wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 1.2.25
-Happy New Year! Thankfully this show is still going as it seems The SmackDown LowDown is finished, just like Level Up. If you haven’t had a chance, check out my rankings of every match from Main Event in 2024 here. Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett (back together again)
-Taped: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Natalya vs. Isla Dawn (w/ Alba Fyre)
-Dawn hides in the ropes to try to frustrate Nattie early. She looks for a cheap shot, but Nattie catches her. Nattie gets tripped up by Fyre at ringside. Dawn uses the middle rope to choke and follows up with a Meteora. Chinlock from Dawn! The crowd starts to rally behind Nattie, so Dawn puller her down by the hair. Nattie gets a flash roll-up, but Dawn is out at two. She tries to go back to the chinlock, but Nattie reverses to a hammerlock. Dawn backs her into the corner and lands a series of strikes and then hits a kick to the temple for two. They start exchanging forearms which lets the crowd boo and cheer. Nattie wins the exchange and snaps off a release German Suplex. She lands a spinning clothesline for two. Dawn gets a small package for two. Nattie slides off the shoulders, but Dawn counters with a roll-up for two. They trade counters and Fyre is up on the apron to stop a Sharpshooter attempt. Nattie decks her, but gets rolled up for two. Nattie rolls through it though and now gets the Sharpshooter for the tap at 4:20.
Winner: Natalya via pin submission at 4:20
-Just a solid match with an invested crowd. Nattie is the gatekeeper of the division and it is a benefit having someone like her on the roster to work with everyone. **
-Recap of The Kevin Owens/Cody Rhodes rivalry. My review of Saturday Night’s Main Event is here! KO stealing the Winged Eagle has been great if only because the Belt has been on TV ever since.
-Peacock commercials!
-RAW: Netflix! This Monday!
-Andrade video package! SmackDown going to three hours will help get more people TV time and I expect to see some call ups from NXT and people moved from RAW to fill out the roster.
-SmackDown commercial hyping this Friday’s (last night’s show). Weird they drop this on Saturday to hype a show that has already happened.
-Back to SmackDown as Nick Aldis wants Kevin Owens to turn over The Winged Eagle. KO refuses as that is his bargaining chip to get his rematch. Aldis threatens a lifetime suspension which draws some boos from the crowd. Here’s Cody and he wants this match as well, but wants a Ladder Match. Aldis makes it official for The Royal Rumble and I assume both Belts will hang above the ring. KO offers a handshake and then attacks Cody from behind because he just can’t help himself.
-Peacock commercials! Lions vs. Vikings this Sunday! Injuries ravaged by 49ers so the playoffs will be a calm watch this year in The Leighty household. Next year, my Niners will be back as they should be healthy and last place schedule should be a benefit. As a bonus they will be playing in Cleveland which is only a couple hours North of me and my best friend has family that lives there.
-WWE Shop commercial!
-Elimination Chamber! Toronto! March 1! Tickets still on sale!
-Back to RAW as Jey Uso interrupts New Day and the crowd won’t let New Day talk. Jey lets New Day know they suck and they decided to leave as the crowd chants, “New Day Sucks.”
-Jey is really here for the New Bloodline. Solo and crew show up on The Tron! Solo spits facts as he talks about Jimmy and Jey going back to Roman after all he did to them. Especially all he did to Jey! At Netflix RAW, everyone will acknowledge Solo! Drew McIntyre is here as he has a list, here’s the order of the list that its in. It goes…well, you know how it goes. Jey gets in a small flurry, but Drew leaves him laying.
-LWO vs. Authors of Pain is our Main Event this week.
-Monday Night RAW video package detailing their history on USA. I have a review of the first episode of RAW that should be dropping, right here, on 411mania tomorrow so keep an eye out for it. Great package with so many memories and props to leaving moments involving current AEW stars in there. That Shawn/Bret hug happened 15 years ago today! They could have run a 30 minute video and I would have watched it all and wanted more.
-HHH commercial where he reveals The RAW logo for The Netflix Era!
LWO (Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde) vs. The Authors of Pain (w/ Paul Ellering)
-Del Toro gets shoved on his ass by Akam, but starts to use his speed to turn the tide. Tag to Wilde and the LWO use some sweet double team offense. Rezar rushes in and gets sent to the floor. Stereo Suicide Dives through the corner ropes as we head to a break at 1:33.
-SmackDown is going to 3 hours.
-Back at 2:02 with AOP back in control as we are told they have dominated the last few minutes. Timing is off obviously with no Peacock break. Rezar runs Wilde back first into the corner and then makes the tag to Akam who hooks a submission. Wilde lands a few shots, but runs into an elbow. Tag back to Rezar and Akem throws Wilde so that he gets caught with a knee from Rezar. Cool! Rezar goes to a neck crank as Del Toro gets the crowd into the match from the apron. Hearing “LWO” chant in 2025 is kind of wild. Wilde flips out of a suplex and hot tag is made to Del Toro. He tries a whip to the corner, but it’s reversed, so he just lands a kick on Akem. Del Toro walks the ropes and hits a dropkick on Rezar. Springboard moonsault gets two! Superkick! Cruz heads up top, but misses a moonsault. He lands on his feet, but eats a big boot. Combo Neckbreaker/Powerbomb finish for the pin at 6:43.
Winners: The Authors of Pain via pin at 6:43
-Just a standard tag match which is fine. Easy story with speed against power and in this case power wins as Wilde took too much of a beating and it left Del Toro to try to win it by himself at the end and it was too much. **
-Peacock commercials!
-Jan 6! RAW! NETFLIX! TRIBAL COMBAT: REIGNS VS SOLO!
-Also this Monday: Liv Morgan defends her Women’s World Title against Rhea Ripley.
-Also this Monday: Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk!
-Back to RAW where Seth Rollins and CM Punk were spitting fire at each other and things got personal. This was fantastic with both guys just lighting the other one up and the cool thing is both guys were telling the truth. Rollins referencing The Cabana Podcast and Punk’s AEW run were cool to hear. I was waiting for Punk to shoot back that he beat Rollins brother for a World Title, but that would probably be a little too deep of a cut. Punk went nuclear with the Vince reference and how he loved Seth. I am so ready for this fight!
-Thanks for reading!