Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 06.29.23

-Thanks for all the feedback on my Retro Review of King of The Ring 1998. You can find that review here! Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Kevin Patrick and Byron Saxton
-Taped: Savannah, GA

Katana Chance (w/ Kayden Carter) vs. Emma

-Emma gets a go behind and takes Chance to the ground and lets her up. They go again and Emma gets another take down, but Chance slides through and gets a side headlock. Saxton brings up that Chance was the first woman to conquer the Warped Wall on American Ninja Warrior. Chance gets a roll-up, but walks into a heavy blow from Emma. She takes control as she stomps Chance in the corner. Nice hangman’s neckbreaker between the ropes! That gets two! Double under hook suplex gets another two count. Emma stands on Emma’s hair and pulls up on her arms in what always looks like a painful spot. Chance starts fighting back from underneath, but gets caught off with a belly to back suplex for another two count. Emma throws some blows from top position and hooks a full nelson. Chance is able to escape and flips out to hit a mule kick. She gets a trip and plants Emma face first on the mat. Running clothesline from Chance and she gets a 360 twist into a splash for two. Step-up moonsault gets two! That was sweet! Emma gets caught in the corner with a boot, but catches Chance off the ropes and drops her face first on the top buckle. She uses the ropes to cheat, but Carter breaks that up. Chance uses the distraction to recover and she hits a twist into a Code Breaker for the pin at 5:28.

Winner: Katana Chance via pin at 5:28
-This was a fun little match! I wish to see more from these ladies. Chance has a good look and is good at taking a beating to get sympathy. Her flashy offense works as well. Emma is just steady and this is why she was brought back. She is there to work with these newbies and guide them along. **1/2

-Don’t Try This At Home or Anywhere!

-Hulu commercials!

-Recap of Riddle and his battles with Imperium! It’s GUNTHER defending against Riddle at MITB!

-Back to RAW as GUNTHER and Sami Zayn had a wonderful match that has pretty much everyone wanting more! KO and Imperium get involved which means Sami/KO are one person short and a crutch shot lets GUNTHER hit a powerbomb for the win. Riddle is down to even up the sides and he wears out Imperium with a crutch. Kaiser eats a Stunner for good measure.

-This Friday KO and Sami defend their Tag Titles against Pretty Deadly on SmackDown!

-Awesome pretaped comments from Balor going over his history with Seth Rollins. Great stuff here to tie everything together and explain why Balor is pissed off at Rollins. I’m pulling for Balor on Saturday!

-Carmelo Hayes video package!

-Hulu commercials!

-Back to SmackDown as Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler unify the WWE and NXT Women’s Tag Titles. Raquel claims next and brings out a returning Liv Morgan. The match is set for MITB!

-Back to RAW where Seth Rollins thanks Carmelo Hayes for having his back on NXT before getting to Balor. They end up brawling but before Balor can use a chair, Hayes stops him.

-Back to RAW as later in the show Balor got a win over NXT Champion, Carmelo Hayes. Sure, Hayes looked good and shouldn’t be beating Balor who has a Title Match this week, but Hayes shouldn’t be losing either.

-Hulu commercials!

-This week on SmackDown we have The Grayson Waller Effect with Logan Paul!

-Jackie Redmond (I’ll miss you on RAW Talk and SmackDown LowDown) narrates our annual MITB by the numbers package. I found it funny they mentioned 3 people have cashed in twice and named two of them (Edge and Miz), but left off CM Punk (you know, the only guy to win the match back to back). I mean, I understand why, but I still found it funny.

JD McDonagh vs. Apollo Crews

-These two had a strong match last week with Crews getting the win. Let’s see if they can do it again! JD sticks and moves to start as he tries to fluster Apollo. Crews catches him and lands a heavy lariat! Whip to the corner and Crews tosses JD into the lights with a backdrop on the way out. JD bails to the floor to regroup and gets Apollo to chase, but Apollo suckers him in to missing an elbow drop. Back in the ring Apollo gets a delayed suplex as he holds JD up there for well over 20 seconds and uses one arm to show off his power. Standing moonsault gets a two count! JD grabs the ropes to stop a whip and gets in a boot to the face. They end up running the ropes and JD gets bounced off the ropes and mat thanks to a monkey-flip. Sweet! JD to the floor where Apollo misses a moonsault off the apron. JD doesn’t miss though and that sends us to our commercial break!

-WWE Superstar Sunday on A&E!

-Hulu commercials!

-Back with JD in control with a choke in the corner. Back breaker from JD and then he hooks a body scissors. Crews escapes and sling shots JD into the corner where he hits the post. Running boot from Crews followed by a leaping clothesline. Kip up from Crews and he hits a Stinger Splash in the corner. Apollo heads up and gets a crossbody for a two count. Crews to the middle rope, but misses though he bounces up with an enziguiri. Crews with a press, but JD goes to the eyes and turns it into a DDT for two. Nice! JD up top and he misses a moonsault, but catches Crews charging in with a running knee. JD back with a Spanish Fly for two! They are rocking it here again! “This is Awesome” chant from the crowd! JD off the top with a a rana, but Crews blocks and hits a sit-out powerbomb for two. Damn! JD escapes the Samoan Drop and gets a roll-up with a bridge where he grabs the bottom rope for leverage and that gets the pin at 9:06.

Winner: JD McDonagh via pin at 9:06
-I think we need a third match! This was another wonderful piece of business as they have great chemistry together. I think I liked this one just a little more than last week as they played off some of the things they did. Definitely check this one out and here’s hoping we see them face off again. ***1/4

-Roman Reigns returns to SmackDown this week!

-Recap of The Bloodline saga from last week as we prepare for The Bloodline Civil War! Solo goes to war with Sheamus and takes him out before The Usos hit the ring. Solo eats a double superkick!

-Back to RAW as Cody Rhodes picked up a win over Damian Priest in the show’s Main Event. Weird that Priest has been kept away from everyone else in the MITB match and instead has been dealing with Judgment Day issues. Prison Dom lands one last cheap shot before they meet on Saturday.

-Thanks for reading!

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

This may have been the best episode of the year as nothing else is jumping to mind. The opener was a fun little match and the Main Event was one of the best I've seen during my 3 year run covering this show. Great stuff this week for The D Show! Check out both matches as they are a fun watch!