wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 01.13.22
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Welcome to another edition of WWE Main Event on Hulu. Speaking of Main Event, here is the link to my countdown of every match from Main Event in 2021. Spoiler: That Ricochet and Ali are pretty good at wrestling! Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Kevin Patrick and Byron Saxton
-Taped: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Tomasso Ciampa vs. T-Bar
-Well this should be interesting and I am kind of bummed someone has to lose this one as T-Bar has been rolling on Main Event and Ciampa is making his ME debut. Lockup to start and T-Bar backs Ciampa into the ropes. They exchange shoves as neither man will back down. Side headlock from Ciampa grinds T-Bar to the mat. He breaks with his strength but misses a clothesline. Ciampa drops him with a clothesline to the knee as Ciampa fires up and the crowd in Philly is loving him. He comes off the middle rope, but gets caught. T-Bar with the backbreaker and then just tosses Ciampa across the ring for two. Ground and pound gets another two count. T-Bar pounds away in the corner and gets a running elbow in the corner. Another backbreaker gets another two count. Reverse chinlock for a bit, but Ciampa breaks rather easily. He tries to rally but runs into a back elbow for another two count. T-Bar back to the reverse chinlock and the crowd is there to rally Ciampa. He fights back and hits a clothesline and another and then a leaping one finally drops T-Bar. Running knee is countered but Ciampa fights his way out. He charges again and gets drilled with a big boot for two. T-Bar goes back to the backbreaker and tries to toss Ciampa across the ring again, but Ciampa grabs the leg and is able to get a roll-up into the jackknife cover for three at 5:27.
Winner: Tomasso Ciampa via pin at 5:27
-This was solid and it was just nice seeing someone new on this show. It was kind of weird to book T-Bar to lose after having him rack up wins on this show, but of the two options him taking the loss is probably better than having Ciampa lose in his debut. This was hard hitting at times and a fine Main Event match. **1/2
-Back to SmackDown as Roman Reigns returned from COVID and the Roman/Brock/Heyman love triangle continues. Reigns lays out Brock and walks away. Pearce then informs Reigns that he has chosen his next opponent for Rumble and Roman doesn’t care who it is.
-Don’t Try This Anywhere Commercial!
-Back to SmackDown as we join The Usos vs New Day Street Fight in progress. It has to be said again, Pat McAfee is amazing on commentary. For the time being this should be the blow-off to this rivalry. We will see who they have lined up for the New Day next.
-We cut to the back as someone is knocking on Roman’s door and it’s Seth Freakin’ Rollins. That was unexpected and should make for a fun match at The Rumble.
-WrestleMania Dallas (Go 49ers) tickets on sale now. It’s STUPENDOUS!
-Commercials!
-Back to RAW as Rollins hypes his Rumble match with Roman Reigns. Big E interrupts and he is happy and excited for Seth. Big E lets us know he has entered The Royal Rumble match and he dreams about going to WrestleMania and beating Seth for a World Championship. Seth feels he doesn’t stand a chance, so they decide to wrestle right now. We join that match in progress and Seth gets the win as he is the one with the match for Roman and it would be dumb for him to lose. Not saying it did E any favors, but if you are going to have the match, Seth winning is the right call. Good match from these two as expected.
-Commercials!
Pete Dunne vs. Akira Tozawa
-Now, this one should be a little easier to figure out who is winning. Curious to have this close the show instead of Ciampa/T-Bar. Lockup to start and Dunne goes right for the fingers, but Tozawa blocks and gets an arm ringer. Dunne breaks with the ropes and then gets the fingers and it’s small joint manipulation. He works over the elbow and wrist for a bit and stomps away on the hand. He continues the work on the hand as he bends the fingers back in impressive fashion. Tozawa is able to snap off a rana and gets a basement dropkick that sends Pete to the apron. Tozawa gets too close so Dunne grabs the hand and snaps the fingers apart as we take our standard commercial break.
-Royal Rumble commercial!
-Hulu Commercials!
-Back with Dunne controlling the arm with a hammerlock on the ground. He also adds in a chinlock and then steps on Tozawa’s face. Just one of those days for Akira. At this point I am convinced Dunne is trying to take Tozawa’s arm home as a trophy. Dunne stomps away so Tozawa mans up and throws some blows, but doesn’t amount to much as Tozawa drills him with a clothesline. Back to the arm and again Tozawa rallies as I guess he is supposed to be the face in this one. Tozawa snaps off another rana and heads up top for a missile dropkick that nets a two count. Dunne floats over a suplex attempt and avoids a clothesline in the corner. He stomps the left arm and they exchange misses until Dunne gets a double stomp on the fingers. The Bitter End finishes at 9:23.
Winner: Pete Dunne via pin at 9:23
-This got more time than most matches on this show and again, I probably would have swapped the placement and time given with the opener. This was fine, but should have been a complete SQUASH for Dunne. What we got was solid and Tozawa was great at taking a beating. **1/2
-Back to RAW two weeks ago as a Triple Threat is set-up between Liv Morgan, Bianca Beliar, and Doudrop.
-They show the entire Alexa Bliss in therapy segment from RAW. Alexa snaps seeing Lillian getting destroyed, so she destroys the office.
-Commercials!
-We join the previously mentioned #1 contenders match for the RAW Woman’s Title in progress. Doudrop gets the win and gets Becky at The Rumble which could be fun as it is someone new and let’s see what they can do together.
-Thanks for reading!
