THEN, NOW, FOREVER – The Great American Bash: Rey Mysterio vs. Dean Malenko in Rey’s WCW debut 30 years ago, Dragunov vs. Carmelo Hayes, Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk

NXT continued its summertime tradition with The Great American Bash on Sunday, June 28. While I am too young to remember the event during its heyday as the National Wrestling Alliance’s premier summer spectacular, I do remember it from my years as a wrestling fan. To me, The Great American Bash was WCW’s other summer pay-per-view—a step below the more prominent Bash at the Beach.

Over time, however, I’ve developed an almost artificial nostalgia for the event. Part of that comes from hearing older fans speak so fondly about the Bash, and part of it comes from WWE’s revival of the name beginning in 2004. In many ways, I don’t remember The Great American Bash as much as I remember other people remembering it.

Revisiting the history of the event makes it easy to understand why it remains so revered. The Great American Bash has undergone perhaps the most dramatic evolution of any major wrestling event. It debuted under the NWA banner in 1985, became a cornerstone of the WCW calendar throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, was resurrected by WWE in 2004, and found new life as an annual NXT tradition beginning in 2020. Few wrestling brands have experienced such a varied history while retaining the same identity.

This year’s event marks the 28th Great American Bash over a span of 41 years. The name has endured, even as the promotions, venues, presentation, and performers have changed dramatically.

In this week’s article, I’ll dig into the extensive Great American Bash library and highlight three matches that best capture the history, evolution, and enduring legacy of one of professional wrestling’s most recognizable summer traditions.

Then: Rey Mysterio vs. Dean Malenko (The Great American Bash 1996)

The 1996 Great American Bash marked the WCW debut of Rey Mysterio. In his first match, Mysterio challenged Dean Malenko for the Cruiserweight Championship. Thirty years later, it is remarkable that Mysterio is still competing at the highest level. It is equally remarkable that a match three decades old still features innovative sequences that hold up against today’s wrestling. Mysterio’s high-flying offense remains breathtaking, while Malenko’s methodical limb work is as masterful as ever.

I have an even greater appreciation for this match when I compare it to modern wrestling. The precision between Malenko and Mysterio is flawless, yet it never feels overly choreographed. Instead, it comes across as an authentic athletic contest rather than a carefully rehearsed performance.

The pacing also stands in stark contrast to today’s style. Mysterio opens with several spectacular aerial attacks to immediately capture the audience’s attention. Once Malenko gains control, however, the tempo slows considerably as he systematically dismantles Mysterio’s arm. Confident in both his own abilities and the audience’s investment, Malenko isn’t afraid to apply holds, control the pace, and force the fans to wait for the inevitable babyface comeback. You could even argue that he pushes their patience to the limit.

That patience ultimately pays off. In the closing stretch, Mysterio finally shifts the momentum with a barrage of breathtaking high-flying offense, rewarding the audience for staying invested throughout the prolonged heat. By the final moments, the crowd is fully behind the newcomer, believing he has a legitimate chance to dethrone the champion. Instead, Malenko cuts him off with a vicious powerbomb before stealing the victory with his feet on the ropes. It’s a subtle but effective finish: the shortcut suggests that even the technically superior Malenko recognized it took “something extra” to put away the extraordinarily talented newcomer.

WATCH HERE

Now: Carmelo Hayes vs. Ilja Draganov (NXT Great American Bash 2023)

To anyone who has watched Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov on WWE’s main roster, it was obvious from their series of United States Championship matches last year that the two possess incredible in-ring chemistry. That chemistry, however, was forged in NXT during 2023. One of the earliest and clearest examples came in the main event of the Great American Bash, where Hayes defended the NXT Championship against Dragunov in a phenomenal match.

For Carmelo Hayes, this bout marked a turning point in his development as a performer. Over the course of the match, Hayes evolved from being another spectacularly athletic wrestler into an athlete with a gritty, resilient edge—a competitor who looked capable of hanging with anyone, regardless of size or style. It was a necessary evolution in his character, and Ilja Dragunov was the physical force that beat that transformation into him.

For much of the match, Dragunov overwhelms Hayes with punishing strikes and crushing offense. The beating generates tremendous sympathy for the champion without making Dragunov seem cruel or villainous. Just as importantly, Hayes’ selling and refusal to stay down prevent him from looking helpless. Instead, every comeback reinforces his toughness and determination.

Beyond the storytelling, the match itself is exceptional. One aspect that stands out is the restraint in its pacing. Rather than packing the match with nonstop high spots, Hayes and Dragunov carefully space out the biggest moments, allowing each one to breathe. The selling, combined with well-timed replay shots, gives every major sequence added significance. The execution is equally remarkable. Reading about Hayes countering Dragunov’s Coast-to-Coast dropkick with a Codebreaker sounds exciting on paper, but words alone cannot capture the precision, timing, and impact of the sequence. It is one of those moments that simply has to be seen.

In the end, this is more than just an outstanding NXT Championship match. It was a career-defining performance for Carmelo Hayes, another showcase of Ilja Dragunov’s unique intensity, and the beginning of a rivalry that has continued to produce outstanding matches on WWE’s main roster. It deserves its place among the very best matches in the history of the Great American Bash.

WATCH HERE (Hayes and Draganov starts at 1 hour 40 minutes)

Forever: Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk (The Great American Bash 1989)

As a fan of Ric Flair and the classic “Ric Flair match,” it is somewhat surprising that some of my favorite Flair performances are the ones in which he abandoned the formula. His rivalries with Vader and Terry Funk rank among the very best of his career. Against Funk at the 1989 Great American Bash, viewers see almost none of Flair’s trademark sequences. There is no cocky heel persona, no begging off, no corner flip, no Flair flop, no backdrop, and no dramatic bump from the top rope. Instead, this is a gritty, back-and-forth fight built on hostility rather than theatrics.

What I love most is the atmosphere. Everything about the match feels like a fight, and the crowd reacts accordingly. From the opening bell, the contest is loud, chaotic, and dangerous. Every exchange of punches carries real venom. Rewatching the match also reminded me how much I admire the lost art of the working punch. Modern wrestlers have an endless arsenal of spectacular moves and carefully rehearsed sequences, yet the move they perform most often—the punch—is frequently the one that exposes wrestling’s staged nature. Flair and Funk throw punches that look and feel convincing, adding to the match’s authenticity.

Just as important is Terry Funk’s selling and overall performance. He stumbles, squirms, and lurches around ringside in a way that is both unpredictable and unsettling. Rather than moving like a polished performer, Funk carries himself like a dangerous drunk who could completely lose control at any moment. It is a unique style that perfectly complements the chaotic tone of the match.

The structure is refreshingly straightforward. They fight from the opening bell until Flair gains an advantage by targeting Funk’s neck. Funk regains control with a well-timed branding iron shot, allowing him to exploit Flair’s previously injured neck. Flair eventually battles back from underneath before scoring the victory. It is a simple story, but one that is easy to follow and highly effective.

My favorite aspect of the finish is its irony. After nearly twenty minutes of brawling with almost no emphasis on technical wrestling, Flair wins with a beautifully executed counter into a small package from Funk’s spinning toe hold. The surprise finish feels completely earned while leaving plenty of room for the rivalry to continue. That continuation came just a few months later in the legendary “I Quit” Match, giving the feud one of the greatest concluding chapters in wrestling history.

Flair and Funk delivered a thrilling, emotionally charged main event that capped off the 1989 Great American Bash in memorable fashion. It remains one of the defining matches on a show that is frequently cited among the greatest events in NWA/WCW history—and the brilliance of Flair and Funk is a major reason why.

WATCH HERE (Flair vs. Funk starts at 2 hours and 15 minutes)