10/26 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Von Wagner vs. Cedric Alexander, Brooke vs. James, more

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
OCTOBER 26, 2022
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

WWE Main Event Announcers: Byron Saxton, Kevin Patrick

REASONS TO WATCH…

• Fresh faces continue: Kiana James in action
• Brief talking heads were shown of Dana Brooke and Kiana James, neither with substance.

(1) DANA BROOKE vs. KIANA JAMES

Brooke controlled early with a side headlock takedown. James got to her feet and reversed into a wrist lock. Brooke maneuvered back into a headlock and James fired her off the ropes. Brooke knocked James down on the rebound with a shoulder block. Brooke flexed while standing over James. James leapfrogged a running Brooke, then Brooke took James down with a hip toss and gingerly kicked her in the shoulder before covering for two. Brooke fired James into a corner, then James slammed Brooke’s face into the same corner. She slammed Brooke to the mat by her arm, then dropped an elbow and covered for two. James seemed pleased with herself after Brooke’s kickout. She laid in a couple kicks, then sarcastically said, “Poor Dana.”

James rammed Brooke three times in the corner with her shoulder. James covered for another two-count, then wrenched Brooke’s arms backward in a submission hold. Brooke rolled onto her back and gave James a double kick to escape the hold. Brooke twirled into a cartwheel reverse elbow in the corner, then took James back to the mat with a DDT and covered for two.

Brooke climbed the corner but James jostled the top rope, allowing her to catch the stumbling Brooke on her shoulder. She walked away from the corner, setting up for a potential powerslam, but Brooke landed on her feet, ran the ropes, and hit a neckbreaker. Brooke covered for the three-count.

WINNER: Dana Brooke by pinfall in 4:55.

-After the winner announcement, Brooke helped James to her feet and raised her hand to the crowd. James nodded and thanked her, then clotheslined Brooke hard to the mat. James made a “boo hoo” gesture and left the ring, saying, “That is business.”

(Meyers’s Analysis: James is working on heel 101 homework. Her “business woman” schtick feels shoehorned and is reminiscent of the 80’s when your profession was your character.)

R-Truth joined a seated Shelton Benjamin backstage. Truth apologized for being insensitive last week, and said he didn’t know Benjamin was “going through something.” He said that the three of them, including Little Jimmy, need to talk their problems out. Truth said that the WWE Universe likes him being himself, and that it’s not good to be serious all the time. “Crazy got me to go toe-to-toe with the Rock, sold out pay-per-view at Madison Square Garden.” “Shelton, you got one life. Why live it so angry, so serious? We can live serious all the time, or we can lighten up and have fun.” Benjamin was expressionless the entire time, and eventually stood up, looked Truth in the eye, then walked off.

Later, Von Wagner appeared and told Truth that Benjamin lift because Truth is an idiot. Cedric Alexander walked in and asked if there was a problem. He said, “Guys like you and Duke Hudson think you can talk down to people. I got a problem with that.” Wagner said they could handle that problem in the ring – next.

(2) VON WAGNER vs. CEDRIC ALEXANDER

Alexander landed a chop to Wagner’s chest that only seemed to anger him. Alexander ducked a clothesline and hit a flying forearm, then mounted Wagner in the corner. Wagner powered through and shoved Alexander to the mat, then knocked him back down with a big boot to the face. He followed up with an elbow drop and a head butt. He clotheslined Alexander four times in the corner, then a fifth time in the middle of the ring, planting him to the canvas.

The wrestlers seemed to get their wires crossed for a few seconds before Alexander pulled down the top rope and Wagner awkwardly jumped over it and landed on the floor. Wagner got onto the apron, and Alexander sprung off the middle rope and kicked him in the face, knocking him back to the floor. We cut to break.

Wagner gained control during the break and power slammed Alexander in the middle of the ring. Wagner backed off, admired his handiwork, then moved back in to apply a chin lock. Alexander stomped on Wagner’s foot to get free, then unleashed a series of kicks. Alexander ducked a clothesline, but Wagner slammed Alexander to the mat on his next pass and covered for two. Wagner went back to the chin lock.

Alexander broke free again, this time with a jawbreaker. Alexander landed two strikes, then used a drop toe hold to fling Wagner into the turnbuckle. Alexander took Wagner out with a missile dropkick from the middle rope. Wagner rolled out to ringside, and Alexander revved up and ran off the ropes and took Wagner out – three times – with dives through the ropes. The crowd fired up here as Alexander rolled Wagner back into the ring. Alexander went for a tornado DDT but Wagner blocked the momentum and dropped Alexander face-first on the top turnbuckle. Wagner laid in a series of kicks and drove his boot into Alexander’s face through the ropes. The ref began her count, which Wagner ignored. She reached five and called for the bell.

WINNER: Cedric Alexander by disqualification in 7:25.

-Wagner continued to punish Alexander after the bell, and his music eventually played as he stood over Alexander’s body.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Good variety here, with a fun climax during Alexander’s triple diving attack. DQ finishes are not common on Main Event, so that stands out as well.)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 8.2

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42

CATCH-UP: 10/19 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Cameron Grimes vs. Akira Tozawa, Alexander vs. Hudson, more