Results
- Randy Orton def. Drew McIntyre (8:25)
- Solo Sikoa def. Jimmy Uso (WWE United States Championship) (10:49)
- LA Knight def. Seth Rollins (11:42)
- Gunther def. Goldberg (WWE World Heavyweight Championship) (14:24)
With help from Jelly Roll, Randy Orton defeats the returning Drew McIntyre
Saturday Night’s Main Event started with some wrestler arrivals. On the analysis desk tonight was Joe Tessitore and Jesse Ventura, with Michael Cole and Wade Barrett on commentary.
The opening bout of the night saw a returning Drew McIntyre face off against Randy Orton in a grudge match. As we saw on Smackdown last night, two names have been added to this feud: Artist Jelly Roll was in Orton’s corner, and Logan Paul was supporting McIntyre. They were both ringside for this bout. This was McIntyre’s first matchup since the last SNME in May, when he lost a cage match to Damian Priest.
Orton knocked McIntyre out of the ring in the opening minute with a clothesline. He glared at Paul before attempting a back suplex onto the commentary desk. McIntyre reversed this exchange, instead throwing Orton onto the desk two times in a row, getting him ahead in the fight as the show went to a commercial break.
McIntyre remained in control as the broadcast returned a couple of minutes later. Orton started selling his lower back again, the same thing he did during his King of the Ring final against Cody Rhodes.
Orton started to make a comeback after a series of chops woke him up. The fight went back to the commentary desk, where Orton tossed McIntyre onto the table three times. Orton eyed down Paul again, giving McIntyre the chance to catch a breather, then chop Orton in the throat.
Orton caught McIntyre with a draping DDT as the match returned to the ring. Orton started to tease an RKO but got distracted by Paul, who jumped onto the ring apron. Right after Orton turned around from Paul, McIntyre came flying forward with a Claymore Kick. Orton was pinned, but put his leg on the bottom rope just before three.
Jelly Roll and Paul went face to face at ringside. Paul shoved Jelly a few times before the singer responded, shoving him to the ground. It was now McIntyre’s turn to get distracted by what was happening at ringside. McIntyre finished trash-talking Jelly and turned around to pick up Orton. But, as Orton got up, he leapt into the air for an RKO… Out of nowhere. Orton won in eight and a half minutes.
Paul attacked Orton after the match. This led to Jelly Roll getting into the ring and peeling Paul off of Orton. He blocked a punch from Paul, then popular recording artist sent him retreating with a right hand of his own.
Jelly Roll let his guard down after his moment in the spotlight, and that allowed McIntyre to nail him with a Claymore Kick. An irate Nick Aldis forced McIntyre to leave the scene. Orton got the win, but the heel duo involved in the segment certainly got the last laugh.
After a commercial break, Adam Pierce and Nick Aldis were seen arguing backstage with Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre.
Nick Aldis adds special stipulation to Evolution grudge match
IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley, and Jade Cargill were shown at ringside to promote Evolution, which is on Sunday evening. As the camera was on Cargill, Naomi appeared from behind to attack her. Staff tried to pull them apart, but failed to calm things down. Cargill tossed Naomi over the commentary desk, causing Naomi to later jump off the table, landing on Cargill and others.
Nick Aldis had his hands full tonight, as he was once again back at ringside to try and break up a fight. The Smackdown General Manager got on the microphone with the announcement that tomorrow’s match between Cargill and Naomi will have a special guest referee: Bianca Belair.
Doug Dellinger, the former WCW Head of Security, who was involved in many past Goldberg walkouts, was shown at ringside. Diamond Dallas Page was shown as well.
Solo Sikoa leans on MFTs for U.S. title win against Jimmy Uso
The first of two title bouts came next: Defending his WWE United States Championship for the first time since earning it at Night of Champions, Solo Sikoa faced off against Jimmy Uso.
Commentary noted that Uso would earn his first-ever WWE singles title with a win this evening. Sikoa was accompanied by JC Mateo, Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga. Lilian Garcia simply announced the three as the “MFTs.”
Uso scored a suicide dive a minute into the match. A frustrated Sikoa refused help from his MFTs to stand up after taking the move. Back in the ring, Uso came off the top for a move, but Sikoa reversed it into a Spinning Solo, earning him a one-count.
Uso tried to get back into the match with another move off the ropes, but Sikoa knocked him down with a strike. Sikoa distracted the referee, allowing Talla Tonga to take down Uso at ringside just before the match went to a break.
The wrestlers were battling on the ring apron as the show returned. After some back and forth, Uso scored a nasty German Suplex from the position. Uso came off the top with a crossbody, but it only got a two-count from Sikoa.
Uso hit a hip attack in the corner, then a frogsplash off the top. Still, Sikoa remained in the fight with another kickout. Uso came forward with a move, but Sikoa countered with a kick to the head. Sikoa scored another Spinning Solo. Uso reversed a Samoan Spike into a pair of superkicks.
Uso started to climb to the top rope once again. Sikoa rolled out of the ring, but Uso was going to dive anyway. The challenger came off the top and to the outside with a Corkscrew, wiping out Sikoa and the MFTs.
Uso avoided a big boot from Talla Tonga while on the ring apron. The challenger superkicked Talla, then knocked him down with another kick to the head. Sikoa dragged Uso from the ring apron to the mat for a pin attempt. The referee didn’t see, but Talla Tonga put more pressure on Sikoa as he looked for the pin, making it harder for Uso to kick out. The dirty tactic worked, giving Sikoa a win in nearly 11 minutes.
The MFTs attacked Uso after the match. The team’s celebration was cut short by Jacob Fatu, who came in for the save. After wiping out Mateo and Tama, Fatu went face-to-face with Talla. They weren’t there to just stare: The two started trading blows before a big boot from Tonga put Fatu on his back. Fatu avoided a move from Talla, sending him flying over the top rope and to the outside. Fatu did a suicide dive onto all of the heels as the segment came to a close.
Possible knee injury causes Seth Rollins to lose against LA Knight
Backstage, Randy Orton was seen apologizing to Jelly Roll for putting him in danger at earlier in the night. Mr. Roll said Orton doesn’t need to be sorry. “I want ’em both. Anywhere, anytime,” he said. Orton then threw out the idea of teaming with Jelly Roll at Summerslam against Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre
Rick and Scott Steiner were shown at ringside.
In the co-main event of the night, Seth Rollins went one-on-one with LA Knight. Paul Heyman was by Rollins’ side, but notably no Bron Breakker or Bronson Reed.
Knight sent Rollins over the ropes and to the outside, giving him the chance for a baseball slide a minute into the match. Knight bashed Rollins’ head into the commentary desk as the show went to a break.
Rollins gained control of the match during the break, as he had Knight in a submission hold as the show returned. Knight worked his way out of the hold, then started to unload punches on the feet. Rollins dodged a blow from Knight, instead dropping him stomach-first onto his knee.
Rollins came off the top with a frogsplash, continuing to work the ribs of Knight. A pin attempt from Rollins only gave him a two. Knight started to mount a comeback with a series of strikes. He avoided a Curbstomp and instead hit a clothesline, then scored a DDT. Knight came off the top with an elbow drop for a near fall.
Knight hit a knee in the corner to Rollins. He tried for a BFT, but Rollins avoided the move, rolling out to the ring apron. Rollins climbed to the top rope, where Knight joined him. Knight tried for a superplex, but Rollins stopped him, knocking him down with a headbutt.
Knight jumped back up to the top for another superplex attempt. Rollins got out of the position, instead lifting up Knight for a buckle bomb. Knight avoided a Curbstomp and tried for a move, but his pain from the ribs stopped him. Rollins scored a thrust kick, then a springboard senton.
Rollins came off the ropes with a moonsault, but Knight avoided the move. Rollins seemingly tweaked his knee after the failed moonsault, causing the match to get paused. Rollins was checked on by the referee and a physician as Knight stayed on the other side of the ring.
After the referee got out of the way, Knight came in for a sudden BFT for the pinfall win in 11 minutes. No word on if this injury is legitimate, but it certainly took the energy out of the venue.
Gunther defends title against retiring Goldberg
Blake Monroe and Jacy Jayne were shown at ringside. NXT Women’s Champion Jayne will face Jordynne Grace at Evolution tomorrow.
It was made official that Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre will tag against Randy Orton and Jelly Roll at Summerslam.
It’s main event time. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther put his title on the line in a matchup against Goldberg, who said this would be his last ride. We got the classic Goldberg entrance, backstage security escort and all. Some familiar names were among the security, including Josh Barnett.
After a quick commercial break, we came back for the official fight introductions from Lilian Garcia.
The bell went. Goldberg shoved Gunther to the mat after a quick lock-up. Gunther was tossed into the ropes and then knocked off-balance by a shoulder tackle. Gunther tried to chop Goldberg, who laughed off the strikes.
Gunther came running off the ropes, but ate a clothesline from Goldberg. The challenger beat down on Gunther in the corner, then knocked him down with another clothesline. Gunther started to fight back, knocking down Goldberg with a lariat.
Gunther climbed to the top rope but was thrown down by Goldberg. The challenger tried for his famous spear, but Gunther avoided the move by leaving the ring. Goldberg followed Gunther to ringside, where they exchanged blows.
Goldberg tried to spear Gunther into a barricade, but the champ got out of the way. Goldberg went head-first into a barricade, which folded upon impact. Goldberg was in trouble as the match went to a break.
Back in the ring, Gunther was going after the left knee of Goldberg, which he was wearing a brace for. After trading slaps, Gunther dropped Goldberg by stomping his weak knee. Gunther started to mock Goldberg: “What are you gonna do?”
Now heavily selling his left leg, Goldberg was able to pick up Gunther for a spinebuster. They traded strikes on the feet again. Goldberg reversed a move into a back body drop. He tried for a spear, but Gunther moved out of the way. The move didn’t take out the champ, but instead knocked down referee Charles Robinson.
With Robinson down and out, Gunther started to take off the knee brace that Goldberg was wearing. Goldberg clutched onto the bottom rope, but nobody was there to enforce a rope break.
After taking off the brace, Gunther went over to Goldberg’s son, who was at ringside. He jumped the barricade and tried to attack Gunther, but security got in the way.
Back in the ring, Goldberg caught Gunther with a spear, then a jackhammer. In came a new referee. After clutching his knee, Goldberg went for a cover. One… Two… Gunther kicked out.
Gunther regrouped and then locked in a sleeper hold against Goldberg. The crowd, on their feet and trying to will Goldberg to continue, couldn’t get him back in the fight. Goldberg passed out, ending the match at 14 and a half minutes. Gunther is still the world champ, and Goldberg’s career has come to an end.
Michael Cole talked about how it’s no longer “Who’s next” for Goldberg, but instead “What’s next.”
After a break, Goldberg was given the microphone to end the show. He thanked the fans in Atlanta: “I couldn’t have done it without you.” He mentioned how friends of his had travelled from all around the world to witness his final match. Goldberg’s speech continued as the show went off air – I’m sure his full remarks will be uploaded somewhere soon.
