Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 01.27.22

-Apparently, we have more NXT2.0 faces appearing this week. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Kevin Patrick and Byron Saxton
-Taped: Huntington Center, Toledo, OH

L.A. Knight vs. Cedric Alexander (w/ Shelton Benjamin)

-No lock-up as Cedric lands a kick to the gut and throws some chops in the corner. Knight comes charging out of the corner with a clothesline and follows with a rough looking swinging neckbreaker. Knight tosses Cedric from corner to corner and gets a slow developing backdrop. Cedric gets hung up on the middle rope, but Shelton provides a distraction which lets Cedric plant Knight back first on the ring apron. That gets a two count back in the ring and then Cedric hits the chinlock. He talks some trash, but Knight escapes and gets a cross-body for two. Now Knight gets dropped throat first on the middle rope and Cedric follows with a basement dropkick to the face. Nice! Back to the chinlock and more trash talking from Cedric. Knight elbows his way out, but Cedric fires back with chops. European uppercut from Alexander. Knight gets dumped on the apron, but catches Alexander with a knee and then a slingshot shoulder tackle. Jumping neckbreaker in the corner from Knight and then a powerslam. He drops the leaping “L A Knight” elbow. Shelton back on the apron, which lets Cedric get a roll-up for two. No matter as Knight finishes with The BFT at 5:01.

Winner: Cedric Alexander via pin at 5:01
-Some clunky moments at times, but a perfectly acceptable wrestling match. Knight will likely be better off on the main roster than NXT 2.0. **

-Back to SmackDown as Roman/Rollins continues and we get a tag match set between The Usos and Rollins/Owens. The Usos are barred from The Rumble if they lose and if they win, Roman’s match with Rollins is off. Geez, I wonder who will win?

-Don’t try this anywhere commercial!

-Commercials!

-Back to SmackDown for Usos vs. Rollins/Owens. Good match which is to be expected with the talent involved. No clean finish as Roman decks Rollins to draw the DQ. No Usos at The Rumble, but Roman doesn’t seem too concerned.

-Commercials!

-Back to RAW for Maryse’s Birthday Celebration! Edge and Beth Phoenix interrupt the birthday singing as they are rather pissed. Security gets demolished so Miz and Maryse bail. Edge and Beth running through moves like The Hart Attack and 3D was cute! The cake gets destroyed as a security geek gets powerbombed through it and the table. This was fun!

-Alexa Bliss is still in therapy and changing a little bit with each session it seems.

-Commercials!

Roderick Strong vs. T-Bar

-T-Bar is on a losing to NXT 2.0 guys heading into this one. He immediately throws Strong across the ring and celebrates. Strong goes for a leg, but is able to grab an arm and transition into a side headlock. Saxton mentions these two have a history and Patrick even brings up The Undisputed Era. Strong lands a boot to the face, but gets caught trying a cross-body. T-Bar hits a backbreaker and dumps Strong to the apron. A running knee sends him off the apron and crashing to the floor. We take a commercial break!

-Commercials!

-T-Bar controls with a chinlock as we returns, but Strong breaks with small joint manipulation. T-Bar drops him with a clothesline for two and goes back to a chinlock. Strong fights out and avoids a charge in the corner. Strong fires off some heavy chops, but that seemingly only angers T-Bar. Strong back with kicks and goes crazy with jumping strikes. An Angle Slam gets a two count for Strong. Boot to the bicep from T-Bar and High Justice finishes at 7:29.

Winner: T-Bar via pin at 7:29
-Not much here as the commercial and chinlock ate up most of the match. I am cool with giving Strong some of these matches, but is it to much to ask to let him steamroll Tozawa? *1/2

-Commercials!

-Royal Rumble match video package. AJ STYLES DEBUT! HOGAN/WARRIOR! EDGE RETURN! 1,190 entrants and 31 overall winners. 19 have gone on to win a World Title at Mania. TITUS SLIDE! Poor man will be laughed at over that for eternity. Kane has record 18 appearances and record 45 total eliminations. Brock has record 13 eliminations in 1 match and did them consecutively. Rey at 62:12 has endurance record in a traditional 30 Man Match. No mention of Daniel Bryan having overall record in The Greatest Royal Ruble. Bianca Belair has the woman’s record at 57:12. She is looking to join Hogan, Austin, and Michaels as back to back winners. 8 men have won it twice: Hogan, Michaels, Austin, Cena, Orton, Batista, HHH, and Edge and Austin only person to get 3 wins. I like stats and history!

-Back to RAW with THE HOSS FIGHT OF ALL HOSS FIGHTS WEIGH IN! Cowboy Brock is awesome, and I am legit pumped for this match. Brock laughs off Lashley again. I actually think it was smart to keep them from attacking each other. Save it for The Rumble!

-Thanks for reading!

5.0

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

Both matches were disappointing and what I found most enjoyable was The Royal Rumble Match hype video. Again, bringing in NXT 2.0 guys is welcome, but let them cut loose a little.