Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 10.19.23

-Plug for my article where I ranked every PPV match from WCW and WWF in 1996.  I know everyone is dying to know what matched ended up at 83.  Now to Main Event.  Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: 
-Taped: Byron Saxton and Wade Barrett 

Chad Gable (w/ Otis and Maxine Dupri) vs. Trick Williams

-This is something different!  Let’s see how Williams hangs with Gable.  We learn on commentary that Barrett’s rap name is MC Bull Hammer! Awesome!  Gable rolls to escape arm control and gets a take down as he chain wrestles Williams to the mat.  THANK yOU!  Gable rolls through a sunset flip, but gets caught with an arm drag.  Williams gets one of his own, but Gable fakes him out on another try and we get another THANK YOU.  Gable floats over in the corner, but eats a heavy right hand from Williams.  Trick lands some punches in the corner and lands an uppercut.  Gable fires back with some chops, but gets caught and Williams gets a slam for two.  Williams sets Gable on the top rope, but Gable suckers him in and gets an armbar.  Williams back with a side kick for two.  To the corner again and they fight on top.  Gable lands a head butt and comes off the top with a diving head butt for two.  German Suplex is blocked, so Gable gets a roll-up into an ankle-lock.  Williams kicks his way out, hits a head kick and then a swinging neckbreaker for two.  Trick gets a two count as they got through a reversal sequence that looks a little sloppy as Trick’s big frame isn’t a fluid.  Gable gets a bridge and looks for the Tiger DDT, but Williams snuffs that out and gets a throw.  He misses a Pump Kick in the corner which lets Gable get a German Suplex.  He pulls down the strap and Chaos Theory gets the pin at 5:40.

Winner: Chad Gable via pin at 5:40
-This was solid and it was sweet to have Gable back on the show.  Good opponent for Williams, and again, this NXT vs. RAW format just makes the show better for whatever reason.  **1/2

-Trick and Gable shake hands after the match.  

-Back to SmackDown as Roman Reigns returns to talk to John Cena, but gets interrupted by LA Knight.  Solo and Jimmy get involved and it leads to Solo vs. LA Knight for later in the show.  

-Hulu commercials! 

-Logan Paul won his boxing match and challenged Rey Mysterio and Connor McGregor in his post fight interview.  Rey is ready and it seems like we are heading towards a match between the two at Crown Jewel.  

-Back to SmackDown as we join LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa in progress.  John Cena keeps Jimmy Uso from getting involved and eats a Samoan Spike for his trouble.  Knight plants Solo with BFT for the win as the push up the card continues.  Roman drops Knight with a spear and stands tall. 

-Back to RAW two weeks ago as Drew McIntyre wants a World Title Match and Seth agrees to face him at Crown Jewel.  Priest goes to cash in, but Drew blocks Dom as he doesn’t want anyone messing with his title shot.  That briefcase toss by Drew is rather impressive looking.  

-Later in the night Drew was caught chatting with Rhea Ripley in the background of a Ricochet segment with Adam Pearce.  

-Hulu commercials! 

-Crown Jewel commercial! Nov 4! 

-Back to RAW as Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins exchange words for a second week in a row.  Rollins calls Drew out for trying to deal with Judgment Day.  Drew says he doesn’t need any help and talks about The Bloodline.  Rollins tells him enough about The Bloodline and he needs to move on and get over it.  Drew lays out why he can’t and it’s because of what they stole from him.  “I have a catchy theme song I can bring back too, but I don’t need that crutch.”  BRING IT BACK!  Drew mentions he won his WWE Title with no fans in attendance and he carried the company on his back.  He had a chance to catch lightning in a bottle at Clash at The Castle and The Bloodline stole it from him, so he won’t get over it.  He then calls out Rollins for reinventing himself over and over again.  Rollins tells Drew he won’t have anyone to blame, but himself this time.  

-Back to RAW as Sami Zayn has to deal with the fact that his best friend has been traded to SmackDown because of Jey Uso.  He apologizes for unloading on Jey and says it has been a bad week for him.  Jey forgives him as he yells…YEET! 

-Later in the show, Drew talks to Sami about Jey and they take passive aggressive shots at each other.  They will face each other next week on RAW! 

-Hulu commercials! 

-Back to SmackDown as Nick Aldis is named the new GM of SmackDown and brings out Kevin Owens as the newest member of SmackDown.  KO then lays out Dirty Prison Dom! 

-Iyo Sky defends her Title against Charlotte Flair this Friday!  

Akira Tozawa vs. Nathan Frazer

-This is a rematch from a few months ago where Tozawa won and then they met again in NXT with Frazer getting the win. This would be the rubber match! Feeling out process to start and then after another go, Tozawa grabs an arm. Frazer rolls and does some flips to break as Byron notes that Frazer was trained by Seth Rollins. Frazer picks up the pace with his crazy speeding running the ropes and hits Tozawa with a kick to the chest. Frazer continues to fly around the ring and he drops Tozawa face first on the apron. Frazer connects with a suicide dive as we take a break at 2:39.

-Hulu commercials. All 90 seconds of them!

-Back at 4:13 with Frazer holding a submission hold in the middle of the ring. That goes on for a bit before Tozawa hits a jawbreaker. Frazer cuts off Tozawa’s comeback and gets a two count. He teases springing off the top, but fakes Tozawa out. He does eventually spring in and Tozawa catches him on the way down. Shinning Wizard from Tozawa and he heads up top. Frazer meets him up there and gets shoved off, but lands on his feet off a back flip. Tozawa comes off with the diving back elbow for two. Tozawa tries a German, but Frazer gets a roll-up for two. Modified Scorpion Death Drop gets a good near fall for Frazer. He heads up, but misses The Phoenix Splash. Tozawa lands a head kick after they traded some strikes. Tozawa heads up and connects with the Senton for the pin at 8:28.

Winner: Akira Tozawa via pin at 8:28
-Solid match, but I was expecting a little more. The commercial break doesn’t help, but it seemed to kill the flow of this one more than others. Tozawa continues his winning ways. <b**1/4

-Hulu commercials!

-RAW This Week: Becky Lynch vs. Indi Hartwell

-Back to RAW as Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso defend their Tag Titles against Judgment Day (Priest and Balor). We join in progress with with about six minutes left in the match. A good match that didn’t hit the level of their Fastlane Match, but still a worthy sequel. Balor kicking out of CO-D seemed weird, but I guess if they aren’t going to be a long term team, they don’t need their finish protected. Cody eats a Razor’s Edge through the announce table to take him out of the match and they way he was selling it, you had the idea something fishy was up. Prison Dom gets involved which brings out Sami Zayn. Jey seems to have things handled, but Jimmy Uso is here and he superkicks Jey in the face. Balor hits his finisher and we have new Tag Team Champions.

-Thanks for reading!

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Solid episode this week as I continue to dig the NXT vs. RAW formula that has returned to this show. Just an easy watch with two decent matches. Sometimes that's all you need!