WWE NXT June 23rd, 2026 Results & Recap: Naraku Burns Tony D’Angelo Before Great American Bash, Arianna Grace Earns Speed Title Shot And The Culling Excommunicates Shawn Spears

Last night’s WWE NXT was the final stop before NXT Great American Bash this Sunday on The CW, and as a go-home show, it had a very clear job: make the card feel hotter, sharpen the personal issues, and give the top matches one last major hook before the lights come on this weekend. Some of last night worked exactly the way it needed to, especially the violent escalation between Tony D’Angelo and Naraku, the verbal fire between Saquon Shugars and Dion Lennox, and the official collapse of The Culling under Shawn Spears. Other parts of the show felt rushed or oddly structured, especially the way The Culling’s two biggest moments were stacked back-to-back instead of being allowed to breathe. Still, by the end of the night, NXT had a much clearer Great American Bash card, a wounded champion walking into the main event, a dangerous challenger who finally did something worth fearing, and a locker room full of stories that now feel like they have to explode on Sunday.

Here are the full results

• Aaron Rourke (c) defeated Tristan Angels to retain the WWE EVOLVE Championship.
• Hank Walker and Tank Ledger defeated Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo and Uriah Connors.
• EK Prosper defeated Keanu Carver.
• Arianna Grace defeated Izzi Dame to become No. 1 contender to the WWE Women’s Speed Championship.
• Dorian Van Dux and Sean Legacy defeated Shawn Spears and Niko Vance.
• Lola Vice and Kendal Grey signed the contract for their NXT Women’s Championship match at Great American Bash.
• Naraku attacked Tony D’Angelo with a fireball hidden inside the NXT Championship contract.
• Tony D’Angelo returned at the end of the show injured but confirmed he will still defend the NXT Championship against Naraku at Great American Bash.

Breakdowns & Reactions

Last night opened with Tony D’Angelo asking Robert Stone whether Naraku had signed the contract, and that was the right tone-setter because the whole show needed the NXT Championship story to feel unstable from the start. Tony was not reckless yet, but he was clearly on edge. Stone kept trying to manage the moment like a general manager protecting his biggest match, while Tony looked like a champion who knew Naraku was not going to play this straight. Aaron Rourke walking by and getting a quick show of respect from Tony also worked because it gave the opener a champion-to-champion bridge before the show shifted to the EVOLVE title.

Grade: B-

Aaron Rourke vs. Tristan Angels was a strong opener, even if the match was more about Tristan’s issue with Shiloh Hill than the EVOLVE Championship itself. Rourke looked smooth, sharp, and composed in his NXT spotlight, while Angels played his role well as the arrogant “Mr. NXT” type who still cannot stop looking over his shoulder. The early exchanges had nice snap to them with Rourke using speed, a back handspring dropkick, corner offense, and a missile dropkick, while Angels slowed him down by targeting the neck, shoulder, and arm. Once Shiloh’s presence started haunting Angels through the lights, the laughter, and the under-the-ring scare, the match became less about whether Angels could win and more about when his ego would cost him. Rourke retaining with the Molly-Go-Round was the right call, but the match did expose one issue: if the champion was there to elevate EVOLVE, the Shiloh distraction almost overshadowed him.

Grade: B

The Naraku fireball attack was the moment last night’s show needed. Tony meeting Naraku in the parking lot, opening the contract, and getting blasted in the face instantly turned the NXT Championship match from “mysterious challenger vs. confident champion” into something violent and personal. This was the first time Naraku’s mind games truly paid off. The gifts, the cryptic language, the slow-burn presentation, and the “evil is coming” energy all needed a physical payoff, and this was it. Tony screaming that he was going to kill Naraku while being loaded into an ambulance made him look tougher, not weaker, and Naraku laughing his way through it made him feel like a real threat instead of just a spooky entrance and a reputation.

Grade: A

Saquon Shugars and Dion Lennox delivered one of the best pure talking segments on the show. Shugars finally got to explain that he was not moving recklessly; he took out the rest of DarkState because he wanted Lennox alone. That gave his revenge arc strategy instead of just anger. Lennox then hit him where it hurt by saying Shugars was never truly supposed to be part of DarkState, and that they used him before cutting him loose. Shugars pushing back by saying he was the glue of the group was the emotional core of the segment. Lennox calling him fake, insecure, and unreliable gave the match a personal bite that it honestly needed. This did more for Shugars vs. Lennox than any brawl could have done.

Grade: A-

The Myles Borne and Tavion Heights video package was a quiet win for the road to Great American Bash. The match is not built on hatred, and it should not be. It is built on distance, jealousy, friendship, and the uncomfortable reality that one man became champion while the other is still searching for his defining moment. Borne came off like someone who believes he outgrew the past in a healthy way. Heights came off like someone who thinks Borne used the past and left him behind. Wren Sinclair trying to calm Heights down only made his frustration louder because he looked around and saw everyone else carrying gold or purpose while he still felt stuck.

Grade: B+

Hank Walker and Tank Ledger vs. Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo and Uriah Connors was fun, physical, and probably better than it looked on paper. Hank & Tank continue to work like a real team, not two singles guys thrown together. BirthRight did a good job isolating Hank, cutting the ring in half, and letting Tank’s hot tag actually matter. The Matt Mathews involvement at ringside was goofy, but it was also kept just short enough to not ruin the match. Charlie Dempsey accidentally blasting Lexis King and the chaos opening the door for Hank & Tank’s assisted powerslam gave the babyfaces a crowd-friendly win. The tag division still needs more direction, but this was a useful piece of business.

Grade: B

Shiloh Hill’s backstage promo was simple, but it did what it needed to do. He made it clear he was cleared, embarrassed, angry, and ready for Tristan Angels at Great American Bash. The Mr. NXT pageant material could have easily stayed comedy, but Shiloh has turned it into something more personal. Angels took his moment, attacked him, stole the spotlight, and now Shiloh wants payback. That is not the biggest match on Sunday, but it has a clean story.

Grade: B

Lola Vice and Kendal Grey’s contract signing was smart because it did not try to copy the chaos of the men’s title angle. This was tense, respectful, and competitive. Kendal talked like someone who knows she has failed under bright lights before and refuses to let that happen again. Lola carried herself like a champion who respects Kendal’s potential but refuses to let potential become destiny at her expense. The strongest line of the segment was Lola basically telling Kendal that her future is bright, but not while Lola is still champion. That is exactly the champion energy Lola needed going into Sunday.

Grade: B+

EK Prosper vs. Keanu Carver was one of the better matches of the night because it gave both men something. Prosper got the upset win, which instantly makes him feel more relevant, while Carver got his heat back by destroying him after the match. The action was laid out well: Carver dominated with power, throwing Prosper around, cutting off his comeback, and nearly folding him with a huge lariat, while Prosper kept using movement, springboards, and counters to stay alive. Prosper stealing it with a sunset-flip style counter worked because he did not beat Carver straight up; he survived him. Then Carver powerbombing him through the announce desk reminded everyone that beating him and escaping him are two different things.

Grade: B+

Zaria’s promo challenging Tatum Paxley for Great American Bash was solid and necessary. Zaria needed a direct response after Tatum got involved in her business, and the promo framed their rematch around pain, obsession, and control. Zaria is still being presented like a force, while Tatum is the kind of former champion who cannot emotionally detach from what she lost. The NXT Women’s North American Championship rematch now has a reason to exist beyond “former champion gets a rematch.”

Grade: B

Arianna Grace vs. Izzi Dame in the Women’s Speed Tournament Final was important for the card, but the execution was uneven. Izzi dominated early with the big boot, power offense, and urgency that should matter in a three-minute match. Arianna kept surviving and stealing openings, which fits her character. The issue was the finish. Shawn Spears demanding a high five at the worst possible time was intentionally stupid because the story was The Culling realizing he had become a liability, but it still made Izzi look bad in the moment. Arianna winning and earning Wren Sinclair at Great American Bash was the right result for the card. The finish served the bigger faction story, but the match itself suffered because of it.

Grade: C+

The Wren Sinclair and Arianna Grace staredown gave the Women’s Speed Championship match a quick visual hook. It was not much, but with Speed matches, the story does not need a month of promos. Arianna is the opportunist who won the tournament. Wren is the champion waiting for her. That is enough for Sunday if the match gets the right pace and personality.

Grade: B-

Robert Stone announcing AAA luchadors for Great American Bash was one of those quick lines that could end up meaning more on Sunday than it did last night. It did not come with a specific match, which made it feel incomplete, but it did add another layer to the event. WWE and AAA’s relationship has been part of NXT’s larger world lately, and Great American Bash now has a crossover hook beyond the championship matches.

Grade: B-

The Jaida Parker backstage moment was small but effective. After losing to Nattie, Jaida did not come out yelling, swinging, or pretending everything was fine. She looked shaken, and when OTM checked on her, she admitted she was not okay. That matters because Jaida’s whole presentation is built around confidence. Seeing that confidence cracked gives her a real character beat instead of just moving past the loss like nothing happened.

Grade: B-

Dorian Van Dux and Sean Legacy vs. Shawn Spears and Niko Vance was an important match because it ended with The Culling finally excommunicating Shawn Spears, but this is where the show’s structure hurt the story. On its own, the match was good. Legacy and Van Dux looked athletic, fresh, and explosive. Van Dux especially came off like someone NXT should keep investing in because his size and agility stand out. Spears taking the fall after Sliced Bread, the 450, and the shooting star press made sense because the whole night was building toward him being dead weight.

Grade: B

The post-match attack was the real story. Niko Vance finally had enough, blasted Spears, dragged him outside, and chokeslammed him through the announce desk while Izzi Dame watched like she approved the decision. That was The Culling officially cutting Shawn Spears loose. The road to this moment has been obvious for weeks: Spears stopped feeling like a leader and started feeling like the problem. He cost Izzi. He lost his own match. He became the weak link in a group that was supposed to be cold, focused, and dangerous.

Grade: B+

The problem is that NXT booked The Culling’s two key moments back-to-back, and that hurt the drama. Izzi losing because of Spears should have had room to breathe. The camera should have sat with Izzi and Niko’s frustration longer. The audience should have had time to feel the group cracking before the final break and the tag match. Instead, they rushed from Spears costing Izzi directly into Spears losing again and getting destroyed. The idea was right. The execution was too compressed. If those segments were separated by another match, another promo, or even a longer backstage argument, the excommunication would have hit harder.

Grade: C+ for structure, B+ for payoff

The closing segment with Robert Stone, Naraku, Mason Rook, Vanity Project, and Tony D’Angelo was messy but effective enough. Stone saying the NXT Championship match would happen no matter what created the illusion that Tony might be out, even though the show never made that doubt feel completely believable. Naraku trying to talk his way into being handed the title fit him perfectly. Mason Rook stepping up made sense because he already had history with Naraku. Vanity Project interrupting gave Jackson Drake a reason to stay loud around the title picture, even if it also made the segment feel a little crowded. Once Tony returned with his face bandaged and bloody, the segment finally got where it needed to go. Tony brawling with Naraku while selling the eye injury gave Sunday the final image it needed: the champion is hurt, the challenger is dangerous, and the title match is still on.

Grade: B

The biggest headline coming out of last night was Naraku’s fireball attack, and that is exactly what should have led the coverage. Online reaction also locked onto the Culling split, Arianna Grace stealing the Speed title shot, and the updated Great American Bash card. The fan reaction to Naraku was stronger because the character finally moved from atmosphere to action. The reaction to The Culling was more split because the payoff made sense, but the pacing made it feel more rushed than it should have. That is the difference between a good angle and a great one. The story was there. The timing was not perfect.

Grade for the overall go-home build: B

What worked

• Naraku finally felt dangerous instead of just mysterious.
• Tony D’Angelo looked tougher by returning injured instead of being written out.
• Saquon Shugars and Dion Lennox had one of the best talking segments of the night.
• Lola Vice and Kendal Grey kept their contract signing focused and believable.
• EK Prosper got a meaningful upset without making Keanu Carver look weak.
• The Culling finally cutting Shawn Spears loose was the right direction.
• The Great American Bash card feels fuller and more defined than it did before last night.

What didn’t work

• The Culling’s two major story beats being placed back-to-back hurt the pacing.
• Izzi Dame losing because of a high-five distraction made her look worse than it needed to.
• The final segment teased Tony possibly missing Sunday, but the show never made that feel believable.
• The AAA announcement needed one concrete match or name to feel more important.
• Some of the undercard Bash additions felt announced more than fully sold.

Best Match And Segment Of The Night

Best Match: EK Prosper vs. Keanu Carver

This was the best match of the night because it had the cleanest in-ring story. Prosper was the smaller fighter trying to survive, Carver was the monster trying to crush him, and the finish gave Prosper a real win while still letting Carver leave bodies behind. It was efficient, physical, and useful for both men.

Best Segment: Naraku burns Tony D’Angelo with the contract fireball

This was the moment that changed the energy of the show. Naraku needed something violent and unforgettable before Great American Bash, and he got it. Tony returning later made it even stronger because now Sunday is not just a title defense. It is Tony walking into a fight already damaged against the man who tried to take him out before the bell.

Current And Updated NXT Great American Bash Card

• Tony D’Angelo (c) vs. Naraku (NXT Championship)
• Lola Vice (c) vs. Kendal Grey (NXT Women’s Championship)
• Myles Borne (c) vs. Tavion Heights (NXT North American Championship)
• Zaria (c) vs. Tatum Paxley (NXT Women’s North American Championship)
• Wren Sinclair (c) vs. Arianna Grace (WWE Women’s Speed Championship)
• Saquon Shugars vs. Dion Lennox
• Shiloh Hill vs. Tristan Angels
• AAA luchadors are expected to appear at Great American Bash, but the exact role was not fully confirmed on last night’s show.

Final Thoughts

Last night’s WWE NXT was not a perfect go-home show, but it was a productive one. The NXT Championship match finally got the danger it needed. Lola Vice and Kendal Grey kept the women’s title match grounded in competition instead of forced chaos. Myles Borne and Tavion Heights now feels like a friendship cracking under the pressure of gold. Saquon Shugars and Dion Lennox turned a faction breakup into something personal. Zaria and Tatum Paxley have a clear rematch built around pain and pride. Arianna Grace punched her ticket to Wren Sinclair. The Culling finally moved on from Shawn Spears.

The biggest issue was pacing. NXT had the right ideas, but a few of them were stacked too tightly together. The Culling story especially needed more space because the excommunication of Shawn Spears should have felt like a major turning point, not just the second half of a rushed sequence. Still, the show accomplished what it had to accomplish. Great American Bash feels more complete now than it did before last night, and the image of Tony D’Angelo standing tall with half his face bandaged gave Sunday the kind of final shot a go-home show is supposed to leave behind.

Overall Show Grade: B

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