WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Was Fun, But Felt Like a Placeholder

Saturday Night’s Main Event kicked off the year with a banger. It was an intense, heartfelt show that ended with the fans going home happy. Let us look at what went down.

In the first bout of the night, the bell never rang. Instead, Jacob Fatu ambushed Cody Rhodes during his entrance. Rhodes and Fatu brawled all over the arena, from the ramp to the stairs, and even to the concessions. The Samoan Werewolf put an official through a table and continued fighting Rhodes.

That was until WWE Undisputed Champion Drew McIntyre showed up. He shoved Fatu onto the table, delivered a low blow to Cody Rhodes, and then gave him a powerbomb. The Scottish Psychopath made his way to the ring and got some cheers. This segment was intense, and McIntyre told Cathy Kelley he wanted to make a statement. We shall see if The American Nightmare and Samoan Werewolf run it back or come face-to-face during the Royal Rumble.

Next, the only bout on the card featured women. The Tag Champs Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley battled Judgment Day members Roxanne Perez and Liv Morgan. The match was solid but did not get cooking until Raquel showed up. Rodriguez interfered in the fight to save her stablemates and delivered a powerbomb to Morgan.

That is when Stephanie Vaquer made an appearance. La Primera took her challenger away from the equation. Back inside the ring, Perez delivered her finisher but did not notice Ripley tagging in. The Eradicator pinned her opponent to retain the belts.

This continues to show that the WWE Tag Team division is the hottest in the company. Plenty of teams involved, many storylines to follow, and outstanding talent.

The Phenomenal AJ Styles made his way to the ring wearing a mask, which he last wore when he faced Shinsuke Nakamura in New Japan Pro Wrestling years ago. This was not a match; it was a clash between two titans. Styles and Nakamura had a far better bout than the first time through at WrestleMania 34.

Instead, each competitor pulled out everything in their arsenal to beat the other. The Phenomenal One targeted his opponent’s calf for most of the match. The King of Strong Style tried to use his moves but failed since his calf was hurt. This led to the Phenomenal Forearm and Styles Clash, as AJ Styles picked up the victory.

The two showed each other respect, as did the fans. This could be the last match on American soil for AJ Styles. He puts his career on the line against Gunther at the Royal Rumble this Saturday. Gunther, who previously retired Goldberg and John Cena, hopes to continue his dominance in WWE.

In the main event, Trick Williams exited the ring at the start of the match to get heel heat. Randy Orton had one fun spot in the match where he put Damian Priest and Trick Williams into a double DDT off the ropes. It felt like everyone was just waiting for Sami Zayn to connect his Helluva Kick and send everyone home.

They did not have to wait long, as Zayn was crowned the victor. Afterwards, McIntyre had a failed sneak attack attempt on Zayn, and the two stared each other down as the show went off the air.

There was not a whole lot going on during this version of SNME. Instead, the Montreal crowd got to see their underdog win in the main event. Perhaps WWE should try not to book a PLE a week before the Royal Rumble. Was it worth seeing Sami Zayn win in Montreal? Absolutely.

AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura had one day to build their clash, and Rhodes and Fatu never even had a match. It is great to see the Women’s Tag Team Champions thriving, though. Let us hope WWE continues to spotlight its women.

With all that being said, it is time for the road to WrestleMania to begin. This Saturday in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 30 women and men enter the Royal Rumble in hopes of becoming the company’s next star. Tune in at 2:00 p.m. ET to watch all the action unfold on the ESPN app.