WWE Main Event
WWE Network
January 13, 2015

When WWE Network launched in February, a little under one year ago, it was a pretty big deal. Not as big of a deal, but still important, was WWE Main Event moving live each Tuesday to the Network from its original home on ION TV. I joined Voices of Wrestling in April to review this show each week. It was exciting to me at the time because the show was positioned well, with key players making appearances each week to continue Raw & Smackdown storylines. Lately, it’s been set down more as a C-Show, ala Superstars and Sunday Night Heat. We don’t really see the big names often, we get more of the low carders trying out different storylines that don’t get them time on Raw, and we get some tag team matches between the non-contenders. Main Event still finds interesting pieces, but it’s not “important” anymore.

If the importance factor isn’t on Main Event now, I shudder to think what it will be like in two weeks when the show returns with no home in the United States. For those unaware, and keeping a long story short, WWE Main Event may not be airing on WWE Network anymore in the near future due to contractual obligations WWE has with its UK TV partner and the upcoming debut of the WWE Network in that region. With Main Event not airing on WWE Network, it has no US home. If a show has no home in the US, it’s going to be an afterthought. The few big stars we would sometimes see each Tuesday probably won’t be around anymore. Get ready for a lot of Xavier Woods vs Diego main events, guys.

Maybe the hyperbole is unwarranted, but we shall see. Or we won’t. Because, it’s not on here.

Obviously, in this era, just because a show doesn’t air here does not mean that we can’t see it here. There will be ways. I’ll be able to find the show and review it. The question will become: Is it worthwhile? I may give that some time for determination.

As for next week, WWE is replacing Main Event with a Santino Marella special: The Royal Rumble lottery. Presumably, we’ll find out where people are being placed in the Rumble. Or, maybe just that names will be drawn for entrance into the match itself. Either way, I’ll have a review of it for VOW next week.

As for this week’s show, we finish off Main Event on WWE Network for the time being with..

EPISODE 120

Announcers: Tom Phillips & Michael Cole. Well this answers the Tom Phillips question. With the announce team shakeups last week, I wondered where Phillips would fall. I assumed either here or full time backstage interviewer. I’m glad he has the play-by-play job here, one he doesn’t have to share with Michael Cole, as I feel he’s been great all year.

I won’t lie… I’m getting a bit teary eyed just thinking that thi… Oh, come on, the fucking Dusts again?

Gold & Stardust vs Los Matadores: Diego pinned Goldust. You know, maybe an overseas exclusive Main Event won’t be all that different. I mean, these are exactly the kinds of matches each week that you’ll see when the higher ups just don’t give the time of day to this show. The match was fine, the result means we’ll get these two teams again on another C-show soon, and the commentary without Michael Cole was perfectly adequate. Leave the memories alone, Los Matadores. *****

THE ASCENSION PROMO TIME! Viktor says there are no great tag teams of the past, while Konnor adds that there’s only one great tag team of the future. The Ascension then proceeded to beat up a young, fat Steve Corino while not allowing his other geek tag partner to get in the match at all. JBL kept up the gimmick of heeling on the Ascension, burying them dead like only he can. *****

Rusev vs Justin Gabriel: Gabriel gave it all he could, dominating the match early. Before too long, Rusev caught Gabriel off the top rope, slamming him to the mat and following up with the Accolade for the win. After the match, Rusev went nuts and delivered a standing side kick to Gabriel before screaming and yelling like a mad man. Awesome Rusev. Rusev kill, Rusev crush, Rusev win the Royal Rumble? *****

The New Day vs Masters of the WWE Universe & Adam Rose: Tyson and Cesaro entered the ring wearing, and this is true, fan made T-Shirts. Because, you know, WWE won’t waste money and time making merchandise for their own Superstars unless you connect with the crowd. No one in this match is over. No one in this match is getting over. They’re just putting all the guys going nowhere in the same program so they can go nowhere together and open up TV time for other people. Other people, like Los Matadores, Gold & Stardust, and Justin Gabriel, who are also going nowhere. This entire episode changes nothing in WWE’s future, reiterates what we’ve seen from everyone for the last several months, and in general was a time filler of an episode. So, yeah, they’re ready to be an overseas exclusive, basically.

As for the match, it was pretty fun. Like most WWE trios matches, it took time for it to get going. Like most, also, it got really fun late with bodies flying everywhere and big moves being hit almost non stop. The heels worked really well as a team, especially Cesaro and Kidd. These two have hope in the tag team division, since basically that division is worthless and they are at least a bit fresh now. The first real nearfall came after an Adam Rose spinebuster on Big E, and I bought it. “HOW IS ROSE GOING TO WIN THIS?” I thought. I thought too soon, as Big E kicked out. Not long thereafter, all three members of the New Day hit topes to the outside on their opponents. Rose was thrown back in, given the Midnight Hour, and pinned to give The New Day a New Win. *****

Five stars for everybody. Strictly for Eden. And also, for nostalgia.

This may be goodbye to Main Event on Voices of Wrestling. What will the future hold? It’s unclear, but if this is the end, it was a hell of a ride.