Leighty’s WWE Main Event Review 6.28.24

-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Brian James
-Taped: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

Akira Tozawa vs. Joaquin Wilde

-The crowd is hot for the start of this one. Tozawa controls early with a side headlock. He gets shoved off but gets a shoulder tackle. Wilde gets a head scissors and fires off a chop. Sprinboard into an armdrag from Wilde. He gets caught with an elbow in the corner and Tozawa gets a head scissors. He runs into boot in the corner and Wilde gets a springboard dropkick that sends Tozawa to the floor. Suicide Dive from Wilde! That gets a two count back in the ring. Snap suplex from Wilde gets a one count. Stretch submission that works the arm and knee from Wilde which gets the crowd cheering for a comeback. Tozawa is able to break and gets a rana. Shinning Wizard and then a missile dropkick from the two for two. Wilde gets a pin reversal for two and then flips into an armbar, but Tozawa reverses into a pin for two. SICK DDT by Wilde for two! Wilde heads up top, but Tozawa moves. He misses an enziguiri but gets a back kick. TOZAWA-MANIA IS RUNNING WILD! Another kick and Tozawa gets the pin with a top rope Senton at 5:25.

Winner: Akira Tozawa via pin at 5:25
-They went for it in this one and it helped that the crowd was pumped. I would like to see more of Wilde and Cruz. Tozawa is a Main Event regular, who rarely wins, so it was nice to see them throw him a bone. ***

-Back to Clash at The Castle as we get a video package on Priest’s win over Drew McIntyre thanks to referee CM Punk. Again, that camera angle to hide Punk as the ref was fantastic. Drew quits the next night on RAW.

-Back to SmackDown as CM Punk returns to Chicago and they really, really like him there. Punk notes he didn’t think it would be that easy-to-get Drew to quit. Cut to later in the show as we see a bloody CM Punk in the parking lot with Drew standing over him. Just fantastic! Punk is carted out in an ambulance. Love Punk, but he kind of deserved it and good on Drew for getting some payback.

-Don’t Try This at Home or School or The Side of The Road with a Box Truck.

-Hulu commercials!

-Back to RAW as Drew McIntyre is back and notes he is done with CM Punk. “When you chant his name, it’s just in memory now.” Good line! Again, Drew is crazy, but he just noted he told his sick wife he would win The World Title and Punk cost him that. Justified villains are the best! Drew shows off the fan made bracelet he stole from Punk. The bracelet has AJ and Larry’s names on it. The crowd was pissed when Drew called Larry a stupid dog and that gives us a loud, “Larry” chant. Awesome! Drew wants in MITB and will do what people have done twice to him now.

-Seth Rollins video package. Great stuff! WWE production always kills it with their video packages.

-Money in The Bank commercial!

-Hulu commercials!

-Back to RAW as Seth Rollins interrupts Damian Priest. Seth lays out his own challenge for MITB: If Priest wins, Seth can not challenge him for the World Title ever again. If Seth wins, Damian walks away from the Judgment Day. Priest notes JD needs him more than he needs them. Here’s GUNTHER to wish both men good luck, but they aren’t good enough to beat him at SummerSlam.

-Back to SmackDown as Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa ends in a DQ quickly. Tongans attack and that brings out Kevin Owens and Randy Orton for the save. Solo seems screwed, but we finally get the debut of Jacob Fatu and it’s glorious! The man looked like a star as he destroyed the top 3 faces on SmackDown and commentary made him seem like a killer!

-6 Man Tag at MITB with KO/Orton/Cody vs. The Bloodline.

-Also this Friday on SmackDown from MSG we have 2 Triple Threat Matches for the ladies and 1 for the men to fill in a few more MITB Ladder Match slots.

The Creed Brothers vs. The Authors of Pain (w/ Paul Ellering)

-Julius starts with Akam, who quickly tags out to Rezar and then back to Akam. Well, I guess quick tags are the mark of a good team. The Creeds start with their double team offense and a clothesline sends Rezar to the floor. Akam charges in and gets dumped as well. Julius gets a sling-shot crossbody as we head to to a break at 1:42.

-SmackDown this Friday at MSG! Bloodline Acknowledgment Ceremony!

-1:28 of Hulu commercials!

-Back at 3:57 with Rezar planting Julius with a slam. He goes to the ground and pound before backing Julius into the AOP corner. Julius fights, but doesn’t last long as he eats a double team move for two. Elbows from Akam and a tag back to Rezar. He hooks a choke, but Julius powers him back to his corner. Rezar hits a knee to the gut and then a clothesline. He misses a splash in the corner and hits Akem with an enziguiri to make the HOT tag to Brutus. He wins wild with springboards and then a standing moonsault for two as Rezar makes the save. Julius gets dumped to the floor and Brutus is screwed. The Last Chapter finishes for the pin at 7:40.

Winners: The Authors of Pain via pin at 7:40
-Just a basic tag match that kind of deflated the crowd as they were into The Creed Brothers. The commercial break ate a big chunk of this one. *1/2

-Back to The Uncle Howdy video where he interviews Bo Dallas. This was captivating and very well done. They didn’t shy away from Bray’s death and even brought up the idea they are exploiting Bray’s legacy. My view is that if the family is good with it, then that should be enough. I assume this is also a way for Bo to honor him and find whatever peace he can.

-NXT Heatwave: Next Sunday! Toronto!

-Hulu commercials!

-RAW: Dom vs. Rey! Also, Zelina challenges Liv Morgan for her Women’s World Title, Also, also we get MITB qualifiers!

-Back to RAW as Awesome Truth defender their Tag Titles against Judgment Day (Balor and McDonagh). Prison Dom and Carlito get involved which brings out Braun to chase them away. Liv Morgan is still there and she distracts Truth before snapping him throat first off the top rope. Balor off the top and we have new Tag Team Champions! Awesome Truth got their moment at Mania, but it was time to switch the Titles to a new team.

-Thanks for reading!

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

The opener and a hot crowd were enough to make this a good show this week. We have been on a solid roll with Main Event and I hope it continues.