Titus O’Neil def. Damian Sandow by pinfall
It’s Titus O’Neil’s first televised (non-battle royal) match since the February RAW on which he lost to Adam Rose and roughhoused the boss! This, of course, is also Sandow’s final televised match with the company, after receiving his release last Friday.
Tom Phillips is also back at the announce desk on this truly landmark edition of Main Event, capitalising on the shitcanning of one Rich Brennan. After accepting Jerry Lawler’s welcome, Phillips proclaims this a “new era with new opportunities”. And no Rich Brennans.
Sandow worked heel here, because who cares. He was on offence for the majority of the sub-four minute duration of this match, before Titus made a quick comeback and creamed him with the Clash of the Titus. O’Neil did the bark after the bell and looked awkward as the Kansas crowd failed to care.
– O’Neil’s attempts to dance with a fan are to-the-backed, as we abruptly cut to the Star Room, where Cody Rhodes is STILL Stardust. Cody blathers on about one of the writers’ favourite topics – Dolph’s cruddy comedy “career” – before making a Star Trek reference (something about being cloaked like a Romulan warbird). He also made a joke about Dublin being the largest city in the world because it’s “always doubling”. Hey, at least it’s not a Social Outcasts promo!
Apollo Crews def. Viktor by pinfall
Good ol’ Smiley Black Man continues to exclusively work squash matches, polishing off the sole remaining Ascension member with the toss powerbomb in just over four minutes. Viktor, whose work I usually enjoy, disappointed me here by applying a reverse chinlock for a very long time.
Baron Corbin def. Sin Cara by pinfall
Third squash in a row here, as hometown hero Corbin puts away Sin Cara in under four minutes. It was a little more interesting than the previous two matches however, with Corbin cutting off an early tope suicida attempt with a vicious forearm, before eventually eating one during the comeback. Said comeback also featured a botched quebrada attempt that Corbin had to quickly adjust his position to receive.
After taking Cara’s suicide dive, Corbin recovered and flung Cara head first into the ringpost from the powerbomb position, as he did to Dolph Ziggler at Payback. Back in the ring, the reigning ARMBAR champion finished the Lucha Dragon off with the End of Days.
Dolph Ziggler def. Stardust by pinfall
Playing off Stardust’s earlier promo, these two worked a comedy match in the early going; featuring a Vintner-esque double noogie from Dolph and a spot where Ziggler ran Stardust around the ring while hammerlocked!
Ziggler eventually flew into the ringpost shoulder-first to start the heat. Unfortunately for Stardust, who then went on to work Dolph’s left shoulder for the next five minutes, Dolph struck the post with his right – as more than one replay clearly demonstrated.
Phillips failed to call a Disaster Kick, which got two for Cody after he cut off Ziggler’s comeback. Dolph then hit a superkick out of nowhere to wrap this ten minute match up.
Final Thoughts
Not a great show this week. Credit to Cody and Dolph for trying something different with the comedy stuff, but once the heat started the match died and the finish was weak. The rest of the show was just squash city. Not one to seek out, by any means.