The Great American Bash, Night One - NXT recap for July 30, 2024

We see Hank Walker and Tank Walker at the Performance Center sneaking into the building to become the hosts of tonight's show. They try hacking a computer, pulling a plug on a server and dodging lasers before causing a power outage. They soon find the breaker, and after pulling the switch, the show begins.

The Unholy Union (Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn) retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson). After the match, "All Ego" Ethan Page shows up and makes fun of Meta-Four (Lash, Jakara, Oro Mensah) for coming up short, and hopes Lash and Jakara console Oro Mensah after his loss, as there will be no fluke victories. He then goes for a cheap shot with the NXT Championship, but Oro gets him in a schoolkid pin and Lash and Jakara make the "three count."

In backstage footage from earlier today, Cedric Alexander talks to some Performance Center trainees when Shawn Spears says Cedric is in no position to dispense wisdom and that Brooks Jensen is beginning to see the light. Jensen shows up and challenges Cedric to a match.
Backstage, Hank Walker interviews Tavion Heights. Tavion talks about his athletic accomplishments and mentions Tony D'Angelo's athletic background as he gets ready for his Heritage Cup match. Tank Ledger interviews Tony D'Angelo. D'Angelo says that Tavion is an accomplished athlete, and that Tavion is about to find out how good he is as well.

We hear from Pete Dunne, who talks about how he has been in the business for eighteen years and has seen young men who cannot handle a setback. He says that he is young and bitter, and talks about the Butch gimmick as well as Tyler Bate's injury. He says that Sheamus, Tyler and Trick Williams are nothing like him, saying that Trick has yet to "figure it out" despite having everything it takes to be a superstar and needs his help. He says that next week, he will force Trick to figure it out.

Backstage, Trick Williams accepts Pete Dunne's challenge, saying it's time to "whup that ass" instead of "Whoop That Trick."

Tony D'Angelo retains the NXT Heritage Cup Championship against Tavion Heights two falls to one (2-1). After Round 1, Wren Sinclair is seen in the stands, and she is soon in Tavion Heights' corner. Tony D'Angelo scores the first fall with the Fuggedabout it with 2:32 (two minutes, thirty-two seconds) left in Round 3. After this happens, Wren Sinclair gets in the ring, yells at Tavion Heights and slaps him, firing him up enough to score the second fall with 2:38 (two minutes, thirty-eight seconds) left in Round 4. D'Angelo scores the third and deciding fall after two spinebusters with 1:22 (one minute, twenty-two seconds) left in Round 5.

We see footage of Jacy Jayne, Jazmyn Nyx and Fallon Henley irritated with Sol Ruca, Karmen Petrovic and Lola Vice taking their spots. Lola Vice proposes via Instagram that they all have a six-woman tag match.

Cedric Alexander beats Brooks Jensen after Jensen misses the kick from the ring apron to the table. Shawn Spears shows up to watch from ringside during the match.

We hear from Je'Von Evans, who talks about how wrestling was an escape in the middle of his parents' rocky relationship and eventual divorce, and how it also got him in trouble in school by telling teachers to "suck it" and hitting a Swanton Bomb off the top of a wall. Je'Von also talks about how he got started wrestling on trampolines before taking the dream of a professional wrestling career seriously.

Backstage, Joe Hendry heads to the ring, and Ashante "Thee" Adonis wants to see what Hendry's concert is all about.

The Rascalz (Trey Miguel, Zachary Wentz, Wes Lee) hang out at the treehouse, which now has a green curtain. Wes Lee finds out the treehouse is magic, the three of the still cannot believe they are together again in NXT, and while they cannot smoke weed due to the show being PG, they are focused on the NXT Tag Team Championships, with MSK (Zachary Wentz and Wes Lee) never having actually lost them. Wes Lee texts Nathan Frazer and Axiom for a tag team title shot.

Joe Hendry is in the ring for his first WWE concert. Hendry, knowing that the world believes, needs a song that he knows almost everyone will love. Hendry starts off with a performance of "I C Double Me And You" that is NXT-centric and allows him to poke fun at Booker T and Gallus (Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, Wolfgang). Hendry then goes for an encore, but Gallus shows up before he can get started. Joe Coffey calls Hendry a flash in the pan, a one-hit wonder and a one-trick pony before threatening to deck him if he hears him sing again. Coffey dares Hendry to take a swing at him, and when he does, Gallus completely overpowers him. Joe Coffey grabs Hendry's guitar and breaks it over Hendry's back.

Backstage, Hank Walker and Tank Ledger go for a world record for most Post-It-Notes on a person's face in 60 seconds in front of Roxanne Perez, who is visibly annoyed. As Roxanne says she is getting ready for her match, Jaida Parker shows up and says Roxanne may not have her title after tonight.

Ava moderates a contract signing backstage between "All Ego" Ethan Page and Oro Mensah, and it becomes very obvious that Ethan Page has been bothered by everything Oro Mensah has done, even though he says it does not matter. Ethan Page signs the contract as he says Oro Mensah will not beat him, and Oro Mensah says that after being the man who has never fit in, he signs the contract after stating that the NXT Championship will fit perfectly around his waist.

Jaida Parker beats Kendal Grey. During the match, Myles Borne and Wren Sinclair show up and confront Carlee Bright, and Kendal Grey leaves the ring to hit Myles with a belly-to-belly suplex.

Thea Hail gets ready for her match. Ridge Holland tells Thea that nobody will be throwing in the towel and to do whatever it takes to become NXT Women's Champion. The rest of Chase University (Andre Chase, Duke Hudson, Riley Osbourne) shows up, and Andre Chase has a bit of trepidation regarding Ridge's words.

Backstage, Nathan Frazer and Axiom meet with Joaquin Wilde and Cruz del Toro when Robert Stone and Stevie Turner shows up with a contract for an NXT tag team title match. Axiom signs before Frazer does, which bugs Frazer. Axiom says they will be fine just like he will be fine with his match on Speed tomorrow.

Jacy Jayne, Jazmyn Nyx and Fallon Henley beat Sol Ruca, Lola Vice and Karmen Petrovic in a six-woman tag match.

Backstage, Tatum Paxley wants to play with Kelani Jordan, but Kelani is not in the mood. When Paxley wants to face Kelani for the NXT North American Women's Championship, Kelani says she does not play when it comes to the title. Paxley says that neither does she. Wendy Choo watches from nearby, even as Kelani looks at the dollhouse.

Backstage, Joe Hendry says it was not just the fans that were excited about tonight, as he was also excited about his first NXT concert. He says Gallus (Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, Wolfgang) had to ruin it and that they are driven by anger and jealousy with Joe Coffey at the wheel. Hendry says he is driven by proving that he belongs in NXT and that he can hang with the best in the world, and next week, he is kicking Joe Coffey's ass and forcing Gallus to believe in him.

Roxanne Perez retains the NXT Women's Championship against Thea Hail in a match that sees an exchange of submission holds until Roxanne Perez hits the Pop Rox out of the crossface to win and retain.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!