HEYDORN’S NXT 2.0 RECEIPT 7/5: Great American Bash delivers flat matches, but reasonable outcomes

This week’s Great American Bash episode of NXT 2.0 has wrapped. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and relive some of the madness.

-You could see Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade winning the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships coming from a mile away and it was a fun little moment, but not one that made Jade and Perez bigger stars. The constant need for both to act like fan girls very much waters down their characters and therefore, their matches. The match was ok, but nothing really to highlight either.

-Perez is the key project for WWE in the women’s division on NXT 2.0. She has an “it” factor that needs to stand on its own. The best friend stuff with Jade, just won’t click in a way that gets the most out of Perez as possible.

-The booking of Wes Lee is all kinds of all over the place these days. He got a major win over Xyon Quinn, but then jobbed in his match this week against Trick Williams. Williams had to go over given he’s attached to one of the brand’s signature stars in Carmelo Hayes. I get that. Lee needs consistency. What kind of star is he going to be on the show? That definition is necessary.

-I suppose Wendy Choo vs. Tiffany Stratton was a fine little match. Maybe even good? Both women worked really hard. Here’s the thing, the Choo gimmick can’t be taken seriously. It doesn’t matter how hard she works or how good her match is, if she’s out there in pajamas, the intensity of the match will play second fiddle to her presentation. She ran directly into that issue this week against Stratton.

-Apollo Crews isn’t going to be a draw for NXT 2.0. He will be a very interesting watch for someone that is already watching. Crews is tapping nicely into his personality and comes across as more authentic than ever. Credibility comes with it.

-Grayson Waller and Carmelo Hayes had the match of the night. Hayes retained the title. While the entire thing was pleasant to watch, I couldn’t shake the questions of WHY THESE GUYS WERE WRESTLING EACH OTHER? Given their standing and upside, putting them against one another made no sense and seeing how the match went, still makes no sense.

-Hayes looked like a star. The entrance, presence, and presentation all screams that the guy is going to be a player if WWE lets him.

-The Creed Brothers vs. Damon Kemp and Roderick Strong had another gear or two that it could have clicked to, but never did. It wasn’t a bad match by any means, but The Creeds have set the bar for what they are capable of and this under delivered.

-Axiom. He’ll be debuting soon, but not much else to say at this point. Wait, one more thing. Axiom???! We’re doing that?

-Bron Breakker and Cameron Grimes had a suitable main event. Like the tag match, though, it just didn’t click into any higher gears. That said, Breakker did his thing and looked fine doing it. Cameron Grimes can get a decent match out of anyone and he did that here. Where does Grimes go now? WWE main roster?

CATCH-UP: HEYDORN’S RAW RECEIPT 7/4: Liv Morgan displays biggest strength with first promo as champion