Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 1.19.23

-Rest in Peace Jamin “Jay Briscoe” Pugh!

-Announce Team: Kevin Patrick and Byron Saxton
-Taped: Cincinnati, OH

Dana Brooke vs. Zoey Stark

-This is a rematch as Stark won the earlier match between the two. Lockup to start as they jockey for position and Dana gets the first takedown. Dana follows with a suplex for a one count. Dana throws forearms in the corner, but gets cut off with a knee. Zoey misses a right hand and Dana unloads with chops and forearms. Handstand into a knee drop to the ribs from Dana. Creative! Handspring elbow in the corner, but then Dana sets too early on a backdrop and gets pulled down by her hair. Stark gets the mount and throws down some forearms. Stark gets a slam, but misses a kick which lets Dana get a roll-up for two. Dana throws some blows in the corner, but gets reversed into a whip to the corner. Stark pounds away and then hooks a chinlock. Dana fights her way out and gets a running clothesline. Bulldog counter from Dana, but a cartwheel splash catches knees. Stark dumps Dana with a release German Suplex that sends Dana head over heels onto her face. Stark misses a slingshot moonsault. Brooke comes off the top with a crossbody, but Stark rolls with her and gets a two count. Superkick from Stark and she looks to finish with the Z-360 but Dana is ready this time and counters with a roll-up for the pin at 4:41.

Winner: Dana Brooke via pin at 4:41
-These two have good chemistry with each other for some reason. They had a wonderful little match a month ago and did it again here. The ending works as well as Dana learned from the last match. I’m cool with a rubber match since the series is 1-1 now. **1/4

-Charlie Dempsey hype video. He trains for performance while others train to look good for Instagram. He isn’t a pretend tough guy with beach muscles. He will have everyone screaming when he stretched them in the ring because Pro-Wrestling is a serious business.

-Dexter Lumis looks menacing backstage!

-Hulu commercials!

-Back to SmackDown as Rey has his promo interrupted by Karrion Kross and Scarlett. They come to blows and Kross chokes him out. They face off next Friday on SmackDown!

-This week on SmackDown it’s Drew and Sheamus vs. The Viking Raiders in the opening round of The #1 Contender’s Tag Tournament. Also Roman and Kevin Owens sign their contract for Royal Rumble.

-Back to SmackDown as we get highlights from Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens. Sami has a chance to win, but The Usos and Solo hit the ring as it was all a set-up to beat the piss out of KO. Sami looks conflicted, but raises the finger with the rest of The Bloodline.

-Back to RAW as Kevin Owens heads out during a match between Mustafa Ali and Solo. Solo gets the win, but eats a KO Stunner after the match. Officials comes out to separate the two sides.

-Video package on Alexa Bliss busting the face of Bianca Belair on RAW and then the following week, Uncle Howdy shows up. The video package made it look much cooler!

-Back to RAW as Bianca challenges Alexa to come out and speak to her face to face. The brawl is on and we get a cool visual of Bianca rising up behind the security wall. They brawl through the crowd and Uncle Howdy appears in the concourse to fear out Belair and give Bliss the advantage. Bliss plants Bianca with a DDT on the floor.

-Charlie Dempsey comes face to face with Dexter Lumis. Charlie will take please in the first noise coming out of Dexter’s mouth will be a scream. Dexter hands Charlie a playing card and walks off.

-Cody Rhodes hype video covering his injury and it’s announced he will be in The Royal Rumble Match.

-Hulu commercials!

Dexter Lumis vs. Charlie Dempsey

-Lockup and Dempsey throws some uppercuts that Lumis no sells. Another go and Dempsey gets a takedown and goes to work on the left arm. Lumis escapes and then slithers like an ape to intimidate Dempsey. Lumis gets a shoulder tackle and then a Thesz Press. He drops an elbow as he runs through a Stone Cole offense. Charlie gets bounced around from corner to corner and then Lumis gets the 10 count punches in the corner. A big boot follows as we take our break at 2:20.

-Hulu commercials!

-Royal Rumble commercial!

-More Hulu commercials for some reason. I assume that has to be a mistake and it’s going to run this match time out a good bit.

-Back at 5:17 with Dempsey in control as he works on the arm and shoulder of Lumis. Dexter powers up and gets a one arm slam, but Lumis goes right back to the arm. He gets a one count, but really just took a cover so he could grab a hammerlock. He sends Dexter shoulder first into the buckle and then fires off some chops. Dempsey bends the arm in ways it shouldn’t bend and gets a sweet double underhook suplex into a bridge for two. NICE! Dempsey gets a double hammerlock and runs circles around Lumis from that position. Who can you not love Charlie? More uppercuts from Dempsey, but he gets sent into the corner and we get a double clothesline spot to leave both men down. The start trading blows which gets the crowd into the match and Lumis gains the advantage. He launches Dempsey with an uppercut and then hits a bulldog. Dempsey wildly swings and misses which lets Dexter get a belly to back suplex. Spinning legdrop gets two. Dempsey catches a big boot and gets a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. He ties Lumis up, but Lumis fights his way out and gets the modified Rock Bottom into Silence for the tap-out at 10:32.

Winner: Dexter Lumis via tap-out at 10:32 (counting commercials)
-Everything after the break was good stuff as Dempsey got to show off and bit and Lumis got the win. I still think that second commercial was a mistake, but it didn’t really mess with anything. I really want to see more of Dempsey. **3/4

-Hulu commercials!

-Back to RAW as The Usos and Judgment Day come face to face a week before the face off for The RAW Tag Titles. The Usos break out the Uso Penitentary line just to show up Prison Dom. He notes in the real Pen, they called the Usos wannabes. Don’t mess with Prison Dom!

-RAW is XXX is this Monday and should be a fun show and should draw well considering there is no more NFL or College Football on Monday Nights until Fall.

-Back to RAW as we join the 6 Pack Challenge in progress with the winner facing Austin Theory for his US Title at RAW is XXX. It comes down to Rollins and Lashley with Omos and Theory getting involved. Omos eats a Curb Stomp on the announce table and MVP takes a super kick, but Lashley gets the win win a Spear. A fun, chaotic match!

-Thanks for reading!

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

I enjoyed both matches and that makes this a good show. The NXT vs WWE Veteran format has greatly helped this show!