WWE NXT went live on June 23, 2026 from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, serving as the go-home episode ahead of Great American Bash on Sunday. The broadcast opened at 8 pm ET on the CW with Vic Joseph on play-by-play and Wade Barrett introduced as his color commentary partner for the night.

Advertised for the card were EK Prosper standing up to Keanu Carver, the WWE Speed women's tournament finals pitting Izzi Dame against Arianna Grace, a tag team double feature with Legacy and Van Dux facing the Culling and Hank and Tank battling Birth Right, and Aaron Rourke defending the WWE Evolve Men's Championship against Tristan Angels.

Opening Segment: Tony D'Angelo, Robert Stone, and Aaron Rourke

The show opened with Tony D'Angelo asking Robert Stone whether Naraku had signed the contract yet. Stone said Naraku would sign tonight but told Tony he needed to wait in line. D'Angelo pressed for reassurances, and Stone doubled down on how important Great American Bash is.

Aaron Rourke walked past, and D'Angelo flagged him down to say he had seen what Rourke was doing, that Rourke represented Evolve well, and that he wished him luck. Rourke thanked him:

Thanks him, from one champion to another.

Aaron Rourke vs. Tristan Angels: WWE Evolve Men's Championship

Rourke made his entrance ahead of the opening match, followed by Tristan Angels to get the title bout underway.

The two locked up collar and elbow, struggling around ringside. Angels got Rourke in the corner and broke by blowing a kiss, but Aaron answered with a huge slap. Off the ropes came a shoulder block and leapfrog, with the champion applying a side headlock. Tristan stomped his foot and countered into a cravate, taking Rourke into the ropes to wrench his neck harder.

Right hands from the challenger led to a whip across the ring, up and over, and a back handspring into a dropkick from the champion. Rourke followed with a corner knee, big boot, and missile dropkick. Angels came back with a trapezius claw, the lights went down, and a voice cackled over the PA system. Rourke sent him to the floor; Tristan tripped him up, put him face first into the apron, and posed as the segment went to break.

Back from commercial, Angels had a London Dungeon wrenched in as Naraku was shown walking backstage in picture-in-picture. Shifting to a wristlock and wrenching the arm, Angels attempted handstand evasion but Rourke's arm gave out. Tristan took him in the corner, but Aaron tripped him up. A big boot from the challenger followed, but the champ landed on his feet off a back suplex. A big lariat, big back elbow, reverse roundhouse, a caught crossbody, and a big fallaway slam came next.

Rourke kipped up, fired up, and delivered a charging back elbow. In picture-in-picture, Robert Stone intercepted Tony D'Angelo in the parking lot. Back in the ring, a back body drop from Aaron led into a diving Codebreaker and an enzuigiri out of the corner. The champion went up top and grabbed the Mr. NXT sash, but the distraction let Angels charge in with an enzuigiri.

Throwing Rourke back inside and grabbing his sash, Tristan got pulled under the ring. He clawed his way out but was bleeding from the mouth as he went back inside. Aaron hit a Cyclone Kill and went up top.

Aaron Rourke won by pinfall with the Molly-Go-Round, retaining the WWE Evolve Men's Championship against Tristan Angels.

Parking Lot: Naraku, Tony D'Angelo, and the Fireball

In the parking lot, Tony D'Angelo rolled up on Naraku and demanded he sign the contract. General Manager Robert Stone attempted to intervene, trying to get Tony D'Angelo to hand the contract over. Naraku, referred to as EVIL, stated he wanted to give the contract to Tony D'Angelo personally and handed it over, saying:

Tony D'Angelo snatched the contract from Naraku. Robert Stone yelled at Naraku regarding the contract incident. Tony D'Angelo opened the contract, and a fireball shot out of the contract, burning Tony D'Angelo's face. Robert Stone called for an ambulance for Tony D'Angelo.

Back from commercial, medics were treating Tony D'Angelo in the parking lot after the fireball incident.

Wrestlers and teams featured on the June 23, 2026 WWE NXT broadcast:

• Keanu Carver
• Arianna Grace
• Aaron Rourke
• Tristan Angels
• Tony D'Angelo
• Robert Stone
• Wade Barrett