Cook’s WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Review 7.12.25

Hey kids! Steve Cook here with you for another edition of WWE’s Saturday tradition! It’s been a long day of pro wrestling, and we follow everything else up with what’s being advertised as Bill Goldberg’s last match. Since it’s pro wrestling I never rule anything out, but it’s safe to say that Goldberg will be looking to go out on top tonight. We’ve also got a United States Championship match along with other exciting happenings on tap, so it’s looking like good times to end the evening!

Cook’s WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Review 7.12.25

Then. Now. Forever! Together!

Joe Tessitore welcomes us to Atlanta, GA, where there’s a lot going on! Seth Rollins & his faction are WALKING! LA Knight is WALKING, YEAH! Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul are WALKING! Randy Orton & Jelly Roll are TALKING! Solo Sikoa & his crew MAKE IT THROUGH THE METAL DETECTOR! Jimmy Uso HAS A BACKPACK! Gunther is WALKING! Goldberg IS TALKING TO A KID! PROBABLY HIS! WHY AM I YELLING?

We get the now traditional SNME opening video, then some PYRO & BALLYHOO! Joe Tess is with Jesse “The Body” Ventura and asks him about what he expects from Goldberg tonight. Jesse says that Goldberg has to win early, which has been true for decades now. Jesse knows Randy Orton’s dad, and wore his war hat for this tonight.

Michael Cole & Wade Barrett are on the call tonight and are excited about calling Goldberg’s last match.

Randy Orton (w/Jelly Roll) vs. Drew McIntyre (w/Logan Paul): My only hope concerning this whole feud is that this isn’t leading to Jelly Roll re-mixing Orton’s theme and ruining it. No offense to Jelly as a human being and person that might be in a wrestling match soon, his kinda music isn’t my kinda music. These entrances are as long as you would expect them to be, but it gives me a chance to grab a drink so I ain’t mad. Drew with a kick and some punches in the corner. He mounts for the10 punches, Orton escapes at 5 and goes for 10 of his own. Drew gets clotheslined over the top. Orton goes for the back suplex on the table, an interjection by Logan leads to Randy getting back suplexed on the table twice. We go to commercial!

Well, we came back from commercial, but I didn’t because my local NBC affiliate went to weather coverage! Might need to hop on the Peacock. OK, we’re back after a couple of minutes and Orton powerslams Drew. Orton with some back suplexes on the announce table for Drew! Three of them, in fact. Another distraction from Logan leads to Drew taking a brief advantage. This ends when Randy hits the Draping DDT and starts hearing some voices. Another Logan Paul distraction leads to a Claymore by Drew that gets a two count. Jelly gets in Logan’s face and shoves him down! Drew yells at Jelly from the ring and invites him in for a fight. Drew eventually quits yelling at Jelly and coming over so Randy can hit the RKO for the three count!

Winner: Randy Orton (approximately 5 minutes shown in Cincinnati via pinfall)
I’m going to skip the star rating because I missed the lion’s share of the match. I will say I liked the post-match angle for what it was, and even if I’m not big on either of the celebrities involved I recognize that they’ll bring in an audience. Just so we’re all clear on that.

Logan knocks Randy out after the bell, and this drives Jelly Roll to enter the ring and shove Paul down again. Jelly decks Logan with a right hand! Jelly checks on Randy until Drew came in for a Claymore after! Adam Pearce & Nick Aldis are furious, and agents come down to check on Jelly.

When we return we see what we just saw with Randy, Jelly, Drew & Logan. Then we see the GMs yelling at Logan & Drew while Logan & Drew yell at the GMs.

IYO SKY is in attendance, as is Rhea Ripley! They’ll face off tomorrow night at Evolution! Jade Cargill is there, and Naomi attacks her from behind! On sight, as the kids say! Naomi jumps on Jade’s back while agents & referees run down and try to break it up. Naomi gets thrown over the announce table! Naomi jumps off the announce table onto Jade! Jade goes into the ring & Naomi stands on the table! Nick Aldis tells them that he has a special guest referee for their match tomorrow night…Bianca Belair! Bianca makes her way towards the ring while shaking her head. They continue yelling at each other to end the segment. I enjoyed the scrap and think that Jade Cargill catfighting seems to be the best usage I’ve seen of her in either fed.

WCW Head of Security Doug Dellinger is in attendance, as is Diamond Dallas Page! Cole talks about an interview with Goldberg he saw on CBS News before we go to a video celebrating Goldberg’s streak. Remind me to do a Top 7 Doug Dellinger Moments list one of these days.

United States Championship Match: Solo Sikoa (c) (w/MFT) vs. Jimmy Uso: Solo’s crew is in his corner to stack the odds against Jimmy. The bell rings so Solo can have a conversation. Eventually the punches start. Jimmy with some chops, Solo answers with an elbow. Solo tumbles over the top rope and Jimmy hits the tope suicida. Solo walks around on the outside so we can see the belt. Back in the ring, Jimmy goes up top, but Solo catches him and hits the Spinning Solo for two. Solo smacks Jimmy off the apron so Talla Tonga can clothesline him behind the referee’s back. We go to commercial!

Solo picks Jimmy up on the apron and sets up a suplex. Jimmy blocks, they exchange punches. Solo tosses Jimmy back first into the post, Jimmy with a kick! Jimmy hits a German suplex on Solo on the apron! That seems like a terrible idea for all involved! Jimmy goes up top, hits a crossbody on Solo for two. Jimmy backs it up in the corner, then goes for the Uso Splash! It hits, but Solo kicks out at two! Jimmy runs into a knee from Solo, then another Spinning Solo before Jimmy ducks the Spike! Jimmy hits two super kicks then goes up top, Solo rolls outside with his MFT, so Jimmy does a corkscrew off the top onto everybody! Talla goes for a boot and gets superkicked! PK to Talla! Solo from behind with a schoolboy, Talla helps and it gets the three count!

Winner: Solo Sikoa (7:15 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/2
I thought this was pretty solid work from both guys. Solo doesn’t get many rave reviews for his ring work but he seemed fine enough here. Usually a good thing to work with family, unless you’re one of them dysfunctional families. There must be a functional family in wrestling somewhere, right?

JC Mateo & Tonga Loa put boots to Jimmy, then Jimmy gets held for a Samoan Spike. Jacob Fatu’s music hits! Jacob runs down to the ring and beats up Tonga & JC. Talla wants him some! He steps in the ring and they step face to…well, pecs. Jacob gets a couple of punches in before Talla hits a big boot. Jacob comes back, throws Talla out of the ring and dives onto Talla & Solo!

We see a video package of Goldberg’s WWE era.

We see Jelly Roll getting toasted earlier tonight and yelled at by Drew. Cathy Kelley asks Randy about everything that transpired the last two nights. Randy says he shouldn’t have had Jelly out there, it was a bad idea and he apologizes. Jelly says he wants Logan & Drew anywhere and anytime. Randy suggests SummerSlam. The phrase RKRoll is spoken into existence.

Rick & Stott Steiner are in the house!

LA Knight vs. Seth Rollins: We see clips of LA Knight attacking Seth Rollins on Raw, and the opposite happening on SmackDown with Bron & Bronson involvement. Punches exchanged early. LA with a high elbow, Rollins avoids a suplex and tries a Pedigree. Rollins is sent to the floor, LA follows him out with a dropkick through the ropes. Some Yeah head bounces off the announce table. LA clotheslines Seth to the floor and we go to commercial.

Rollins with a bodyscissors as we return. LA fights out and hits some punches, Rollins with a gutbuster, then he goes up top, hits a splash for two. Rollins tries to get his song started with the fans, so Knight fights back. Rollins’ stomp misses, Knight hits a clothesline and then a neckbreaker. DDT by Knight, he goes to the middle turnbuckle, springs up top and hits the elbowdrop for two. LA stomps Seth in the corner, then hits a Panic Attack. BFT is blocked by Rollins, who rolls onto the apron. Rollins goes up top and gets crotched by Knight. LA up top for a superplex, no, Seth knocks him off. LA springs up top and tries again, but Seth slips out and turns it into a Buckle Bomb! Knight blocks the stomp, but not a kick. Rollins springs up top and hits a senton. Moonsault misses and Seth dings his knee up. The referee and Heyman check on Rollins while Knight goes to the other corner. A doctor comes over! Rollins eventually leaves the corner, and Knight immediately hits the BFT and wins the match. That seemed abrupt.

Winner: LA Knight (8:05 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***
This was enjoyable. I thought Knight looked good in there, dude has more moves than people want to give him credit for. Shame about Rollins’ knee…

We see a replay of the moment where Rollins’ knee buckled. Oh. I think I have an idea of where we’re going here.

We see a video package of recent events with Gunther & Goldberg.

An American Ninja Warrior is in attendance, as is Blake Monroe! Jacy Jayne is there, she’ll defend the NXT Women’s Championship against Jordynne Grace at Evolution tomorrow night. Cole & Barrett run down that card.

The Orton/Roll vs. McIntyre/Paul match has been made OFFICIAL for SummerSlam.

Here’s 2 Chainz!

World Heavyweight Championship Match: Gunther (c) vs. Goldberg: Gunther’s a little extra with the hand gesturing tonight. Not saying, just saying. Charles Robinson serving as the referee tonight, fitting. As is Doug Dellinger knocking on Goldberg’s door. I should probably recognize some of those guys in the aisleway with Goldberg & Son. Ernest “The Cat” Miller & Josh Barnett were involved among others.

After we return from commercial Lilian Garcia provides the in-ring introductions. The bell rings and they face off. Goldberg pushes Gunther off a tie up attempt. Gunther with a kick, off the ropes into a shoulderblock by Goldberg. Gunther staggers back and recalibrates. Big chop by Gunther gets nothing. Another strike gets no-sold, then Gunther gets clotheslined down. Kicks & punches in the corner by Goldberg. Another clothesline from Goldberg. Gunther gets an advantage before getting tossed off the top rope like he’s Ric Flair or something. Goldberg goes for the spear but Gunther gets out of the ring. Goldberg follows him outside and tries to whip him to the post but Gunther recovers and hits some shots. Goldberg flings Gunther and tries to spear him, but Gunther moves and Goldberg charges through the barricade! Goldberg is down as we go to commercial.

We return and Gunther is stretching Goldberg’s injured knee. Goldberg punches out. Strikes are exchanged. Gunther kicks Goldberg down and kicks the knee again. Goldberg tries to fight back, then hits a modified spinebuster on Gunther! Goldberg with some strikes in the corner. Gunther with some chops. Goldberg elbows Gunther down in the corner. Gunther blocks a whip attempt but Goldberg hits a backdrop! Spear time…but Gunther moves and Goldberg spears Charles Robinson! Not Lil’ Naitch! Gunther starts removing Goldberg’s left knee brace. He walks around proud with the knee brace, then smacks Goldberg’s knee with it. A shot to Goldberg’s head, and Gunther goes outside and walks around. He walks towards Gage Goldberg, hits a cheapshot & Gage goes over the barricade! The agents break that up, so Gunther goes back in the ring. Goldberg hits a spear! Can he hit a jackhammer? He can! A referee makes his way down to the ring, but can only count two! Gunther with the sleeper! Goldberg tries to fight back and rolls, but Gunther manages to hang on. Goldberg finally passes out, and the champion retains!

Winner: Gunther (10:44 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **
I mean…it’s a Goldberg match in 2025, right? Nobody should be expecting anything that we didn’t see in 1998. They went a little while and Gunther was able to pull off some stuff with him. Not one of Gunther or Goldberg’s better matches, but it was a nice moment for Bill to go out on.

Gunther gets out of the ring while Goldberg recovers…and we go to commercial. We return at 10 PM so Goldberg can give a farewell speech. He can’t thank his friends enough. He loves Atlanta! And now we’re done. Shit, maybe that injury was legit and it totally messed up whatever they were planning. Or maybe it’s fake and they’re still working everybody. Sorry guys, trying to cover all my bases here.

If you’d like to chime in with your own thoughts on tonight’s show, feel free to join your fellow 411 Maniacs down in the comment section! As 411 Main Eventer Larry Csonka always said: Have fun and don’t be a dick. When I’m not here you can catch me on the social media from time to time.

5.5

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

I've learned to accept Saturday Night's Main Event for what it is, which is basically a 2-hour infomercial on NBC. As long as you keep that in mind, the short matches and endless musician-oriented segments don't bother you too much. Unfortunately, the show kinda fell apart after Rollins' injury and they either didn't know how to fill the time or when to fill the time, as the timing of pretty much everything surrounding the main event was somehow missed. WWE usually does much better from a production standpoint, including when live on TV. I had a decent enough time, but unless you're a Goldberg completist it's a skippable outing.