The next challenger to NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes will be determined in Tuesday’s WWE NXT episode.
WWE Hall of Famer and Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels announced Bron Breakker vs. Ilja Dragunov for next week’s NXT on Twitter. The winner will face Hayes at NXT’s The Great American Bash Premium Live Event from the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas on Sunday, July 30.
“Following their brawl on @WWENXT this week, @UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR will take on @bronbreakkerwwe next Tuesday with the winner challenging @Carmelo_WWE for the NXT Championship at the Great American Bash. #WWENXT,” Michaels wrote.
Breakker recently lost to Hayes at NXT Battleground on May 28, and then to WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins at NXT Gold Rush Week 1 on June 20. Breakker is now attempting to become the only three-time NXT Champion in history.
Breakker was heard yelling in Michaels’ office at the end of Gold Rush Week 2 two weeks ago, ranting about how he’d beaten everyone and no one could control him. He stormed out of Michaels’ office, promising to provide an update on his future plans this week. Dragunov, however, interrupted Breakker’s promo this past Tuesday, and the segment ended with a pull-apart brawl following a back-and-forth promo in which Dragunov declared that he came to eliminate Breakker because Breakker is the only person standing between him and the NXT Title.
Breakker and Dragunov will compete in their first-ever NXT singles match on Tuesday. They previously faced off at the 2022 NXT Halloween Havoc special, with then-NXT Champion Breakker retaining over Dragunov and JD McDonagh.
The following is an updated card for Tuesday’s NXT:
* The Judgment Day comes to NXT (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio, WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley)
* Kelani Jordan vs. Cora Jade
* Andre Chase and Duke Hudson vs. Charlie Dempsey and Drew Gulak
* The main show debut of Bronco Nima and Lucien Price
* NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton vs. Ivy Nile in a non-title match
* Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo vs. Joe Coffey. If Stacks wins, Tony D’Angelo will be released from jail with all charges dropped and The Family will receive a shot at NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus
* Bron Breakker vs. Ilja Dragunov to determine who will challenge NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes at The Great American Bash on July 30
Following their brawl on @WWENXT this week, @UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR will take on @bronbreakkerwwe next Tuesday with the winner challenging @Carmelo_WWE for the NXT Championship at the Great American Bash. #WWENXT
— Shawn Michaels (@ShawnMichaels) July 8, 2023
