Main Event – November 28, 2019: Last One Out Of Chicago
IMG Credit: WWE
Main Event
Date: November 28, 2019
Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Byron Saxton
My quest to get caught up on everything continues with a show I took in live. Main Event continues to be in a race with 205 Live for the least important show you can watch, but maybe this time will be a bit different. At least this one has the Survivor Series weekend to fill in the time, which should at least be interesting. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
I was in the arena for this show, sitting in the upper deck and looking straight at the Titantron.
Opening sequence.
Natalya vs. Sarah Logan
And there goes most of the potential interest. Logan takes her to the mat in a hurry and punches away, followed by a running forearm for the same result. Back up and Natalya gets in her own takedown but it’s way too early for the Sharpshooter. Instead Logan knees her out to the floor and drives her into the barricade. A toss sends Natalya into the timekeeper’s area as this has been almost one sided so far. The armbar sets up the chinlock to start Natalya’s comeback, meaning it’s the discus lariat to drop Logan for two. Natalya pulls her out of the corner and grabs the Sharpshooter for the tap at 5:16.
Rating: C-. Logan was trying here and the match was certainly better than the seemingly endless feud with Dana Brooke. Natalya is always good for something like this and as long as you keep her away from a microphone or a story, she can be just fine. In other words, she’s perfect for Main Event.
We look at Brock Lesnar retaining the Raw World Title over Rey Mysterio at Survivor Series.
From Raw.
The locker room is around the ring and it’s Seth Rollins, billed as the locker room leader, running a town hall. We wait for the CM Punk chants to wrap up (Seth: “I tried to get him here. He wants to sit behind a desk in Los Angeles.”) before Rollins admits that NXT destroyed them last night. Rollins grew up a fan of Raw and watched people like Steve Austin and DX, but last night, everyone around this ring sucked. If anyone wants to say something, now would be the time.
With no one saying anything, Rollins calls out Orton for being the weak link on the team last night. Orton looks at him and walks out so Rollins calls out Charlotte for failing as a leader last night. Rollins: “And you call yourself a Flair.” Charlotte walks out too and Rollins wants to know where AOP were last night.
They leave when told they aren’t needed, so Rollins focuses on Rey Mysterio. Rollins says he beat Brock Lesnar twice this year but Rey couldn’t do it with a lead pipe and his stupid kid. Rey leaves and so does everyone else, save for Kevin Owens. Rollins rants about Owens being Mr. NXT and how he does nothing on Raw these days. He’ll never be Seth Rollins….and there’s a Stunner to leave Rollins laying. Turning Rollins from the guy who says stupid things on Twitter while still being a face on Raw into a delusional heel is a good idea and something they had to do after how loudly he was getting booed.
Quick look at Rey Mysterio winning the four way to become #1 contender to the US Title.
From Raw.
US Title: Rey Mysterio vs. AJ Styles
Rey is challenging and gets sent into various turnbuckles to start. A backbreaker keeps Rey in trouble for a bit and AJ ties him in the Tree of Woe for a baseball slide to make it worse. The catapult sends Rey’s throat into the rope as AJ isn’t seeming worried here. Rey gets in a few shots to the ribs but his knee gives out on a springboard attempt. He’s fine enough to send AJ shoulder first into the post though and they’re both down. It’s Rey up first but Anderson breaks up the 619, which is good for a double ejection.
We take a break and come back with Rey getting sent chest first into the buckle because he isn’t banged up enough already. The Tree of Woe is on again but the baseball slide earns AJ a crotching this time (Lawler: “Oh no! Oh no!”). The seated senton and the sitout bulldog combine for two but Rey is running out of steam.
AJ catches him on top and it’s the fireman’s carry backbreaker for two. Rey is right back with Code Red for two of his own and now the 619 connects….to bump the referee. Cue the OC but Orton runs out as well to cut them off. A 619 sends AJ into the RKO and the frog splash gives Rey the pin and the title at 15:08.
Rating: B. This was the big culmination of the whole story and the fans got completely behind Mysterio. That’s what Mysterio does as well as almost anyone ever and this was a very well done story. Mysterio overcame the odds again and won the title as a nice consolation prize after last night. And of course it was a good match given who was out there. Well done all around and the feel good moment they were shooting for.
Eric Young vs. No Way Jose
Jose dances out of a headlock to start and then dances over to grab one on Young. That isn’t cool with Young who knees away in the corner, only to get caught in an airplane spin of all things. Young isn’t having that though and goes outside to hit the hot dog in the Conga Line, sending Jose into a new level of seriousness as we take a break.
Back with Young charging into a boot in the corner but sending Jose outside for a crash. Some shots to the back on the apron give Young two and we hit the dragon sleeper in the corner. There’s the chinlock (of course) to set off the comeback (of course again), including the backdrop (you get the idea). Jose gets two off a Backstabber but Young knocks him off the top, setting up the top rope elbow for two more. Young misses a charge though and it’s the pop up right hand to finish Young at 10:06.
Rating: C. The crowd was getting into this one and I can’t say I blame them. Jose knows how to work an exciting style and Young can have a good match against anyone. Just like Natalya though, don’t let him talk too much or get into too big of a story and he’ll be fine. The full version of this was even better and it’s one of the better surprises I can remember.
Quick look at Bray Wyatt defeating Daniel Bryan at Survivor Series.
From Raw.
Kevin Owens has known who he is since the beginning, unlike Rollins, who has been doing everything he can to become whatever someone else wants him to be. All Rollins is is insufferable so tonight, Owens is Stunning Rollins.
And from Raw one more time.
Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens
Rollins sends him to the floor to start but the suicide dive hits an elbow to the face. A half crab has Owens down but he’s right back up with a superkick to the floor. That’s enough for Rollins to grab a chair, which isn’t going to be allowed as the refereeing seems to have been upgraded after the mist nonsense. Back with Owens in a reverse chinlock, followed by some chops in the corner.
A DDT gives Owens a breather and the Cannonball crushes Rollins again. Rollins rolls outside so it’s a backsplash to make it even worse, plus the frog splash for two. The Pop Up Powerbomb is countered though and Rollins hits the Blockbuster. The Stomp misses though and now the Pop Up Powerbomb gets two. They hit a superkick each and Owens grabs the Stunner but can’t cover. Instead….here’s the AOP to jump Owens for the DQ at 14:03.
Rating: C+. The ending is going to be what matters here and I’m not sure how well it’s going to go. Rollins as a top heel with some big lackeys behind him could work, especially if this sets up a rematch against Owens at TLC. The wrestling was fine enough but you could sense that they were tired after a long weekend, which is understandable.
The fans are NOT happy with this and call it BS, with some fans in my section shouting about how it makes no sense and is therefore bad. That suggests to me that they suggesting that they don’t quite get how wrestling works. Owens gets sent into the post but AOP walks away from Rollins. The Stomp to Owens ends the show.
Overall Rating: C+. So this wasn’t so much the Survivor Series recap show but rather the Raw recap show, which makes perfect sense here. There was no need to recap the go home show so this worked out well enough. Throw in a shockingly nice Jose vs. Young match and this was a rather pleasant surprise.
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:
https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/
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