Main Event – July 11, 2019: Needing New Management
IMG Credit: WWE
Main Event
Date: July 11, 2019
Location: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Commentators: Byron Saxton, Renee Young, Sam Roberts
It’s time for more recapping moderateness as we see who else wasn’t good enough to make Raw this week. The big theme for this week is going to be setting up Extreme Rules, which is looking like a hit or miss show for the most part. I’m not sure what that means for this week, but you never can tell around here. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
Opening sequence.
Natalya vs. Tamina
Yeah I’m seeing why these two didn’t make Raw. Feeling out process to start with Tamina hipping her in the ribs but Natalya pops back up without much trouble. Sam: “Tamina is WWE’s answer to Amanda Nunes.” Nunes is possibly the greatest women’s MMA fighter of all time and is more or less unstoppable at the moment. So yeah, Sam is a moron.
Tamina grabs a wristlock but has to bail from a quick wristlock attempt. They head outside with Tamina blasting her with a clothesline and it’s off to the chinlock back inside. Sam talks about Tamina never getting what she deserves and I’m not touching that one. Natalya fights up and unloads in the corner but walks into the Samoan drop for two. In a decent power display, Natalya grabs a Michinoku Driver of all things for the pin at 6:20.
Rating: D+. This wasn’t even a bad match but WWE has to be kidding themselves if they think there is potential in Tamina. She’s not getting any younger, she has no credibility and she isn’t good in the ring. What in the world does she have going for her that would make the fans care about her, especially near the title picture? Nothing, which has been the case for years now.
From Raw.
Andrade/Zelina Vega vs. Becky Lynch/Seth Rollins
Elimination rules for the sake of the commercials. Becky takes Vega down without much trouble to start but gets caught in a DDT. Another toss sends Vega into the corner so it’s off to the men for a change. Andrade works on a wristlock but gets armdragged down as the announcers talk about the personal and professional damage that could take place should Becky and Seth lose on Sunday. Rollins sends him outside for the suicide dive, leaving Becky to Dis-Arm Vega for the tap at 4:57. Hang on though as Becky goes into the crowd to fight Lacey Evans and we take a break.
Back with Andrade stomping away as Becky isn’t allowed in the match anymore. So….the elimination rules are pretty much worthless no? Andrade goes up top and knocks away a superplex attempt, setting up the top rope double stomp for two. Seth is fine enough to hit the springboard knee to the head for two but Vega, still at ringside, gets in a headscissors.
Becky dives onto her until Andrade breaks it up. Seth freaks out but Andrade runs Becky over by mistake. The distraction lets Andrade hit the running knees in the corner for two but Becky goes after Vega again. That distraction is enough for the Stomp to finish Andrade at 14:13.
Rating: D+. I don’t remember the last story and feud that I can remember that was this much death for everyone involved. I don’t know who benefits from this or who thinks this is a great idea, but egads it isn’t working. Both Rollins and Lynch feel like they’ve lost a bunch of energy and Corbin brings down any segment where he appears. Find something fresh after Sunday, because my goodness this is a disaster.
Post match Baron Corbin jumps Rollins so Lynch goes after Corbin, allowing Evans to pop back in with the Woman’s Right. Paul Heyman comes out and we take a break.
We look back at the two Ricochet vs. AJ Styles matches.
From Raw.
Ricochet vs. Luke Gallows
Non-title. Before the match, Ricochet talks about AJ Styles turning on him and the beatdown from last week. He knows that’s going to happen this week as well so all three of them can get out here. That’s exactly what happens too but AJ grabs a mic of his own. AJ tells Ricochet to appreciate the moment because Gallows is about to give him another beating. Speaking of appreciating the moment, here’s a clip from last week’s beatdown.
Back in the arena, Gallows wastes no time in hitting a big chokeslam. The chinlock goes on and Gallows turns him inside out on a clothesline. AJ is very, very pleased with this beating. Gallows loads up a fall away slam but Ricochet slips out and reverses into a sunset flip for the pin at 2:59.
Hang on though as AJ says Ricochet can leave or fight Karl Anderson RIGHT NOW.
Ricochet vs. Karl Anderson
Non-title again. Anderson runs Ricochet over this time and gets two off a clothesline. The chinlock goes on again as AJ is rather pleased again this time around. This time the comeback is cut off with the spinebuster and Gallows adds a right hand. Ricochet nails him with a flip dive, followed by the middle rope moonsault to Styles. Back in and Anderson hits the post, leaving Ricochet to hit the 630 for the pin at 4:30.
Rating: D+. This didn’t have the time to go anywhere and while I like the idea of Ricochet getting some momentum, I could have gone without having him beat both Good Brothers in a row. That being said, they didn’t have many other options and at least the first one looked more like a fluke. Anderson and Gallows will be fine as big lackeys anyway.
Post match AJ hits a brainbuster on Ricochet, followed by the Magic Killer. AJ says he’s a good guy and leaves, but Ricochet gets up so it’s a Phenomenal Forearm for his efforts.
Video on Kofi Kingston vs. Samoa Joe.
Heath Slater vs. Robert Roode
Roode takes him down without much effort and that means the GLORIOUS pose. Slater is right back up with the hip swiveling and a clothesline as the fans are treating this as you would expect them to treat a Robert Roode vs. Heath Slater match. Roode gets in some stomping in the corner and we take the abrupt break. Back with Slater making a comeback and getting two off a top rope clothesline. The jumping neckbreaker doesn’t work so Slater hits another clothesline for two. And never mind as Roode hits the Glorious DDT for the pin at 7:47.
Rating: D. What else were you expecting here? Slater is little more than a fun comedy guy and Roode has yet to find his footing in WWE despite having been here for years now. This felt a little more important than most Main Event main events but that doesn’t mean it’s a match worth seeing.
We recap Kevin Owens arriving at Smackdown, being ejected, and coming back to rant about Shane McMahon.
From Smackdown.
Roman Reigns vs. Dolph Ziggler
Hang on though because here are Shane, Drew and Elias to watch. Shane is on commentary as Ziggler kicks Reigns down to start and nails a quick Shot to the Heart. Roman fights back up and knocks Ziggler outside for the apron dropkick. A distraction lets McIntyre post Reigns though, which Shane just happened to miss. Back in and Ziggler gets two, followed by another Shot to the Heart for two. A neckbreaker is good for the same and we hit the chinlock.
Another neckbreaker is broken up, as is Ziggler’s running DDT. Reigns starts the comeback but has to Superman Punch Elias, allowing the Zig Zag to hit for two. The superkick is countered with a Superman Punch for two but Elias pulls Ziggler out before the spear. Reigns hits the no hands dive but goes too far and lands face first on the floor. Thankfully he pops up as Shane comes into the ring. Ziggler superkicks Reigns but here’s Owens for a Stunner to Shane. Reigns and Ziggler get back in so the spear can finish Ziggler at 8:48.
Rating: C-. The Owens interference breathed some much needed life into this one but it wasn’t doing well before then. Ziggler and Shane continue to feel like the annoying friends who tag along on everything you do whether you want them there or not. Shane is likely gearing up for a match against Owens at Summerslam and Ziggler….well he’ll be there too, likely saying the same things he always says.
Overall Rating: D. I’m never sure what to say on this show but this was another week that didn’t do anything more than fulfill its purpose in a rather dull way. There was nothing on this show that you need to see and I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to see Tamina and Heath Slater. Hopefully things pick up under new management, which is certainly a possibility.
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