WWE Main Event TV report - Battle Royal plus Miz and Cesaro argue in commentary

WWE Main Event on Ion Television

Airdate: December 26, 2012

by Chris Aiken | lariatrope@live.com 

WWE Main Event from Rochester, New York, opened with some of the participants involved in the 20-man battle royal already in the ring while other wrestlers did get an entrance. United States champion Antonio Cesaro joined the show’s regular commentators, Michael Cole and The Miz, at ringside to provide commentary since the champion would wrestle the winner of the battle royal next week on Main Event. In a moment of possible foreshadowing, the Great Khali was last to make an entrance and enter the ring.

Match: Great Khali won a 20-man battle royal to earn a US title match next week on Main Event

As Khali stepped over the ropes and in the ring, all the wrestlers stood facing and surrounding Khali just before the bell rang and Yoshi Tatsu was the first to strike the giant and also the first quickly eliminated. Cole said “chaos ensued” but it looked more like a typical battle royal. Some wrestlers brawled while others tried to throw each other over the top rope and sometimes wrestlers went over the top only to land on the apron and roll back in for a close call. Hugging the ropes was commonplace. Drew McIntyre of 3MB tossed Tyson Kidd over the ropes but Kidd skinned the cat and eliminated McIntyre with a head scissors which upset the heel McIntyre who dragged Kidd off the ring apron to eliminate him. 3MB member Jinder Mahal got thrown out along with Kidd’s tag team partner Justin Gabriel and the two teams brawled at ringside after their elimination to build up their tag team match for later in the program.

On commentary, the announcers made no effort to keep track of who was eliminated nor in what order they were thrown out so I will not bother to get too technical either but Cesaro did make remarks about haircuts seemingly being important to the participants involved. William Regal got dumped out by somebody. Santino used almost the same spot Kidd had done previously in the match as he skinned the cat and eliminated Epico. Brodus Clay squared off with Khali, who rather easily threw Clay over the ropes for an elimination while the Funkettes were nowhere to be seen. Cole said on commentary that Cesaro had been wrestling with a broken hand and a torn tendon then asked the US champion how that felt. Cesaro really sold the no-sell by replying, “That doesn’t bother me. It’s doing great.” Also, Khali chopped several people and Miz argued with Cesaro about how to properly eliminate Khali.

After Khali eliminated the Prime Time Players and Team Rhodes Scholars, that left him, Wade Barrett, Zack Ryder and Marella as the final four in the battle royal. Barrett kicked Khali down in the corner and off his feet but Santino used the cobra on Barrett to set up Ryder hitting the broski boot. Then, Santino eliminated his own tag team member (in Team CoBro) as he threw Ryder out. Barrett threw out Marella leaving Khali and Barrett as the final two in the match. Barrett knocked down Khali with a boot to the face but Khali fought back and chopped him in a corner. Barrett staggered out and Khali threw him over the top rope but Barrett landed on the apron only for Khali to use an overhand chop to send him crashing down therefore eliminating Barrett and winning the battle royal to earn a match next week for the US title.

After the match, Khali tried to dance in celebration but US champion Cesaro entered the ring and extended his hand for Khali to shake it. They shook hands and the champion left so Khali could dance. After a commercial break, Matt Striker tried to interview Khali backstage but Cesaro knocked him down from behind only for Khali to sit up and chop Cesaro and he dropped the US title belt. Khali picked up the strap and said, “Happy new year. See you next week.”

The “Raw Rebound” featured highlights from the Christmas Eve edition of Raw and a video package featuring a Tribute to the Troops skit with Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy also aired.

Match: Tyson Kidd & Justin Gabriel defeated Jinder Mahal & Drew McIntyre

Health Slater, who did not wrestle but was referred to as the lead singer of the band, tried to introduce 3MB over the microphone yet he had lost his voice, which McIntyre claimed was the fault of Gabriel by injuring his throat during the 12-man tag team match from Raw on Monday. Mahal shouted fear not because “YOU CAN NEVER STOP ROCK!” This and the ensuing tag team match were way more entertaining than the battle royal.

This was good and action packed. Kidd and Gabriel used several double team maneuvers. As they began a sequence of highspots to set up for a commercial break teaser, Kidd struggled for a moment to apply a head scissors on Mahal but still sent him over the top rope then he kicked McIntyre on the floor from the ring through the ropes. Kidd dove over the top rope but Mahal and McIntyre caught and held him which allowed Gabriel to use a tope and knock them all down.

Kidd went to use the sharpshooter on McIntyre but Slater distracted him and the heels started to get heat on Kidd. Slater even got in a cheap shot and Kidd almost got a tag but Mahal pulled Gabriel off the apron to prevent it. Kidd and McIntyre collided when both went for a cross body but Kidd made the hot tag. Gabriel hit a springboard cross body and ran wild until he missed a lionsault. For the finish, Gabriel picked up and held Mahal so Kidd could jump off the top rope and deliver a diving (sunset flip like) neckbreaker for the pin. The finisher was in similar fashion to the Hart Foundation finisher mixed with the doomsday device only this had an awesome looking neckbreaker thrown in there too.

After the match, Kidd and Gabriel both did backflips from the top rope and celebrated the win in the ring. Next week’s US title match between Antonio Cesaro and Great Khali got a plug before Cole wished everyone a happy new year as the show came to a close.

Final thoughts: This show is worth watching just to see the tag team match that followed the battle royal. Skip to the end of the battle royal unless you like typical battle royals.