Saturday Night’s Main Event Review – 01.24.26

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Let’s catch up on WWE’s current happenings, shall we? Raw | NXT | Evolve | Impact | Smackdown

Saturday Night’s Main Event comes to the airwaves on Peacock from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The television presenters for tonight’s show are Michael Cole and Wade Barrett on match calls and analysis, Lilian Garcia on ring announcements, and Cathy Kelley on backstage interviews and breaking news segments. Stephanie McMahon will be the host of tonight’s show. Let’s watch some wrestling.

Then, Now, Forever…TOGETHER

Here’s Stephanie McMahon to open the show as host. Joe Tessitore could not make it to Montreal due to the winter storm and is apparently stuck in Detroit. Steph asks Montreal if they’re ready, and apparently they are. There’s another navel-gazing look back at the origins of SNME and its movement through time, followed by a list of the matches happening tonight. The pyro hits, and here we go. Here’s a look at all of the participants in tonight’s matches either arriving or trying to relax prior to their respective matches.

Jacob Fatu vs Cody Rhodes

Fatu cuts a promo while walking to the ring, heads through Gorilla, and gets a decent pop from the crowd as he stalks shirtless around the ring. “Kingdom” hits, and here’s Rhodes in his silver Nightmare mask for his first match since losing the Undisputed Men’s title to Drew McIntyre in Three Stages of Hell. Fatu attacks prior to the bell and they start exchanging blows before Charles Robinson gets knocked on his ass. More refs come flying out as Rhodes dumps Fatu to the floor. Rhodes wants a tope and runs into a big right hand from Fatu. Fatu starts taking out the security goobers and then hits his springboard moonsault on the folks trying to prevent Rhodes from re-entering. Fatu starts heading to the back but Rhodes attacks again and they head back towards ringside. They get in the ring and Rhodes lariats Fatu to the floor and then manages to send Fatu over the announce desk with a tope. Rhodes clotheslines Fatu into the WWE UNIVERSE and then smashes him with a beer. Cole name-drops Mad Dog Vachon as the fight continues all through the crowd. Fatu hits a backdrop on Rhodes and then gently bodyslams him on the CONCRETE FLOOR. Rhodes springs up and starts throwing bombs before running Fatu’s head into an equipment case. (Cody, we’ve talked about the incredible strength of Samoan heads in the past. Please pay attention in class, young man.) Rhodes spits beer at Fatu as they fight up some steps. They end up in a corridor and Rhodes whips a trashcan at Fatu and the phalanx of security goons. Fatu puts one of them through a merch table and Rhodes uses another beer to smash Fatu in the head. They go back into the arena as I’m really starting to get bored by this. Fatu calls Rhodes a “punk-ass bitch” as he kicks Rhodes down the steps and back towards ringside. They continue beating on each other and security and here’s WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion Drew McIntyre to put Fatu through a table by yanking him down. McIntyre then hits low blow and plants Rhodes with a jackknife powerbomb that sends him through a table. Smackdown GM Nick Aldis has finally arrived to stare on helplessly. McIntyre goes into the ring and gives the thousand yard glare as we go to commercials.

I’m not going to rate this, but it was a chaotic brawl, that’s for sure. I’m not sure what it accomplished other than to set up what will more than likely be a “spotlight” moment at the Rumble next weekend.

Cole mentions the upcoming Attitude Era edition of the WWE video game because even thirty years later, we can never let it go. Barrett gets a good line off about “getting the grudge, but not the match” as highlights of the Rhodes-Fatu brawl are shown. Cathy Kelley catches up with McIntyre who says he made a statement and he’ll do it to anyone who steps to him.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Rhea Ripley and IYO Sky (C) vs The Judgement Day (Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez)

Obviously, there’s a very long history between Morgan and Ripley. Morgan and Perez won a triple threat contenders match on Raw to earn this shot, and the winners of this match have a date lined up with Giulia and Kiana James who won a triple threat on last night’s Smackdown. Lilian Garcia does the in-ring intros and we’re off.

Sky smashes Morgan with a dropkick and a bunch of rights after the bell sounds. Morgan yanks Sky down by the hair and fires off some rights. Perez tags in and Sky fights her way out of a double-team before walloping Perez with a basement dropkick. Perez tries to bail but Sky yanks her back in. Morgan uses ref distraction to smack Sky which allows Perez to gain the upper hand. Perez runs Sky into the JD corner and Morgan tags back in. Morgan and Perez hit a double team Codebreaker-Side Russian Legsweep on Sky and Morgan covers for two. Morgan hits Three Amigos and then follows with a roundhouse kick that gets another two count. Perez tags in and waffles Sky with an elbow. Perez stomps on Sky’s ankle and then prevents Sky from tagging Ripley. Sky fires up with a double stomp on Perez and both manage to make tags. Ripley stares down Morgan and then crushes her with a clothesline and a fall-away slam. Ripley hits a shotgun dropkick and gets two. Ripley wants Riptide but Morgan slips off. Ripley prevents a Codebreaker and hoists Morgan, but she slips off again and tags in Perez. Some double team stuff from Perez and Morgan works briefly but Ripley cuts it off with a headbutt to Morgan and a back thrust kick to Perez. Ripley yanks Perez up and Perez starts firing rights. Morgan flies in to take out Sky as Perez hits a top rope rana on Ripley that leads into a Morgan Codebreaker. Perez hits a tope on Sky as Morgan covers Ripley for two.

Ripley catches a charging Morgan with a back thrust kick and a roundhouse. Ripley hits a Razor’s Edge and Sky follows with a missile dropkick after blind tagging in. Sky’s cover is broken up at two by Perez. Perez hits a helicopter rana on Ripley. Sky flies in with a springboard dropkick on Perez and then misses a charge on Morgan. Morgan hits a crucifix driver on Sky that gets two. Morgan fires Sky into the JD corner and she and Perez go to work. Sky cuts it off with a chop to Morgan’s jaw and then prevents a Pop Rox attempt by Perez. Sky ascends and her moonsault attempt meets Perez’s feet. Perez hits Pop Rox and Sky kicks out at 2 as Ripley couldn’t quite get there to break it up. Ripley tags in and smashes Perez with a headbutt. Ripley hits Riptide and Sky tags in to waffle Perez with the Over the Moonsault. Raquel Rodriguez flies in from OUTTA NOWHERE to smash Ripley into the referee and break up Sky’s cover at two. Rodriguez sends Ripley into the barricade and then catches Sky’s tope attempt. Rodriguez hits a powerbomb on Sky and sends her back in, and here’s WWE Women’s ChampionStephanie Vaquer sans walking boot to come down and start attacking Rodriguez. They fight through the crowd as Perez rolls Sky over and gets two. Perez slowly crawls over to tag in Morgan and she hits Oblivion on Sky. Ripley, however, is legal for her team after grabbing a quick blind tag and she charges in to kick Morgan in the face and drop her with Riptide. Ripley covers and gets three.

This was a hell of a deal right here, despite a bit of overbooking at the end. Ripley and Sky are fantastic together, and while everyone expected Perez and Morgan to be frenemies, they’ve gelled well as Rodriguez pursues Vaquer’s title. I enjoyed this thoroughly while still marveling at how the women’s tag titles went from “here’s a couple of people not doing anything so let’s team them up and give them these afterthought belts” to “all the best singles wrestlers are now fully invested in these titles to the detriment of the singles belts”. There has to be a balance struck and soon, quite frankly, but if I’m going to get tag wars like this, I’ll be quiet and smile. 4.5*

Winners AND STILL WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions – Rhea Ripley and IYO Sky (Riptide on Morgan)

Cole and Barrett talk about AJ Styles putting his career on the line against GUNTHER at the Royal Rumble, and then throw to a video package on how the whole deal came together for tonight’s Styles-Nakamura clash. We go to commercials.

AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura

Styles is wearing a mask to the ring, and Cole points out the last time he did this was when he faced Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental title at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in 2016. Nakamura has his old music back, but I have to be honest and say that I miss Dark Shogun Shin. Cole talks up both Chaos and the Bullet Club as somewhere Vince McMahon smacks at an invisible fly while not understanding why.

Nakamura snaps a headlock over and puts Styles on the mat, but Styles rolls him over for a quick one count. Styles gets a standing switch but Nakamura cuts it off with a high thrust-dropkick thing. Nakamura gets pushed off after bullying Styles to the ropes, and then wants Styles to bring it. Styles fires up with a dropkick that levels Nakamura and then yanks him up for a backbreaker. Styles bullies Nakamura in a corner and then cuts off a brief Nakamura flurry with a back elbow. Styles hits a cross-body to the floor and then runs Nakamura back in. Nakamura slips a charge and then wallops Styles with a running knee that gets a one count. Nakamura hits a jumping knee drop and then starts driving a knee into Styles ribs. Nakamura grabs a rear chinlock and then drives his knee into Styles ribs again. Nakamura puts his boot on Styles throat before breaking at four. Styles slips a charge and smashes Nakamura with some clotheslines and a sliding forearm. Styles hits a neckbreaker and covers Nakamura for two. Nakamura slips a Styles Clash attempt with a scorpion kick and then blasts Styles with a running boot to the chest. Nakamura starts walloping Styles with kicks to the chest and then one to the ear. Nakamura hits a sliding German suplex and then ascends with a flying Kinshasha that gets two.

Nakamura misses a charge and runs into a Styles Dragon Screw. Styles rolls into a Calf Crusher and Nakamura makes the ropes to break it up. Nakamura fires off a kick but gets caught with another Dragon Screw as he tries to come back in. Styles hits another Dragon Screw and rolls back into the Calf Crusher. Styles barks about making Nakamura tap just like he did to GUNTHER. Styles torques on the knee as Nakamura bellows in pain. Nakamura rolls over and catches Styles with an armbar attempt, but Styles links his hands together to prevent it. Nakamura starts firing rights and then drops Styles into a triangle choke. Styles rises and wants the Styles Clash but Nakamura prevents it before running directly into a Styles knee to the jaw. They both rise and start slugging it out strong style. Styles gets a Pele kick but Nakamura responds with a Kinshasha to the back of Styles neck. Nakamura lines Styles up again but his knee gives out and Styles comes flying in with a Kinshasha of his own before covering and getting two. Styles hoists Nakamura up and hits a helicopter bomb for two. Styles slips another sliding German attempt as Nakamura goes to the floor. Styles hits a running knee and then tosses Nakamura back in. Styles wants a Phenomenal Forearm but Nakamura catches him and crushes Styles with a Michinoku Driver that gets two.

Styles gets caught in a sling blade but he fires up with some elbows and a Pele kick to stop Nakamura’s flurry. Styles wants another showdown mid-ring and they start slugging it out again. It gets very physical here with both guys throwing big right hands and hard kicks. Nakamura rolls into a crucifix and tries for the armbar but Styles rolls him over and gets a quick two. Nakamura hits a roundhouse enziguri but his knee gives out again. Nakamura catches Styles with a knee after some acrobatics, and Styles slips a subsequent charge. Styles yanks Nakamura’s knee over the top rope before crushing Nakamura with a Phenomenal Forearm. Styles hits the Styles Clash and covers Nakamura for three.

You know, sometimes our so-called sport is not that hard to figure out. Put two people in a ring who have tremendous history and chemistry with each other and let them do what they do best. I’ve always loved these two performers and my expectations for this match were somehow exceeded. If both guys are nearing the end, the recording of this match should sit on both their mantel-pieces. This had everything you could want in a professional wrestling contest. Psychology, selling, terrific in-ring work, physicality, little time spent on the outside, and a respect for each other as professional colleagues and rivals. I’m putting this on my list right now for Match of the Year possibilities. 5*

Winner – AJ Styles (Styles Clash)

Post-match sees Styles fist-bump Nakamura to a big pop from the appreciative crowd. They hug it out and salute the crowd. Styles hits his pose as Nakamura exits to give Styles the shine.

Cole and Barrett run down the current Royal Rumble card, and then they send it to Stephanie McMahon. She throws to some highlights of Sami Zayn being greeted in his hometown by a bunch of happy fans. We go to commercials.

Fatal Four-way Number One Contender’s Match: Randy Orton vs Trick Williams vs Damien Priest vs Sami Zayn

The winner here will face Drew McIntyre for the WWE Men’s Undisputed Championship in Riyadh. Zayn gets an IMMENSE pop when he enters. Cole says he talked to Kevin Owens earlier who will be rooting on his friend, that he’s turned on a million and six times, tonight. Trick bails and Zayn clobbers Priest over the top rope with a clothesline. Orton and Zayn square off and Trick drags Zayn out to start pounding on him. Orton flies out to wreck Trick with some uppercuts and here’s Priest leaping off the ring steps to crush both of them. Priest smashes Zayn around in the ring and then wallops him iwht aback elbow. Orton comes in and pokes Priest in the eyes before squaring off with Zayn again. Orton clubbers away and then mounts Zayn in a corner to drop five right hands before Zayn slips it. Zayn mounts Orton and drops ten rights before getting clobbered by Trick from behind. Trick starts stomping away at Orton and Zayn. Trick sends Orton to the floor and then starts dropping bombs on Zayn. Priest comes in and eats a right from Trick, and then Trick sends Zayn shoulder-first into Orton. Trick hits a neckbreaker on Zayn and gets two.

Trick whips Zayn into a corner and then Zayn fires up with some rights. Trick cuts that off with a leg lariat but Priest catches Trick with a reverse uranage that gets two. Priest lines up Zayn and crushes him with a kick. Zayn cuts off Priest’s flurry and fires off a tornado DDT before covering Priest for two. Zayn gets caught by an Orton elbow, and then Orton hits a snap powerslam on Priest. Orton wallops Trick with a clothesline and then hits a draping DDT on Priest. Orton wants the same thing on Trick but Zayn yanks him off and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb that gets two. Zayn wants the Helluva Kick but Williams cuts it off with a big leg lariat that gets two. Priest flies in with some kicks on Trick that sends him to the floor, and Trick snatches Priest up when he charges and hits a uranage on Priest on the barricade. Zayn flies over the top rope and barely catches Trick with a tope con hilo. Orton smashes Zayn with a kick but Zayn reverses a backdrop attempt and drops Orton on the announce table. Zayn hits an Exploder on Priest and then catches Priest with the Helluva Kick, but Trick yanks the referee out at two to break it up.

Zayn gets caught with a Trick right hand, but Orton comes over to yank up Trick for TWO backdrops on the announce table before doing it to Zayn and Priest. Orton yanks up Trick and drops him again before running him back in. Trick bails and Zayn flies in to roll up Orton for a quick two. Orton misses a charge and Zayn goes to the apron. Zayn ascends and slips an RKO attempt after his dive misses everything. Zayn fires up and runs right into an RKO, but Trick runs in to toss Orton. Trick’s cover is broken up at two by Priest. Priest and Trick end up slugging it out on the apron and Orton flies in to yank both of them into draping DDT’s. Orton GOES TO THAT PLACE but Trick pushes off the RKO attempt and Priest catches Orton with the South of Heaven. Trick tosses Priest away and covers Orton for two. Priest gets caught with a spinning pump kick from Trick, but Zayn flies in with an Exploder on Trick in a corner. Zayn misses a Helluva Kick and Trick ascends. Zayn catches Trick with a right and then Priest flies in to hit a Razor’s Edge on Zayn. Trick shoulders Priest but Pries catches Trick with a big roundhouse kick. Zayn flies in with a Helluva Kick and covers Priest for three as Orton barely misses breaking it up.

Zayn gets the big hometown win and will face Drew at the Rumble, where he will also be very over. I don’t think he’ll come back from the Kingdom with the title, but he’s getting some pre-WM shine. They were going to have a tough time climbing the bar set by the first two matches, especially with this format, but there wasn’t too much “two guys on the floor while the other two fight it out” type situations here. This was good, and they were going for epic and didn’t quite get there. In terms of the competitors other than Zayn, Orton will be forever over and this doesn’t hurt him a bit, Trick has a major future ahead of him, and Priest….well. I covered it last night but it feels like Priest has slipped down a level or two into the Zayn-Owens-Sheamus “we can reheat him when we need to but he’s not a main eventer any more” level. There’s nothing wrong with that, either, as he’ll continue to get put in high profile matches, but he’s not going to win many of them. This was fun, and a good way to cap off an excellent show. 4*

Winner – Sami Zayn (Helluva Kick on Priest)

Post-match sees Drew McIntyre fly in and Zayn sends him to the floor. McIntyre leaves in a huff as Zayn tells him to bring it on. The pyro hits and Zayn points a finger at McIntyre who barks at him from the aisle. The credits roll and we’re out.

Obviously the bait and switch with Cody and Fatu was a bummer, but the rest of this card delivered in a big way. I highly recommend you catch this show starting with the women’s tag title match through the end of it, because you will not be disappointed. Thumbs way up for a terrific night of matches and it came in under two hours! Crazy how that can happen.

I believe SK will have his own review later this morning, so be on the lookout for that. Thanks for reading and commenting, and please make sure to visit all of our fine reviewers as they are doing fantastic work across the board. Be safe if you’re in the path of this winter storm, and spare a thought or six for our friends and neighbors in Minnesota. Have a good Sunday.