Main Event – March 5, 2020: Prelude to the Prelude
IMG Credit: WWE
Main Event
Date: March 5, 2020
Location: Barclays Center, New York City, New York
Commentators: Byron Saxton, Mickie James
It’s the go home show for Elimination Chamber and most of the show is already set up. At the same time though it is another show helping to set up Wrestlemania. That’s an interesting combination and I’m not sure how well it is going to work here. Things might work out well enough, but you never can tell. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
Opening sequence.
Shelton Benjamin vs. Curt Hawkins
Time for a hometown boy to lose again. Hawkins snaps off some armdrags to start and Shelton needs an early breather. Back in and Shelton sends him shoulder first into the post for two and a flying armbar makes the arm even worse. We hit the armbar but Hawkins fights up and slugs away, setting up a Falcon Arrow for two. An enziguri gives Hawkins two but Shelton pulls him into the reverse cross armbreaker for the tap at 5:02.
Rating: D+. Just a short match here to give the crowd something to moan about, because that’s what we get around here most of the time. That’s the kind of thing that WWE certainly enjoys doing more often than not because…well I’m not sure why but it’s certainly something WWE feels the need to do. Not a good match of course, but it’s not like Main Event matters in WWE’s eyes.
From Smackdown.
Here’s John Cena for the big close. After taking in the crowd reaction, Cena says that he’s back so it must be Wrestlemania season. So what is he doing at Wrestlemania this year? He knows his role has changed so now it’s time to do something a little different. Cena always listens to the biggest superstar there is, which would be the fans. He knows he can probably say or do whatever he wants and have it happen at Wrestlemania, but he’s going to do the right thing.
This year’s Wrestlemania should go on without him. It’s not goodbye but it’s goodbye for now, because Cena cares about the future. Wrestlemania spots should be earned and not demanded so this year’s he’s betting on the future and sitting out. That makes tonight special because he doesn’t know when he’s going to be back. He has an announcement tonight and he wanted to make it in front of his friends and family.
The fans cheer for him and Cena drops the mic before heading to the front row to shake hands with some kids. Cena goes up the ramp and salutes….and there go the lights. They come back up and the Fiend is…..right behind him. Cena looks at the Fiend, who points at the sign. Cena looks at the sign, looks at the Fiend, and nods, as the lights go out and we get the laugh to end the show.
From Raw.
Here are Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar to get things going. Heyman does his usual shtick and then says he can’t do this. It’s their job to make you interested in Wrestlemania and yes, this year’s card looks like the best in years. The problem is the main event, which is a sham. Drew McIntyre is overhyped, because he eliminated Lesnar from the Royal Rumble with the help of a low blow from Ricochet.
There is no reason to believe that McIntyre can pin or submit Lesnar because the next time Lesnar sees McIntyre or gets his hands on him…and here’s McIntyre. Before Drew can say anything, Lesnar teases leaving but then charges at him, only to get his head kicked off with the Claymore.
McIntyre leaves and the fans sing goodbye to Brock, who is having trouble standing after the kick. Brock staggers up the ramp and here’s McIntyre to take him down with another Claymore and pose with the title. The fans want one more so McIntyre delivers and Lesnar is out cold. You don’t see someone take Lesnar down like that every day so well done.
Elimination Chamber rundown.
Akira Tozawa vs. Eric Young
Young jumps Tozawa at the bell but Tozawa chops him to the floor. That earns Tozawa a neckbreaker and it’s Young taking over again. Another neckbreaker off the apron drops Tozawa and we take a break. Back with Young stomping away in the corner and elbowing him in the face for two.
We hit the neck crank as commentary talks about Elimination Chamber to avoid talking about the match. Tozawa fights up and hurricanranas him to the floor, setting up the suicide dive. Back in and a missile dropkick drops Young again but he blasts Tozawa down for a change. The top rope elbow gets two but Tozawa is back with the Black Widow. That’s broken up so Tozawa goes up, shoves Young down, and finishes with the top rope backsplash at 11:20.
Rating: C. Nice stuff here with Tozawa continuing to be able to have a good match against anyone around here. That’s what he did again, as Young is fine for a solid performance almost any time. It’s a lot better than the opener, though that might be due to not having the hometown star lose.
From Smackdown.
Here’s Goldberg to get things going. It’s not about who’s last because it’s all about who’s next. He throws the mic down and here’s Roman Reigns (dang they’re not waiting around for this one), which Goldberg seems to like. They stare each other down until Reigns says “I’m next”, as the Wrestlemania sign looms over them.
Recap of Edge returning and getting destroyed by Randy Orton.
From Raw.
Here’s Beth Phoenix for the medical update on Edge. Before she can get anywhere though, it’s Randy Orton interrupting to offer her a hug and a handshake. Those aren’t happening so Orton sits on the top, only to cut her off again. Orton talks about going to a show in 1999 when he was 19 years old with his dad Bob Orton introducing him to agents Tony Garea and Jack Lanza. Orton was just a fan back then and couldn’t believe that he was seeing all of these stars.
Edge was the only wrestler to come up and shake his dad’s hand though and Randy was so proud. Bob introduced the two of them and Edge said maybe one day they could work together. That gave Orton some confidence and just a few years later, they were fighting for the Intercontinental Title and stealing the show every night. Then they came together as Rated RKO and won the Tag Team Titles.
Orton started making some bad decisions though and got himself into a hole that he shouldn’t have been able to get out of. He was able to be there for his family though and now he wants Edge to be able to do the same thing for their daughters. Everyone has blamed Orton for what he did but it wasn’t Orton’s fault at all. It’s Beth’s fault because she has enabled Edge, who is a junkie for the roar of the crowd.
Beth did nothing to stop him so Orton had to stop him so Edge could be a husband and father. Orton has realized that he loves Edge’s kids and Edge more than Beth ever could. Beth finally slaps him and it’s an RKO to drop her, with Orton immediately storming off. A bunch of referees and wrestlers come down to check on her to end the show. There’s your other big incentive for Edge to come back and the fiery promo should be great. Orton’s explanation was good and fits his rather crazy outlook on things, which is all you need most of the time.
Overall Rating: C-. There are some good things being set up for Wrestlemania and what matters is that they have a card in sight. With so little time left, they have to do something to get the rest of the card ready and there is a good chance that we are going to be starting that run on Monday. Then again they might have yet another show lined up to do in between because WWE loves running as many shows as they can. Fine enough show for its purpose here, but it wasn’t anything worth seeing, as usual.
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