WWE Main Event
January 23th 2012
Sacramento, California
Commentators: Michael Cole and Mike Mizanin
Report by: Clinton Bowman of Wrestleview.com
We open with a Royal Rumble “By the Numbers” package, highlighting all the Rumble stats.
We go to Matt Striker who asks Ryback how he plans to take on the Royal Rumble. Ryback says that it is his for the taking. He also states that his second shot at Cesaro will make the Swiss Miss look like Swiss cheese. That was indeed a joke.
Main Event
Exhibition Match (Non-Title)
“The Swiss Superman” Antonio Cesaro v. “The Big Hungry” Ryback
“It looks like the greatest United States Champion is on Main Event, while some of us are doing commentary.” – Antonio Cesaro on The Miz
Before the match, Cesaro runs down Ryback and the fans, stating that every one of them feel that are entitled to everything. Ryback interrupts Cesaro.
Ryback and Cesaro lock up in the middle of the ring, but Ryback easily shrugs off Cesaro’s offense. Ryback throws Cesaro around the ring with ease, as he then maintains head control. Cesaro backs him into a corner, and unloads on Ryback. The referee pulls them apart, however, Ryback gains control, pushing Cesaro into the corner, following it up with an Avalanche Splash. Ryback goes for the rope rebound, however, Cesaro drops him with a clothesline. Antonio pins Ryback, but Ryback kicks out at 1. Ryback regains control of Cesaro, utterly demolishing Cesaro, until Cesaro rakes his eye. Cesaro goes up high and hits Air Swiss (2nd rope Euro Uppercut,) and pins Ryback, who kicks out at one.
*commercial break*
Cesaro has a Buffalo Sleeper on Ryback, as the fans chant “Feed Me More.” Ryback gets to his feet, and Cesaro sends him running, but Ryback ducks the clothesline, and hits the Lou Thesz Press. Ryback then bangs Cesaro’s head on the mat, and clotheslines him over the top. Cesaro decides to cut out and run, but The Miz says NO. Miz throws him back into the ring. Ryback lifts Cesaro over his head, but Cesaro counters, and stomps on his chest. Cesaro covers Ryback, but Ryback kicks out before the count. Cesaro then runs the ropes and drives his knee into Ryback’s head, and pins him for a one count. Ryback picks him up and drops him with a sick spinebuster. Ryback hits the Meat Hook, however Cesaro runs away and gets counted out.
Winner via countout: Ryback
Final Move: Meat Hook
After the Break: Rock gets rocked!
*commercial break*
Raw Rebound: Rock lets Punk know what’s good, but the Shield has other ideas.
Note on WWE Championship Match: If the Shield interferes on Punk’s behalf, Punk will be stripped of the WWE Championship Belt.
SmackDown Lowdown: Del Rio’s victory over the Big Show to win the World Championship.
Matt Striker is with the Big Show, who doesn’t feel that he needs to justify his actions to ANYONE. He also feels that he is the only Smackdown superstar that deserves to be WWE World’s Champion.
*commercial break*
Undercard Match:
The Uso Brothers (Jimmy and Jey) v. Team Rhodes Scholars
Team Rhodes Scholars come out to no entrance, running down the intelligence of the Usos and the fans, Team Hell No and how the tag team championship isn’t up to its intended prestige.
Rhodes and Jimmy Uso start the match off with a lock up. Jimmy knocks Rhodes down and gains arm control after the snap mare takedown. Jimmy backs him into a corner, and Jimmy plays around with the Mustache. Jimmy makes fun of the mustache, much to Cody’s chagrin, after Cody ducks the super kick. Cody tags in to Damien Sandow, who gets taken advantage of, while Jimmy tags in Jey. Jey and Sandow are in the corner, and Jey has a little fun with Sandow. Sandow gets frustrated and they get into it in the corner. Sandow tags out to Cody, and Cody gains control of Jey, with the Goldust uppercut. Jey gets knocked back as Jimmy tags himself in. Rhodes runs the ropes and gets caught in a stylish Dudley Death Drop across the ropes as we go to commercial.
*commercial break*
We come back to Jimmy pinning Sandow for a one count. Sandow knocks the Usos around a little, but Sandow gets thwarted. Cody and Sandow try the same tactic with the jawbreaker followed by the tag, but the Usos get wise, as Jimmy tags Jey. Jey gains control until he misses a splash and Rhodes Scholars turn the tables. Cody drops Jey with the forward suplex, and pins Jey, who kicks out at two. Rhodes tags in Sandow, who locks Jey in a body scissors. Jey fights out, however, Sandow picks off Jey and tags in Cody. Cody with the drop toe hold, as Cody punches Jey into the ropes. Sandow gets tagged in, and drops Jey with a Russian Leg Sweep and the Elbow of Distain. Cody gets tagged in, and locks Jey in an abdominal stretch. Jey tosses Cody out of the stretch and the ring. However, Jey tags in Jimmy after Sandow rolls in Cody and tags himself in. Sandow gets pinned for two, and gets superkicked for good measure. Jimmy tags in Jey, who goes up high. Jimmy gets pulled out of the ring and Jey gets hung up. Sandow pins Jey and Team Rhodes Scholars get the victory.
Winners: Team Rhodes Scholars
Beginning next week and continuing for 3 weeks: The Intercontinental Cup. The winner becomes #1 contender for the IC title.
Bowman’s Bulletpoints
Cesaro vs. Ryback and Team Rhodes Scholars vs. The Usos were both equally good matches. I can’t honestly say that this episode of Main Event was bad in anyway. I don’t feel as this show has left anything to be desired, and continues to impress with the match quality.
A lot of what the Ryback match was simply telling the story of Cesaro wanting to end the match quick, and Ryback wanting to do the same. Ryback doesn’t care how he ends it, but Cesaro felt that Ryback wasn’t worth his time and wanted to get out of dodge.
Rhodes Scholars v. The Usos, however, was harder to decipher. Was this a highlight match for Rhodes Scholars, or was it for the Usos? Not taking away from how good the match was, but depending on the perspective, the match may be different for this match.
In a different vein, WWE Games has been dissolved, as a result of THQ’s dissolution and asset sales. Or has it?
We don’t have any details to share yet, but there WILL continue to be WWE Games. Stay tuned for more information and some exciting news!
— WWE Games (@WWEgames) January 23, 2013
IGN reports that Take-Two Interactive has picked up the license for all WWE Games, with a formal announcement expected Thursday. Now, what does this mean for WWE Games fans? Any future WWE games will be under the 2K Sports banner, which is the former Visual Concepts division of SEGA, the producers of the critically acclaimed NBA 2K series. EA was a contender for this license, as they also have the official UFC license as well. This also means that the game will most likely be better promoted, as 2K knows how to promote the CRAP out of their games. WWE Games under the same banner as Borderlands, GTA V and NBA 2K? That’s a win for the company, as all four of these franchises sell exceptionally well.
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