Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 9.09.21

-Double duty tomorrow night as I will have my weekly review of 205 Live and I will also have a recap of the new WWE Documentary about their Houston SmackDown show that followed the 9/11 attacks. Now it’s Main Event time and I saw reports on twitter that a match taped for this show ended up being quite good. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Kevin Patrick and Byron Saxton
-Taped: FTX Arena, Miami, FL

Dana Brooke vs. Doudrop

-Lockup to start and Doudrop shoves Brooke back to the corner. Another go, but Brooke dips out of the way and goes to work on the arm. She gets sent into the corner, but catches a charging Doudrop with a boot to the face. She tries to use a shoulder block, but that obviously doesn’t work. She gets smarter and gets distance before getting a head scissors, but one shot from Doudrop ends that run. She follows with a senton backsplash for two. Brooke gets dumb again after landing some strikes as she tries a suplex. Doudrop gets her own suplex for another two count. Brooke gets an inside cradle for two, and goes back to throwing strikes, but again, one shot from Doudrop snuffs that out. Doudrop misses the cannonball in the corner. Brooke follows with a handspring elbow. She tries hits a second and gets a modified bulldog. Rolling neckbreaker gets a two count. Brooke heads up top, but misses The Swanton. Doudrop catches Brooke as she tries to set up with the splash for the pin at 5:00.

Winner: Doudrop via pin at 5:00
-This was actually solid and a nice little 5 minute match. Constant action and the right person going over. Brooke looked decent in her return as well. **

-Back to SmackDown 2 weeks ago as The Bloodline celebrates their success at SummerSlam. Finn Balor interrupts and wants his shot at Roman and The Universal Championship.

-Don’t Try This at Home or Anywhere Else commercial!

-Back to SmackDown as we join Balor/Reigns in progress. Wonderful match as you would expect from these two, and Reigns lands a ball shot on a kick-out to gain the advantage. The Guillotine finishes and then they stop the video before the flash of red lights with a familiar heartbeat sound. It was announced today Reigns/Balor will be at Extreme Rules.

-New NXT coming 09/14!

-Back to RAW as we join Charlotte/Nia in progress for the RAW Women’s Title. Charlotte wins and hopefully we finally get Shayna smashing Nia before getting pushed. Charlotte has her celebration interrupted by Alex and Charlotte doesn’t play with dolls. She isn’t interested in Alexa’s mind games, so Alexa brings the playground to her and gets a decent pop when she appears in the ring. These two have rarely crossed paths compared to other combinations and the crowd is into it, so we will see what they can do.

-Commercials!

Cedric Alexander vs. Ricochet

-Sad to see Ricochet back on Main Event, but again, better than being stuck in catering. The crowd is pumped for Ricochet, and he dances as they chant his name. PUSH THIS MAN! Fast start as they fly around the ring and counter things into sunset flips and cradles for multiple pin attempts. They start trading chops and Cedric wins that exchange. Ricochet fires back and even includes a chop to the back. They fight on the apron and Ricochet takes a sweet bump back first into the ring post and then gets planted on the ring apron as we head to our standard commercial break.

-Extreme Rules commercial!

– Back with Alexander getting a two count off a back elbow and then he just throws a kick to the back for fun. He grounds Ricochet with a chinlock which gives the crowd a chance to rally Ricochet. Alexander flips out of a belly to back suplex attempt, but gets caught with a dropkick which leaves both men down. Ricochet works the body, but walks into a knee. Alexander then runs into a sweet dropkick. Running corner clothesline from Ricochet and he follows with a springboard clothesline. Standing shooting star press gets a two count. Ricochet goes to the middle rope, but Alexander moves so Ricochet rolls into his feet. They trade standing switches and Ricochet gets caught with a Michinoku Driver for two. Cedric hits a kick to the back, but Ricochet blocks a suplex and rains down with elbows to the back of the neck. Cedric goes right to the back, but gets caught in a roll-up for two. Ricochet hits the reverse rana and The Recoil finishes at 9:13.

Winner: Ricochet via pin at 9:13
-Good match and would have been better without the commercial taking up nearly 2 minutes. Both deserve more, but if I will gladly take them wrestling each other here than just sitting on the sidelines. ***

-Back to RAW 2 weeks ago as RK-Bro defeated Lashley and MVP. Orton drops Lashley with The RKO to set him up as the next challenged for Lashley.

-Back to RAW as MVP tells us that it will be Lashley vs. Orton at Extreme Rules. Lashley wants the tag titles, so he and MVP want in Tag Team Turmoil.

-Commercials!

-Back to RAW as we see AJ pin Kofi to end New Day’s run in Tag Team Turmoil. AJ and Omos vs. MVP and Lashley end up as the finals. The crowd is pretty into the Lashley/Omos battle and are solidly behind Lashley. Lashley pins AJ to get the win for his team and next week they get a tag title shot at RK-Bro. Omos leaves Lashley laying with the Tree Slam. Orton then gives Lashley the RKO as Lashley is just having one of those nights

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

This ended up being a solid episode with a fine Ricochet/Alexander match and a decent one to open the show. The joined in progress matches were fine, with Balor/Reigns being quite good so that only added to the show.