wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 8.18.22
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Last week delivered one of the best episodes of this show since I started reviewing it in 2020. Let’s see if they can do it once again. Also, my latest Retro Review of WCW Road Wild 97 will be up later this evening and tomorrow I will check out the Steve Austin interview with Charlotte Flair. Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Kevin Patrick and Byron Saxton
-Taped: Washington DC
Akira Tozawa vs. Shelton Benjamin
-I believe we have seen this match a few times on this show in the last two years. Handshake to start which the crowd appreciates. Lockup and Tozawa tries a lift, but Benjamin shoves off. Sunset flip is blocked, but Tozawa ducks a clothesline. He gets dropped by a shoulder however. They trade blows in the corner. Shelton buries a knee, but Tozawa hits an enziguiri. Tozawa comes off the ropes with a head scissors and then heads up again. Shelton climbs the ropes to meet him up there and hits a release suplex that sends Tozawa halfway across the ring. Nice! Shelton goes to a reverse chinlock as the crowd tries to rally Tozawa. He elbows his way out of the hold, but gets sent into the lights with a high backdrop. Shelton playing the bully in a match is fun. Tozawa rallies and hits a running knee for two. He tries to lift Shelton on his shoulders and nearly pulls it off, but Shelton slides off and looks for a powerbomb. Tozawa escapes and fires off rapid kicks to drop Shelton. He heads up top, but again Shelton meets him up there. Tozawa is a step ahead this time and knocks Shelton back to the mat. He comes off with the flying back elbow and then heads up in the opposite corner. Shelton avoids and hits an elevated Pay Dirt for the win at 5:27.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin via pin at 5:27
-Fun little match between these two. This was solid! **1/4
-Alpha Academy vs. The Street Profits tonight! Nice!
-Back to SmackDown 2 weeks ago as Shayna Baszler wins a Gauntlet Match to earn a Title Match against Liv Morgan at Clash at The Castle.
-Please Don’t Try This at Home or Anywhere!
-Hulu commercials!
-Back to SmackDown as a suspended Ronda Rousey shows up through the crowd and acts like the cocky badass that the fans love. She throws a bunch of money on the table because she can afford any fine and then she beats up some security before having words with Shayna Baszler. I really want to see that match.
-Moments later Shayna and Liv have their contract signing while some in the crowd chant “you tapped out” at Liv again. Shayna destroys the bad arm of Liv again, but Liv is able to get a bulldog that puts Shayna through a table.
-Video package hyping Lashley vs. AJ Styles in their first ever meeting!
-WrestleMania Hollywood Reboot Sequel!
-Hulu Commercials!
-Video package on Lashley’s successful US Title defense against Ciampa last week.
-Back to RAW as we join Lashley vs. AJ Styles for the US Title in progress. It was wonderful! Lashley retains!
-Hulu commercials!
-Back to SmackDown as Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah advanced in in the Tag Title Tournament after a win over Xia and Shotzi.
-To RAW as Asuka and Alexa also advanced with a win over Nikki and Doudrop.
-This Friday the 1st round concludes with Natalya and Sonja Deville taking on Nikita Lyons and Zoey Stark.
The Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy
-Gable starts with Ford and I would like to see these two get 10-15 minutes on TV or a PLE one day. Ford hits a heavy clothesline and tags to Dawkins. He mows Gable down and they hit a rope running sequence. Dawkins gets a cartwheel to avoid and gets an armdrag, but Dawkins gets one of his own. Alpha Academy bail to the floor, but Ford hits a dive over the top on them.
-Edge gets the A&E Bio treatment on Sunday!
-Hulu commercials!
-Back with Otis pounding Ford in the corner as we get a replay of Ford’s dive. We also see that Gable caught Ford with an overhead belly to belly to turn the tide. Clothesline from Otis as Gable struts on the apron. Otis pulls the ref away which lets Gable land a boot to the face. Nice! Slam from Otis as he lets us know “that’s pure power.” He tosses Ford into his corner and makes the tag to Gable. He hits a clothesline for two and then decks Dawkins off the apron for good measure. Ford starts to fight back with strikes, but Gable gets the anklelock. They crossbody each other and that leaves both men down. Tag made to both big men! Dawkins with a back elbow, but Otis stays on his feet. He drops Dawkins and pounces Ford across the ring. A splash gets a two count as Ford makes the save. Gable in with a German Suplex, but Ford lands on his feet and plants Gable with a DDT. Otis sends Ford to the floor and preps Dawkins for a Vader Bomb. Dawkins up though and gets Otis on his shoulders. Tag to Ford and they hit the Doomsday Blockbuster for the win at 8:21.
Winners: The Street Profits via pin at 8:21
-This was fun and I want more! As always the break ate a good bit of the match, but what we got was good and continues the run this show has been on the last few weeks. Profits winning is no surprise and the fans were way into this one. ***
-Back to SummerSlam as Theory tries to cash in, but Brock stops that. Theory finally returned on RAW and gets Dolph Ziggler.
-Clash at The Castle commercial focusing on Drew/Roman!
-Hulu commercials!
-Video package on Edge vs. Judgment Day with Edge taking on Damian Priest in Toronto this week on RAW.
-Back to RAW as noted, Theory returns and gets a win over Dolph Ziggler in a good, hard-fought match.
-Thanks for reading!
