WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event
January 25, 2024
San Antonio, Texas (Frost Bank Center)
Commentary: Michael Cole and Pat McAfee
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Then. Now. Forever. Together.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
We see a drone shot of the Frost Bank Center before entering the arena.
Pre-Show Arrivals
Undisputed WWE Champion “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes is shown arriving. His opponent at the Royal Rumble, Kevin Owens, is also shown arriving. Shawn Michaels, who will moderate their contract signing, is shown walking backstage. Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley arrived earlier today. Her opponent for the evening, Nia Jax, is shown arriving with a coffee in hand. Jey Uso, looking for his first World Championship, is in the building. World Heavyweight Champion Gunther is also here. Finally, “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, holding the Million Dollar Championship, steps out of a limousine.
An awful overlap of English and Spanish commentary is happening on the NBC feed.
Video: WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event hype video.
We go live into the Frost Bank Center to see a big pyrotechnics display. Joe Tessitore and Jesse “The Body” Ventura welcome us to the show. It’s impossible to make out what is being said with the Spanish track covering up what he is saying. I only got so far on Duolingo.
As Rhea Ripley makes her entrance, they finally get the audio straightened out. This is the first title defense of Ripley’s reign.
Lilian Garcia makes the in-ring announcements. They have the classic microphone hanging from the ceiling like those old Madison Square Garden shows with Howard Finkel at the helm.
Women’s World Championship
Nia Jax vs. Rhea Ripley (c)
Referee: Daphnie LaShaunn
As Lilian Garcia makes the announcements, Nia Jax head-butts Rhea Ripley in the mouth. The referee checks on Ripley before calling for the bell to start the match. Ripley sidesteps an avalanche and connects with a dropkick. Ripley attacks Jax in the corner, but Jax shoves her away. Ripley ducks a clothesline and hits a head-scissor into a DDT! Jax rolls out of the ring to recover, but Ripley goes to the apron and hits a cannonball off the apron. Ripley gets Jax back in the ring and hits a pair of short-arm clotheslines that don’t take Jax down. Jax pops her up and hits a head-butt. Jax avalanches her in the corner and puts her on the top rope. Ripley quickly kicks her back and starts to stand on the top rope, but Jax forearms her in the face. The crowd chants, “Let’s go, Mami!” Jax connects with a devastating Samoan Drop off the second rope for a near fall!
-Commercial Break-
We return from the break to see Ripley striking away at Jax. Ripley hits a clothesline, but Jax stays standing. Ripley chops her and goes for a springboard hurricanrana, but Jax powers her up for a powerbomb attempt. Ripley counters that counter with a beautiful Code Red! 1… 2… Jax kicks out!
Ripley sets up for a Riptide, but Jax counters with a Samoan Drop. Jax powers Ripley toward the corner and heads to the second rope for a diving leg drop! 1… 2… Ripley kicks out! The crowd chants, “Mami.” Jax sets Ripley up for an Annihilator, but Ripley attacks her. Ripley gets Jax on her shoulders and walks to the center of the ring for a massive powerbomb! Ripley goes for a Prism Trap but can’t get Jax’s legs up. Jax knocks Ripley away. Jax heads to the corner and catches Ripley charging with a uranage. Jax kicks Ripley in the back and heads to the second rope for an Annihilator, but Ripley knocks her onto the apron and to the floor. Ripley heads to the top rope and connects with a cross-body block to the floor! Ripley is fired up. Ripley gets Jax in the ring and goes for a Riptide, but Jax turns into a splash for a two-count. Jax goes to the second rope and SMASHES Ripley with an Annihilator to the back! Jax goes back to the second rope, but Ripley gets up and hits an electric chair drop!
Ripley slowly gets up and avoids an avalanche. Ripley hits her with a superkick and follows up with a Riptide for the win!
Winner by Pinfall and still Women’s World Champion: Rhea Ripley
Video: Alundra Blayze threw out the WWF Women’s Championship on an episode of WCW Monday Night Nitro.
Alundra Blayze is shown at ringside. We also see Mark Henry at ringside.
Sheamus makes his way to the ring. He’ll be seeking his first Intercontinental Championship next.
-Commercial Break-
Jesse “The Body” Ventura joins commentary for this next match.
Comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias is at ringside.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Sheamus vs. Bron Breakker (c)
Referee: Shawn Bennett
This is the first Intercontinental Championship match on Saturday Night’s Main Event since 1992, when Shawn Michaels defeated The British Bulldog.
The bell rings, and they circle the ring before locking up. They tussle around before breaking. Breakker goes for a kick, but Sheamus blocks it and clotheslines him. Sheamus punches away at him in the corner. Breakker reverses a whip and goes for a hip toss, but Sheamus counters with a clothesline. Breakker reverses a whip to the corner and connects with an exploder suplex. Sheamus sends Breakker into the ropes, but Breakker ducks a clothesline and hits the ropes wildly hard before clotheslining Sheamus out of the ring. Breakker gets out on the opposite side of the ring and charges, but Sheamus picks him up and lawn darts him into the timekeeper’s area! Breakker lands hard on a chair!
Sheamus gets Breakker in the ring and hits a diving clothesline for a one-count. Sheamus dumps Breakker onto the apron, but Breakker knocks him away. Breakker goes to ringside. Sheamus charges and leaps off the steps, but Breakker spears him out of mid-air on the floor! Wow!
-Commercial Break-
We return from the break to see Breakker striking away at Sheamus. Breakker puts Sheamus on his shoulders and hits a fireman’s carry gut-buster. Breakker picks Sheamus back up and repeats the move for a two-count. Sheamus starts getting fired up as Breakker slaps him in the face. Sheamus punches back at Breakker and catches him coming off the ropes with a vicious knee to the mouth for a two-count.
Sheamus gets Breakker on the apron and hits the 10 Beats of the Bodhrán, followed by another six. Breakker pulls him into the ring and connects with a Celtic Cross for a near fall! Sheamus lifts Breakker, but Breakker slides off and hits a gorilla press powerslam for a two-count. Breakker charges him in the corner, but Sheamus boots him back. Sheamus twists to the top rope, but Breakker scales the ropes and hits a Frankensteiner! Breakker sizes him up and charges, but Sheamus crushes him with a Brogue Kick! 1… 2… Breakker gets a foot on the bottom rope! Sheamus is shocked.
The crowd chants, “This is awesome!” Sheamus limps to the corner and signals for the end. Sheamus goes for a Brogue Kick but holds his ribs in pain. Breakker charges with a shoulder tackle, but Sheamus bounces off the ropes and hits a knee to the face. Sheamus hits the ropes for a Brogue Kick, but Breakker avoids it and hits a Spear! 1… 2… 3!
Winner by Pinfall and still WWE Intercontinental Champion: Bron Breakker
Jesse “The Body” Ventura says the referee counted three and missed the boot on the bottom rope during that pin attempt. Ventura says the pin should count, and the referee shouldn’t be allowed a mulligan.
Video: Highlights from Shawn Michaels’ legendary career.
WWE Hall of Famer and San Antonio’s own Shawn Michaels makes his way to the ring. He’ll moderate the Royal Rumble Ladder Match contract signing next.
-Commercial Break-
WWE Hall of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase is at ringside in his trademark tuxedo with the Million Dollar Championship. Dory Funk Jr. is also at ringside. He shouts, “Never quit!” “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan is also at ringside with his trademark 2×4.
Royal Rumble Ladder Match Contract Signing
Shawn Michaels says he is sweating through his suit because he’s been dancing for the last few minutes. HBK is happy to be home in San Antonio. He was given one job tonight: to walk out of the ring with the signatures of Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis couldn’t get it done, so he sent in the closer to get it done. HBK introduces the challenger for the Undisputed WWE Championship, Kevin Owens.
Kevin Owens makes his way to the ring in a shirt that says, “Cody sucks eggs.” That’s an old Terry Funk saying that he used to call “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. Funk would call him an “egg-sucking dog.” Owens is still in possession of the Winged Eagle World Championship.
Undisputed WWE Champion “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes is introduced next. As Rhodes makes his entrance, he climbs a ladder that is set up at ringside. Pyrotechnics go off as Rhodes poses. Rhodes soon gets in the ring and stares at Owens. They sneer at each other. HBK is shown standing between them and tells them to sit down, but they won’t. HBK says these two have battered and beaten each other for months. As much as everyone has enjoyed watching it, his assignment is to walk out of the ring with their signatures on the contract. One way or another that needs to happen. HBK asks them to please sign the contract. Rhodes grabs the contract and signs it. HBK slides the contract to Owens.
Owens takes the microphone and says Rhodes said something last night that really pissed him off. Rhodes said that ten times out of ten, Kevin Owens takes the easy way out. Owens says Rhodes is a liar. Owens could have taken the easy way out at Bash in Berlin in their match and attacked his knee, but Owens didn’t because he cared about their friendship more than Rhodes did. Owens says Rhodes takes the easy way out. Who left when things got tough? Owens stayed, and Rhodes quit.
Rhodes growls and says, “Enough, Kevin!” Rhodes says he’s not here to talk about the past. Shawn Michaels didn’t return to San Antonio to listen to Owens talk. Rhodes is done with Owens. Rhodes needs to focus on who he’ll be defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against at WrestleMania. Rhodes tells Owens to sign the contract.
Owens says Rhodes is not done with him. Owens is taking everything from Rhodes at the Royal Rumble. Owens is taking everything he deserves from Rhodes. HBK says, “Jesus, Kevin… you just sound jealous.” Owens is stunned and asks HBK to repeat himself. HBK does. Owens says HBK is just like Rhodes. When things got tough for HBK, he quit, too. HBK is jealous that Owens has made the Winged Eagle title mean more than HBK ever did. Once he wins at the Royal Rumble, he’ll be a champion everyone can be proud of. He won’t be a champion who loses his smile. The only one losing their smile is Rhodes. Owens signs the contract. The Ladder Match for the Undisputed WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble is official.
Owens shoves the contract into HBK’s chest. HBK says he needs a referee in here. They must hang their titles on the golden hook over the ring. Referee Dan Engler gets in the ring and hooks them on. HBK stands between them and says one man will walk out of the Royal Rumble as the undisputed champion. HBK shakes hands with Owens. As HBK shakes hands with Rhodes, Owens gets a cheap shot in. HBK shoves Owens, so Owens kicks him and goes for a package piledriver! Rhodes superkicks Owens away. HBK then removes his jacket and tunes up the band before hitting Owens with Sweet Chin Music! The crowd roars in approval.
Backstage Segment
“Main Event” Jey Uso is warming up for his World Heavyweight Championship match.
Video: Braun Strowman vs. Jacob Fatu
Braun Strowman makes his entrance. Pat McAfee is fired up.
-Commercial Break-
Backstage Segment
Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu are walking backstage. Fatu says he’s going to beat Braun Strowman’s ass from coast-to-coast on NBC.
Braun Strowman vs. Jacob Fatu
Referee: Dan Engler
They lock up, and Strowman powers him down. Strowman hits the ropes and shoulder-tackles him. Strowman presses Fatu against the ropes before Fatu punches him back. Fatu ducks a clothesline, but Strowman takes him down with a back elbow. Strowman then clotheslines him over the top rope. Fatu lands on his feet and snaps Strowman off the top rope. Strowman charges, but Fatu pulls the top rope down to get him out of the ring. Fatu connects with a suicide dive!
-Commercial Break-
Back from the break, Fatu clubs Strowman down. Fatu hits the ropes, but Strowman counters with a sidewalk slam. Strowman punches back at Fatu and hits the ropes for a running big boot. Strowman punches and clubs Fatu in the corner before throwing him across the ring. Fatu rolls out of the ring to recover. Strowman signals for the express. Strowman gets out of the ring and knocks Fatu into the barricade with the Strowman Express! Strowman starts running again and knocks Fatu over the commentary table with a second Strowman Express. Strowman takes off his shirt and starts running around the ring again! This time, Fatu counters him with a Samoan Drop on the announce table!
Fatu clears off the table and sends Strowman headfirst into the steel steps. Fatu gets Strowman in the ring and hits a running hip attack. Fatu backs up and hits a second running hip attack. Fatu then hits a third and a FOURTH! Fatu connects with a FIFTH and SIXTH running hip attack. Fatu sets up for a seventh, but referee Dan Engler stops him. Fatu grabs Engler and sends him out of the ring! Fatu hits a SEVENTH and EIGHTH running hip attack!
Winner by Disqualification: Braun Strowman
Fatu goes to ringside and throws a steel hair into the ring. Strowman is barely moving in the corner from eight running hip attacks. Security runs into the ring as Fatu grabs the steel chair. Fatu throws the chair into one of the guard’s heads and clotheslines the other. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis runs down with WWE officials and referees. Strowman is bleeding from the nose and mouth. They keep Fatu back.
Strowman manages to roll out of the corner, so Fatu catches him with a double jump moonsault! Fatu is fired up and shakes the ropes! Fatu then hits a second double jump moonsault! Fatu finally leaves the ring, leaving Strowman a bloody, broken mess. Fatu then turns around and gets back in the ring. Fatu goes to the top rope and hits a third moonsault! Fatu looks down at Strowman and walks off.
Backstage Segment
World Heavyweight Champion Gunther is warming up backstage. The main event is next.
-Commercial Break-
WWE Hall of Famers Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard are at ringside. They were known as the Brainbusters in WWE.
Michael Cole talks about the late great “Mean” Gene Okerlund. They call the interview platform off the stage the “Oker-Land” position. Joe Tessitore and Jesse “The Body” Ventura are in the “Oker-Land” position. Ventura says he’s never seen such viciousness. Back in the day, they kept it professional. Now, everything is so personal.
The commentators run down the card for the Royal Rumble, which takes place next Saturday at 6 p.m.
Video: iShowSpeed is invited to the Royal Rumble by Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
“Main Event” Jey Uso makes his entrance through the crowd. He’ll face Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship next.
-Commercial Break-
World Heavyweight Championship
“Main Event” Jey Uso vs. “The Ring General” Gunther (c)
Referee: Rod Zapata
This is Gunther’s 175th day as champion and only his fifth title defense.
The bell rings, and Gunther quickly blindsides Uso with a big boot to the face. Uso quickly fights back, but Gunther soon crushes him with a chop to the chest. Uso turns him around and punches away at him. Gunther quickly puts him on the top rope and connects with a massive chop to the chest, sending Uso to the floor.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Uso punching away at Gunther. Uso takes him down, but Gunther pops up and viciously clotheslines him for a two-count. Gunther circles Uso before pulling him up to his feet. Gunther scoops Uso up and slams him down. Gunther pulls him to his feet and rocks him with a chop to the chest, followed by a knee. Uso fights back, absorbs a chop, and continues to punch. Gunther chops and uppercuts him, but Uso knocks him back. Gunther reverses a whip and sends Uso hard into the turnbuckles. Gunther drops a knee and stomps the arm. Gunther applies a headlock and puts his forearm over Uso’s nose. Uso powers up with Gunther on his shoulders. Gunther slides off and chops him. Uso forearms him back, but Gunther responds with an uppercut. Uso soon ducks a clothesline and hits a Samoan Drop.
Uso backs up to the corner and sets up for a running hip attack, but Gunther counters with a Tyrannosaurus Dropkick! Gunther quickly follows up with a Powerbomb! 1… 2… Uso kicks out. Uso rolls halfway out of the ring. Gunther goes to the apron and stomps Uso before choking him with his boot. Gunther goes to the floor and boots Uso in the head.
-Commercial Break-
Back from the final break of the evening, we see Gunther and Uso exchanging blows. Uso rocks him with a right hand and dances, but Gunther comes to and boots him in the head. Uso quickly kicks him in the ribs and goes for the ropes, but Gunther pulls him back for a German Suplex! Gunther hits the ropes, but Uso wipes him out with a superkick!
Uso avoids a Tyrannosaurus Dropkick and hits Gunther with a running hip attack in the corner for a near fall! Uso goes to the top rope, but Gunther cuts him off with a chop. Gunther hits a second chop and heads to the top rope. Uso blocks the superplex attempt and punches him. Uso slides down and hits Gunther with a sit-out powerbomb for a two-count.
The crowd chants, “This is awesome!” They both slowly get to their feet. Gunther kicks Uso and goes for a Powerbomb, but Uso counters with a hurricanrana, followed by a Spear! Uso covers 1… 2… Gunther barely kicks out! Uso sizes Gunther up and hits a superkick. Gunther pops up, and Uso hits a second Spear! Uso immediately heads to the top rope and hits an Uso Splash! 1… 2… GUNTHER KICKS OUT!
The crowd is going wild. Uso charges for a third Spear, but Gunther rolls him up for a Powerbomb! Gunther hits a second Powerbomb and stacks Uso up for the win!
Winner by Pinfall and still World Heavyweight Champion: “The Ring General” Gunther
Gunther grabs the World Heavyweight Championship and looks like he’s been in a war.
Quick Match Results
— Rhea Ripley (c) def. Nia Jax to retain the Women’s World Championship
— Bron Breakker (c) def. Sheamus to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship
— Braun Strowman def. Jacob Fatu via DQ
— “The Ring General” Gunther (c) def. “Main Event Jey Uso to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
Email – mike@wrestleview.com
X – @MikeTedescoWV
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