Main Event – October 3, 2019: They’re Doing Things Differently
IMG Credit: WWE
Main Event
Date: October 3, 2019
Location: Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, Arizona
Commentators: Byron Saxton, Dio Maddin, Mickie James
This could be a different kind of show as there is no Smackdown material here as the show had not taken place yet. That will be taken care of when next week’s show airs, but thankfully this week’s Raw was a big enough deal that everything should be fine. Well I mean Raw wasn’t all that great but maybe the highlights will be better. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
Opening sequence.
Mojo Rawley vs. No Way Jose
Jose dances a lot to start as Mickie talks about how much she wants in on the Conga Line. Rawley gets shoved into the corner and glares at him, allowing Jose to hit a running corner dropkick. That’s enough to put Rawley on the floor but he’s right back in with a jawbreaker. Some right hands keep Jose in trouble and it’s time to choke on the rope. The required chinlock goes on but Rawley lets go so he can pose. Jose hits a dropkick and a running clothesline in the corner, setting up a high crossbody for two. A missed charge in the corner sets up the running right hand to give Rawley the pin at 5:30.
Rating: C-. I know I say something like this every single time but these two almost always have a decent match against each other. For the life of me I’d love to see Jose get a chance to do something fresh as he is more than talented enough to make something bigger work. That won’t happen as Jose is slotted into his spot, but it’s a spot that isn’t likely going anywhere anytime soon, which isn’t the worst thing in the world.
From Raw.
It’s time for MizTV with Miz offering condolences to Rey and his family. He can’t imagine what it would be like to have something like that happen to his child. As for tonight, he has two legends for his guests. That would be Hulk Hogan (with Jimmy Hart) and Ric Flair, with Ric not seemingly happy with Hogan. Ric complains about hearing Real American for thirty years. Hogan: “WOO!” Miz: “We’ve been hearing those even longer!”
Hogan brings out his captain in the form of Seth Rollins, but Flair has his own captain in Randy Orton. Randy wants Seth’s undivided attention so can he please crawl out of Hogan’s a** for a second. Randy to Flair: “Can I get a WOO?” They’ll be picking their teams together over the next few weeks but for now, let’s have a captain’s match. Flair was all over the place here and seemed a bit out of it, or at least rambling with some off the cuff comments.
Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton
I think this is non-title….and here’s King Corbin to interrupt. The bell never rings as Corbin and Orton double team Seth, including a scepter shot. Rusev of all people saves and I smell a tag match. Actually we don’t as Rusev clears the ring and we seem to have a second member for each team.
From Raw.
Sasha Banks vs. Alexa Bliss
Hang on though as here’s Becky Lynch to join commentary. Bliss gets knocked to the floor to start and it’s already time for the trash talk from the ring. Becky gets on the table and yells back as we go split screen for a Gears of War ad. Back in a hurry with Becky still standing and taping her fists. An ambulance siren goes off in the arena, which I would assume would be Dominick’s ambulance leaving. Bliss slaps away but a DDT is broken up, leaving Banks to beg off. She calls for Bayley (not here) and the distraction lets her kick Bliss in the leg and grab a rollup for the pin at 4:25.
Rating: D+. Nothing to see here other than a nice hope of having the stories bleed between segments for a change. The ambulance leaving gives me some hope, as there is no logical reason to have everything come to a halt because another match starts up. The ending was a little odd as it seemed to focus more on the Tag Team Title stuff than the Raw Women’s Title on Sunday.
Post match Becky comes in for the fight but Banks bails into the crowd, where a fan has the most bugged out eyes.
Quick look at Brock Lesnar destroying Rey Mysterio and Dominick.
Lucha House Party vs. EC3/Eric Young
Are they just running the same matches that they saw on previous shows? Kalisto is the odd man out for the House Party here. Dorado armdrags Young into a standing moonsault for two to start. Metalik, in his full bodysuit, comes in and climbs onto Dorado’s shoulders for the splash. Double dropkicks put Young and EC3 on the floor as we take a break.
Back with EC3 stomping Dorado down in the corner and handing it back to Young for a chinlock. The moonsault misses though and an enziguri to EC3 is enough for the hot tag to Metalik. Everything breaks down and Young’s top rope elbow hits EC3 by mistake. Metalik’s elbow into the shooting star from Dorado is enough for the pin at 8:52.
Rating: C. Another match where they were working hard and trying, which is starting to become more of a thing around here. Don’t worry though as I’m sure WWE will manage to crush their spirits soon enough and let them know that this is Main Event and that’s not what they’re supposed to do around here. I’d be curious to know how low on the card whoever runs this show is, as it must be the busy work for some agent backstage more than anything else.
From Raw one more time.
Raw World Title: Rusev vs. Seth Rollins
Rusev is challenging and gets a jobber entrance as Orton and Corbin are watching from the stage. Rollins tries to start fast but has to bail from the Accolade. The fall away slam starts working on the back as we take a break (with the Fiend appearing to say Let Me In). Back with Rollins fighting out of the bearhug and sending Rusev to the floor for the suicide dives. Rusev rolls through a high crossbody but Rollins rolls through his roll through for two.
Rusev kicks him in the head and gets two off a swinging release Rock Bottom. Rollins is back up with the Falcon Arrow for two but the Stomp misses. The springboard knee hits part of a superkick…..and here’s Bobby Lashley. He waves someone out though and here is…..Lana, as Rusev is crushed. Kissing ensues with Lana almost crawling on top of Lashley as Rusev just glares. There go the lights and the Fiend Mandible Claws Rollins in a no contest at 11:30.
Rating: D+. This was just a backdrop for the double angles and I’d rather they do that here than wasting what could have been a big match with Mysterio. Rusev not losing is a great sign and he has a feud set up instantly. I’m curious about the story behind the whole thing so at least they have something going on already.
Laughter ends the show.
Overall Rating: C. The weird schedule changed some stuff around here but for what it was, this wasn’t too bad. They got in the bigger stuff from Raw, but it’s a strange situation because Raw was possibly the fourth biggest show of the week. That may sound strange, but it could very well become the new norm around here, which is going to take a lot of getting used to. Better than average show here, but that’s on the Main Event scale.
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