By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event
Uniondale, New York at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Aired live December 14, 2024 on NBC and Peacock
Dark Match: “Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin defeated Austin Theory and Grayson Waller in 8:00. Dot Net contributor Don Murphy is at the show and added that the crowd is hot… Lilian Garcia performed the national anthem, and then Michael Cole and Joe Tessitore were introduced as the broadcast team…
The television broadcast opened with Joe Tessitore checking in while a shot aired of the New York skyline followed by a shot of the host venue. Fans were shown outside the building while Tessitore said there was a retro feel with new age superstars… An older television was shown airing highlights of classic Saturday Night’s Main Event shows… Animotion’s “Obsession” played for the opening montage…
Pyro shot off and then Tessitore spoke while shots aired of Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens, several Judgment Day members, Damage CTRL, Damian Priest, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh, and Gunther…
Jesse Ventura was introduced and joined Tessitore at a podium that was set up off the main floor. Ventura wore feather boas over his snakeskin jacket. Ventura said it had been 40 years since he was in WWE and now “The Body is back in WWE.”
Ventura questioned whether Cody was actually the son of Dusty Rhodes and then compared the difference in their abdominal muscles. Ventura said Cody would end up like a one legged man in an ass kicking contest. Tessitore threw it over to Michael Cole at ringside…
Pat McAfee made his entrance while Cole spoke. McAfee slapped hands with fans and then greeted Cole, who noted that they would be together when Raw debuts on Netflix on January 6. McAfee said it was an honor to be there live on NBC. Cole said, “Live from New York…” and then McAfee added “it’s Saturday Night Main Event”…
Drew McIntyre made his entrance for the opening match through a small entrance set. Footage aired from Raw of Sami Zayn touting the match, being attacked by McIntyre, and then brawling with him backstage. Zayn made his entrance…
1. Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn. The referee wore an old school blue shirt with a bowtie. Zayn sent McIntyre to ringside and hit him with an Arabian Press Moonsault. McIntyre came back moments later and tossed Zayn over the broadcast table heading into a commercial break. [C]
Zayn avoided a charging McIntyre in the corner, causing McIntyre to go through the ropes and into the post. Zayn went for his Helluva Kick finisher, but McIntyre cut him off and then hit a spinebuster for a near fall. McIntyre followed up with a powerbomb for another near fall.
McIntyre hoisted up Zayn on his shoulders and went to the middle rope for White Noise. Zayn countered into a sunset bomb for a nice near fall. McIntyre stuffed a Blue Thunder Bomb attempt and then dropped Zayn with a Glasgow Kiss.
McIntyre counted down and went for a Claymore Kick, but Zayn caught him with a kick. Zayn followed up with a Blue Thunder Bomb for another good near fall. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. Zayn set up for a Helluva Kick, but McIntyre rolled to ringside.
Zayn followed McIntyre to the floor, but McIntyre returned to the ring. When Zayn returned to the ring, McIntyre hit him with a Claymore Kick and then pinned him. Cole noted that Zayn has never beaten McIntyre in a singles match…
Drew McIntyre defeated Sami Zayn in 10:05.
Powell’s POV: A really nice opening match with the expected outcome. Dot Net’s Don Murphy reports that there was a long wait to enter the building and said it was very disorganized. Thanks to Dot Net reader Sourajit Dey for passing along video footage of some fans waiting outside the venue less than five minutes before the show.
Shots aired of Damage CTRL walking backstage followed by Liv Morgan walking backstage with Raquel Rodriguez and Dominik Mysterio heading into a break… [C] A brief clip hyped Raw debuting on Netflix on January 6…
Cole said there were 14,186 in attendance. Shots aired of WWE Hall of Famers Tito Santana and Jimmy Hart, and Warrior Award winner Rich Hering. Cole explained that Hering was a key player behind the scenes in WWE…
Damage CTRL made their entrance and then a video package set up the Women’s World Championship match. Liv Morgan made her entrance with Raquel Rodriguez and Dominik Mysterio. The entrances aisles were smaller than usual and security guards walked out behind the wrestlers…
2. Liv Morgan (w/Raquel Rodriguez, Dominik Mysterio) vs. Iyo Sky (w/Kairi Sane, Dakota Kai) for the Women’s World Championship. Charles Robinson was the referee and was introduced by name by Cole and also received a name graphic. Morgan hit Sky with an early dropkick. Sky returned the favor. Both wrestlers ended up on the apron. Morgan went for a sunset bomb, but Sky held onto the ropes and then kicked Morgan, who was on the floor. Sky hit an Asai moonsault. [C]
Sky hit Morgan with a suicide dive coming out of the break. Sky rolled Morgan back inside the ring and then hit her with a springboard missile dropkick that led to a two count. Morgan came back and hit a Codebreaker for a two count. A graphic listed the result of the opening match. Sky hit three German suplexes for a two count.
Graphics listed the remaining matches while Cole said the WWE Championship match would close the show. Sky went for a move from the ropes and slipped. Morgan quickly hit a Codebreaker for a two count. Sky came back and drilled Morgan with a knee strike to the face.
Sky delivered double knees to Morgan in the corner. Sky went up top and went for her Over The Moonsault finisher, but Morgan put her feet up. Morgan, who had a bloody nose, followed up with Oblivion and then scored the pin.
Liv Morgan defeated Iyo Sky in 9:05 to retain the Women’s World Championship.
Cole questioned if Morgan suffered a broken nose and then they replayed the knee strike that Sky hit her with. Morgan was leaving with her crew when Rhea Ripley’s entrance music stopped them in their tracks. Ripley walked out and went face to face with Morgan, who held up her title belt…
Powell’s POV: An enjoyable match aside from Sky slipping at one point. Morgan’s nose wasn’t bleeding when she went face-to-face with Ripley, so hopefully she avoided major damage from the wicked knee strike. I was surprised by the clean finish. It was a logical move to get Ripley a little camera time on the NBC special.
A tale of the tape was listed for Gunther, Damian Priest, and Finn Balor that listed their height, weight, and accolades that mostly consisted of their title wins… [C] John Cena’s appearance at the Elimination Chamber event in Toronto was hyped in a video package and then by the broadcast team…
Ring announcer Lilian Garcia introduced Finn Balor, who was accompanied to the ring by JD McDonagh. Cole hyped Balor and McDonagh vs. The War Raiders for the World Tag Team Titles for Raw with the other Judgment Day members banned from ringside.
Damian Priest made his entrance. Cole noted that Priest is a New York Yankees fan and said he told him “boo-hoo” regarding his New York Mets signing Juan Soto. Gunther made his entrance while Cole played up his “crisis of confidence” after losing to Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel…
3. Gunther vs. Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest in a Triple Threat for the World Heavyweight Championship. Cole mentioned that Eddie Orengo was the referee and was wearing the referee cam. By the way, the ropes are red, white, and blue. Cole said there have been only two title changes in the history of SNME. Priest kicked Gunther off the apron and then hit him with a flip dive. [C]
[Hour Two] A graphic and McAfee noted that the show was trending number one. Priest did an Old School rope walk before diving onto Gunther. Priest followed up with a face first slam on Balor for a near fall. Priest set up Balor for the Razor’s Edge, but Gunther broke it up. Priest stuffed Gunther’s powerbomb attempt, but Balor hit Priest with a pair of sling blade clotheslines.
Gunther caught Balor in a sleeper. Priest threw a kick at Gunther, which led to Balor getting a two count, which forced Gunther to release the sleeper. Gunther caught Priest in a sleeper. Priest escaped and then chokeslammed Gunther. Balor caught Priest with a move and then followed up with a shotgun dropkick.
Balor went up top for his Coup de Grace finisher on Priest, but Gunther crotched him on the top turnbuckle. Gunther went to the ropes. Priest got up and hit Gunther with a Razor’s Edge. Balor hit Gunther with a Coup de Grace and had the pin, but Priest broke it up. Priest set up Balor for a Razor’s Edge, but Balor countered into a pin for a near fall.
Priest hit Balor with the South of Heaven chokeslam and had him beat, but Gunther pulled Priest to ringside. Gunther powerbombed Priest on the bottom half of the ring steps. Gunther returned to the ring and dropkicked Balor into the corner. Gunther powerbombed and pinned Balor…
Gunther defeated Finn Balor and Damian Priest in a Triple Threat in 11:05 to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
Powell’s POV: A solid television match with the predictable outcome of Gunther retaining and Balor taking the pin. The near falls were well executed, but it was hard to believe that someone other than Gunther was going to win the match.
Kevin Owens was shown backstage… A crew member knocked on Nick Aldis’s office door. The Smackdown general manager emerged from his office holding the Women’s U.S. Championship belt… [C]
Tessitore and Ventura spoke from the elevated platform off the main floor. Ventura said he loves Liv Morgan because she took a shot to the head that would have stopped any normal person and she still won the match. “That Dominik, he can pick women, can’t he?” Ventura said.
Ventura turned and told the crowd that wrestling is even bigger today than it was 40 years ago. Ventura told the fans they should be proud of that. Tessitore turned things over to Cole and McAfee, who spoke at their desk for a moment. Cole said he had a chance to work with Gorilla Monsoon early in his career and tonight it comes full circle by working with Ventura…
Chelsea Green made her entrance with Piper Niven. Highlights aired of Green’s wins in the tournament to reach the finals. Michin made her entrance and then turned around and showed that the back of her jacket read “Union” (I wish they would have cut to Ventura for comment). Highlights aired of Michin’s wins in the tournament. Cole mentioned that Green’s first title win in TNA and her first television match were against Michin…
4. Michin vs. Chelsea Green in the tournament final to crown the first Women’s United States Title. Jessika Carr was given a name graphic. Michin put Green in a move in the ropes and then released it. While the referee was tied up with Green, Niven gave Michin a Boss Man Slam at ringside. [C]
Michin performed a tornado DDT. Green stuffed an Eat Defeat attempt. Green put Michin down with an Unprettier for a two count. Green tried to spear Michin off the apron, but Michin moved and then Green crashed into Niven. Michin hit Eat Defeat on Niven.
Michin returned to the ring and was kicked by Green. Michin came right back with a clunky Eat Defeat. Michin covered Green, who put her foot on the bottom rope at the last moment to break up the pin. Michin sat Green on the top turnbuckle and then joined her on the ropes. Niven climbed on the apron. Green knocked Michin off the ropes. Michin dropkicked Niven off the apron. Michin went back to Green, who slapped her and then jumped off the ropes and into position for the Unprettier, which she hit and then got the three count.
Chelsea Green defeated Michin in 8:05 to become the first Women’s U.S. Champion.
After the match, Nick Aldis entered the ring and put the title belt around Green’s waist. Niven put Green on her shoulder and then pyro shot off behind them. Cole said it was seven years to the day that Green won her first championship…
Cole hyped the main event… [C]
Powell’s POV: There were some rough moments, but the live crowd was largely pleased by the outcome. While I’m no fan of introducing more title belts, I was also pleased to see Green become the first Women’s U.S. Champion. That said, I’m still disappointed that the first Women’s Intercontinental Champion wasn’t crowned in a fictional tournament in Rio de Janeiro.
A video touted Raw’s move to Netflix on January 6… Cole hyped the Raw on Netflix Kickoff Show for Wednesday at 1CT/2ET and WWE Headquarters. The event will stream on WWE’s YouTube page…
WWE Hall of Famers Koko B Ware and Greg Valentine were shown in the crowd…
Jesse Ventura joined Cole and McAfee at the broadcast table. Cole and McAfee stood up and applauded. Ventura congratulated them for their cushy, high paying jobs and asked who paved the way for them. Cole and McAfee both said Ventura did. McAfee did his telestrator bit for a still shot of Tessitore and Ventura from earlier in the night. Ventura claimed he stole Jake Roberts’ snake Damien and used him for the jacket he was wearing…
A video package set up the main event… Kevin Owens made his entrance to boos. Owens wore a Dusty Rhodes t-shirt that had his own face over the face of Rhodes… [C]
A shot aired of River Walk in San Antonio, Texas while Cole hyped that the next SNME show will take place at Frost Bank Center on January 25…
Cody Rhodes made his entrance and had some pyro. Cody was mega over. Cody showed off the Winged Eagle title belt around his waist. Cole said the belt was designed by Reggie Parks and was worn by Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 3, and replaced by in 1998 when Steve Austin won the title…
5. Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens for the WWE Championship. Lilian Garcia delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Charles Robinson was the referee. Owens took an immediate powder and looked at the winged eagle title belt that was on a podium at ringside.
Cody hit Owens with a suicide dive. Cody sold his ankle for a moment. Owens rallied at ringside and dumped Cody on the broadcast table in Randy Orton style. Owens looked into the camera and said, “Hi, Randy” twice before they cut to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Owens hit a Swanton for a near fall. Cody came back and hit a Bionic Elbow. Ventura said believe it or not, he never wrestled Dusty Rhodes. Cody hit Owens with a Disaster Kick and covered him for a two count. Both men ended up at ringside. Owens superkicked Cody and then cleared the broadcast table.
Owens got Cody on the broadcast table, but Cody dropped him with an RKO. The table didn’t break. Cody rolled Owens back inside the ring and then ran up the ropes and hit a Cody Cutter for a near fall. Both men ended up on the ropes. Owens got the better of the fight and hit a fisherman’s buster for a two count. Ventura complained that the count was slow.
Owens kicked Cody and set up for the Stunner, but Cody countered into position for CrossRhodes. Owens shoved Cody into the referee, knocking referee Robinson out of the ring. REF BUMP!!! Owens hit Cody with a Stunner and got a visual pinfall while the referee was down.
Eddie Orengo ran out as the second referee and counted the pin, but Cody kicked out at two. Cody rallied and went for a Cody Cutter, but Owens moved and then Cody crashed into Orengo. REF BUMP 2!!!
Owens went to ringside and returned with a chair. Cody avoided a chair shot and then hit Owens with a Cody Cutter. Cody followed up with CrossRhodes onto the chair. Original referee Robinson stood up and counted the pin from the floor.
Cody Rhodes defeated Kevin Owens in 12:00 to retain the WWE Championship.
Ventura pointed out that Cody used the chair, not Owens. Highlights aired of the finish. Cody stood on the ropes and held up the winged eagle title belt. Ventura said it was his pleasure to be on the show and he can’t wait for San Antonio. Cody continued to celebrate while the executive producers credits were shown. Cody kissed the mat and then waved to the crowd to close the show…
Powell’s POV: A good main event that gave Cody the win while protecting Owens so they can get more out of their feud. Ventura doing his heel commentary schtick was helpful in terms of telling the story from the perspective of Owens. Based on the line about San Antonio, it sounds like Ventura will be back for the next SNME show.
Overall, this was a safe and predictable show in terms of the booking. It was also a solid showcase of the modern product blended in with the retro look (they even had the WWE logo on the turnbuckle pads). I will have a lot more to say about the show when Jake Barnett and I team up for a same night audio review that will be available for everyone as this week’s Pro Wrestling Boom podcast. Let us know what you thought of SNME by grading the show below.