Even in defeat, Cameron Grimes stood tall at NXT Great American Bash
NXT Great American Bash produced some terrific individual performances, particularly in their set of title matches. But perhaps no one proved more on the show than Cameron Grimes.
Grimes took on NXT Champion Bron Breakker in the main event of the Bash, coming up just short of capturing the gold. It was a terrific give-and-take encounter that really helped cap off the night.
Breakker is currently the highest-rated prospect in the promotion and is destined to join the WWE roster soon. As the son of Rick Steiner, the phenom has basically been a star from the time he walked into the locker room.
Hence, many expected him to drop the title to Cameron Grimes, so Bron could transition to either RAW or SmackDown. It was not to be, however, as Breakker extended his second title reign with a win over the challenger at around the 12-minute mark.
What a battle!
@bronbreakkerwwe is STILL your #WWENXT Champion!
#NXTGAB https://t.co/p5xJ9SyUgg
Even in defeat, Grimes still shined brightly. In fact, the main event was an indication of just how far he's come as a performer recently.
When Cameron Grimes first joined NXT, no one was really sure how far he could climb in the promotion
Grimes, 28, signed with WWE in 2019, after successful stints with Pro Wrestling Guerilla and IMPACT. Not only did he bring a unique skill set, he also had a sports entertainment pedigree to go along with them.
Hailing from Cameron, North Carolina, his father was a lifelong friend of Matt and Jeff Hardy and was a pro wrestler himself. So essentially, he's spent his entire life around the business.
Having said that, because he has a somewhat orthodox style, no one had a true 'gimmick' for him. Since joining the third brand, Grimes has had a few stages of his evolution, including being 'the richest man in NXT'.
#WWENXT results: Cameron Grimes is the richest man in NXT after investing in GameStop and Dogecoin f4wonline.com/nxt-results/ww… https://t.co/3A15R5lFNL
Along the way, he's captured the North American Championship, but the big prize slipped right through his fingers at the Great American Bash.
It won't be that long, however. Grimes is on a natural ascension that started over two years ago, and he's peaking right now. It's a good bet that he will get at least one stint with the NXT Title, provided he doesn't make it to the main roster before then.
Following last night's great performance, it will be interesting to see where things go from here. Grimes looks like he's ready for the big time. At least he certainly was on Tuesday night.