Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 7.2.20

Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review: 07/02/20

-Welcome back to another edition of WWE Main Event on Hulu. Only one match in the preview this week, so I am guessing this one is going to be pieced together thanks to COVID. Let’s get to it!

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

-Phillips welcomes us to the show and he mentions The Undertaker announced this past Mania with AJ Styles was his last match. They throw to the awesome video package from SmackDown that highlighted Taker’s career. Amazing piece of business. Again, the people that put these together are fantastic at what they do, and I would take a DVD release of just these packages. The photos of Taker hanging with the boys is a wonderful touch.

-Back to RAW as Joe is trying to control the Asuka/Sasha contract signing that turned into a brawl that also included Bayley. Joe welcomes us to RAW as he is here to guide us through this unique experience of a double contract signing. Just chaos as they keep brawling and Joe keeps calling on the refs. Ziggler is out before Joe can introduce him. Ziggler then handles introducing Drew as he is the WWE Champion, but for only 3 more weeks. Everyone is settled and, in their seats, so Ziggler gets to go first. He cuts a promo on Drew promising to get back up and survive. Drew’s 19-year redemption story will disappear just like that. He created Drew and at Extreme Rules (The Horror Show) he will destroy him. Ziggler signs and then Drew signs as well. Drew then gets his retort as he says he and Dolph were tight like family at one point. He went through hell to become the man and champion he is today. He knows why Dolph needs the Title so much. Dolph has never been the center of attention he craves. He mentions Dolph has a history of dropping the ball and at Extreme Rules (The Horror Show) he will slaughter him. Drew says Dolph has no shot so he will let him pick the stipulation for their match. Before he can answer, Asuka cuts him off yelling in Japanese and she signs her contract. Sasha says she is not the same person that last faced Asuka. She is now The Legit Boss and will be 2 Belts Banks! She and Bayley will be taking over the whole damn company. Sasha signs and then after Bayley talks shit, we brawl again. This was a unique and different take on a decades old staple, so I was ok with it. It was also kept relatively short and to the point. I like that they are stretching out Dolph naming the stipulation as well.

-Back to RAW as Seth cuts a promo on Rey Mysterio and Dominick. He has given Rey a chance to walk away but has defied him at every turn. Now he must ask Rey for forgiveness. He begs for forgiveness for what Rey is forcing him to do in the future. They are bound by fate and Rey is bound to be a sacrifice for the good of Monday Night RAW. Each time they face Seth will be forced to take a piece of him. It will be piece by piece until nothing is left. Rey and Dominick show up on the Tron and Rey wants forgiveness as well. He asks Dominick to forgive him for what he must do to Seth. He must sink to Seth’s level as it has to be an eye for an eye. Dominick forgives him, but can’t forgive Seth. Rollins answers back that his father didn’t teach him about being careful in what you wish for. Aleister Black and Carrillo interrupt and that leads to the following match joined in progress:

Aleister Black and Humberto Carillo vs Seth Rollins and Murphy

-Murphy and Black continue their issues as they should be able to fight each other in their sleep at this point. Blacks runs wild on both men and looks for Black Mass, but Murphy gets a roll up for two. A blind tag is made and Carrillo hits a version on the 6-1-9 but Seth makes the save. Everyone hits everyone but Carrillo walks into a knee strike from Murphy. Now Black gets to save. Murphy heads up top and they fight over a superplex. Murphy tries a sunset bomb, but blocked. Murphy ends up getting a head kick and then Rollins hits a top rope knee strike into a Murphy powerbomb for a two count. That was sweet and really should have had Black save instead of a kick-out. Carrillo gets a fluke roll up, but Seth is out and hits The Stomp to get the win for his team.

-After the match Rollins and Murphy destroy Black and prep Carrillo near the steps. The tease puncturing his eye, but he fights them off. He can’t escape though, and Murphy drops him with the stairs. Seth talks some crap and puts Rey’s mask on Humberto. This is for the greater good, but Black makes the save. Carrillo does end up eating a Stomp on the stairs. Nice! It’s nice seeing Black and Carrillo back on RAW. This angle is fun and is giving everyone something to sink their teeth into.

Bianca Belair vs. Billie Kay

-Belair controls early and showboats. Kay gets a headlock, but Bianca overpowers her with ease. Bianca eats a slap and Billie is screwed as Bianaca tosses her around the ring. Kay escapes a slam and gets a takedown as she gets the chance to pose. Belair gets a shoulderblock and then a standing moonsault as Phillips and MVP discuss if Australia has Emus and Ostriches. Kay gets a boot to the face for a two count as we take a commercial break only 2:30 into the match. We are back with Billie controlling with an armbar. Belair tries to power out, but gets dragged back down to the mat for two. Kay argues with the ref and then shoves Belair’s ponytail into her face. Belair gets a sunset flip for two and follows with a jackknife cover for two. Billie goes back to the arm with another armbar as this one continues to drag a bit. Belair fights to her feet and gets a slam. She follows with a dropkick as she sells the arm. To the corner with kicks as Belair stomps a mudhole. Belair gets distracted by Royce and Billie gets a roll-up for two. No sweat though as Belair gets the KOD to end this at 7:35.

Winner: Bianca Belair via pin at 7:35
-Break ate up a lot and outside of a few power moves from Belair it was mostly Billie working the arm. Seems this will be the only match on the show as well. *1/2

-Back to SmackDown from 2 weeks ago when Bray Classic returned.

-Now to SmackDown last week as Braun talks about meeting Bray for the first time. He felt fear and not just ordinary fear, but the kind that makes a grown man tremble. He tells a story of being in the swamp and a water moccasin swimming towards Bray’s lantern. Braun wanted to stomp it, but Bray said it was his friend. Bray got face to face with it and laughed as it bit him. Video proof or it didn’t happen. I mean Macho Man took a cobra to the arm! Braun knew he was in the presence of evil. It was that moment Braun knew Bray was the devil himself. He was overcome with emotion and couldn’t help but do the devil’s work. Braun mentions that he loved every second of it. Now Braun gets the spooky graphics as parts of him still do love what he did. He tried to lock it all away, but it calls for him. Braun wants to go back to The Swamp as he will either come out The Baddest Man Around or he will destroy Bray Wyatt and let the alligators finish him. Bray and Braun laugh as the promo finishes. Okay then. Obviously, this is setting up our next Cinematic Match. So, yeah!

-Back to RAW with Asuka/Drew vs Sasha/Dolph joined in progress. Asuka is dominating Banks as we pick things up. Sasha gets sent to the floor with a hip attack and Bayley provides enough of a distraction to get Sasha the advantage. Sasha rains down right hands and goes to a sleeper at first, but then turns it into a bow and arrow. Asuka gets a knee to the face in to break and each crawls to their partner. The hot tag is made to Drew and he runs all over Dolph. Drew tosses him all over the ring and comes off the top rope with a shoulder. Sasha makes a blind tag and gets in the face of Drew. Dolph gets sent to the floor and as Sasha talks trash, Asuka comes in and murders her with a head kick. Dolph comes out of nowhere to take out Drew. That leaves the women to do battle as they go through a reversal sequence. Asuka escapes the Bank Statement and hooks the Asuka-lock, but Sasha rolls through and gets the pin for her team.

-That closes this clip show version of WWE Main Event. Thanks for reading!

4.0

The final score: review Poor

The 411

The Undertaker video package was the best thing about the show this week. This was a recap show with 5 minutes of original content with the Belair/Kay match. Easily the weakest show of my run.