WWE went old school on Saturday night with the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event. The classic show had not aired since 2008 and the revival took place at the same venue that hosted the first Saturday Night’s Main Event — Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. With four championship matches, as well as a grudge match between Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn, there was plenty of action packed into the two-hour broadcast.
In the night’s main event, Cody Rhodes outlasted Kevin Owens to retain the undisputed WWE championship, though it wasn’t without controversy. Owens appeared to have the match won, were it not for the referee being incapacitated, and it was Rhodes who used a steel chair to get the victory, though it was Owens who introduced the foreign object.
The only title to end up in new hands was the women’s United States championship, with Chelsea Green becoming the inaugural champion with a win over Michin in the tournament finals.
In the other world title matches, Gunther retained the world heavyweight title, defeating Finn Balor and Damian Priest in triple threat action and Liv Morgan survived a stiff challenge from Iyo Sky to remain the women’s world champion.
It was a loaded two hours featuring a memorable main event guest commentary spot from the legendary Jesse “The Body” Ventura.
CBS Sports was with you the whole way through the event, providing updates and highlights as the action goes down in the live blog below.
2024 WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event results, grades
Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn: Zayn immediately took the fight to McIntyre, getting off to a hot start that included a springboard moonsault onto McIntyre outside the ring. McIntyre was able to turn things around by catching Zayn as he came off the top rope with a springboard. This allowed McIntyre to toss Zayn onto the commentary desk. After a commercial break, McIntyre was fully in control of the match until Zayn was able to counter a few moves and move out of the way to send McIntyre into the ring post shoulder-first. McIntyre came back but ate a sunset flip bomb from the middle rope. Zayn countered a Claymore with a boot and then the blue thunder powerbomb for a near fall. McIntyre ducked out of the ring to avoid a Helluva Kick and then hit a Claymore as he re-entered the ring to score the victory. This was a solid opener for the show, showcasing both men and ending with the correct winner for the storyline. Drew McIntyre def. Sami Zayn via pinfall. Grade: B
Women’s World Championship — Liv Morgan (c) vs. Iyo Sky: Sky tried to out-quick Morgan early but was caught by a dropkick. Sky came right back with a dropkick of her own. Sky would hit a springboard moonsault to the outside to send the show to commercial. Sky continued to hold momentum, even surviving Morgan’s counters but slipped off the top rope attempting a springboard, allowing Morgan to get back in the match. Sky managed to come back with a knee to the face and went up top for a moonsault but Morgan got her feet up to counter. That opened things up for Morgan to hit Oblivion to score the pinfall. As Morgan left, Rhea Ripley came out of the entrance and came face-to-face with Morgan for a staredown. Things got clunky down the stretch with a few minor botches but the point was to get to Ripley showing up after the match. Liv Morgan def. Iyo Sky via pinfall to retain the title. Grade: B-
World Heavyweight Championship — Gunther (c) vs. Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest: A lot of high-speed jockeying for an early advantage between the three men. After a commercial break, it was Gunther in control of the match, where he quickly put Priest in a Boston crab. Balor tried to chop Gunther but that only angered the champion until Priest was able to hit a double clothesline before no-selling a Gunther chop and delivering several of his own and then taking out Balor with a series of strikes. The action continued to swing between all three men, with Balor hitting Priest and Gunther with slingblades. Priest tossed Balor over the top rope but that allowed Gunther to lock in a sleeper. Priest fought out and hit South of Heaven before Balor cut him off, hitting a shotgun drop kick and going up top for Coup de Grace but Gunther crotched him on the top rope. Priest then was the next to cut things off with a razor’s edge on Gunther. Priest hit Gunther with Coup de Grace but Priest broke the pin. Priest then hit South of Heaven on Balor but Gunther broke the pin, dragging Priest outside and hitting a powerbomb on the ring steps. Back in the ring, Gunther hit Balor with a powerbomb to score the pin and retain the title. As with every match on the show, things were a little compressed by the time constraints but the three brought enough chaos to make for an enjoyable three-way sprint. Gunther def. Finn Balor and Damian Priest via pinfall to retain the title. Grade: B
Vacant Women’s United States Championship — Chelsea Green vs. Michin: Both women broke out a bit of chain wrestling early before a Green counter sent Michin out of the ring. Michin ended up locking in a modified version of a tarantula. As the referee broke the hold, he was distracted enough to allow Piper Niven — at ringside to support Green — to slam Michin. Counters flowed back and forth between the two after a commercial break, with Green nearly winning the match after a rough rider. Green missed a suicide dive, colliding with Niven before Michin dove onto both women and then took out Niven with Eat Defeat. Michin then hit Eat Defeat on Green but Green got a foot on the rope to break the pin. Niven climbed onto the ring apron to cause a distraction and Green flipped from the middle rope into the Unprettier to score the pin and become the inaugural women’s United States champion. A fine match, not up to the level of Morgan vs. Sky earlier in the show but WWE delivered the correct winner. Chelsea Green def. Michin via pinfall to win the title. Grade: B-
Undisputed WWE Championship — Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Kevin Owens: Rhodes was wearing the classic “winged eagle” belt as he entered the match. Owens ducked out of the ring as soon as the match started, taking time before getting back in the ring and immediately ducking out again. This time, Rhodes chased him to ringside and drove Owens’ head into the commentary desk. Owens rolled out again and Rhodes hit a suicide dive. Rhodes began to sell the ankle that had been attacked by Owens and Chad Gable on Raw, allowing Owens to drop Rhodes on the commentary desk. Back in the ring, Owens stomped and stood on Rhodes’ ankle. Owens would go on to hit a swanton for a two-count. Rhodes began to make his comeback with a bionic elbow and a powerslam. The action spilled back outside the ring, where Owens hit a superkick and tried to set up for a powerbomb on the desk, but Rhodes countered with a cutter. Rhodes hit a Cody Cutter as the match went back into the ring, scoring a near fall. Rhodes hit a twisting fisherman’s buster from the middle rope for his own two-count. Rhodes crashed into referee Charles Robinson, sending him spilling outside the ring. Owens then hit a stunner that would have had the match won, but there was no official to make the count. Once a replacement referee was in the ring, Owens ducked a Cody Cutter, sending Rhodes crashing into the new referee. Owens grabbed a chair but missed, allowing Rhodes to hit another Cody Cutter then Cross Rhodes onto the chair. Robinson recovered and made the three-count for Rhodes to retain. Again, these matches were delivered in a compressed format, but Rhodes and Owens brought the goods — with Jesse Ventura doing a fantastic job on commentary for the match. Owens will again have valid grievances for how the match played out, with him scoring a legitimate pinfall were it not for a referee being taken out and then Rhodes being the man who actually used the chair to score the win. Cody Rhodes def. Kevin Owens via pinfall to retain the title. Grade: B+
