Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 9.21.23

-Big news day for WWE as they announced Elimination Chamber is heading to Australia, then SmackDown is heading back to USA next October. Then the releases started trickling in and yeah, that sucks as nobody likes to see anyone lose their job, but this is what billion-dollar companies do. Not saying it’s right but it’s their business practice. A lot of the talent released has popped up on Main Event the last 3.5 years I have been covering this show. Thanks to all of them for doing what they could to entertain. Also, it seems Hulu will no longer have WWE programming, so I don’t know what that means for this show. I assume there will still be Main Event, but no clue where it will be streaming and when. I guess we will see next week! Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Byron Saxton and Wade Barrett
-Taped: Salt Lake City, UT

Indi Hartwell vs. Nikki Cross

-Cross gets knocked down with a shoulder tackle to start and that gets a one count for Indi. Cross avoids a clothesline and sends Indi into the corner. Hartwell avoids a splash and sends Nikki to apron, where she gets knocked to the floor. Nikki uses the skirt of the ring apron to trap Indi and lands some strikes. She then charges the announce table to send Barrett running, as they continue that running joke. Tornado DDT is blocked and Indi gets a two count. A series of running boots get a two count for Indi. She shows some power with Snake Eyes in the corner and again, another two count. Indi hooks a chinlock as they slow things down a bit. Cross tries to punch her way out, but Indi takes the hold to the mat. Jawbreaker from Cross leads to a toll-up for two. She wins a strike exchange and gets a dropkick to the knee and then a proper one to the face. Running Splash in the corner but the bulldog is blocked as Hartwell pushes Cross into the buckle chest first. Modified spinebuster gets two! Cross back with a roll-up for two and then she hits the Tornado DDT. She heads up top and gets the pin with the crossbody at 5:29.

Winner: Nikki Cross via pin at 5:29
-This was fine and I appreciated the work. They weren’t given a ton of time, but they did what they could. *1/2

-Video package recapping THE ROCK’S surprise to SmackDown. Austin Theory held his own out there before getting destroyed by Rock and then McAfee. It’s fine as it’s THE ROCK and more eyes were on Theory with this moment probably more than anything else he has ever done once you add in all the social media views. Cena and Rock shake hands and hug later in the show as Cena welcomes Rock home.

-WWE and Connor’s Cure commercial featuring Cody Rhodes and Bianca Belair. Top fundraisers this year can meet Cody or Bianca.

-Hulu commeercials!

-Back to SmackDown as John Cena is Grayson Waller’s guest on The Grayson Waller Effect. Cena doesn’t get a chance to say anything as Jim Uso is out and he dares John to try to embarrass him again or get out of the ring. Here’s Solo and he teases dropping Jim, but superkicks Cena and the beat down is on. AJ Styles is out to make the save and Solo retreats, but gets told by Heyman (through Reigns) to save Jimmy.

-Back to RAW as Cody Rhodes opens the show and wants to talk about Jey Uso, but he is interrupted by Prison Dom and JD.

-Tegan Nox video package!

-Hulu commercials!

-Royal Rumble heading to St Pete and Tropicana Field. I saw that they will be building a new Stadium in St Pete and I am sure WWE will make use of it for Rumbles and SummerSlams in the future.

-Back to RAW as Cody gets a win over Prison Dom without breaking too much of a sweat even with Judgment Day helping out. Judgment Day looks to attack after the match, but Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn head down for the save.

-KO wants to talk about Jey Uso with Cody Rhodes. KO wants to know why Cody thought it was a good idea to bring Jey to RAW. Cody believes in second chances and mentions “best in the world.” He also notes The Bloodline is down a member and that’s a good thing. Sami goes to bat for Jey as well and says KO takes more time to warm up to people. KO says he will pretend everything is good, but while he doesn’t trust Jey Uso, he does trust Sami and Cody. He hopes they are right.

-Hulu commercials!

-Recap of Becky Lynch winning the NXT Women’s Title last week! Big Time Becks brought the ratings to NXT!

Xia Li vs. Tegan Nox

-Lockup to start and Nox backs Li into the corner, but Li gets a standing switch. She offers a clean break, but does shove Tegan. Nox charges and eats a strike to the stomach. Side headlock from Li and then she runs Nox down with a shoulder. Nox gets a roll-up for a flash two count. Another roll-up and another two count. She hits a running knee for another two count. Nox looks for a suplex, but Li slides off and goes to the surgically repaired knee. Smart! She hits her own running knee and then knocks Nox off the apron to the floor as we take our break at 2:05.

-SmackDown: Iyo Sky defends her Title against Asuka! Live from Phoenix!

-90 seconds of Hulu commercials!

-Back at 4:14 with Li continuing her work on the knee. I appreciate the earlier Nox video package as it went over her struggles with the two knee injuries that put her on the shelf and now we have Li attacking the knee. Something so simple and it helps set the story. Nox does a great job selling the knee as the ref keeps checking on her. Li hooks a half crab and Nox is screaming in pain. Nox fights to the ropes, but Li pulls her away and then stomps the knee into the mat. That gets a two count as Byron wonders if Nox can even stand. Nox is able to get to her feet but uses the ropes as she hobbles around. She basically falls to the ground to avoid a charge in the corner. She does hit an uppercut and a release front suplex. That does some damage to the knee as she sells having to picking Li up. Nox gets to her feet and hits a splash in the corner for two. Nox hobbles to her feet again and misses The Shining Wizard. Li gets an exploder suplex for two! Li misses a spin kick and this time Nox is able to hit The Shining Wizard for the pin at 9:13.

Winner: Tegan Nox via pin at 9:13
-This was solid as I enjoyed the easy to tell story with Li going after the repaired knee. Again, it’s simple and works. Nox sold well and got the crowd behind her and they popped for the win. **

-Recap of everything The Bloodline did to Drew McIntyre over the years and Drew wants payback against Jey Uso.

-WWE Fastlane commercial! Indianapolis!

-Hulu commercials!

-Nakamura will respond to Seth Rollins challenge this Monday. Nakamura gets to pick the time, place, and stipulation if he accepts.

-Also on RAW, Prison Dom defends his NXT North American Title against Dragon Lee.

-Also, also, Judgment Day defend their tag titles against KO and Sami Zayn!

-Back to RAW as we join Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso in progress. Judgment Day are out to help Jey as they continue to recruit him. Jey superkicks Priest, Balor, and Dom, but Drew sticks him with The Claymore for the pin. Judgment Day they attacks and Drew just walks off because he just can’t forget what Jey did to him in the past. I am enjoying this story! Drew is conflicted as he watches the beating from the aisle, but turns his back. He takes a look back and before he can decide, Cody Rhodes is out to make the save.

-Thanks for reading!

5.0

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

The two matches were okay but nothing more than your standard match for this show. I did enjoy seeing some of the women's division get some shine as they need to see what they have with Indi, Li, and Tegan. I think Tegan is someone they may get high on at some point but it may take a bit before they give her a solid chance. Think Liv Morgan! Overall, this was certainly an episode of Main Event.