WWE NXT Great American Bash 2023 Preview: Full Card, Match Predictions & More
WWE NXT Great American Bash 2023 is coming up this Sunday and before the event takes place, let’s run down everything you need to know about the upcoming pay-per-view.
Who is scheduled for the card? How interesting does the show seem? What’s going to happen with all the matches?
Here is a full preview of WWE NXT Great American Bash 2023.
PPV EVENT INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, July 30, 2023
Start Time: 7 p.m. ET (pre-show), 8 p.m. ET (main show)
Location: H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas
MATCH CARD, PREDICTIONS & HEAT INDEX ANTICIPATION LEVELS
(as currently advertised; card is always subject to change)
Temperature Scale = Scorching > Hot > Lukewarm > Temperate > Chilly > Cold > Freezing
Heat Index is my assessment of how interesting the segment is, including how excited I am for the match and how intriguing the feud has been. The hotter, the better. Scorching translates to not being able to wait to see it, while Freezing means I couldn’t possibly care less and think it will be awful.
NXT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Ilja Dragunov
Heat Index = Lukewarm
Prediction: Carmelo Hayes wins.
Thoughts: After missing the last 3 episodes, I’m not aware if this has heated up. However, it doesn’t quite seem like it has. From my quick glance at the results perspective, it seems like this is pretty much just these two paired off because they’ll have a good match for the sake of it. Maybe this is leading to a heel turn for Dragunov after he loses. That’s about the most interesting thing that probably will happen. Sure, the match will be fun, but it will be quickly forgotten about, most likely.
NXT WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP SUBMISSION MATCH:
Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Thea Hail
Heat Index = Lukewarm
Prediction: Tiffany Stratton wins.
Thoughts: Part of me thinks they should just pull the trigger on Thea Hail, if not just for the pure shock of it. Stratton’s feeling like a lesser Mandy Rose with this run. It isn’t working out as well as I had hoped for her. But I think they’re going to stick with it and hope that she finds her footing, and that this is just happening in a rematch because they aren’t sure where to go next quite yet. At least it is a submission match, which will introduce a different element to when Stratton retains.
WEAPONS WILD MATCH:
Blair Davenport vs. Roxanne Perez
Heat Index = Lukewarm
Prediction: Roxanne Perez wins.
Thoughts: If there were a babyface women’s champion right now, I would definitely lean toward Davenport. Then, she could be the next challenger. But unless Thea Hail wins that belt from Stratton, which I obviously don’t think is happening, I’m going with Perez getting the win here. That rounds out the feud and gives her something to triumph over after losing her title. It’s payback for Davenport’s attacks and Blair having won their previous match. As far as excitement level goes, having this as a Weapons Wild match definitely helps spice it up. I’m glad they didn’t just go with a standard rematch.
NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
Gallus (Mark Coffey and Wolfgang) (c) (with Joe Coffey) vs. The Family (Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo)
Heat Index = Chilly
Prediction: Tony D’Angelo and Stacks win the titles.
Thoughts: Anyone else think D’Angelo must have been injured and that WWE was planning on putting the tag titles on him and Stacks months ago, but decided to just stall for a while? It feels like that to me. This should have happened even prior to Stand & Deliver. Gallus is boring as champions. Just switch the belts already.
NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP TRIPLE THREAT MATCH:
“Dirty” Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Wes Lee vs. Mustafa Ali
Heat Index = Lukewarm
Prediction: Dominik Mysterio wins.
Thoughts: This whole Dominik stuff came out of left field. It seemed so clear that the direction was Lee against Ali with Ali winning the title. Now, I just have to assume Mysterio retains because they shouldn’t have given him the belt for a week or two “ha ha” moment and nothing more. I guess that means the Ali stuff just gets pushed aside, then, if that is the case. I’m curious how this match will end up being booked as Ali will have to play de facto tweener to offset heel Mysterio and babyface Lee.
SINGLES MATCH:
Gable Steveson vs. Baron Corbin
Heat Index = Hot
Prediction: Gable Steveson wins.
Thoughts: I’d imagine there are two potential schools of thought going on right now. Only one of them will be the actual outcome. Either this is straight-up just Gable Steveson getting a match against an established star with name value who he beats so it means he’s off to a good start with an impressive victory and the match will be solid because he’s not working with a rookie, or the story they want to tell is that he loses this through Corbin cheating, in a way that we all know Steveson should’ve won the match and effectively looks like the victor, but Corbin can gloat that since he’s the veteran, he knows how WWE operates and Steveson needs to smarten up. I could honestly see either scenario playing out. However, in the interest of keeping things simple, let’s just say Gable wins because it’s the less convoluted outcome. I’m curious to see what he’s learned and if he comes off as a true Superstar worth investing in, or just another failed pet project.
PRE-SHOW — EIGHT-PERSON MIXED TAG TEAM MATCH:
Dragon Lee, Nathan Frazer, Yulisa León, and Valentina Feroz vs. The Meta-Four (Noam Dar, Oro Mensah, Jakara Jackson, and Lash Legend)
Heat Index = Cold
Prediction: The Meta-Four wins.
Thoughts: This is meh to me. I’m not digging this feud or this random gathering of people. The synergy isn’t quite there, especially on the babyface side. Those are just 4 people thrown together, and I’ve never been the biggest Feroz and Leon fan to begin with. I think it would have been better to have Von Wagner on the card than these eight, or for Nathan Frazer to be defending the Heritage Cup. Frankly, I’d get rid of that title, or at least put it on someone else. But that’s a story for another post. Let’s just go with Meta-Four winning because WWE really likes its stables right now.
OVERALL PPV:
How excited am I for the event as a whole?
Heat Index = Lukewarm
Thoughts: There are a couple duds and some matches that I think could have more going on for them, as well as some segments I’m very curious about. Hopefully, it will be a night of solid action that advances the stories and doesn’t come across as a waste of time like many other shows have been where nothing happens.
What do you think is going to happen at WWE NXT Great American Bash? Which matches are you most excited to see? Keep the discussion going in the comments below!
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