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Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 05.28.20

May 28, 2020 | Posted by Robert Leighty Jr.
Bianca Belair WWE Main Event Image Credit: WWE
6.3
The 411 Rating
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Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 05.28.20  

Leighty’s Main Event Review: 05.28.20

-Thanks to everyone for their feedback and thoughts on last week’s review. Another thanks to those who passed by birthday wishes. Yesterday I turned 39 and spent the day with my wife, son, parents and in laws. It was a relaxing night and then I spent the rest of the night building courses on Mario Maker 2. That game is going to replace Breath of the Wild as the hour sucking game of choice for me now. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Tom Phillips and MVP

-Taped at WWE PC with trainees as the fans and Phillips mentions they all have been tested and are following social distancing rules. This is also a special episode as it seems this is the 400th Eepisode of Main Event

Bianca Belair vs Ruby Riott

-Phillips gets under MVP’s skin by asking him how his jaw feels after the Claymore. Nice! These two have faced each other a good bit recently as Phillips mentions Riott doesn’t have a great record against Bianca. Laying the groundwork for a story already. I like it! Immediately the fans being there makes a huge difference. They tie up and Ruby throws some rights as they go into a test of strength. Belair wins easily so Ruby stomps the foot to break. Belair gets a shoulder in the corner and a hiptoss coming back out. They fight to the opposite corner and Belair uses her power advantage, but a slam is slid out of and Belair gets a boot to the face. She catches a charging Ruby with a tilt a whirl slam for two. Things slow a little as Belair goes to a neck crank as Ruby is forced to fight out and gets a roll-up for two. In the corner again as Bianca throws some stomps and then hits a dropkick. She charges but Riott is out and Belair hits shoulder first into the post. The sound on that was great! Ruby is now in control as she throws some punches and stomps a mud hole in the corner. MVP is right on about Ruby giving Bianca too much time. It proves prophetic as she misses two charges and then gets caught with a fall-a-way slam. Riott comes back with the STO for a two count and a boot to the face for another two count. Ruby heads up top, but gets caught and dropped face first on the turnbuckle. The KOD finishes at 5:47.

Winner: Bianca Belair via pin at 5:47
-This was fun for the time given as they hit each other hard and had a perfectly acceptable wrestling match. It can’t be said enough how much it helps having people acting as a crowd. These ladies are good and hopefully can get more than just a Main Event program. **1/2

-They cover the IC title Tournament as we see the endings to each of the 4 first round matches. The semis are set for this week: Daniel Bryan vs Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles vs Elias.

-The Dirt Sheet kicked off SmackDown and we get the entire segment here. Miz and Morrison make fun of Otis and are annoyed that Braun got into their business. Morrison is great as he gets in a dig about Becky choosing to have a kid with Seth Rollins. They show video of the “rejected puppets” from The Firefly Fun House that Bray still would pick over Braun. Lots of fart sounds and jokes at Mandy and Otis’ expense. I liked the small dig at Rollins, but everything else about this is rather horrible. Braun thankfully interrupts and they argue a bit. Miz mentions Bray isn’t done with Braun and we get a funny moment as Morrison talks shit on Miz’s behalf and that leads to a Miz vs Strowman match for later in the show. Miz’s “damn it” made me laugh!

-Miz vs Strowman is JIP with Braun in full control. This was the last show with no “fans” and again, it’s crazy how much a difference even a few dozen people can make. Braun eats a kick from Morrison on the floor and gets posted by Miz. Lucha Miz as he springboards in with a double axe. He hits a dropkick to the knee, but Braun is still too strong as he powers out of an attempted DDT. Morrison eats a right hand as Miz gets tossed around the ring. The powerslam finishes with relative ease. After the match Morrison challenges Braun to a handicap for the Universal Title at Backlash. I guess as a place holder feud during a global pandemic it’s fine.

-Back to RAW as Edge cuts a promo to hype the feud and Greatest Wrestling Match Ever match at Backlash. Edge is now fully doubting his ability as he doesn’t know if he can hang. He was retired for over 3000 days and in that time Orton has competed in 1126 matches. Stat Boy Edge! Edge has to prove himself to himself and he thanks Orton for making him dig up things he had buried. Edge mentions he watched Chapter 1 of Taker’s Last Ride and he found himself wondering when it is time to hang up your boots. He understands where Taker is coming from now. He has hung with Taker, Regal, Christian, Michaels, Rey, Eddie, Owen, and The Bulldog. He was able to adapt to every style and he has pulled people up to his level. He also taught guys to get to the next level. He was a 5 tool workhorse for this company, but all that was in the past. He doesn’t know if he can do any of those things anymore. At Backlash he will dig to the depths of his soul to try. I enjoyed this promo, and he did well to tell us why he is doubting himself as I get the idea of a fight (Mania) being different than a wrestling match. The “greatest wrestling match ever” hype is still kind of weird though.

Akira Tozawa vs. Shelton Benjamin

-Okay now this should be fun as it won’t just be Tozawa getting mowed down by a bigger guy. Tozawa uses his speed to avoid Shelton, but gets caught trying a crossbody. A slam is slipped out of and Kozawa hits a kick. Shelton runs him over with a shoulder as seeing Shelton playing the role of bully and power guy is a nice change. Shelton throws blows in the corner and Akira is more than happy to exchange with him. A Splash is missed in the corner and Tozawa sends Benjamin to the floor with a headscissors. Tozawa looks for a dive, but Shelton jumps up to the apron and catches him with a knee as we take a break. We are back with Shelton working the neck. They replay the knee that turned the tide and it was sweet! Benjamin hits a few slams and a great snap suplex. Shelton is still good at this wrestling thing! Shelton returns to working on the neck and back, but gets caught by Tozawa in the Octopus. Towaza uses that old to get some distance and connects with a Shining Wizard. A missile dropkick follows as it gets two. They trade kicks attempts that are dodged and Shelton counters a roll into the ankle lock which is a great tribute to his roots on Team Angle. Towaza is able to escape and heads up top, but Benjamin meets him up there with a pop-up super belly to belly and the Pay Dirt finishes at 7:38.

Winner: Shelton Benjamin via pin at 7:38
-Too short as the commercial took a bit out of the match, but it was very good for the time given. It’s no shock that these two guys are good at what they do. Tozawa eats another loss, but at least was given more here. Shelton getting to toss someone around and be the bully was cool to see. I liked this, but wish we had seen more. **3/4

-Back to RAW as MVP hosts Drew McIntyre on the VIP Lounge. The resurgence of MVP as a manager and mouthpiece has been a highlight of 2020. Lashley finally being booked as a monster and Drew being an ass kicking champion are other highlights. I am excited for this match and want to see what they can do against each other. MVP eats a Claymore to close the segment.

-Later in the night Lashley was DQ for not releasing the Full Nelson in his tag match with The Street Profits so Drew showed up to bring the fight. They brawl and hit each other hard and apparently a wrestling ring isn’t the place for two monsters to fight, so the PC crew tried to break things up. They get dealt with in short order and eventually they bring enough bodies to separate them as the show ends. Again, this is an easy and simple story and build to understand. Drew is the Champion and is willing to fight anyone and Lashley is tired of being over looked and wants Drew’s Title and a fight as well. It doesn’t have to be complicated!

-With that we are out this week. Thanks for reading!

6.3
The final score: review Average
The 411
I found last week to be a bit better, but this was another solid show. The matches were about a draw in terms of overall quality when comparing the last two weeks, but last week they included JIP matches from RAW and SmackDown and this week we mostly got talking segments from RAW and SmackDown. I could have done without replaying The Dirt Sheet, but again this show seems to want to make sure the Universal and WWE Title scenes are covered each week. Tozawa/Benjamin could have been very good, but I guess this isn't the show for that. Still, not a bad way to spend 45 minutes as this was a perfectly cromulent wrestling show.
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