Main Event – March 7, 2019: And We’re Right Back To Normal
IMG Credit: WWE
Main Event
Date: March 7, 2019
Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Byron Saxton, Renee Young, Percy Watson
Things started happening in a hurry last week as WWE suddenly remembered that they needed to set up Fastlane outside of the big matches. That made for some eventful stuff this week and hopefully that translates to this show as well. I’m not sure if I should believe that to be the case or not, but you have to have hope. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
Opening sequence.
Apollo Crews vs. EC3
Rematch from last week. EC3 takes him down with a quickly broken headlock as Crews fights up with a dropkick and armdrag. Crews gets stomped down in the corner for a bit and we hit the reverse chinlock. A clothesline cuts off Crews’ comeback but Crews gets in one of his own. That’s enough to head up top, only to get crotched back down. The 1%er finishes Crews at 5:25.
Rating: D. EC3 has to be near the top of most ridiculous demotions in recent years. He had two matches and is already trading wins with Apollo Crews on Main Event? That’s really the best thing they could do with him? I feel sorry for the guy as he was brought up without any thinking and never had a chance to show what he could do up there. Maybe it can change, but for now it’s rather ridiculous.
From Raw.
Here’s Roman Reigns to open things up to another solid pop. Reigns says last week was the comeback but this week it’s time to take the yard back. There was one person standing in his way and that’s Seth Rollins. This brings out Rollins, who says what an inspiration this is for him. Rollins wants to bring the Universal Title back to Raw but he knows what Reigns is going through. If anyone deserves the shot, it’s Reigns. That sounds nice to Reigns, but he tells Rollins good luck.
They had me believing that they were going to go with Reigns vs. Lesnar again at Wrestlemania so it’s quite the relief that it was just a tease (for now). I know that Reigns is going to be back on top of the card at some point in the future but for now, it needs to be Rollins after what they’ve built up over the last few months.
From Raw.
Rollins tries talking to Ambrose about getting the Shield back together but it’s a no. He appreciates the help last week but now he has to do it on his own.
From Raw.
Post break Dean is still in the ring when Reigns and Rollins come out to pitch the reunion one more time. Dean goes through the crowd instead but here are Lashley, Corbin and McIntyre to interrupt and make fun of the Shield being split again. The fight is on until Ambrose runs back to the ring for the save. Rollins and Reigns do the pose and Dean throws his fist in for the big reunion.
Yet again, from Raw.
We look back at Batista attacking Ric Flair last week and calling out HHH.
Here’s HHH to talk about Batista and Flair. HHH says he was here last week for Ric Flair, but also for Richard Fliehr, one of the best men he has ever known. They were at each other’s sides for their weddings (well, most of Flair’s weddings as HHH couldn’t make all of them) and HHH was next to him when Fliehr buried his son. Then a year ago he stood by Fliehr’s bed when he was clinging to life and was scared to answer his phone because he thought it was the call saying he was gone.
Last week HHH wanted him out here to be the Nature Boy one more time but Batista wouldn’t let that happen. Batista has been trying to get HHH’s attention for months and when HHH got hurt in November, it seemed to be the end of things. That wasn’t good enough for Batista, who finally didn’t quit for once. So Batista attacked a seventy year old man who was trying to have one more moment?
Now Batista wants to show up on a screen and go Bad Guy 101 with HHH by saying he doesn’t like Philadelphia? HHH doesn’t care where he wants to go and he’ll come to Batista’s house or go to a movie set if he has to. When Batista comes to see him, it’s going to be the man instead of a character and Dave has to look him in the eyes. Good promo here and HHH’s response made sense, though I’m still needing to know why Batista did this in the first place. What exactly does he have to prove?
Tyler Breeze/Lucha House Party vs. Jinder Mahal/Singh Brothers
Lince Dorado and Kalisto for the Luchas here. Sumir shoulders Dorado down to start and we get the Bollywood dancing. That just earns him a dropkick and it’s off to Sunil, who gets taken down with a spinning crossbody. Kalisto comes in for the splashes and we take an abrupt break. Back with Breeze getting the hot tag and kicking Sumir in the face for two. Everything breaks down and the Beauty Shot drops Jinder, leaving Sunil to take the Salida Del Sol into the shooting star press to give Dorado the pin at 7:39.
Rating: D+. There’s something hilarious about Mahal taking a backseat to the Singh Brothers in these matches. The guy stopped mattering a long time ago but now he’s the definition of “just there”, which says a lot when he’s by far the most successful of all six people in a match.
We look back at Kevin Owens taking Kofi Kingston’s place in the Fastlane title match.
We see the brawl between Owens and Rowan from Smackdown.
From Raw.
Here’s Stephanie McMahon with the Women’s Title and the agreement for Becky to sign. After we see Rousey laying the title down last week, Stephanie brings out Charlotte and Becky. Stephanie explains the hold harmless agreement but Charlotte mocks her before any signing takes place (and I need to make sure who signs and who doesn’t, because if there’s one thing WWE adheres to, it’s signed contracts). Becky offers to fight her right now on one good leg and there’s the signing.
We cut to the back where Rousey is storming into the arena and come back with her walking to the stage (must be a huge arena). Rousey storms in and demands the title back. Stephanie hands it over and changes Sunday’s match. Now, if Becky wins the on Sunday, she’s in the Wrestlemania title match. Ronda isn’t done yet though and yells at Stephanie about making money for the company. She goes into a rant against the fans about how terrible everything is and how she’s sacrificed so much for this company and then they boo her out of the Staples Center.
Screw the Woo and the beating is on with Charlotte getting kicked to the floor. Rousey puts Becky in the armbreaker and cranks back before hammering away in the corner. The armbreaker goes on again and Charlotte leaves as Ronda poses over Becky. Ronda puts the hold on for the third time as they seem to have wrapped things up very early.
And from Smackdown.
Here’s Charlotte to call out Becky for a friendly discussion. First though, we get a video from last night featuring Ronda Rousey attacking Becky before Sunday’s match. Cue Becky, who says she’s sore but it’s worth it to be inside Charlotte and Rousey’s head. She’s going to be damaged going into Fastlane but that just means she has nothing left to lose.
Charlotte kicks the crutch out and the attack is on with a knee to Becky’s knee and a kick to the arm making her cringe in agony. Becky gets in a crutch shot though and grabs the Disarm-Her while shouting that it’s her title. Referees come out and break it up as Charlotte rolls outside.
Overall Rating: D. This show continues to be astounding in its efforts to marginalize Smackdown even more. For the second biggest wrestling show in the world and what is going to be the flagship show very soon, it’s amazing to see how little WWE itself cares about the thing. It was incredible to see how much Raw stuff they crammed in here as Smackdown was thrown in at the end. Not a good show, and at this point I’m less and less surprised every week.
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