WWE Main Event
May 1, 2013
Detroit, Michigan
Commentators: Michael Cole & John “Bradshaw” Layfield
Report by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Hello everyone and welcome to this week’s WWE Main Event recap. Filling in for CJ Bowman once again this week, so if you all are ready, let’s get on with the show!
We see video from RAW 3 weeks ago when Kofi Kingston defeated Antonio Cesaro to win the WWE United States Title.
Backstage, Matt Striker interviews Antonio Cesaro. Cesaro says he will win back the US Title tonight the same way he won it the 1st time. With dominance & technical skill. Kofi took something from me as well as all the fans, my pride & dignity and you don’t take from Antonio Cesaro. Tonight, I take it all back.
We see the usual intro, then Michael Cole & JBL welcome us to the show. We go right to our opening match.
Return Match for the WWE United States Title: Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Antonio Cesaro
No yodeling from Cesaro before the match, thank god. Kofi with a front chancery, but Cesaro with a back heel trip. Cesaro goes for a leglock, but Kofi slips out. Cesaro with a go-behind, then rolls up Kofi for a 1 count. Cesaro with a waistlock as the crowd chants for Kofi. Kofi counters and takes down Cesaro for a 1 count. Cesaro now with a front chancery and takes down Kingston. Cesaro goes to work on the arm, but Kofi kips up and armdrags Cesaro into an armbar. Kofi with a knee to the arm, but Cesaro pulls Kofi back down by the dreadlocks. Cesaro with a side headlock, Kofi with a leapfrog off a whip, but Cesaro catches him and hits not one, but two side saltos. Kofi with a Tiger flip off a whip and takes down with a spinning headscissors. Kofi with a kick, followed by a springboard splash for a nearfall. Cesaro rolls out to the outside to re-group as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Cesaro with a big uppercut for a nearfall. Cesaro with a chinlock as the crowd wills on Kofi. Cesaro with a gut shot off a whip, followed by a leg drop across the back of Kofi’s head for another nearfall. Cesaro chokes Kofi in the ropes, followed by an elbow drop for a 1 count. Cesaro with a butterfly suplex for another nearfall. Cesaro goes back to the chinlock as the crowd again wills on the champion. Kofi fights back, but Cesaro with knees to the ribs. Cesaro begins to trash talk Kofi, paintbrushing him with his foot. Kofi again fights back, but Cesaro with another knee.
Kofi comes back with 2 double chops, a dropkick and the Superman Clothesline. Kofi off the ropes and connects with the Boom Drop. Kofi with the hand-claps to set up Trouble in Paradise, but Cesaro rolls out onto the apron. Kofi goes after him, but Cesaro hot-shots him across the top rope, with Kofi’s leg getting caught up in the ropes. Cesaro goes after him, but Kofi surprises him with S.O.S. for a close nearfall. Kofi off the ropes, but Cesaro catches him with a Northern Lights Bomb for a close nearfall. Cesaro charges and connects with a running European Uppercut for another nearfall. Cesaro deadlifts Kofi for a side salto, but Kofi tries to counter with a Sunset flip, however Cesaro sits down on it, but only gains a nearfall. Cesaro thought it was 3 and argues with the ref as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Cesaro with gut shots to Kofi in the corner. Cesaro charges, but Kofi moves and sends Cesaro to the outside. Kofi leaps onto Cesaro, but Cesaro catches him. However, Kofi with a rana that sends Cesaro face-first into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Kofi gains a nearfall. Kofi runs into an elbow, but lands on his feet when Cesaro threw him overhead. Kofi leaps onto Cesaro, but Cesaro catches him. However, Kofi counters it into a roll-up for a nearfall. Cesaro with another big uppercut, followed by a double stomp to Kofi’s bad leg. Cesaro locks Kofi in a half crab, but Kofi kicks Cesaro off. Kofi with a unique roll-up, but Cesaro’s shoulders were up, so no count by the referee. Kofi goes for Trouble in Paradise, but Cesaro catches his leg. Cesaro does a Giant Swing with the one leg, then goes back to the half crab. Kofi almost got his hand on the bottom rope, but Cesaro pulls him back to the center. Kofi crawls with all his might and is able this time to reach the bottom rope. Cesaro sends Kofi off the top turnbuckle while Kofi was on the apron. Cesaro then with a deadlift superplex from the middle rope, shades of Michael Elgin from Ring of Honor, but Kofi is somehow able to kick-out. Cesaro with a slam, followed by another double stomp, this time to the chest, but Kofi kicks out. Cesaro then transitions right back to the half crab. Kofi kicks Cesaro off again, but Cesaro comes back with a running dropkick. Cesaro goes for the Neutralizer, but Kofi counters with a backdrop.
Kofi avoids a charge and nails Cesaro in the back of the head with Trouble in Paradise to retain the title.
Winner and STILL WWE United States Champion: Kofi Kingston by pinfall (Trouble in Paradise)
Kofi celebrates his title retention as Matt Striker is in the ring for a post-match interview. Kofi says 2013 got off to a bad start for me, but I keep fighting because you never know when you’ll get your opportunity and 2 weeks ago, I became US Champion. That was great, but last week was even greater because my wife and I had our 1st son. So, this is for them: Daddy is coming home a CHAMPION!!!
Commercial
Backstage, Kofi is walking down a hallway, but then Cesaro attacks him from behind and sends him into some boxes. Cesaro says that you don’t take from Antonio Cesaro, Antonio Cesaro takes from you. With that, Cesaro then rips out one of Kofi’s dreadlocks and leaves with Kofi writhing in pain.
We see video from this past Monday on RAW when John Cena & Team Hell No took on the Shield in 6-man tag team action.
Commercial
Back from commercial, we go to our next match.
Justin Gabriel vs. Heath Slater w/3MB
Slater shoves Gabriel aside and does some air guitar. Slater with a go-behind, but Gabriel takes him down. Gabriel with an armdrag, then mocks Slater. Gabriel with a drop toe hold, then rolls up Slater for a nearfall. Gabriel with an armbar, followed by another roll-up for a nearfall. Gabriel with a wristlock, but Slater with a right hand. Gabriel with one of his own, followed by a chop and then locks in a side headlock. Gabriel with a shoulder tackle, cartwheels over Slater, then armdrags him again back into the armbar, but Slater gets to the ropes. Slater trips up Gabriel and locks in a side headlock. Gabriel takes down Slater and goes to his own side headlock. Gabriel with another shoulder tackle, then blocks a hiptoss and hits a monkey flip. Gabriel follows up with another armdrag right back into the armbar. Slater backs Gabriel into the ropes, then whips him, but Gabriel goes up & over and takes Slater to the outside with a headscissors takeover. Gabriel with a head of steam and takes out all of 3MB with a tope suicida. Gabriel sends Slater back in while 3MB argue with the ref. The ref then ejects McIntyre & Mahal from ringside. Slater nails Gabriel from behind, but then Gabriel sidesteps and sends him to the outside. Gabriel seems to be in complete control as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Gabriel has Slater once again in an armbar. Slater comes back with right hands, but Gabriel reverses a whip. Gabriel is sent to the apron, but he comes back with a roundhouse kick to the head. Gabriel heads up top, but Slater runs up the ropes and hits a powerslam. Slater with the cover, but Gabriel gets his foot on the bottom rope. Slater stomps away on Gabriel, then has words with the ref. Slater locks in a chinlock as the crowd wills on Gabriel. Gabriel fights back, but Slater with a knee to the ribs. Slater with left-hand jabs, followed by a big right hand. Slater taunts the crowd with some air guitar, then drops a knee on Gabriel. Slater with a hard whip to the corner, followed by another big right hand for a nearfall. Slater goes to the 2nd rope, but Gabriel catches him with a boot to the face when Slater leaps off.
Gabriel with a leg sweep, then avoids a charge. Gabriel with a series of kicks, tiger flips over Slater and hits a spin kick. Gabriel with a discus right hand, does a little werewolf howl, then hits an angled avalanche in the corner. Gabriel heads up top and hits a crossbody for a nearfall. Gabriel with forearms, followed by a leaping back kick off the 2nd rope. Gabriel heads up top, but Slater stops him. Slater goes up with Gabriel and goes for a superplex, but Gabriel knocks him off.
Gabriel hits the 450 Splash for the victory.
Winner: Justin Gabriel by pinfall (450 Splash)
Gabriel celebrates his victory as we go to credits.