WWE Main Event
September 11, 2013
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Match #1: Kofi Kingston vs. Antonio Cesaro (with Zeb Colter)
We continue with the outstanding series of matches over the United States Championship from earlier this year that was put on hold after Kofi’s injury. Much to my chagrin, the Miz is back on commentary, replacing the excellent Alex Riley. Cesaro attacks at the bell with a running dropkick, as the announcers opine that he’s angry due to his loss to Santino Marella on Raw. Kofi, on a two match win streak over the IC Champ, Curtis Axel, hits an elbow after a double leapfrog. Cesaro comes back by peppering Kofi with lefts and rights, but Kofi reverses into a springboard forearm. Kofi outside on the apron now, and Cesaro brings him back with a no-hands back drop. After being thrown in the corner, Kofi holds on to the ropes, turns around mid air into a leg scissors on Antonio. Each guy really bringing the innovation so far. Baseball slide to Cesaro on the outside. He recovers, throws Kofi into the stairs, and Kingston leaps over them, turns around, and flips off the stairs into a somersault on Cesaro! Back in, two dead lift gutwrench suplexes by Antonio, and he eventually pushes Kofi off the top rope to the floor before the commercial break. Too much action to pay attention to the announcers right now…
As we come back, we learn that Miz was away on a two-week promotional tour. Anything that keeps him away from the commentary booth is fine with me. After a quick comeback, Kofi hits the boom drop, rolls Cesaro up after a missed Trouble in Paradise, and hits a top rope crossbody. Kingston leaps at Cesaro, who catches him in a powerbomb position and hits him with the pop-up European Uppercut! Cesaro blocks a small package and dead lifts Kofi for a third time, this time into a vertical suplex, which Kingston reverses into an SOS Drop. I don’t usually want to type play-by-play, but this match is so much fun that I feel compelled to. A second Trouble in Paradise is caught and, HERE WE GO, Giant Swing time! Ottawa gives a standing ovation for Cesaro after a 35-second swing. Cesaro goes for the Neutralizer, blocked into an exchange of pins, and Cesaro gets caught by a quick Trouble in Paradise for the 3-count.
Winner: Kofi Kingston
Not as good as their U.S. title match on Main Event earlier this year, but still one of the more enjoyable matchups from this show. I strongly feel that these guys are a big part of the future of the company.
We come back from break and head straight into a recap of the CM Punk/Paul Heyman feud. Since I don’t generally watch Raw, I always make sure to check out Scott Criscuolo’s Raw review.
Match #2: Primetime Players vs. 3MB (Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal)
Tons of Funk join Miz and Josh Matthews on commentary for this one. PTP go on a seven minute stretch of offense on Mahal and Slater that lulls the crowd into silence, save for the now obligatory whistle kicks. It’s explained that the Tag Team Turmoil match will be Gauntlet style. Clay and Tensai offer up their strategy for winning on commentary. Early highlights of the match include O’Neil suplexing Darren young onto Heath Slater, and a corner clothesline, northern lights suplex combination by Young. Tons of Funk state that the Usos’ lineage may come back to haunt them due to the pressure placed on them by their relatives.
We come back from break, and, as good as the first match of the show was, this bout has grinded the show to a halt. 3MB finally takes over after some double team trickery. The most entertaining part of this segment is Brodus Clay getting on the Miz’s case after the Miz mocks Clay’s diet. Brodus talks about losing 190 lbs (!) and questions whether Miz should be putting anyone down now that he’s supposed to be “a nice guy.” EXACTLY. O’Neil eventually gets the hot tag and chucks Mahal with a standing fall-away slam. Slater destroys Young by whipping him into the table, but, in the ring, O’Neill finishes Mahal off with the Lo Down in twelve and a half long, long minutes.
Winners: Primetime Players
After a second Raw Rewind recapping Daniel Bryan and Big Show’s struggle with the facgime, R-Truth raps his way to the ring for a match with Big E. Langston.
Match 3: R-Truth vs. Big E. Langston
Remember how I said that the last match brought the crowd to silence? I was wrong. It is stunningly quiet in the Canadian Tire Centre right now. Langston just chucks Truth to start, but Truth dropkicks him back, sending the powerlifter to the floor. Miz makes Josh Matthews chuckle with the following nugget of wisdom: “The thing about Big E. Langston is he’s big, obviously.” Truth flings himself over the top rope, overshoots Langston and almost decapitates himself on the floor. Back in now, and Langston catches Truth off the second rope with multiple back breakers. Warrior splash now, and the crowd couldn’t care less. Truth regains control for a minute, landing a leg lariat and DDT, but Langston finishes him off with a Vader-like chest bump and the Big Ending for the win.
Winner: Big E. Langston
This was okay for a quick five-minute match, but the lack of crowd interaction and enthusiasm, combined with the last match was enough to nearly put me to sleep, even though I was writing notes. Overall, this week’s show was a bit bipolar, starting off with a hot match before screeching to a halt. Alex Riley’s presence was definitely missed, as Miz is a step down for me in terms of his announcing ability.
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