NXT Great American Bash 2023: Two Championship matches set for WWE PLE

WWE NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes will defend his championship belt against Ilja Dragunov at the NXT Great American Bash PLE in what appears to be his third overall title defense and his second against an NXT Superstar.

During the July 11 episode of NXT, Ilja Dragunov defeated Bron Breakker in a hellacious match to become the new number-one contender for the NXT Title. Bron had Ilja down with a Spear but somehow the latter kicked out.

Ilja came back with a powerbomb but Bron landed a clothesline and went for another Spear. This time, Ilja caught Bron with a knee and followed up with a second Torpedo Moscow for the pin to win.

While this win earned Ilja a shot at Hayes, Bron’s downward fall continues on NXT. The once-protected two-time former NXT Champion also came up shot against Seth Rollins over the World Heavyweight Championship at NXT Gold Rush.

Carmelo Hayes defeated Bron Breakker at NXT Stand & Deliver during Wrestlemania 39 weekend in April to become the new NXT champion. He again defeated Bron at NXT Battleground for successful retention in late May.

Then at last week’s Night Two of NXT Gold Rush 2023 edition, Hayes defeated Baron Corbin for another successful defense. Thus, NXT Great American Bash 2023 will mark his third overall championship defense.

In another announced title match for the upcoming NXT PLE, Mustafa Ali will challenge for the NXT North American Championship held by Wes Lee. But the lineup could change given the mid-card title will be on the line, next week.

On this week’s NXT, it was announced that Wes Lee will also put his title on the line against The Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio on NXT’s July 18 episode. The top faction from Raw was present on this week’s NXT to lay down the challenge to Lee.

Thus, Dominik will compete in his second-ever match on NXT, after facing Raul Mendoza on the March 15, 2022, episode of the so-called third brand of WWE. Mysterio is also going after his first-ever singles gold of his entire WWE career.

The 2023 NXT Great American Bash premium live event takes place at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park in Cedar Park, Texas. The current match card for the first Great American Bash event on pay-per-view TV since 2009 is given below:

– NXT Championship Match: Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Ilja Dragunov

– NXT North American Championship Match: Wes Lee (c) vs. Mustafa Ali