WWE NXT Winners, Grades and Reaction After Great American Bash 2026

The Great American Bash fallout episode of NXT not only dealt with the event of this past weekend, but it also had a heavy AAA presence.

EK Prosper was supposed to have his first big opportunity this week when he faced El Hijo del Vikingo for the AAA Latin American Championship, but Keanu Carver attacking the champion changed those plans.

We also saw Jaida Parker take on Karmen Petrovic, Mason Rook battled Jackson Drake, and Vanity Project put the NXT tag titles on the line against Dr. Wagner and Galeno from AAA.

Let's take a look at what went down on Tuesday's episode of NXT.

The New Champion Takes Center Stage

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After a recap of The Great American Bash opened the show, Kendal Grey made her way out to celebrate becoming the new women's champion on Sunday.

She spoke about being more nervous to speak to the crowd than to wrestle in a title match. She also said she grew up not knowing how to handle losing, so every time it happened to her, it made her doubt herself in NXT.

Wren Sinclair came out with a cake to help her celebrate. Kelani Jordan showed up and said she deserves a shot at the title, but Tatum Paxley arrived from the crowd to attack her while Grey and Sinclair ate cake in the ring.

We've discussed Grey's in-ring ability being above average at this stage in her career many times, but one thing we never talk about is her character. She doesn't feel like a gimmick because she's not. This is who she is. She's an athlete who has had great success in other places before coming to WWE.

This promo felt genuine in a way that few do in NXT. Everyone is trying to perfect a character, but this felt like Grey showing us her actual insecurities before showing us that she is overcoming them.

This segment may not have been perfect, but the initial promo was a good start for Grey's title reign.

Grade: B

Notable Moments and Observations

• Having the little backstage moment with Sinclair telling Grey it was her moment and that was why she didn't join her was a nice touch. They have one of the only friendships in NXT that feels very real.
• Paxley always injects a little fun into every segment she's in.

Vanity Project vs. Dr. Wagner and Galeno

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Last time in action: The Vanity Project defeated DarkState (NXT, May 19)

Real brothers Galeno and Dr. Wagner made the trip from AAA to NXT to challenge Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes for the tag titles.

The champions were giving up a lot of size and experience to the challengers in this bout, so Wagner and Galeno looked pretty dominant early on. The champions made it more competitive during and after the break.

This match had a brisk pace and some fun spots. It felt a little paint-by-numbers with predictable swings in momentum, but that didn't hurt it too much. All four guys worked hard to make this feel like a hard-fought contest.

Wagner is always a standout, but Smokes and Baylor were the stars here, and not just because they won. They have grown a lot since arriving on the scene and have developed into a solid duo that has potential.

Result: The Vanity Project defeated Galeno and Wagner

Grade: B-

Notable Moments and Observations

• Wagner clearing the top rope for a dive by as much distance as he did was an impressive display of agility, especially for a guy his size.
• Zaria, Lizzy Rain and Izzi Dame had a funny backstage segment before this match.
• Something about the way Baylor missed diving at Wagner to prevent a tag was hilarious. It was almost like he was somehow moving in slow motion.

Jackson Drake vs. Mason Rook

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Last time in action: Jackson Drake lost to Tavion Heights (NXT, June 16), Mason Rook lost to Naraku (NXT, June 9)

Vanity Project didn't have to leave the ring after their win because Drake was in singles action against Rook in the next matchup.

Rook had a lot of advantages over Drake from a physical standpoint, so the former Evolve champion felt like a big underdog. He may have had the speed and agility advantage, but Rook wasn't too far behind in those areas.

The weirdest moment came when Booker T seemingly accepted a video call from Kam Hendrix in the middle of the match, which was somehow tied into the production truck and broadcast on the screen. It felt incredibly random and completely stalled the match in its place.

Rook and Drake did a good job regaining their momentum after the random delay. Drake has a lot of upside, but Rook has been even more impressive in his short time in NXT. He is the definition of "Don't judge a book by its cover."

They turned the second half of this into a very competitive fight that had the crowd's attention. If both of these guys continue on the paths they are on, they could be tremendous rivals for each other for a long time.

Rook successfully fought off Baylor and Smokes, but the distraction gave Drake the chance to hit the backstabber for the win, with Myka Lockwood holding Rook's feet to prevent him from kicking out.

Result: B

Grade: Drake defeated Rook

Notable Moments and Observations

• Robert Stone booked a four-way tag match to find new No. 1 contenders for next week.
• Rook's entrance music is perfect for him.
• Vic Joseph acknowledging how weird it was for the video call to show up on the screen put a hat on the moment, but it didn't make it any less weird.
• Drake's backflip into a double stomp was a cool spot.
• The crowd loved when Rook attacked Vanity Project after the match.

Keanu Carver vs. EK Prosper

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Last time in action: EK Prosper defeated Keanu Carver (NXT, June 23)

Last week, Prosper defeated Carver to earn the title shot he was supposed to have this week against Vikingo, but Carver attacking the champion forced the GM to put him in a match with Prosper instead.

These are two very different kinds of wrestlers. Carver is a powerhouse bruiser and Prosper is a high-flyer, so they fell into the usual David vs. Goliath pattern almost immediately.

Carver is very convincing with his aggression. A lot of people take years to come across as legitimately dangerous the way he does already. Prosper has already shown himself to be a great prospect with a lot of potential, and he did a great job selling for Carver in this match to make him look as dominant as possible.

This was better than their encounter last week, especially for Carver. Unfortunately for him, Tank showed up and sent him into the barricade to get revenge for what Carver did to Hank at The Great American Bash.

Prosper took advantage and hit a huge moonsault for the win. Both of these guys still have a lot to learn, but this was a serviceable match that made them both look strong in different ways.

Result: Prosper defeated Carver

Grade: C+

Notable Moments and Observations

• Prosper is taller than he appears. You don't really realize it until you see him standing next to someone else.
• Prosper is pretty good at selling pain with his facial expressions.
• Prosper's moonsault is smooth.

Jaida Parker vs. Karmen Petrovic

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Last time in action: Jaida Parker lost to Natalya (NXT, June 16), Karmen Petrovic lost to Ivy Nile (Main Event, May 25)

The next match featured Parker and Petrovic both looking to add a W to their win column after coming up short in their most recent outings.

Petrovic was flanked by Nattie and their new stable, so Parker was already at a disadvantage before the match got underway.

Both of these women are great athletes with a lot of charisma, but it felt like their was a disconnect somewhere in this bout. It wasn't exactly a bad match, but it felt like they never found their groove together.

They had some clunky moments that slowed the match down, and a few minor miscommunications. Nattie's attack on Parker in the middle of the match seemed to fire her up, so it ended up having the opposite effect.

Ms. Parker scored the victory, and it's clear her feud with Nattie is not over, so we might see Parker show up next week during her title match.

Result: Parker defeated Petrovic

Grade: C

Notable Moments and Observations

• Natalya was granted a title match against Grey for next week during a backstage segment.
• Parker's finisher looked good. It was probably the best spot in the match.

Tatum Paxley vs. Kelani Jordan

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Last time in action: Tatum Paxley lost to Zaria (Great American Bash), Kelani Jordan lost a tag match (NXT, June 16)

This week's main event was made after Jordan and Paxley got into a fight during Grey's championship celebration at the top of the show.

This was set up as a personal feud, and they did a good job of making it feel that way with how they worked with each other.

Grey was sitting on commentary, and right as the show was about to go to a break, she was attacked, which distracted Tatum long enough for Kelani to regain control.

Other than the strange timing of the attack, this was an enjoyable main event. It wasn't the best thing we saw all night, and they had a few moments that didn't work, but both competitors made sure it wasn't forgettable.

Jordan hit her signature split-legged moonsault for the win. As Paxley was recovering in the ring, Nikki Blackheart attacked her to make her official debut, but WWE never used that name, so we still don't know what she will be called yet.

Result: Jordan defeated Paxley

Grade: B-

Notable Moments and Observations

• Tony D'Angelo had a promo before the main event.
• Jordan has grown so much over the past year. She feels more like a complete character now, not just an impressive athlete.
• Having Grey being attacked off screen right as the show went to a break was such a weird choice.

The Final Word

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This week's show did a good job recapping Great American Bash while also setting up a handful of feuds and matches for the future, but it lacked excitement in a lot of ways.

Most of the matches were decent, but none of them really stood out in a spectacular way. It felt like everything we saw was predictable, too.

Rook vs. Drake was definitely the highlight of the night, and if you only watch one thing from this week's show, that should be it.

The one thing NXT is still doing better than most shows is giving the women's division a lot of attention, and the main event with Paxley and Jordan was a good showcase of two women who will probably be on the main roster before this time next year.

Grade: C+