Main Event – June 8, 2017: Continuity? On This Show?
Main Event
Date: June 8, 2017
Location: Mohegan Sun Arena, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Corey Graves
I’m very pleased by the fact that I’m not sure what to expect about this show. I mean, I know we’ll be getting a cruiserweight match but maybe we can also have a Heath Slater/Rhyno match for a bit of fun. Either way, hopefully there’s not much from Raw, which really didn’t have the best week. Let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
Lince Dorado vs. Drew Gulak
It’s nice to see that Dorado’s injury wasn’t anything serious. Lince grabs an armbar to start and a dropkick is good for two. Gulak doesn’t seem to mind and kicks Lince in the face before starting in on the knee. Something like a DDT to the leg sets up a stump puller of all things with the announcers asking how long it’s been since I last saw one. Eh about a second ago when I last looked at the screen.
A dragon screw legwhip keeps Dorado in trouble but the knee is fine enough for a moonsault press for two. Dorado hits the handspring Stunner and an Asai moonsault but the knee is suddenly banged up again. Back in and Drew takes the knee out again before grabbing a rollup with feet on the ropes for the pin at 6:21.
Rating: D. So Lince’s knee was banged up, then he was able to do his flying stuff, then it was bad enough for the finish. I’m a bit split on that one but it’s a bit hard to be interested in the leg work if Dorado is doing his high flying stuff before getting caught. At least Gulak won though and that’s what matters most, especially with him in the middle of a solid push on 205 Live.
Stills of the Extreme Rules main event.
From Raw for the first time.
Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt
Before the match, Bray offers an alliance with Roman, who says this reaction is why he’s the guy. He punches Bray in the face and we’re ready to go. Sister Abigail and the Superman Punch both miss in the first thirty seconds and Bray is punched to the floor for a break. Back with Roman fighting out of a chinlock but getting caught in a DDT for two.
Another chinlock is broken up with a Samoan drop for two, only to have Bray send him into the post. A backsplash on the floor crushes Roman and takes us to our second break in eight minutes. Back again with Reigns sending him to the floor, only to get Rock Bottomed for two.
Bray takes him up to for some reason, only to have Roman slip out for a big sitout powerbomb. The Superman Punch gets two more but Bray rolls outside before the spear. That’s enough to set up the apron dropkick but Roman gets blasted with a clothesline. They’re both in at nine and Sister Abigail is countered into the spear for the pin at 19:38.
Rating: B. Well that was long. It was also annoying booking as they were seemingly building Bray up for a potential run at Lesnar but HAHA ROMAN WINS AGAIN! You know, because we have to keep the former three time World Champion strong in case the shine goes away. Bray gets to rebuild again while Reigns just keeps babbling about being THE GUY because people keep cheering/booing him at the same time.
And for the second time.
It’s time for Miz’s celebration with Maryse hosting and a guy in a bear suit behind her. Miz comes out and we hit the YOU DESERVE IT chants. That’s not cool with the new champ, as the fans chant that at every new champion in WWE. Miz brags about how awesome he is and how glad he is to be the new champion.
Maryse is praised for being this great but she didn’t order the bear. Miz beats the heck out of the bear….but it’s not Ambrose. That earns the bear a toss over the top (Miz: “At least you got beaten up by the Intercontinental Champion.”) and here comes a present in a big box. Miz doesn’t trust it and destroys the thing with a chair.
Maryse freaks out because it’s from her. She got him a grandfather clock because it’s timeless, just like her. Maryse yells and leaves as Miz goes off about Ambrose getting in his head. As the rant continues, the cameraman puts his camera down because it’s Dean. The beatdown doesn’t take long and Miz is left laying.
Curt Hawkins vs. Bo Dallas
Heel vs. heel works for me. This is over their recent failure as a tag team on this same show. Hawkins offers a free shot so Bo clotheslines him down. Curt gives him a hard Irish whip with Bo hitting his face on the middle rope and falling to the floor. Thankfully it’s not the same result as Enzo Amore last year and Bo is fine as we take a break.
Back with Hawkins getting two off an elbow drop and grabbing a sleeper. The sleeper sequel doesn’t last as long as Curt sends him into the corner instead. Dallas gets tied in the Tree of Woe for a dropkick to the ribs for two. Back up and Bo gets in a shot to the ribs, setting up a hanging swinging neckbreaker for the pin at 9:00.
Rating: C-. Hawkins’ entrance continues to carry him through most of his matches and there’s nothing wrong with that. I still like Dallas and his energy alone should have him as a jobber on the main roster. If nothing else, it’s very nice to have some continuity on Main Event, which you never would have expected around here.
And now, Main Event’s main event.
Samoa Joe vs. Seth Rollins
Joe tries an early powerbomb and gets taken down with a hurricanrana, only to have Joe come back with right hands and chops in the corner. A hard knee to Seth’s head has Rollins in trouble and the Sling Blade is countered as we take a break. Back with Joe still hammering away as the announcers talk about wrestlers hitting their stride and being on a roll like never before.
Joe crushes him with the backsplash and cranks on the arm. The snap powerslam gets two but Seth finally scores with an enziguri. A suicide dive sets up the Blockbuster, followed by a second dive. Rollins muscles him up for a Falcon Arrow and Joe is actually in some trouble. Bray Wyatt’s lights hit though and…..no one comes out. The distraction is enough to set up the Koquina Clutch though and Rollins is out at 14:14.
Rating: C+. As usual, this match had the standard Raw problem: it doesn’t mean anything so why should fans care enough to watch it? We know Lesnar is back to deal with Joe next week so why is this interesting? You know what else isn’t interesting? Bray, who lost to Reigns two and a half hours ago completely clean. If you want him to be this big deal, stop having him lose matches over and over. Rollins vs. Wyatt is interesting but it doesn’t matter if you have Reigns beat both of them in back to back weeks.
Overall Rating: C-. Not their worst episode and I’m still trying to get over the idea of continuity around here. It’s like someone is actually paying attention to the exclusive wrestling on a glorified recap show. Anyway, not terrible here with two guys I like winning, though not much of note from Raw.
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