out with only 42 seconds remaining on the clock. The five-minute time limit added a frantic pace that elevated what could have been a standard filler match. Ranks here because Sinclair continues to build the prestige of this new championship, even if the undercard division remains bloated.
7. Kelani Jordan and Wren Sinclair Brawl to the Back
Kelani Jordan ran down during the main event to cost Kendal Grey the title, but Wren Sinclair intercepted her to spark a wild brawl to the back. The ringside chaos was the direct fallout from June 9, when Grey defeated Jordan to claim the number-one contender spot. Sinclair and Jordan traded heavy forearms before disappearing behind the curtain, leaving the referee to focus on the ring. This intervention allowed Grey to fight Lola Vice in a clean environment without typical heel-interference tropes. It ranks above the Speed title defense because it set the stage for a major championship change while planting seeds for a Jordan-Sinclair feud.
6. DarkState's Post-Match Baseball Bat Beatdown on Shugars
Saquon Shugars pinned Dion Lennox with a top-rope splash, only to be demolished by DarkState in a post-match baseball bat assault. Osiris Griffin and Cutler James feigned their injuries to distract Shugars, allowing Lennox to retrieve his signature bat. Lennox repeatedly struck Shugars in the ribs, leaving the babyface wheezing on the canvas to close the segment. While the heat was effective, this angle ranks in the middle because this months-long rivalry is running on empty. Repeating this booking formula stands to dull Shugars' momentum and makes the entire DarkState stable look repetitive rather than threatening.
5. Tony D'Angelo Retains NXT Championship in a Fireball Fallout
Tony D'Angelo retained the NXT Championship by hitting Naraku with a sudden over-the-shoulder powerslam followed by a chokeslam. D'Angelo fought through a heavily bandaged eye, the result of Naraku throwing a fireball into their contract signing on June 23. Naraku targeted the injury immediately, raking the bandages and landing a brutal Death Valley Driver style sit-out powerbomb. The match ranks lower than expected due to an incredibly abrupt ending that left the Performance Center crowd quiet. A feud built on fire and eye injuries deserved a slow-burning, dramatic climax rather than a sudden two-move sequence for the pin.
4. Tatum Paxley Hits Cemetery Drive on the Title Belt
Tatum Paxley shocked the crowd by delivering a devastating Cemetery Drive to Zaria directly onto the metal championship belt on the floor. The high-risk spot looked to have ended Zaria's title reign, but the champion barely kicked out at the count of two. Zaria recovered to hit a massive spear, forearms to the spine, and a third F5 to retain her title. Paxley's desperate use of the weapon highlighted her twisted character work and pushed the champion to her absolute limit. This spot ranks just outside the top three because it was the most visually jarring and physically demanding sequence of the undercard.
3. Shiloh Hill's Voorhees Teleportation and Ring Step Spear
Shiloh Hill combined horror-movie theatrics with high-risk offense, spearing Tristan Angels off the ring steps and through the middle rope. The bizarre match peaked when Angels answered a phone under the ring, only for Hill to emerge in a Jason Voorhees mask. Hill lost a tooth during the physical encounter but still managed to hit a neckbreaker off the middle rope for the pin. This Mr. NXT pageant rivalry could have easily devolved into cheap comedy, but both men worked a stiff, fast-paced battle. It secures a podium spot because it was the most creative and memorable mid-card match NXT has produced all summer.
2. Kevin Owens Returns to NXT TV, Rants at the Live Crowd
Kevin Owens made a surprise appearance on NXT television, exploding into a classic raging promo when fans booed his LFG trainee. The former Universal Champion has been sidelined with a severe neck injury since the 2025 Elimination Chamber. Owens has kept busy coaching on season three of WWE LFG, but this was his first physical presence on NXT in months. He threw a fit at the crowd for booing Tristan Angels, reminding everyone why his mic work remains unmatched in the industry. Ranks at number two because KO's presence instantly elevated the show's star power and teased a potential in-ring return.
1. Kendal Grey Dethrones Lola Vice for the NXT Women's Championship
Kendal Grey capped off a months-long journey by defeating Lola Vice with the Shades of Grey to win the NXT Women's Championship. The main event was the culmination of a story dating back to Stand & Deliver, where Vice originally won the gold. Grey survived Vice's devastating Hip Attack and a late-match guillotine choke before hitting a Northern Lights suplex to build momentum. The former Evolve Women's Champion and December Iron Survivor winner proved she is ready to carry the brand's premier division. This is the clear number-one moment because it represents a changing of the guard and establishes Grey as a future WrestleMania headliner.
Honorable Mentions
Arianna Grace deserves credit for a spirited effort against Wren Sinclair in the Speed Championship opener. Keanu Carver also made waves by putting Hank Walker through a table backstage. Finally, Kelani Jordan's ringside interference attempt showed she remains a major player in the women's title picture.
