Main Event – April 19, 2018: Going Big
IMG Credit: WWE
Main Event
Date: April 19, 2018
Location: XL Center, Hartford, Connecticut
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Percy Watson
Things are finally starting to settle down around here but that means we have a bunch of highlights to get through first. In this case we have the full on Superstar Shakeup, which should fill in the show rather well. Other than that, we might be seeing some new names getting relegated to Main Event status. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
In memory of Bruno Sammartino.
Opening sequence.
Karl Anderson vs. Curt Hawkins
Hawkins celebrates a headlock takeover and gets dropkicked down. Anderson gets pulled throat first into the top rope and we hit the stomping for two. The chinlock keeps Anderson in trouble until he suplexes his way to freedom. A running boot to the face gives Anderson two but he walks into a Michinoku Driver for the same. Hawkins is already done though and it’s a running kick in the corner, followed by the top rope neckbreaker to extend the losing streak at 5:15.
Rating: D+. Hawkins keeps getting in offense but there’s only so much you can expect from him when he’s losing this much. At this point there’s not much left to do other than giving him a win over someone or letting him go. The win alone will be worth at least a little something, if nothing else for the people who have been watching Main Event. So like eight people?
From Raw.
Here’s General Manager Kurt Angle to start things off. He gives us a quick introduction but here’s Sunil Singh to announce that Jinder Mahal is now on Raw. Jinder isn’t happy that he was brought here in an SUV because he only travels in a limousine with a motorcade. Angle doesn’t like some of this but wants to be treated like Brock Lesnar around here. Kurt suggests that Jinder email him his issues and gives Sunil his address: Kurt.Angle (which he has to spell) @ NOFREAKINGWAY.com. We settle things in the ring here so it’s time for a title match RIGHT NOW.
US Title: Jinder Mahal vs. Jeff Hardy
Mahal is defending. The fans are behind Hardy (because they have taste) as he slugs away in the corner. A dropkick to the back of the head and a clothesline off the apron rock Mahal and we take a break. Back with Jeff in a chinlock for a good while until a big right hand drops him on the apron. Jeff is fine enough to shove him off the top though and the Whisper in the Wind gets a breather.
Sunil gets dropkicked down (and hopefully shut up) and a basement dropkick gets two on his boss. Things are starting to pick up but a jumping knee to the face looks to set up the Khallas (which Cole calls a half nelson slam). Jeff slips out so a big boot to the face gives Mahal two more. A Twisting Stunner out of nowhere drops Mahal though and the Swanton gives Hardy the title at 11:27.
Rating: C-. Not a great match (to be fair, Mahal) but Jeff winning the title is a great way to get him back on the fast track (and to give hope to impaired drivers everywhere). Hopefully Mahal falls WAY down the ladder now, though I’m curious to see what happens to Orton’s title shot as a result. Just please not another triple threat. Is that too much to ask for?
From Raw again.
Here’s Roman Reigns to talk about how he’s here again tonight, unlike Brock Lesnar. He’ll win the title in Saudi Arabia and bring it back here full time. Cue Samoa Joe to say Reigns is a great talker but never talks about getting the job done. I remember him doing plenty of jobs. Joe talks about how Reigns can never put him away and at Backlash, he’ll put Reigns to sleep again.
We see a video of Lesnar destroying Reigns at Wrestlemania so Reigns wants to fight now. Joe comes down the ramp twice before walking away, as expected. Again: if they want Reigns as a big deal, DON’T PUT HIM OUT THERE WITH PEOPLE WHO SLAUGHTER HIM ON THE MIC!
And, from Raw.
It’s time for MizTV with some special guests who will change Raw forever: Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, who Cole flat out said COULD NOT be included in the Shakeup. Cole brings it up again here but Coach and Graves basically tell him to get over it. The five of them have a group hug with Miz saying this is better than the NWO and calls the team better than the Avengers. They won’t be held down by Shane McMahon or Kurt Angle, the latter of whom comes out with a rebuttal.
Apparently this can’t happen but Owens says plans have changed. There was an email sent out earlier tonight and Sami has printed it out. With his glasses on (that’s funny for some reason), Sami reads that Angle’s decision on Sami and Kevin’s status has been overturned because Stephanie McMahon thinks they proved themselves last week.
Owens is thrilled but Angle has some news: Miz is now going to Smackdown, as per Daniel Bryan’s request. Miz takes it in stride but gets even more bad news: the Miztourage is staying on Raw. For a going away present though, the five of them can face Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley, Braun Strowman and someone making their Raw debut.
From Smackdown.
Miz didn’t like Daniel Bryan tweeting about wanting to punch him in the face. That’s not happening tonight because Miz is in Los Angeles with Maryse and his newborn daughter. He’ll be here next week and he’ll kick Bryan’s a….Maryse: “Mike! Language!” Miz: “You catch my drift.” That match is going to be awesome when it takes place.
Recap of who went where.
Gran Metalik/Lince Dorado vs. TJP/Ariya Daivari
Metalik flips away to start and kicks Daivari down for two. TJP comes in and kicks away, setting up something close to an Octopus Hold. That goes nowhere so Metalik bounces off the ropes for an armdrag. Dorado comes in for two off his falling splash and the masked guys tease a double dive as we take a break.
Back with TJP cranking on both of Metalik’s arms until a right hand breaks things up. Daivari sneaks around and pulls Dorado off the apron in a rare useful move. Not that it matters as Metalik backflips out of a double belly to back suplex for the real hot tag. TJP’s sunset flip gets two but the springboard Stunner into the shooting star gives Dorado the pin at 9:47.
Rating: C+. Another nice little match here, even if it’s something we’ve covered so many times before. If the cruiserweights do get the Tag Team Titles, I hope they’re defended here a few times (I know they won’t be) as the tag matches around here aren’t exactly interesting in the first place. Just give them a little something to work with and maybe this will get better.
We’ll wrap it up with some more Smackdown.
AJ Styles/Daniel Bryan vs. Aiden English/Rusev
Bryan wastes no time in taking English down into a surfboard so AJ can come in off the top with a shot to the chest. Rusev tries to come in and the threat of a double submission sends the villains bailing to the floor. Back with AJ fighting out of English’s chinlock but getting backdropped for two. Rusev comes in and stomps away as the fans aren’t as in to the RUSEV DAY chants as before. It’s almost like you can kill a crowd if you try.
It’s back to English who dives to keep Styles from the tag. That earns him a Pele and the double tag brings in Bryan and Rusev. Everything breaks down and Bryan scores with the YES Kicks on Rusev. Graves: “You can’t call them that because the Miz is coming to Smackdown Live!” Phillips: “Oh shut up.” There’s the running knee to Rusev but here’s Nakamura with a low blow to Styles. Cue Big Cass to kick Bryan in the head for the DQ at 12:38.
Rating: C. I heartily approve of this Cass push. I was a fan of the guy before he got hurt and now without the little fungus around him, there’s potential there. They must think something of him if they’re putting him with Bryan right off the bat, as Bryan can definitely get a good match out of him.
Cass stares down at Bryan and Nakamura still can’t speak English to end the show.
Overall Rating: B-. Like I said at the beginning, it makes sense to have some big stuff to focus on for a show like this. The big moments from Raw and Smackdown helped a lot as it made the show go by that much faster. On top of that though you had a pair of nice original matches, making this one of the better Main Events in recent memory.
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