wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 1.18.24
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-My Retro Review of Clash of The Champions VI is finished and should be up in the next couple of days. For now, it’s Main Event time! Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Byron Saxton
-Taped: Little Rock, Arkansas
Dante Chen vs. Tavion Heights
-This is Level Up on Main Event as Chen is the gatekeeper for Level Up and Heights has been a regular as well. This is the second appearance for both men on Main Event. Lockup and Heights gets a snap mare, but walks into an arm drag and Chen gets an armbar. Heights ducks a clothesline and hits a POUNCE! Running shoulder tackle in the corner and then a series of arm drags of his own. Blake Howard mentions these two faced off on Level Up in May of last year. My review for that show can be found here. Heights counters a throw into one of his own, but goes shoulder first into the post as he misses a charge. Chen goes after the arm and works on that for a bit. Chen buries a knee to the gut and gets a two count. He hooks the arm and then transitions into a cradle for two. He goes back to the arm as the crowd is getting a little restless. Chen for the cradle again, but Heights shifts the weight and gets a pin attempt for two. Heights lands a ball elbow and sends Chen shoulder first into the top buckle. Overhead release belly to belly suplex followed by a Slingblade. Heights with a Dominator for a two count. Nice near fall there! Chen goes to the hair to escape a hold and drives his knees into Height’s bad arm. Chen preps for The Gentle Touch (double chop) and connects which gets the pin at 5:51.
Winner: Dante Chen via pin at 5:51
-Good on Chen for getting a main roster win, but Heights is the better prospect at this point. He has a good look and the amateur background is going to help him a lot. The match was about what you would see on Level Up, which means basic and solid. **
-Recap of Roman Reigns and The Bloodline destroying AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and LA Knight on SmackDown. Heyman then has to break the news to Roman that Aldis has made the Royal Rumble Match a Fatal Four Way.
-Don’t Try This at Home or School!
-Hulu commercials!
-Backlash is heading to France! Priority passes available now! That would be a fun trip!
-Back to SmackDown as AJ, Randy, and Knight are in the Main Event against Solo, and Jimmy Uso, who couldn’t find a partner. They take out Orton before the match which gives us a solid tag match until Randy makes his return and hits the RKO and gets the pin on Jimmy. Randy is a genius right now as he gets all the pops and works the least of anyone in the match. Our heroes get revenge by beating the dog crap out of Solo and Jimmy. Solo gets planted through the announce table with a Shield Triple Powerbomb in a nice touch! Heyman calls Roman Reigns!
-Hulu commercials!
-Back to RAW as Cody Rhodes is here to address the crowd and before he can talk about finishing his story, Drew McIntyre interrupts. Drew tells Cody he will finish his story, but not before Drew finishes his. He tells Cody to be himself and that he doesn’t have to smile all the time and wear the suits while using big words. He wants Cody to be the real Cody and drop anyone that steps up to him. Cody says this is not an act and he will finish his second chance, while Drew just complains about his. They each hype up The Rumble and this was just a way to give both men a chance to show they are a threat in The Rumble.
-Royal Rumble: US Title: Logan Paul vs. Kevin Owens commercial! -Hulu commercials!
-This Friday on SmackDown: Carter/Chance defend their Tag Titles against Alba and Dawn! Plus Logan Paul is a guest on The KO Show! Plus, plus Fatal 4 Way Contract Signing!
Apollo Crews vs. Julius Creed (w/ Brutus Creed)
-Good to have Creed back as he has become Mr. Main Event over the last 3-4 months or so. This should be interesting! Creed uses his amateur skills as he slams Crews down and flattens him out. Crews hooks the ropes to break and after a leapfrog connects with a dropkick. Monkey Flip, but Creed lands on his feet. Creed grabs a side headlock and takes Crews to the mat. Julius ducks a clothesline and gets a dropkick and now he hits The Monkey Flip. Vertical supple, but Crews slides out and gets an enziguiri. Gorilla Press Slam as Crews shows off his power. He sends Creed to the floor with a clothesline and then hits a moonsault from the apron as we take a break at 2:26.
-SmackDown commercial! Contract signing! KO Show with Logan!
-58 seconds of Hulu commercials!
-Back at 4:08 with Crews holding a side headlock. Creed tries to suplex out, but Crews lands on his feet. Creed runs him down and gets a suplex. He gets a vertical suplex on his knees and holds Crews up while getting to his feet in an impressive spot. Standing Shooting Star Press gets a two count! Crews gets a boot in the corner and then a standing moonsault for a two count. These are just two athletic freaks trying to one up each other. Crews heads up top, but Creed jumps up to meet him and brings him down with a superplex for two. They start trading shoves and then forearms to the face as they Gert to their feet. Crews gets a roll-up for two, and Creed gets his own and tries to get a powerbomb. Creed tries a sunset flip out of that, but Creed sits down and gets the pin at 7:55.
Winner: Julius Creed via pin at 7:55
-This was a lot of fun and I am surprised they gave Creed the win and ended Crews winning streak on this show. I want more from these two! As mentioned, just two big, athletic freaks, doing things people there size shouldn’t. ***
-Recap of Rollins/Jinder and what led to their World Title match.
-Royal Rumble commercial!
-This Monday on RAW: CM Punk and Cody Rhodes go face-to-face! Ivy Nile vs. Valhalla! Chad Gable vs. Ivar! Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest! No NFL, so WWE is loading up as they close in on WrestleMania season.
-Back to RAW as we join Seth Rollins vs. Jinder Mahal for the World Title in progress. The match actually picks up where Rollins banged up his knee on a Lionsault. I assume, it is nothing serious as nothing has come out to say otherwise. Damian Priest is here, but Drew is as well and they brawl to the back. Indus Sher get involved and Jinder hits his finisher to freak the crowd out, but Seth survives and hits The Stomp to retain.
-Thanks for reading!
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