Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 06.04.20

-Welcome back to another edition of WWE Main Event. I checked out the preview and it seems I am in store for a rematch of a match we had just a few weeks ago. Before getting there a quick mention to check out the complete Punk/Bryan/Young interview on FOX WWE Youtube page. It’s a good watch as it was 26 minutes of 2 friends catching up and talking wrestling while Renee Young keep throwing out topics. As for Main Event, let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Tom Phillips and MVP
-Taped from WWE PC, Orlando, FL

Ricochet vs. Shane Thorne

-This is a rematch from two weeks ago and I am interested to see what they do here. Ricochet goes for the leg, but Thorne reverses to a leg hold of his own. Ricochet escapes and goes to a knee bar and Thorne rolls through for a pin attempt. Ricochet changes to a top wrist lock, but Thorne flips out and goes to a headlock. Ricochet creates some space and picks up the pace with a Senton off the top rope. Thorne gets in a kick to the face and tries a suplex from the apron to the floor, but Ricochet lands on the apron. Thorne brings him arm first down on the apron (hardest part of the ring you know) in a nice bump. That looked like it sucked for Ricochet! Thorne smartly goes to work on the arm and shoulder as the PC crowd tries to rally Ricochet. He fights a bit, but Thorne drops him with a belly to back right on the bad shoulder. Nice! European uppercut connects, but a Cannonball in the corner is missed. Both men are down as they struggle to get to their feet. Ricochet fires off some chops with his good arm and hits a sidekick for a two count. Phillips brings up a good question as he asks MVP how do you protect an injury like that in the middle of the match. I like commentary like this! The Standing Shooting Star Press is blocked as Thorne gets the knees up and that gets a two count. Thorne tries a hammerlock crossface, but Ricochet counters and hits a sick reverse rana. The Kick Back ends things at 6:04.

Winner: Ricochet via pin at 6:04
-There were given more time a few weeks back, but this was a fun sprint. Ricochet getting the win again is the right call as he is the bigger star. This was on par with the match a few weeks ago as that was a little longer and harder hitting but this was a bit tighter and faster paced. Overall I would call them even. ***

-Shelton Benjamin vs Cedric Alexander is hyped for later in the show.

-Last Friday on SmackDown Jeff Hardy was arrested for an apparent drunken hit and run on Elias. It was definitely a different way to open a show and I’m not one to get outraged by things like this. In my view if Jeff is okay with it then it’s up to him what he is willing to share and willing to do with his wrestling career. Now as for the story, Jeff is clearly being set-up and as long as he gets his revenge at some point it will be fine.

-Later on a 10 Man Battle Royal was held to determine who would take Hardy’s place as AJ Styles smartly opted to take the bye. Again, perfect as AJ is the type of guy to take the bye and Daniel Bryan is the guy that would want to earn his way to the finals. Sheamus wins the Battle Royal and that leads to later in the night:

-Bryan vs Sheamus is JIP with Sheamus pounding away in the corner and then taking the fight to the floor. Sheamus mocking the “yes” chants and making Cole do them was great! Sheamus hits a diving clothesline for two back in the ring and talks more trash as he tells Bryan he created the Yes Movement. He brings up the 18 second win at Mania XXVIII and says Bryan owes everything to him. I love heels who believe in what they are saying! Sheamus gets the Cloverleaf, but Bryan forces a break on the bottom rope. Sheamus is owning the intimate setting with some great trash talk. More people need to do this! Bryan fights back, but gets caught trying to come off the top rope. Sheamus tries a top rope superplex, but Bryan fights off again and follows with the missile dropkick. These two have great chemistry together. Sheamus hits White Noise for two and hits some heavy blows in the corner. A charge is countered with a drop toehold and Bryan delivers a corner dropkick. A second one is meet with a double axe to the face and Sheamus preps for The Brogue Kick. Jeff Hardy is back and Bryan uses the distraction to hit the running knee for the win. Hardy is immediately on Sheamus as he shows some good fire.

-WWE Intercontinental Championship Finals: AJ Styles vs Daniel Bray

-JIP: Charlotte vs Asuka from RAW: Charlotte lands a right hand and pie faces Asuka a few times to get her angry. That seems stupid! Asuka fires off some combinations, but a well placed boot to the knee stops that noise. Charlotte wastes time though and eats a high kick to the face. Asuka hits the hip attack in the corner and then a sweet German Suplex. Another kick followed by a Shining Wizard gets a two count. Phillips brings up both women have title defenses coming up and can’t afford a loss which is nice to hear. Asuka gets the arm, but Charlotte fights, so Asuka switches to a Triangle. Charlotte turns that into a Boston Crab or a “Deep Dirty Crab” as called by Joe. Hearing Joe get excited and mark out over these submissions and counters is great. Asuka escapes and gets a roll-up for two into a kneebar. Charlotte rolls to her feet and hits a dead lift German Suplex. Fantastic! A boot is missed as Asuka hits a kick to the stomach. Asuka catches the arm again and again has to turn into a Triangle as Charlotte tries to escape. Charlotte uses her power to lift Auska into a powerbomb for a sweet near fall. These ladies always deliver against each other. Charlotte looks for the Figure 8, but Asuka gets to the apron and then eats a boot for her trouble. Nia is out to Asuka’s music wearing her mask and paint. The distraction leads to Asuka being counted out and then Nia attacks Asuka to get some heat on their upcoming match.

Cedric Alexander vs. Shelton Benjamin

-Benjamin is coming off a win last week and it has been fun watching him against the CW on this show. They trade working the arm and Shelton nearly catches Cedric charging in with Pay Dirt. Shelton gets an overhead wristlock and they work off that a bit. Alexander gets a roll through and just misses a kick as Shelton is told that he barely escaped. Cedric reverses a switch and gets a dropkick for a pin attempt. MVP brings up that Shelton is a multiple time All American in wrestling so Cedric should keep things off the mat. Shelton gets good and angry that Cedric can hang on the mat so he gets in a strike. Alexander fires back with some of his own and tries a springboard, but Shelton charges and knocks him off the ropes with a great looking knee strike to the ribs.

-We take a break as I assume the cameras are rolling if we get a finish.

-Back with Shelton still in control as Cedric gets sent flying off a backdrop. Great hang time there! Again, Shelton as the bully against the CW is fun to watch. Shelton grounds Alexander with a chinlock, that is broken up with a jawbreaker. They go back to exchanging strikes. Cedric gets a forearm in the corner and then the Tornado DDT for two. Cedric takes off the the elbow pad and looks for the handspring elbow, but Shelton counters to a German, which Cedric escapes but then ends up eating a spin wheel kick for two. Nice near fall there! Shelton looks for Pay Dirt again, but Cedric ducks and gets a roll-up for two. Cedric escapes a hold and follows with the Neuralizer for two. He tries to hit the Lumbar Check, but Shelton rolls out. Alexander is right back on him though and The Michinoku Driver finishes at 8:19.

Winner: Cedric Alexander via pin at 8:19
-This was a good match that was hurt a little by the commercial break. As mentioned Shelton as the bully is fun to watch and he can still go out there. This was a smart use of him as he should be working with the younger guys and putting them over. The ending felt a little flat, but this was still good. **3/4

-Back to RAW we go as Drew faces MVP. Lana heads down to the ring confusing everyone involved as the bell sounds. Drew is all over MVP to start and sends him to the floor with the Glasgow Kiss. Lashley distracts Drew enough that MVP can send him into the post and then the plexiglass around ringside. Back in the ring a kick gets a two count, but Drew easily gets back on track and hits a top rope axehandle. The Claymore is prepped, but Lashley pulls MVP to safety. Drew follows with a dive over the top to the floor to take both out. Back in the ring the countdown is on and The Claymore finishes is just around 3 minutes. Lashley immediately hits the ring and locks in The Full Nelson as that wraps up Main Event for this week.

-Thanks for reading!

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Two good matches obviously makes this a good show and adding in the closing stretch of two very good matches with Asuka/Charlotte and Bryan/Sheamus make this a winner. After 3 weeks I am finding I am enjoying the formula of this show and it makes for a fun and easy watch. This week was the best of the run I've reviewed so far. Just a solid and fun wrestling show this week.