7/10 Kester's Main Event Live Coverage Review: Dolph Ziggler vs. Antonio Cesaro and Rhodes Scholars and Heath Slater vs. Great Khali and Tons of Funk

By Ryan Kester

Main Event on Ion Television
Taped earlier in Hampton, Virginia.

[Q1] Zeb Colter cut a promo about how America has become lazy and no longer works hard. He put over Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro as hard working Americans and promised that they would sacrifice and go on to win the Money in the Bank World Heavyweight Championship ladder match. He concluded with the We, the People line.

1. Dolph Ziggler vs. Antonio Cesaro (w/ Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter). Cesaro overpowered Ziggler early and began working over Ziggler's arm.

Ziggler managed to get Cesaro on the mat and pummeled him with repeated elbow drops. Cesaro rolled out of the ring… [C]

Back from the break, Ziggler and Cesaro fought for control until Cesaro managed to drop Ziggler on the ropes. Cesaro went to targeting Ziggler's neck. Cesaro hit a hell of a gutwrench suplex followed by a running double stomp for a near fall.

[Q2] Cesaro locked in an abdominal stretch and the crowd started chanting for Ziggler. Ziggler had a hope spot late, but he ended up eating an elevated European Uppercut for another Cesaro near fall… [C]

Cesaro hit another gutwrench suplex for another two count. Ziggler managed to catch Cesaro with a neckbreaker, followed by a fameasser, for a near fall of his own. Cesaro came right back and hit his apron-to-ring superplex for a great near fall.

Cesaro locked in his chinlock, but Ziggler managed to escape the hold. Ziggler began to pick up the pace and reversed Cesaro's elevated uppercut into a jumping DDT. Colter and Swagger got on the apron sand were thwarted by Ziggler, but Cesaro used the distraction to hit Ziggler with a European Uppercut.

Ziggler hit the Zig Zag out of nowhere, but Swagger dragged Ziggler from the ring, causing the DQ.

Dolph Ziggler defeated Antonio Cesaro via disqualification in 19:37.

Cesaro and Swagger attacked Ziggler after the match, but Ziggler was able to outpace the two men and escaped up the ramp.

[Q3] Ziggler celebrated on the stage as the announcers set up a recap of the Mark Henry and John Cena feud.

Tons of Funk and the Funkadactyls made their full entrance… [C]

Ryan's Reaction: Great match. Cesaro looked like a beast with all of his offense, and Ziggler sold for him extremely well. I still believe that Ziggler would be better off as a babyface if he shed the Showoff gimmick. His current character has a great chase story behind him, but he's acting exactly like he did as a heel. That, and his continued relationship with a heel woman, is giving WWE's audience mixed signals when WWE needs him to be getting over as someone the crowd can rally behind.

Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow made an official statement on the way to the ring: Team Rhodes Scholars is a cohesive unit and would stand together and victorious tonight and at Money in the Bank.

2. Rhodes Scholars and Heath Slater (w/ Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal) vs. Great Khali and Tons of Funk. Tensai overpowered Rhodes early, and Rhodes rolled to the floor to catch his breath… [C]

Back from the break, Tons of Funk continued to work over Cody Rhodes. The remaining 3MB members managed to cause a distraction, and Sandow was able to catch Tensai on the ropes. The heels took over the action and began working down the big man.

[Q4] Brodus Clay got a hot tag and he worked his offense on Damien Sandow. Sandow tagged Slater into the match and Rhodes Scholars retreated up the ramp.

Great Khali tagged in, chopped Heath Slater, and covered him for the pin….

Tons of Funk and Great Khali defeated Rhodes Scholars and Heath Slater in 8:37.

A video package about the Wyatt Family and their Raw debut aired…

Miz and Josh Matthews reported that Kane was doubtful for participating in the Money in the Bank All Star match… [C]

Ryan's Reaction: That match certainly wasn't for the internet crowd, but it had to be a spectacle for the younger members of the audience. I didn't care for it, but it came and went in a relatively painless fashion.

A replay of Vickie Guererro's job evaluation and firing aired to close the show.

Ryan's Reaction: Of all the full replay recaps they could have gone with, they went with the least interesting bit of Raw. I know it contained all of the big authority figures in WWE television, but it was woefully uninteresting live, even more so in a recap form. Overall, the show was what has become the norm for Main Event; high quality video packages with only the opening match being worth the time to watch. It was a hell of a match, mind you, but the remainder of the show was pure filler. Thanks for following along with me.

If you have any questions or comments or just wish to chat with a fellow wrestling fan about whatever, then feel free to email me at ryan.kester@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.