Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 10.05.23

-I am sitting in a hotel room in Pittsburgh as I have a conference to attend for the next two days for work. The speakers for the day ended and I have a little time before we head out for the evening, so this is my best shot to check the show out before it gets too late. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Byron Saxton and Wade Barrett
-Taped: SAP Center, San Jose, CA

Indi Hartwell vs. Xia Li

-Lockup to start and Li gets a side headlock. She tries to run Indi down, but no go and Indi flexes at her. Li grabs an arm and goes to work on that for a bit. She tries a suplex, but Indi blocks and gets a delayed suplex. She sends Li to the apron and lands an uppercut and then a boot for two. She gets her own two count and Indi starts hobbling around the ring. Li slams the knee to the mat and basks in the boos from the crowd. She stomps the knee while it’s tangled in the ropes and follows with a leg-whip for two. Li hooks a standing knee-bar that isn’t quite a half crab. Hartwell lands an up-kick to break and then a jaw-breaker. Li runs into a back elbow and then misses a charge in the corner. Hartwell drops some elbows while selling the knee and then hits a spinebuster, but can’t cover due to the knee. Li elbows the knee and lands a strike. She misses a running kick and Hartwell plants her face first on a modified version of The Glam Slam. That gets the pin at 5:19.

Winner: Indi Hartwell via pin at 5:19
-Not much to this one, but at least they are getting ring time. *

-Nikki Cross vs. Kayden Carter is our Main Event this week!

-Back to SmackDown 2 weeks ago as we recap The Bloodline taking out AJ Styles and now John Cena has no partner for Fastlane. Later in the show Cena gets his ass beat by Solo and Jimmy and it seems he will have to go it alone at Fastlane.

-NXT commercial! Show has been on a roll and is doing what it’s supposed to do: building future stars.

-Hulu commercials!

-This Friday on SmackDown: Dragon Lee vs. Austin Theory!

-Back to SmackDown as John Cena tells the crowd he doesn’t have a partner, so he is just going to stand up and fight on his own if he can’t find a partner by Fastlane. Here’s The Bloodline and Cena takes another beating, but before he can be put through the Announce Table, LA Knight’s music hits and the place goes bonkers. PUSH THIS MAN TO THE MOON! Knight runs through Solo and Jimmy while the crowd loses it and then he picks up the contract and signs his name. John Cena now has a partner! Yeah!

-Video package covering all things Rollins vs. Nakamura. They meet in Last Man Standing this Saturday! Again, I am all for Nakamura getting the win just so he can notch a WWE World Title run on his resume. In the end though it seems pretty apparent that title is just being kept warm for GUNTHER when the time comes.

-Fastlane! This Saturday! Cena/Knight vs. Bloodline!

-Hulu commercials! Including one for ZOA Energy. ROCK AT MANIA CONFIRMED!

-Back to RAW as Michael Cole has an in ring interview with Seth Rollins and conspiracy theorist online believe it was a subtle sign that CM Punk is returning. Rollins cuts a go home babyface promo to hype the match with Nakamura. EVIL NAKAMURA appears on the tron and gets Seth’s attention which lets EVIL NAK jump Seth from behind. He does a high quality beat down focusing on the back and after several tries proves he can keep Seth down for a 10 count.

-LWO vs. Lashley and Street Profits is set for Fastlane! Iyo Sky defends against Charlotte and Asuka!

-Hulu commercials!

-Back to RAW as Rhea Ripley returns and laws down the law to Dirty Prison Dom in regard to losing his North American Title. Jey Uso interrupts and Dom says he will take care of him and that doesn’t go well. JD McDonagh helps as Priest and Rhea just watch. Here comes Cody as we continue to build to what I assume will be War Games next month. I mean, Dusty’s son has to be in a War Games match at some point. Before that though, Judgment Day will defend their Tag Titles at Fastlane against Cody and Jey!

-Judgment Day will be on SmackDown this Friday!

Nikki Cross vs. Kayden Carter

-This show has turned into Ladies Night over the last few weeks which is fine. They have a lot of women new to RAW that haven’t been appearing on RAW. Nikki works the arm but gets caught with a roll-up. She ducks a head kick from Carter and then Cross acts all crazy as she does squats. Wade compares it to her milking cows. Nikki traps Kayden in the ring apron and lands some strikes. She freaks Wade out again as she runs towards him at the announce desk. I appreciate that running joke. She then turns her attention to Katana Chance, which lets Carter hit a head kick and that sends us to our break.

-Apparently FOX will have a special this Sunday counting down the top moments in SmackDown history. Assuming I can catch an airing of it, I will have a recap/review. Anything to pass time before Niners/Cowboys. Go Niners!

-Hulu commercials: 90 seconds!

-Back at 4:18 with Cross getting tossed across the ring while trying a tornado DDT. Carter plants Nikki face first on the mat and hits the springboard leg drop from the bottom rope and that gets two. Carter sets Nikki up top and tries a superplex, but Cross blocks. She knocks Carter down and this time connects with the Tornado DDT. That leaves both women down, so Chance gets the crowd to rally behind Carter, but they seem to be behind Nikki in this one. Basement dropkick from Nikki and another one. She gets a running splash in the corner and then a modified Michinoku Driver. She heads up and misses a cross-body off the top. Carter gets a version of an Indian Deathlock and slaps Nikki’s ass for good measure. Cross gets to the bottom rope to force a break. Small package from Cross gets two. She then counters a move and hits The Purge for the pin at 8:24.

Winner: Nikki Cross via pin at 8:24
-This got rolling a bit after the break and I ended up enjoying this match. Again, if you can’t use them on RAW let them keep working these matches. **

-Back to RAW for the contract signing between GUNTHER and Ciampa. It turns into a match for tonight instead of the following week (I assume due Lynch/Nox being postponed).

-Fastlane! Saturday! Rollins vs. EVIL NAKAMURA!

-Hulu commercials!

-Back to RAW for GUNTHER defending his IC Title against Ciampa. This was great as you would expect. They had a BANGER in NXT a few years back and this was no different. Ciampa goes toe to toe with GUNTHER but in the end eats a double powerbomb and gets put to sleep. GUNTHER then walks away having proven his point and lets the rest if Imperium beat on Ciampa. Johnny Gargano makes his return for the save and DIY is reunited!

-Thanks for reading!

5.0

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

-Just another basic edition of this show. I appreciate they are letting the women who aren't being use on RAW work but we are also running into the issue of the same 6 or so people just rotating opponents. I am starting to miss the days of the NXT vs. RAW flavor this show had earlier in the year. Still as always, an easy show to watch.