The Great American Bash | |
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Information | |
Other name(s) | The Bash (2009) |
Created by | Dusty Rhodes |
Promotion(s) | National Wrestling Alliance: Jim Crockett Promotions (1985–1988) World Championship Wrestling (1989–1992, 1995–2000) WWE (2004–2009, 2012, 2020–present) |
Brand(s) | Raw (2007–2009) SmackDown (2004–2009) ECW (2007–2009) NXT (2020–present) |
First event | 1985 |
The Great American Bash, known simply as The Bash in 2009 and as NXT The Great American Bash since 2020, is a series of professional wrestling shows held in the summer by WWE since 2004. It was originally made by the National Wrestling Alliance starting in 1985 and then by World Championship Wrestling from 1989 to 2000.[1] According to Ric Flair in his autobiography, Dusty Rhodes invented The Great American Bash.[source?]
After the last Great American Bash by World Championship Wrestling in 2000, The Great American Bash did not happen again until 2004 and only SmackDown! superstars were on it until the 2007 event, when Raw and ECW brands joined. Something special about the 2004 event was that anyone in the American military could watch it for free.[2] It was simply called The Bash in 2009, and WWE replaced the series with Fatal 4-Way the following year.[3] In 2012, the Great American Bash returned as a special episode of SmackDown.[4] Since 2020, the name is used for a yearly television special of the NXT brand (the 2023 edition however was a livesteaming-only show).[5]