WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Review: AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event
Bell Centre from Montreal, Quebec

THEN…NOW…FOREVER…TOGETHER 

—The show opened with Stephanie McMahon saying she’s proud to be the host of the show. Stephanie noted her co-host Joe Tessitore is stuck at the Detroit airport. Stephanie mentioned US is facing some of the worst weather in decades. Stephanie spoke about being live in Montreal where the weather is -7 degrees outside and feels like -13. Stephanie mentioned things are just getting heated up as they are headed on the Road to WrestleMania. Stephanie asked the crowd if they are ready in English and French. The crowd cheered. 

—WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event video package aired. There was a big firework display. They showed Sami Zayn, Randy Orton, Damian Priest, Trick Williams, AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Iyo Sky, Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, Roxanne Perez, Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu. 

SINGLE MATCH
CODY RHODES vs. JACOB FATU

Jacob Fatu made his entrance to a strong reaction. Cody Rhodes made his entrance to a strong reaction. Cody got a big firework display. The crowd screamed WOAHHH

Fatu jumped Cody as he was making his entrance. Cody and Fatu started exchanging big strikes. Charles Robinson went to pull Cody away from Fatu but took a big bump. WWE officials ran down to check on Robinson. Fatu decked Cody with a right hand as he was going for a dive. WWE security came out holding Cody and Fatu back. Fatu hit a big dive onto security guards. Security escorted Fatu to the back. Cody brought Fatu ringside. Cody hit a dive onto Fatu to the floor. 

Cody and Fatu brawled around the arena. The brawl kept going as security tried to pull Cody and Fatu away from each other. Cody and Fatu made their way to the backstage area. Fatu grabbed a security guard and slammed him through the table. Cody tossed popcorn into Fatu’s face. Cody and Fatu continued to brawl making their way back ringside. Cody and Fatu grabbed a security guard and tossed him onto the guards. 

Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre appeared. McIntyre grabbed Fatu sending him crashing through a table on the floor. McIntyre punched Cody in the balls. McIntyre grabbed Cody and Power Bombed him off a platform onto a staging area. McIntyre made his way inside the ring and posed. The crowd booed McIntyre. 

WINNER
No Contest

(Amin’s Thoughts) —The bummer was not getting the advertised single’s match. They weren’t going to give either Cody or Fatu a loss with Royal Rumble approaching. The direction right now looks like a Triple Threat Undisputed WWE Title match between Cody, McIntyre and Fatu. This was a pretty fun chaotic brawl.

—The lovely Cathy Kelly interviewed Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre backstage. McIntyre told Cathy that he was sending a statement to the roster whoever mentions his name. McIntyre stormed off. 

WWE WOMEN’S TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH
RHIYO (IYO SKY & RHEA RIPLEY) (c) vs. THE JUDGEMENT DAY (LIV MORGAN & ROXANNE PEREZ)

WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley made their entrance to a big babyface reaction. Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez made their entrance to a strong heel reaction. 

Iyo started rocking Morgan with a running dropkick. Morgan responded yanking Iyo down by her hair. Morgan mocked Iyo’s pose. Morgan and Roxanne went for a double suplex but Iyo blocked. Iyo blocked Roxanne’s kick sending into Morgan’s face. Iyo rocked Roxanne with a basement dropkick. Iyo did her pose to a big reaction. Iyo called for Ripley’s tag. Iyo pulled Roxanne who was holding onto the ring apron. 

Morgan yanked Iyo onto the ropes with the referee distracted. Morgan and Roxanne connected with a Codebreaker/leg sweep combo for two. Morgan connected with the 3 Amigos. Morgan rocked Iyo with a Shining Wizard for two. Roxanne stopped Iyo from making the tag to Ripley. Iyo caught Morgan with a double stomp. 

The crowd went wild Iyo tagged Ripley into the match. Ripley launched Morgan with a fallaway slam. Ripley connected with a sliding dropkick to Morgan for two. Ripley called for RipTide but Morgan escaped. Roxanne tagged into the match. Roxanne caught Ripley with a Super Hurricanrana. Roxanne connected with a tope to Iyo on the floor. Morgan hit a flying Codebreaker to Ripley for two. 

Morgan called for ObLIVion. Ripley stopped Liv with a sliding kick. Ripley planted Morgan with a Razor’s Edge. Iyo rocked Morgan with a missile dropkick. Roxanne made the save. Roxanne caught Ripley with a great spinning head scissors. Iyo rocked Roxanne with a springboard Woo dropkick. Morgan avoided a charge from Iyo. Morgan planted Iyo with a Crucifix Bomb for two. Iyo caught Morgan flying off the roes with Shote. 

Roxanne went for Pop Rocks. Iyo escaped landing on her feet in a great spot. Iyo went for Over The Moonsault. Roxanne got her knees up. Roxanne caught Iyo with Pop Rocks. Iyo kicked out just in time as Ripley was slightly late making the save. Ripley planted Roxanne with RipTide. Iyo connected with Over The Moonsault onto Roxanne. Raquel Rodriguez appeared yanking Ripley onto the referee. 

Rodriguez planted Iyo with a huge Power Bomb on the floor. The crowd cheered as WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer returned to make the save. Stephanie brawled with Roxanne in the crowd. Roxanne covered Iyo for two count. Morgan connected with ObLIVion on Iyo. Ripley made the save. Ripley rocked Morgan with a sliding boot. Ripley delivered RipTide to Morgan for the 1-2-3 win. 

WINNER
Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky retained the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles

(Amin’s Thoughts) —There looked to a bit a slight miss-timing on Ripley making the save for Iyo who had to kick out of Roxanne’s Pop Rock finish. It still didn’t take away from a really good Women’s Tag Team Title match. I didn’t mind the interference from Rodriguez which lead to Stephanie Vaquer making her return. A nice win for Iyo and Ripley as they just make for an awesome team. A great showing from everyone working a strong tag match(⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

—Michael Cole and Wade Barrett were on commentary. Cole spoke about AJ Styles putting his career on the line against Gunther at Royal Rumble. Cole spoke Styles facing Shinsuke Nakamura tonight. Video package aired hyping AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura match. 

SINGLE MATCH
AJ STYLES vs. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA

AJ Styles made his entrance receiving a big reaction from the crowd. Styles got a big firework display and wore a cool mask for his entrance. Shinsuke Nakamura made his entrance to his classic babyface theme. Nakamura got a great reaction from the crowd. 

Big reaction for the start of the match. Cole brought up how Styles was leader of Bullet Club and Nakamura was the leader of CHAOS part of their time in NJPW. We got a feeling out process to start the match. There was a cool spot as Styles did his Bullet Club pose and Nakamura just washed it off telling Styles to bring it. Styles rocked Nakamura with a dropkick. Styles nailed Nakamura with a springboard forearm to the floor. 

Nakamura avoided a corner charge. Nakamura battled back rocking Styles with a corner running knee for two. Nakamura nailed Styles with sliding knee strikes. Nakamura sent out some Good Vibrations. Styles avoided a running knee strike. Styles responded hitting a sliding forearm. Styles connected with an Ushigorishi for two. 

Styles called for Styles Clash. Nakamura reversed with a rolling kick. Nakamura rocked Styles with a series of mid-kicks. Nakamura caught Styles in position with a sliding German Suplex. Nakamura hit a flying knee strike for two. Nakamura called for Kinshasa. Styles countered with a low dropkick. Styles followed hitting a Dragon Screw. Styles went for Calf Crusher. Nakamura grabbed the ropes forcing a break. 

Styles caught Nakamura with a Dragon Screw against the ropes. Styles went back to the Calf Crusher. Nakamura reversed catching Styles in a short-arm scissors. Styles broke free catching Nakamura in Styles Clash position. Nakamura broke free. Styles caught Nakamura with a sliding knee strike. Styles went for the Pele Kick. Nakamura bounced off the ropes catching Styles with a sliding knee strike. 

Nakamura went for Kinshasa but sold his leg. Styles rocked Nakamura with a Bomb Ye. Nakamura grabbed the ropes. Styles connected with a Torture Rack Bomb for two. Styles went for Brain Buster. Nakamura blocked. Nakamura went for sliding German Suplex. Styles grabbed onto the ropes. Styles caught Nakamura with a sliding knee on the ring apron. Styles went for Phenomenal Forearm. Nakamura caught Styles with a Fisherman’s Driver for two. 

Nakamura caught Styles with a modified Sling Blade. Styles responded hitting a Pele Kick. Nakamura and Styles had a great strike exchange. Nakamura caught Styles in a Triangle Hold. Styles broke free. Nakamura connected with a spin kick. Nakamura went for Kinshasa which Styles blocked. Nakamura escaped the Styles Clash. Nakamura caught Styles with a sliding knee. Styles avoided a charge catching Nakamura’s leg against the ropes. Styles ht the Phenomenal Forearm. Styles followed connected with a Styles Clash for the 1-2-3 win. 

WINNER
AJ Styles

• Nakamura and Styles showed each other respect after the match. Nakamura and Styles both gave each other a fist bump recreating the Wrestle Kingdom 10 moment. Nakamura and Styles shared a hug. The crowd gave Nakamura and Styles a standing ovation. Styles celebrated after the match. Cole and Barrett spoke about Styles win after the match

(Amin’s Thoughts) —This was just so fun seeing Nakamura and Styles working a Strong Style match in WWE. The callbacks from their Wrestle Kingdom match was a nice touch. Nakamura is just so much more better working a babyface style match. The presentation of Nakamura as a babyface just fits him perfectly. Styles was tremendous working an awesome match. Styles winning clean was right giving him momentum into his big match with Gunther at Royal Rumble. This match between Nakamura and Styles was a treat for wrestling fans(⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

—Stephanie McMahon hyped the Fatal-4-Way Number 1 Contender Match between Randy Orton, Sami Zayn, Damian Priest and Trick Williams. 

UNDISPUTED WWE TITLE FATAL-4-WAY NUMBER 1 CONTENDER MATCH
RANDY ORTON vs. SAMI ZAYN vs. DAMIAN PRIEST vs. TRICK WILLIAMS

Randy Orton made his entrance to a huge reaction. The crowd sang along to Orton’s theme which was cool. Damian Priest made his entrance to a solid reaction. Priest got a firework display. Trick Williams made his entrance to a strong reaction Loud chants of “Whoop That Trick”. Sami Zayn made his entrance receiving an incredible hometown reaction. The crowd sang along to Zayn’s theme song which was awesome. 

Orton went for an RKO on Priest who escaped. Zayn sent Priest outside the ring. The crowd popped as Orton and Zayn had a stare down. Trick pulled Zayn outside the ring. Orton went after Trick. Priest connected with a running forearm to Zayn. Orton sent Priest outside the ring. Orton and Zayn exchanged corner strikes. Trick stomped away on Orton and Zayn. Trick connected with a jumping neck breaker on Zayn for two. Trick connected with a spin kick to Zayn. Priest caught Trick with a Downward Spiral for two count. Zayn hit a Tornado DDT on Priest for two. 

Orton made his comeback hitting series of snap power slams. Orton planted Priest with a Hanging DDT. Zayn caught Orton with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Zayn called for the Helluva Kick. Trick caught Zayn with a leg lariat for two. Trick planted Priest with a Book End onto the barricade. Zayn hit a Tope Con Hilo to Trick outside the ring. Zayn planted Orton with a backdrop onto the announcers table. Zayn hit the Helluva Kick on Priest. Trick pulled the referee outside the ring. 

Orton backdropped everyone onto the announcers table. Orton avoided the Blue Thunder Bomb Zayn avoided the RKO. Orton charged into the turnbuckle. Zayn called for the Helluva Kick. Orton caught Zayn with an RKO. Trick sent Orton outside the ring. Trick covered Zayn. Priest made the save. Orton delivered a double Hanging DDT to Priest and Trick. 

Orton went for RKO but Trick blocked. Priest caught Orton with South of Heaven. Trick caught Priest with a Crucifix Pin for two count. Trick rocked Priest with Cyclone Kick. Zayn went for Helluva Kick but Trick moved. Trick and Zayn battled for position on the ropes. Priest launched Zayn with Razor’s Edge. Priest knocked Trick outside the ring. Zayn caught Priest with a Helluva Kick for the 1-2-3 win. 

WINNER
Sami Zayn

• Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre appeared trying to sneak attack Zayn from behind. Zayn sent McIntyre outside the ring. Zayn challenged McIntyre. Zayn celebrated his win. There was a big firework display. The show ended.

(Amin’s Thoughts) —A really strong action packed match from start to finish. Trick Williams is really coming along well on the main roster fitting right into the main event scene. I liked how they didn’t have Trick take the pin. Zayn winning was the predictable but right outcome for the match. The atmosphere for the McIntyre and Zayn in Saudi at Royal Rumble for the Undisputed WWE Title Match should be great. Zayn’s time is coming and will be WWE World Champion. Overall, a very good match and Zayn getting the win in his hometown was a nice moment(⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

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