wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 11.30.23
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Tristan Jarry just scored a goal for my Penguins. First time ever a Pen’s goalie scored a goal. It was pretty sweet and made my night. In other news, Chi-Town Rumble 89 is in the can and should be posted in the new few days. Next up is SNME from March of 1989! Now, it’s time for Main Event with 100% more CM Punk! Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Byron Saxton
-Taped: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Duke Hudson vs. Charlie Dempsey
-Level Up invading Main Event this week! CHASE U IN THE HOUSE! No wonder CM Punk was on his best behavior, they had Charlie Dempsey in the arena to keep peace. Lockup to start as Byron lets us know Hudson has been enrolled at Chase U for 1 year now. Hudson gets a side headlock and runs Dempsey down with a shoulder. He goes to work on the arm and shoulder, but Dempsey rolls to break and bridges over into a flip. Hudson maintains control, and gets a leg trip to take things to the mat. Kip up from Dempsey and he throws some heavy forearms. He takes Hudson down by the arm and throws chops at the arm. Cool! Hudson uses his power to break and gets a sidewalk slam for two. Dempsey with a head-butt to the stomach and another heavy forearm to the back this time. He gets a two count and then follows up with a front facelock. He takes Hudson to the mat with a bridge for another two count. Bridging double underhook suplex gets two! Nice! Hudson eats a boot to the face and then another, but it seems to be firing him up. Dempsey throws forearms, but Duke blocks and comes back with forearms of his own. Overhead thrown sends Dempsey across the ring. Duke throws some jabs and hits a running forearm. Duke misses a charge in the corner and Dempsey gets a roll-up for two. He follows with a knee to the gut and looks for another double underhook. Duke powers out this time and gets a backdrop suplex. He charges again and gets set to the apron. That’s where he wants to be though as he gets the slingshot into a German Suplex for the pin at 6:37.
Winner: Duke Hudson via pin at 6:37
-I enjoyed this, but I am a sucker for Dempsey and Hudson has grown on me since joining Chase U. I want to see more from Dempsey as he is just smooth in there and has a unique style. ***
-Men’s War Games Match video package. I thought it was wonderful and they touched on a bunch of different stories. The Orton return was handled amazing well as they played off the CM Punk rumors and knew they were delivering that as well. It was interesting that some fans were booing down the CM Punk chants or would start a Randy chant. I think they were just prepared that he wasn’t going to be there and didn’t want the show hijacked. Of course after the match ends, CM Punk makes his return and breaks the Internet. I did what I do every time something insane happens on wrestling, I threw my shirt across my living room. I think it’s because of growing up a Hogan fan, but I don’t want to waste a shirt trying to rip it, so I just take it off and throw it across whatever room I am in.
-Don’t Try This at Home or Anywhere!
-Back to RAW as Seth Rollins addresses the CM Punk chants (not shown here) and has an itch to defend his Championship. Drew McIntyre interrupts and he is putting Jey on the back burner as he wants to be next for a World Title Match, but Seth tells him there are other men in line first. Drew is cool with that and wants to know who Seth is facing next week. Seth has to break the news that it’s Jey Uso. Drew is not happy and he head-butts the piss out of Seth and catches a plate on the belt as well and that legit busts him open. Jey Uso is out for the save and takes a little extra long look at The World Title before giving it back to Seth.
-RAW: Rollins defends against Jey Uso; DIY vs. Imperium: 2 Out of 3 Falls! Sami Zayn vs. Drew McIntyre!
-Back to RAW as Randy Orton opened the show to discuss his return from injury. He wanted to get back so he could compete in War Games. He notes he has unfinished business with The Bloodline. So, I assume we are getting Orton vs. Reigns at The Royal Rumble? Rhea Ripley interrupts and you know they are going to tease these two getting physical for months until Orton finally drops her with the RKO. She may hit him with a Riptide as well at some point. Dom and JD attack Orton from behind, but he gets the better of them. JD saves Dom and eats the RKO for it. Dom vs. Orton is set for later!
-NXT Deadline! Saturday, Dec 9! We will see how much it causes Collision’s rating to tank!
-To the video as we join Randy Orton vs. Dirty Prison Dom in progress. JD McD and Jelly Roll (my wife knows him) get involved. Dom went flying off that push by Jelly Roll and speaking of flying, Dom was launched by Orton with the belly to back on the table. Dom gets in some offense, but misses the Frog Splash and eats the RKO to give Randy the win. Crowd loved this!
-WWE NFL branded Title Belts! Go Niners!
Apollo Crews vs. Riley Osborne
-Osborne is one of my Level Up kids and this is his Main Event debut. Crews has been working with all the kids on this show, so Osborne is in good hands. Osborne flips off the ropes to break a knuckle lock and then he sends Crews across the ring with an arm-drag. Crews seems annoyed and charges, but gets caught with another arm-drag into an armbar. Crews reverses to a side headlock and we get a rope running sequence that ends with Crews hitting a dropkick. Osborne was supposed to bump over the ropes, but couldn’t make it and ended up going through them. We take a break at 2:18!
-Royal Rumble commercial!
-We are back at 2:48 as for whatever reason I am not getting Hulu commercials this week. I’ll take it! Crews gets a delayed suplex and sends Obsborne hard into the corner, where he just bounces off to the mat. Geez! Apollo gets a two count off a short-arm clothesline and hooks a chinlock. Byron and Blake discuss the idea that Apollo wants a shot at GUNTHER. I’d go for that! Osborne gets a springboard into a shoulder tackle. He follows with a series of dropkicks and a leg lariat. Standing corkscrew splash gets a two count! Crews tries a German, but Osborne lands on his feet and snaps off a sweet looking rana for two. Osborne heads up top, but takes too long as he sells the back. Shooting Star Press misses, but Obsorne is able to roll to his feet. Crews catches him with a pump-kick and then hits The Frog Splash for the pin at 6:46.
Winner: Apollo Crews via pin at 6:46
-This was solid as I am enjoying this run by Crews as he works his way back from injury. Osborne showed some flashes and I could see him getting an okay spot on the Main Roster and a guy they use in Money in the Bank in the future to do crazy spots like Shelton, Kofi, Evan Bourne, and Ricochet have done in the past. **1/2
-Back to RAW as Cody Rhodes gets emotional talking about being in War Games because it was his Dad’s match. Cody then announces he is the first to declare for The Royal Rumble. We cut off from there and don’t see Nakamura’s promo and mist attack. Weird!
-This Friday: Fall out from War Games for Damage CTRL! Logan Paul returns! Live from Brooklyn where the crowd should be hot.
-They play the video of fans freaking out over CM Punk’s return! IN THE CLUTCH! I love those guys! Shout-out to Ross and Dub!
-Back to RAW as CM Punk made his first RAW appearance in nearly 10 years. I know many didn’t like the promo, but I enjoyed it. He wasn’t going to go scorched Earth on AEW because WWE doesn’t work like that and I assume Punk wants to move past that at this point. I can see how some think this promo was a tease of a heel turn down the line, but for this night it was Happy Punk being happy to be home. The real news is him name dropping AJ and that’s the return we all want. AJ LEE ROYAL RUMBLE 2024! I will also note that I popped for the “I’m Home” line and that is something I didn’t think we would hear in 2023. I also appreciate the Paul Heyman tease! Just laying some groundwork with this promo. I also like who he alluded to his pipe bomb promo. I got what I wanted out of the promo.
-Thanks for reading!
