wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 8.17.23
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-There has been some hype to this one thanks to Ricochet promoting the show on his social media. I am excited for this one. Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Byron Saxton and Wade Barrett
-Taped: Canada Life Center, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Natalya vs. Tegan Nox
-It makes sense to put Nattie out there before RAW as she is going to get a good reaction in Canada. Nox attacks Nattie from behind, but Nattie fire back and Nox bails to the floor. Nattie gives chase and gets caught with a knee trying to get back into the ring. That gets two. Nox chokes with her boot on the ropes and the crowd is not happy with Tegan. To the corner where Nox lands some strikes and gets a suplex for two. Tegan talks some trash and hooks a chinlock. Nattie fights out and gets a roll-up for two, but Nox drops her with a clothesline which, also, gets two. Flatliner into the middle buckle and Nox follows with a backsplash to the face. Nattie fires back again, but quickly gets cut off and Nox goes back to the chinlock. Nattie escapes and lands an elbow. She ducks a clothesline and avoids a charge in the corner. Nattie with a slingshot Bubba-bomb (for a lack of a better term) followed by a basement dropkick for two. Nattie goes for the sharpshooter, but Nox escapes and gets a sit-out suplex for two. Nox misses the splash this time in the corner and that lets Nattie get the Sharpshooter for the tap-out at 5:42.
Winner: Natalya via tap-out at 5:42
-This was fine and the crowd was into it. I am sure Nattie had a blast. **
-Ricochet vs. Ciampa later in the show! Yep!
-Back to RAW as Judgment Day (minus Balor) address the crowd, but get interrupted by JD McDonagh. Rhea tells him to tell Finn that they need to talk. Sami is out to attack JD, but that goes badly for him as JD targets the damaged elbow.
-Don’t Try This at Home or Anywhere!
-WrestleMania XL! Philly! Tickets started going on sale Tuesday and tomorrow is the official on sale date. I waited in line just to get an idea of cost and yeah, I should be good to go. I will be sitting in the upper deck, but it’s all good. I have been to Mania 3 times with good seats and just want to be at another one. My friend has never been to one and it’s a bucket list item for him no matter where the seats are.
-Hulu commercials!
-Back to RAW as JD and Sami do battle! They tease Balor distracting Sami enough to let JD get the pin, but it doesn’t happen. Instead Sami hits a Heluva Kick and gets the clean win. He then bails before Balor can get to him. I’m cool with KO (when healthy) and Sami taking on Balor/JD.
-Hulu commercials!
-Indi Hartwell video package!
-Back to RAW as we join Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus in progress. They brawl through the crowd and get counted out as the crowd boos. The fight continues through the stands and out to the concourse. Zoey Stark, who was barred from ringside, attacks Becky to turn the tide. Trisha and Zoey leave Becky laying!
-I originally thought they announced the Cage Match for RAW, but instead it is for Payback in Pittsburgh. Sweet! We had cage match the time WWE brought a PPV/PLE to us (Owens vs. Strowman).
-Back to RAW last week where Shinsuke Nakamura attacked Seth Rollins after teaming together in a win.
-Hulu commercials!
-Back to RAW as Nakamura explains himself: He wants the World Title. Perfect reason! Rollins interrupts and says he is a fighting Champion and all Nakamura had to do was ask. Rollins offers him the match, they shake hands and Nakamura whispers something that befuddles Rollins. Another Kinshasa from Nakamura for good measure!
Ricochet vs. Tommaso Ciampa
-I am trying to recall if we ever got this match in NXT? It would have ruled if we did. Ciampa having his old music back is a plus. Let’s go! Lockup to start and Ciampa back Ricochet into the corner. He offers a clean break, but shoves Ricochet. They take it to the mat and Ricochet ends up getting a side headlock. Ciampa reverses and runs Ricochet down, but he kips up. Ciampa swings and misses which lets Ricochet go to the arm. Ciampa counters into a side headlock and lands a chop to the back. Ricochet back with his own chop and he snaps off a head scissors followed by a dropkick. Ciampa rolls to the floor where Ricochet tries a slingshot crossbody, but Ciampa rolls back into the ring. Ricochet jumps up to the apron and eats a heavy knee to the face as Ciampa notes Ricochet is sleeping. That sends us to our break at 2:45.
-90 seconds of Hulu commercials!
-Back at 4:32 with Ciampa getting a two count. He hooks a chinlock on the mat as the crowd tries to rally Ricochet. Ciampa lands a strike and stomps away in the corner. Running knee to the face gets two! Back to the chinlock. Ricochet elbows his way out and tries the handspring off the ropes, but Ciampa dropkicks him in the face. Project Ciampa is blocked and Ricochet hits The Recoil to leave both men out. Ricochet lands some strikes and hits a flying forearm and another. This is time the handspring elbow connects to pop the crowd. Standing shooting star press gets two! Ciampa misses a knee on the apron, but Ricochet doesn’t. He tries to springboard in, but Ciampa knocks him off balance and hits Willow’s Bell for two. Fairytale Ending is escaped and they go back to trading blows as the crowd boos and cheers. Head kick is ducked by Ciampa, but Ricochet avoids Fairytale Ending again and hits Sliced Bread for the win at 9:10.
Winner: Ricochet via pin at 9:10
-Good match though we know they can tear the house down if given the time and chance. Still, a good match for this show which shouldn’t shock anyone. ***
-Back to SummerSlam where Jimmy Uso cost Jey his match against Roman Reigns. On SmackDown Jimmy explains it had nothing to do with Roman and he was worried Jimmy would be a lying asshole like Roman Reigns if he win. He tells Jey to kick him, but he can’t pull the trigger. Roman laughs and says it is all about Acknowledging Him! Jey hits a superkick and takes out Solo before getting a spear on Roman. He kicks Jimmy as well and says he is out of the Bloodline, SmackDown, and the WWE. OMG HE IS SHOWING UP AT WEMBLEY! Something like that.
-Payback! Pittsburgh! We will see if it takes five years to come back with a PPV. Personally, I want SummerSlam at PNC Park.
-Hulu commercials!
-Next week on RAW: McRiddle vs. New Day! GUNTHER vs. Chad Gable: IC Title!
-Back to RAW as Finn Balor ate another loss. This time to Cody Rhodes. Coy has to fight off Judgment Day, and can’t by Sami Zayn is here with a chair to save. JD gets involved again and stands by as Balor and Priest leave Sami and Cody laying. Judgment Day stand tall as JD watches from the floor.
-Thanks for reading!
