Tag: WWE Main Event

WWE Main Event results: Viking Raiders vs. Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin

Posted on by James Cox

This past week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, before Monday’s Raw.

There were decent matches on display this week with talent who can work these kinds of curtain-jerker matches with ease. As usual, however, there’s little here to go out of your way to seek out.

Bronson Reed defeated Riddick Moss (5:48)

This one was hard-hitting as you might expect. They did well to tease a Moss victory, but Reed continued his undefeated streak on this show.

Last week, Reed was reasonably comfortable in his win against Akira Tozawa on Main Event, but his matches are too evenly contested to be considered even extended squash matches. This one was broadly the same with Moss posing much more of a likely match for Reed than Tozawa would have.

Moss spent most of the match trying to get Reed off his feet and when he did, Reed cannily rolled to the outside. They did a chase and run outside with Moss getting smashed into the apron and nailed with an elbow drop.

Reed went up top but got toppled so that Moss could hit the SOS for a near fall. You could tell they had managed to get buy in from the crowd at this point as they thought that was it.

In the end, it was a missed charge to the corner that allowed Reed to hit his Tsunami for a huge pop and another W — his sixth straight on Main Event since January.

The Viking Raiders (w/ Valhalla) defeated Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin (7:32)

This was a solid tag bout here that was a bit dull in the early going. Benjamin was the star of the show, despite the loss, with the crowd super into his hot tag.

Benjamin and Alexander haven’t been together on Main Event since back in February. They have been working six-man tags at the live shows in August with Austin Theory against AJ Styles, Gallows & Anderson. I have no problem believing that those would have been a ton of fun.

This was a match in four parts: Alexander took the early going, then Erik and Ivar slowed it down and then Benjamin got the hot tag, but Valhalla used the distraction to get the Viking Raiders the win.

Although this one went too long for my liking, it certainly picked up after the commercials as these matches tend to. Benjamin came in full of energy, using a series of splashes before hitting Erik with an Angle Slam. He even used an ankle lock. This is definitely the way to book Benjamin at 48 years old.

In the end, just as Alexander and Benjamin looked in control, Valhalla came up onto the second rope and to speak to Benjamin. He was bundled out of the ring and Alexander was caught with a knee as he came off the top rope with a springboard. This allowed Erik and Ivar to hit Ragnorak for the win.

WWE Main Event results: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Riddick Moss

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina before Monday’s episode of Raw.

We had another good offering this week, with two decent matches. Ciampa vs. Moss was the pick of the bunch, but the show has started to exist more in a vacuum again where nothing really relates to anything else relevant anymore.

Bronson Reed defeated Akira Tozawa (4:50)

A big man vs. plucky babyface match by the numbers here, but Tozawa got more in than you would expect. People clearly like Reed, but the company doesn’t seem to know how to use him.

Bronson Reed is a little bit rudderless on his current run with WWE. He has bounced around this show – where he remains undefeated – and sporadic appearances on Raw. It’s clear the crowd likes him and the pop is always big for his finisher.

Tozawa and Reed put together a good little match. Tozawa gets more in than you would expect in these situations. He’s a lower-roster talent, but they clearly trust him to go with guys who need a little help in the right direction.

After the early going, they went to near falls pretty quickly. Tozawa hit his top rope back elbow for a two count and then a top rope senton for another near fall.

Reed thwarted Tozawa’s attempts and then finished his opponent with the Tsunami to make him 7-0 on Main Event.

We’ll see what they decide to do with him going forward, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him working this show again next week.

Tommaso Ciampa defeated Riddick Moss (9:19)

A good match that went longer than it needed to, as they hit their stride in the last few minutes and got the crowd behind them. Moss is infinitely better under this persona than when he was Madcap Moss.

Ciampa became a little bit of a Main Event regular for a while back there. Last summer, he worked this show with the likes of T-Bar, Reggie, and Apollo Crews and was generally the one getting his hand raised.

He returned a couple of weeks ago in a losing effort against Ricochet, but was up against a renewed Moss here, who seems to be increasingly comfortable with his new gimmick.

Moss trash-talked his way through this one and at one point called out Wade Barrett on commentary, telling him to come out of retirement, because this one was proving too easy for him.

They had a quick sprint before the commercials and then started to build the match to a climax after the adverts.

In the final minutes, Ciampa took his knee pad down as Moss lay prone, but he took too long and Moss caught the charge and nailed him with a Rock Bottom/urinage for a near fall. They both lay there for a while after.

Moss told Ciampa he was done and went for a neckbreaker, but Ciampa turned it into a backslide for two. Ciampa then ate a spinebuster, but as he got up managed to nail Moss with a high knee as he was running the ropes.

The Fairy Tale Ending got Ciampa the win to end a match where both men looked exhausted at the final bell.

WWE Main Event results: JD McDonagh vs. Akira Tozawa

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee before Monday’s episode of Raw. We got two good matches this week in front of a crowd who were very much into them.

Katana Chance (w/ Kayden Carter) defeated Chelsea Green (5:04)

This was a good little opener with some nice work, particularly from Chance who looks better every time she’s in the ring.

Chance worked this show for the first time since a win over Emma in June, returning here to make it two-for-two against Green. It was Green’s first Main Event appearance since January 2020. However, she wasted no time reasserting herself and came right out of the block at the bell to nail Chance with a big boot. The early going was pretty much all Green, who played the heel well.

Eventually, Chance got back into things and did a nice spot where she had Green hung on the middle rope and came off the second turnbuckle with a stomp. Green kicked out at two and then tried to use the ropes to steal a win. This prompted Carter to show her absolute disgust for such behavior, but she remained on the outside.

Green signaled to the crowd that it was game over for Chance. She then tossed her opponent into the ropes but Chance blocked it. Chance then hit her with a kick to the midriff and followed it up with a rolling facebuster for the win.

JD McDonagh defeated Akira Tozawa (7:57)

This was a good match here between two guys who can really go. McDonagh has some amazing stuff in his arsenal and Tozawa is the ideal opponent for him to showcase it against.

After a run on this show over the summer, McDonagh has flirted with main roster action, but his presence is always welcome on Main Event.

McDonagh is reasonably active on X, but he didn’t do much to promote this one, other than reposting a gif that tells you pretty much all you need to know about his current persona.

After being beaten down, Tozawa fought his way out and saw the telegraphed clothesline from McDonagh, reversing it into a head scissors takedown. Tozawa then used a top rope back elbow for a near fall.

McDonagh fired up and they went back and forth until Tozawa nailed him with an enziguri and went up to the top rope. This time, he got caught and McDonagh hit him with a beautiful Spanish Fly.

The Devil Inside got this one done for McDonagh who now really needs a main roster run in a proper program with more eyeballs on him.

WWE Main Event results: Natalya vs. Nikki Cross, Ricochet vs. Riddick Moss

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, before Monday’s episode of Raw.

Another good couple of matches on Main Event made this a watchable show yet again this week. Canadian crowds do seem to make this show better.

Ricochet defeated Riddick Moss (5:43)

This was all the better for the crowd liking the match and, particularly, Ricochet who continues to be wasted on Main Event.

Another week, another Ricochet match and another time where you can’t help but feel that he’s being a) wasted and b) that people in the company must be deaf when they hear the reaction he gets.

Moss was back on the show here for the first time in a few weeks, no longer flanked by Emma and looking as jacked as ever. It’s crazy to think that he was Madcap Moss back in April because this version suits him way more.

Moss pretty much took Ricochet out from the bell, using lots of big power moves and allowing Ricochet to look plucky and seem like he was fighting his way out of a corner all the time.

Moss hit his SOS slam for a near fall and a fallaway slam before trying for a suplex. Ricochet fought out of it, hitting the Recoil. 

His standing shooting star press, followed by an enzuigiri and Sliced Bread, got it done in the end to leave the fans happy in a solid curtain jerker.

Natayla defeated Nikki Cross (7:36)

This was a good match here, but nothing too remarkable. The crowd loved Natalya which made it have a way bigger feel that it would have had otherwise.

Two matches in two weeks on Main Event for Natalya and with the kinds of reaction she gets in front of home crowds, you would have thought they would have at least put her on the dark match after Raw went off air.

Regardless, she and Cross worked well together here, but as I said last week, Natalya’s matches have largely just become about her trying to find a way to win with the Sharpshooter…and I’m fine with that.

Cross has been used as a safe pair of hands on Main Event this year, up against the likes of Tegan Nox, Cora Jade and Kayden Carter, so it was interesting to see her up against a grizzled vet this week.

They did a bit of comedy and then ended up on the outside with Cross nailing Natalya with a shoulder barge tackle to head into the commercial break.

We then had a couple of chin locks from Cross after the break, but the crowd was into supporting Natalya trying to fight her away out. She did just that and fired up with her familiar moveset before using a stiff looking clothesline to try to get Cross in position for the Sharpshooter.

Cross got out of the hold quickly and threw Natalya into the corner. She used a neckbreaker for two and then took forever to go up to the top rope — so much so that she missed the splash. Natalya was then able to lock in her finisher to get the submission win.

WWE Main Event results: Ricochet vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, before Monday’s episode of Raw. This was a perfectly watchable show this week, with a very strong offering from Ricochet and Tommaso Ciampa at the top of the show.

Natalya defeated Tegan Nox (5:41)

This was a Natalya match by the numbers as far as her bouts go these days: a ton of selling before finding a way to win with the Sharpshooter.

Nox has had a flurry of appearances on Main Event over the last four months, but still only finds herself with one win in that time. She looks perfectly at home, but none of the matches have really dazzled yet.

Nox took pretty much all of this one, to the point of the result being a bit ridiculous. It was a slow, methodical and fairly dull affair in the first half including several chin locks. Nox looked like she was enjoying being the heel, though.

Natalya eventually fired back at Nox with a German suplex and basement dropkick for a near fall and then she started to look for the Sharpshooter. In the end, it was a pretty simple finish with Natalya dodging a charge to the corner so that she could lock in the Sharpshooter for the win.

Ricochet defeated Tommaso Ciampa (7:40)

By Main Event standards, this was an excellent match. They really went back and forth and put on a fabulous show for this pre-Raw crowd.

Ricochet’s Twitter (yes, I know it’s ‘X’, but I’m just not there yet) was full of promos for this one this week, including a sentence that pretty much said it as it is: 

They had a really strong match, but given longer, these two could really go. What was most entertaining about this was the pacing and the way they both gave each other plenty without it looking like a spotfest.

Before the ads, Ricochet was in charge, but they did a ton of intricate mat work. It culminated in a cat and mouse exchange outside, culminating with Ricochet eating a knee to the face as he tried to get back into the ring.

After the commercials, Ciampa used a chin lock, that at times became a cravat, as the crowd got behind Ricochet. When he finally got some separation, he hit a Codebreaker to leave them both laying.

Ricochet tried for a springboard off the top rope, but got knocked off which allowed Ciampa to plant him with a rope hung DDT for a near fall. The finish saw Ricochet avoid the Fairytale Ending twice before hitting the Sliced Bread for the win and to round out a really solid performance from them both.

WWE Main Event results: Nikki Cross vs. Tegan Nox

Posted on by Arya Witner

To celebrate my surgery going well, the show began with a five-minute video package recapping last weekend’s SummerSlam.

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped last Monday in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with Byron Saxton and Wade Barrett on the call. Barrett threatened to quit after Saxton did a bad “Bad News Barrett” impression.

Indus Sher (Veer Mahaan & Sanga) (w/ Jinder Mahal) defeated Apollo Crews & Akira Tozawa (3:57)

As mentioned last week, if you are a Crews fan, Main Event is the show for you as he has now appeared on eight of the last ten episodes. Tozawa is coming off a loss two weeks ago to Sanga. Saxton made sure to call Mahal a former WWE Champion which is somehow even more preposterous in 2023 than it was in 2017.

Sanga was tired of beating up Tozawa, so he encouraged Crews to tag in. Crews got a brief flurry of offense in before tagging out and then Tozawa had no chance. Tozawa didn’t fare any better against Mahaan, but was able to fend him off long enough to tag out to Crews. 

Crews ran wild for 30 seconds and, again, tagged out to Tozawa. Well, the third time was the charm as Tozawa finally got in some offense, at least until Mahaan hit a full body block. Finally, Sanga pinned Tozawa after a double team move where Sanga held Tozawa and Mahaan came off the middle rope with an elbow drop.

A bunch of stuff happened on Raw and SummerSlam that got replayed for the next 22 minutes (minus commercial breaks). If you care, you already know what happened. If you don’t know what happened and care to find out, you are definitely reading the wrong report.

Nikki Cross defeated Tegan Nox (7:40)

Did you remember Nox was drafted to Raw? Neither did I.

Cross got a large reaction by shoulder blocking Nox to the mat and then doing a wacky dance. The fans were less excited when Nox then used an STO into the middle turnbuckle and then were even less excited when Nox mocked Cross’ dance. Apparently, this is a rematch from two months ago on Main Event which was won by Cross. 

Cross ran down the apron with a crossbody to Nox while Nox was outside the ring. Returning from commercial, we were back in the ring and Cross hit the ten punches of doom. 

Cross is horribly miscast as a heel as in my three weeks of doing Main Event reports. She is the only person the crowd is into. Nox used a series of kicks to get the advantage and then used a face-first suplex for a 2 count.

The fans broke into a “Let’s go Nikki” chant as I started to wonder if she is still a heel. 

Cross fired up and hit a bulldog before going to the top rope. Nox knocked her off and Cross fell on her face. Nox went for the cover and put her feet on the ropes, but the referee caught her and stopped the count. Cross then won with a swinging neckbreaker.

That does it for Main Event this week. Some people won, some people lost. What’s most important is we spent almost 12 minutes watching wrestling and there isn’t anything wrong with that. 

This is also my last scheduled Main Event report. There are three guarantees in life: Death, taxes and someone will be back next weekend reporting on this show.

WWE Main Event results: Bronson Reed vs. Apollo Crews

Posted on by Arya Witner

Last week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, before last Monday’s Raw. Byron Saxton and Kevin Patrick were on the call. 

Dana Brooke defeated Xia Li (5:41)

They showed clips of Brooke’s recent match on NXT with Cora Jade. Saxton said Li wants to hurt Brooke and that Brooke is channeling a more aggressive side. 

Brooke aggressively worked a headlock, which Li got out of with a foot stomp. She tried dragging Li to the corner and tripped over the referee, falling to the ground. The crowd, which wasn’t paying attention, didn’t notice.

Li got a near fall with a running kick and then yelled at the quiet crowd to shut up, which led to a three-second “Let’s go Dana” chant.

The crowd woke up during Brooke’s comeback. She used several snapmares and a slap to the face. They grappled on the ropes, which Brooke got the better of and the former 24/7 Champion later after hitting a swanton.

Tonight on Main Event: Seth Rollins & Sami Zayn vs Damien Priest & Dirty Dominik Mysterio. Wow! What a huge match for WWE Main Event….oh wait, it’s just a replay of Raw last week. For all your information on the shows people watch, go read the Raw, SmackDown, NXT, Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision reports on the site.

Bronson Reed defeated Apollo Crews (6:48)

The main event of Main Event featured a former Intercontinental and United States Champion vs. a man who cleanly pinned Kazuchika Okada one year ago. If you like Crews, Main Event is the show for you as he has wrestled on seven of the last nine episodes. 

These two worked really well together and the crowd was into it within 90 seconds. Crews did a dive over the top rope and then went for a top rope move in the ring but Reed cut him off. Reed delivered a running shoulder block off the apron before we went to commercial.

Back from commercial and back in the ring, Reed squished Apollo in the corner and locked in a waist lock. Crews fought back up, elbowed his way out, and hit a jaw jacker. He followed that up with an enzuigiri to the back of Reed’s head, multiple kicks, a corner splash, and a flying crossbody off the top rope to finally knock Reed off his feet. 

Crews tried picking Reed up on his shoulders but failed. Reed went for a power bomb but failed. Crews finally picked Reed up, but Reed got out of it, hit a cyclone powerslam and then his Tsunami splash for the pin.

So that does it for Main Event. I am on a 144-hour break and have surgery Monday so send some positive thoughts my way and until next Sunday, have a great week!

WWE Main Event results: Kayden Carter vs. Nikki Cross, Sanga vs. Akira Tozawa

Posted on by Arya Witner

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, before last Monday’s Raw with Byron Saxton and Kevin Patrick on the call. 

Akira Tozawa defeated Sanga (w/ Veer and Jinder Mahal) (3:38)

Before the match, Mahal announced this was the most destructive tag team on Raw and tonight, Sanga would be unleashed on the carcass of Tozawa. 

Tozawa tried jumping on Sanga’s back, but was promptly thrown off. He came off the top rope with a crossbody but got caught and slammed by Sanga. 

Sanga hit a really nice clothesline and a spinning cobra clutch slam. He almost had the submission with an over-the-shoulder backbreaker, but Tozawa managed to escape. 

Tozawa made a comeback and hit a missile dropkick, but it didn’t drop Sanga. Finally, Sanga hit a giant boot to the face and a chokeslam for the pin.

Nikki Cross defeated Kayden Carter (w/ Katana Chance) (8:13)

This was Carter’s first main roster singles match since an April 2020 loss to Charlotte Flair on Raw.

Before the match began, Cross crouched behind Chance, grabbed her hair, and held it to her upper lip as if it were a mustache. She dropped Carter and began dancing while moving her hands in a claw-like fashion as if she wanted to grab something.

After a brief game of running around the ring, Carter hit a low dropkick. However, her advantage didn’t last long. Cross trapped her in the ring apron (similar to Fit Finlay) and beat on her foe. Hey, if you’re gonna steal spots, steal them from the best.

Back from the commercial break, Cross hit a sit-out death valley driver for a near fall. Cross locked on a straight jacket hold that Carter eventually got out of, but Cross then applied a sleeper. The story of this match was Carter not being used to singles competition as a few times it looked as though she was reaching for a tag. 

Carter got out of the sleeper and began a comeback, hitting a running punch to the face, a kick, and a springboard leg drop off the bottom rope. Cross got the near fall with a bulldog and Carter got one off an STO. Cross eventually won with a flying crossbody which was little surprising if you ask me. 

Final Thoughts:

In case you’re wondering how this show lasted an hour, we got some lengthy recaps of Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. If you want to know more about those shows, go read the remarkable recaps written by Steve Khan (Raw), Chris Aiken (NXT), and Colin McGuire (SmackDown). I approve of anything The Judgment Day does, but do you really need to know that?

WWE Main Event results: JD McDonagh vs. Apollo Crews

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, before Monday’s Raw.

This was a perfectly watchable show but Apollo Crews vs. JD McDonagh III was a disappointment given how strong their first two exchanges were.

Riddick Moss defeated Akira Tozawa (5:20)

This match was all about Moss, although Tozawa appeared to have hope at times. Moss bullied his opponent and showed off his power in a fairly run-of-the-mill match.

This was Moss’ first win since dropping the Madcap name in May. Meanwhile, Tozawa, who doesn’t get many wins anyway, lost here for the 15th time in 2023. For a loser, he’s a pretty fantastic performer.

Moss worked Tozawa over pretty much from the get-go with Tozawa flipping all over for him. Tozawa sold a clothesline as if it had killed him and took a posting before having to work his way out of a rest hold.

The hope came as Tozawa played the plucky babyface, coming off the top rope with a back elbow and turning a power bomb into a hurricanrana. The crowd really liked Tozawa and was rooting for him as he was getting some shine.

In the end, Tozawa got caught coming off the top and Moss was able to put him in a delayed suplex before using a modified jackhammer for the win.

Apollo Crews defeated JD McDonagh (6:35)

This was the long-awaited rubber match between these two, but it didn’t deliver nearly as well as the previous two.

McDonagh took control in the early going. He was trash talking Crews and definitely looking more of a heel than he has in previous weeks. 

They went outside and McDonagh tried to get one over on Crews, but Crews had him scouted and rolled him back inside. McDonagh was sent over the top rope with a clothesline as we headed to the commercial break.

Crews worked out of a side headlock and came off the top rope with a beautiful crossbody for a near fall. The hang time alone here was impressive.

They started to trade near falls in what was easily the best segment of the match. There was much grace here amongst the big boots and kicks to the head. McDonagh loves the Spanish Fly and I think the one he did here was the best-looking of all of the ones he’s done with Crews.

Unfortunately, they went to the finish quite quickly after they had started to really get going. Crews caught McDonagh off the top rope, hoisted him up onto his shoulders, and delivered his Samoan Drop for the win.  

WWE Main Event results: Indi Hartwell vs. Dana Brooke

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, before Monday’s Raw.

The all-women’s edition this week didn’t quite deliver, but it was fun to see Natalya in action while Indi Hartwell is getting better all the time. JD McDonagh vs. Apollow Crews III has still yet to happen and would have been a way better curtain-jerker than either of these matches.

Natalya defeated Xia Li (5:20)

Although the crowd rallied to give this one some energy, it was a tepid affair that lost its way a few times toward the end. This was, according to Byron Saxton, Natalya’s 1517th televised WWE match.

Natalya sold and sold for Li in the early going. Li’s offense is pretty basic and there was a lot of clubbing and chops to the corner, as well as a rest hold. The idea was clearly for Natalya to allow Li to show off what she can do, but it didn’t translate into anything particularly interesting.

When Natalya made her comeback, she went for the Sharpshooter but got kicked off and then was nailed with a pop-up enziguri in one of the best spots of the match.

The crowd recovered here and when Li missed a running knee to the corner, they could sense the end was coming. Natalya locked in the Sharpshooter and that was all she wrote.

Natalya is so good at building tension. When she put Li in the submission hold, she paused and gave a long look to the crowd which they ate up. What a pro.

Indi Hartwell (w/ Candice LeRae) defeated Dana Brooke (7:56)

They lost the crowd and it dragged after a very early commercial break. However, Hartwell and LeRae are getting over while Brooke is increasingly well-appreciated by live crowds.

No offense to either of these two, but this is not the match to get a pre-Raw crowd hyped up for the show ahead. They should have given Brooke a partner and this would have reaped far better rewards as a result.

They worked hard for an audience that pretty much sat on their hands. Hartwell took the bulk of the offense, trying quick covers to get it done early.

LeRae kept shouting advice from the sidelines. Hartwell went for rest holds and a sleeper and the match slowed right down. Eventually, Brooke fought her way out by backing Hartwell into the corner.

They fought on the top rope, and teased a superplex, but Brooke came out on top and used a crossbody that led to them both being down. Just when it looked like Brooke was going to take this one, her plans got thwarted at the last minute.

Brooke used a handspring back elbow and went for a sunset flip, but Hartwell was too strong and stood still before sinking to her knees and hooking Brooke’s legs to steal the win.

WWE Main Event results: Apollo Crews vs. Riddick Moss

Posted on by James Cox

Last week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, before Monday’s Raw.

Good performances all around made for a solid show. I thought we would get the Apollo Crews vs. JD McDonagh rubber match, but Crews vs. Riddick Moss was a good placeholder and Madcap Moss seems a distant memory at this point. If they did this all over again next week, that would be fine by me.

JD McDonagh defeated Akira Tozawa (5:07)

This was a fine opener with Tozawa once again delivering a standout performance to put over an up-and-comer.

McDonagh tore the house down in his victory over Crews on the 6/29 episode, but this was more like an extended squash. 

The crowd was not as hot here as they were last week and seemed to be sitting on their hands for McDonagh’s offensive onslaught. They really only came alive when Tozawa fired up and started flying all over the place.

McDonagh is excellent in the ring, but his presentation needs some work. His entrance is a bit underwhelming and his music is quite generic. It would be good to see him have a program against a top babyface to give him something to sink his teeth into.

They did lots of mat work here with McDonagh bullying Tozawa and trying quick pin attempts. Tozawa landed a hurricanrana and top rope cannonball before he went for the senton. He flew into McDonagh’s knees who seized the chance to hit him with the Devil Inside for the victory.

Apollo Crews defeated Riddick Moss (7:30)

This was a good match between two strong individuals with Crews back on track after his loss to McDonagh last week.

As soon as the bell rang, Moss flew at Crews and nailed him with a spinebuster. He followed it up with two big spears to the corner. He tried a third but ran into a boot and then caught Crews’ crossbody attempt, throwing him away with a fallaway slam.

The first half of the match, before the commercials, continued in the same vein until Crews used a dropkick and a Stinger splash to get some separation. He then dumped Moss over the top rope and came off the apron with a moonsault leading into a commercial break. 

When we came back, they were fighting on the top rope and when Crews got the better of Moss, he hit him with a cross body for a near fall.

It was a bunch of near falls from then on but the crowd were definitely into it. They even got behind Moss with a chant despite him playing the heel.

In the end, Crews hit Moss with two high knees and got the win with a Samoan Drop, but this was a really good fight that never looked clear cut.

WWE Main Event results: Apollo Crews vs. JD McDonagh

Posted on by James Cox

Last week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the EnMarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, before Monday’s episode of Raw.

This was a perfectly watchable episode. Hopefully, we get the rubber match next week between JD McDonagh and Apollo Crews because these two could tear the house down in front of a British crowd.

Katana Chance (w/ Kayden Carter) defeated Emma (5:27)

This was a nice short match and really showed off how good Chance could be.

Chance looked very good in just her second match on Main Event (she defeated Tamina on an episode in December) and her first since officially joining the main roster. She is much shorter than Emma, but has bouts where she explodes into fiery offense and has a really unique in-ring move set to boot.

Emma has featured heavily on Main Event over the last few months and, like Dana Brooke, has been a steady hand with the newbies from NXT. There is nothing especially dazzling about what she does, but she carries herself like a star.

For a match that lasted just over five minutes, it felt like they got a lot in, but it was mostly Emma who dictated the pace while Chance played the babyface in peril. Carter was on the sidelines cheerleading, trying to rally her from Emma’s methodical beatdown.

Chance did The Miz’s running clothesline to the corner where he sits on the rope afterward and then used a spinning Codebreaker to get the win after some distraction from Carter.

This continued Emma’s poor run of form as she has just one win to her name in all of 2023.

JD McDonagh defeated Apollo Crews (7:37)

This was a tremendous offering from these two with some really neat near falls that the crowd got into at the end.

After last week’s strong outing, they went at it again, but with a different outcome this time. The loss for Crews is his first since he returned to the main roster.

The early going was fairly even with Crews using an impressive delayed suplex before missing a moonsault off the apron to the outside, giving McDonagh the advantage as we headed to the break.

The second half of the match was really action-packed and got the crowd heavily invested as they broke into a ‘this is awesome’ chant. Last week, they did a Spanish Fly in the middle of the ring and it looked fantastic. McDonagh used it again here and it was even better, getting a near fall.

The finish came after McDonagh kicked out of a sit-out power bomb when no one thought he would. Last week, the finish was a Samoan Drop, but this week McDonagh escaped it and used the ropes to steal a roll-up win.

Let’s hope they do this all over again next week as McDonagh is someone who needs reps in front of big crowds.

WWE Main Event results: Apollo Crews vs. Akira Tozawa, Xia Li in action

Posted on by James Cox

This past week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, before Monday’s Raw.

Candice LeRae defeated Xia Li (4:45)

This was a fine opener. Li got some of her stuff in and LeRae seems to be getting over.

Li made her Main Event debut, playing the heel and taking her time over everything that she did. She certainly looked comfortable enough. Byron Saxton noted that she had not quite got going over on SmackDown.

LeRae was at the top of the show last week in a winning debut performance, and seems to have something that the crowd likes. Either that or it was Li as her opponent that they disliked.

Li was methodical and burst into occasional flurries of offense, using a modified suplex at one point to throw LeRae across the ring. She tried a chin lock before LeRae broke loose and nailed her with a series of strikes in the corner.

They worked back and forth until Xi caught LaRae’s leg and got nailed with a kick to the head. LeRae stepped on her back, hit a senton and went to the middle rope for her moonsault finish to get her second win in as many weeks.

Apollo Crews defeated Akira Tozawa (7:09)

This was a solid match that was what you would expect. If Crews is back on the Raw roster, though, this isn’t the way to book him.

Before his run back on NXT, Crews had become quite the regular on Main Event. He and Commander Azeez were often tagging up or Crews would work solo with Azeez in his corner. It was an act that they grew tired of when it actually had legs.

As noted on commentary, Tozawa and Crews have worked together in a previous life and it showed. They were smooth and did the whole power vs. pace thing well.

Crews used a Perfect Plex at one point after having clotheslined Tozawa out of his boots, but as ever Tozawa was plucky to the last. He gave Crews a run for his money with a running headscissors and top rope back elbow.

After a segment where they traded kicks, including Tozawa going to town with a veritable can can of kicks, he tried to go up top for his finish, but got caught and nailed with a Samoan drop to give Crews the win.

The finish was really neat and the crowd was into it. Crews looked dominant and Tozawa continued his run of being excellent in the curtain jerker role for these pre-Raw crowds.

Final Thoughts:

This was a  perfectly pleasant enough show this week. It was nice to see Crews back in action and for Li to make her show debut. The crowd certainly seem to like LeRae, so they should probably do something more with her. 

WWE Main Event results: Candice LeRae vs. Tegan Nox

Posted on by James Cox

This past week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the MVP Arena in Albany, New York, before Monday’s Raw.

Dexter Lumis defeated Akira Tozawa (4:11)

As always, Tozawa and Lumis were good together with Lumis getting the win and a handshake.

Lumis is certainly due a storyline having worked Main Event a lot over the last few months. There is definitely a portion of the WWE Universe who likes him, but his character is confusing now, having gone from menacing to essentially quite comical.

Tozawa managed to get Lumis off his feet with a hurricanrana, but he then no sold some of his chops and stared him down. This is where working Main Event makes no sense. If he’s so dominant, why not give him a program on Raw?

Lumis used a delayed suplex which the crowd enjoyed before using a nerve rest hold to lead in to the hope spot for Tozawa who used a rana and running high knee before going up top.

Ultimately, Tozawa took too long as he went up top for his senton finisher and thus, Lumis got out of the way. He caught Tozawa on the charge, nailing him with a side slam for the win.

Lumis did his slithering gimmick after the bell and offered Tozawa a handshake, which was accepted.

Candice LeRae (w/ Nikki Cross) defeated Tegan Nox (7:12)

This was a little too long with too much heat, but Nox and LeRae worked well together.

Nox took most of this one with LeRae basically selling for most of it. With Cross cheerleading from the sidelines, it felt like a bigger pop when LeRae finally got her hand raised.

Before the break, Nox was in control as commentary focused on Cross. Her character is just a little bit too zany for my taste, but she does seem to be over with a certain segment of the crowd.

They ended up on the apron and Nox used a flapjack on LeRae as they went to the break.

Cross never really featured in this one, other than Nox calling her a psycho from the ring. Alas, she was there in full ring gear and did absolutely nothing other than support LeRae from the outside.

In the end, LeRae came up off the top rope with a missile dropick and a moonsault off the second rope for the win. Cross hugged LaRae after the bell, but she didn’t seem too keen on the idea.

Final Thoughts:

These were two matches that were perfectly fine with the babyfaces going over. It had been better when they were giving NXT workers the chance to work against main roster talent, but Tozawa and Lumis are always entertaining together. The women’s match at the top of the show was fine, but focused way too much on Cross’ wackiness.

WWE Main Event results: Nikki Cross vs. Emma, Tegan Nox in action

Posted on by James Cox

This past week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, before Monday’s Raw.

Tegan Nox defeated Dana Brooke (5:19)

Hershey did not care about this one bit. A disinterested crowd made for a really underwhelming match.

Nox appeared on Main Event last week in a losing effort to Nikki Cross. Here, she worked well with Brooke who is pretty much on this show every week holding the hand of a newcomer to the main roster.

They were fairly even until Nox laid on the apron, grabbed Brooke’s hair, and choked her using the top rope. She then started to dominate. The crowd liked Nox’s cannonball to the corner where she pretty much hit Brooke butt-first to the chest which got an audible ‘ooh.’

Brooke rallied with a flapjack and bulldog before launching Nox onto her shoulders. Nox worked her way out and then very obviously used the ropes to help her roll Brooke up and snatch the win.

The camera angle made it look pretty terrible as the ref should clearly have seen the infraction, but it was good for Nox to get a win rather than Brooke going over every week.

Nikki Cross defeated Emma (8:07)

This was OK but went far too long. With a crowd that sat on their hands like this, they should have shaved a couple of minutes off the time and got through their stuff much more quickly.

There’s something about the way that Emma throws clotheslines and strikes that just doesn’t look good. It’s like she isn’t really committed and thus, her offense just looks a bit fake. There were quite a few here in this one, but the crowd did at least rally behind Cross in the end to bring the match to life.

The finish ought to have been when Cross came off the top rope to hit a crossbody, but Emma ducked it and hit her with a superkick. Cross kicking out made her look strong, but didn’t do anything for Emma who has had only one TV win since she returned to the company.

The actual finish was one they do far too often: someone misses a charge to the corner and gets rolled up or hit with a finisher for the win. Cross dodged out the way of Emma, nailed her with the swinging neckbreaker, and Hershey got to their feet to applaud her. Well, some of them did.

Final Thoughts:

A dead crowd made this a tough watch this week. They need to bring back some quick tag matches or Akira Tozawa and Mustafa Ali if they want to warm up a Raw crowd on a Monday night, because with the greatest respect to the matches this week, that’s not going to get it done.