BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The first WWE Main Event after SummerSlam featured four action-packed matches including Bray Wyatt’s in-ring debut on ION Television!
The Shield def. Kofi Kingston & The Usos
The rivalry between The Usos and The Shield intensified on WWE Main Event as the twin sons of Rikishi joined forces with Kofi Kingston to battle U.S. Champion Dean Ambrose and WWE Tag Team Champions Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. A mere two weeks before this clash, The Shield narrowly escaped a battle that saw The Usos team with The World’s Strongest Man, Mark Henry. This time, Jimmy and Jey Uso hoped to overwhelm the championship collective with extraordinary speed and high-flying tactics on par with their own in the form of Kingston.
WWE MAIN EVENT PHOTOS | WATCH SIX MAN TAG TEAM ACTION
The strategy to offset The Shield’s pack-like mentality worked in Kingston and The Usos’ favor early in the contest as their speed and high-flying arsenals kept The Shield on the defensive. However, the collective recalibrated and managed to slow the pace of the battle, using double and triple team tactics mixed with each member’s unorthodox and frenetic in-ring abilities.
As the energy of the WWE Universe fed into Kingston and The Usos, the match took a turn for the chaotic, with everyone getting involved at once and bodies flying in and out of the ring in an uncontrolled frenzy. Left in the center of the ring were Kingston and Ambrose. The former Intercontinental and U.S. Champion used his speed to recover from a missed Trouble in Paradise and execute an S.O.S. With The Shield narrowly escaping defeat, Kingston ascended the ropes but was knocked off by Rollins, allowing Ambrose to seize the opportunity to come away with a narrow victory.
AJ Lee def. Naomi
“Total Divas” star Naomi stepped inside the ring on WWE Main Event facing a challenge that presented potential for a major victory – a battle against Divas Champion AJ Lee. There is a bit of history between the Divas Champion and the Funkadactyl – both were contestants during WWE NXT season three. Nevertheless, times have changed and both Divas were posed to prove how much they’ve changed since their days as Rookie Divas.
WWE MAIN EVENT PHOTOS | WATCH AJ LEE BATTLE NAOMI
Although Naomi put her incredible athleticism on display, AJ Lee showed exactly why she is at the top of the Divas division – her cunning and awareness inside the squared circle was an exceptional counter to Naomi’s agility. However, there was another advantage that the Divas Champion possessed that ultimately played in her favor – her uncanny flexibility. A distraction by Layla allowed AJ to catch her opponent off-guard and lock on The Black Widow submission to secure the victory.
The Great Khali def. Jack Swagger
Former World Heavyweight Champions collided in Bakersfield when The Great Khali battled Jack Swagger. Of course, before the match could get underway, Khali was confronted by Zeb Colter. The outspoken lightning rod wanted to know how much The Punjabi Playboy knew about America, asking him when the War of 1812 took place. After a moment, Khali answered with a chop to Antonio Cesaro’s head, removing Swagger’s colleagues from the ring in order to get the match going.
WWE MAIN EVENT PHOTOS | WATCH THE GREAT KHALI VS. JACK SWAGGER
Khali used his considerable size advantage to overpower Swagger and keep the Real American on the defensive. After Colter’s rant, the WWE Universe was firmly in the Punjabi Superstar’s corner, cheering him on as he leveled Swagger with crushing strikes. Fighting back, Swagger focused on Khali’s leg, trying to keep the giant grounded. Neither Superstar held a major advantage until late in the contest when an altercation at ringside between Cesaro, Swagger, Hornswoggle and Natalya gave Khali ample time to recover from an attack. Attempting to refocus on the match, Swagger re-entered the squared circle but was met with a mighty chop to the head, affording Khali the win.
Fandango taunted The Miz
The rivalry of one-upmanship between Fandango and WWE Main Event commentator The Miz continued as the dancing Superstar and Summer Rae made an appearance simply just to draw the ire of The Awesome One.
Bray Wyatt def. Justin Gabriel
Fresh off a victory in his SummerSlam match against Kane and followed up by a win against R-Truth on Raw, Bray Wyatt made his WWE Main Event in-ring debut against Justin Gabriel. The last time The Eater of Worlds crossed paths with the Dare-Wolf on WWE Main Event, the South African was left on top of a pile of human wreckage at the hands of The Wyatt Family.
WWE MAIN EVENT PHOTOS | WATCH BRAY WYATT DECIMATE JUSTIN GABRIEL
Unfortunately for Gabriel, the momentum that Wyatt has built in the days leading up to this contest led to a dominating performance for the new Superstar. Completely overpowered and unfamiliar with Wyatt, Gabriel was virtually helpless and soon enough the buzzards came calling as Luke Harper and Erick Rowan stood tall with their victorious leader.