WWE Main Event results: Hawkins & Ryder vs. Rowan & Young

  • James Cox
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The Big Takeaway: Shelton Benjamin defeated No Way Jose to make it two wins in a row after making his Main Event debut last week. Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins also went two for two, seeing off Eric Young and the new tag partner he had this week — Erick Rowan.

With no Byron Saxton or Dio Maddin, the commentary team was Vic Joseph with Mickie James.

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Shelton Benjamin defeated No Way Jose (5:50)

Benjamin made an impressive Main Event debut last week. Despite it being a pity that he has nothing creatively at the moment and so is being used on Main Event, he immediately brought some relevance to the show.

Here against No Way Jose, there was much more of an even feel and he gave a lot of the match to Jose. The first two minutes were all Jose, with Benjamin looking rattled by the approach.

They went back and forth, with Jose hitting Benjamin with a double knee backbreaker before setting up for the knockout punch. Benjamin just about had it scouted before he then popped up and hit Jose with Paydirt for the win.

This was fine, but Benjamin being booked as a merciless wrestler who bullies and torments his opponents — just as he did against Akira Tozawa last week — would be way more interesting.

Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins defeated Erick Rowan & Eric Young (6:08)

Ryder and Hawkins have new ring gear to make them look like a unit. It’s taken long enough, as even when they were Tag Team Champions, they were still coming out to their own individual music and wearing their old gear.

Last week, they saw off Eric Young & Mojo Rawley, but Rowan was infinitely better as a difference-maker here. 

Ryder and Hawkins cut the ring in half in the early going, but when Young knocked Ryder off the top rope to the outside, he tagged in Rowan, who absolutely annihilated Ryder with a charge on the floor.

Young and Rowan softened up Ryder. He played babyface in peril until finally giving Hawkins the hot tag. Eventually, Hawkins sent Rowan outside and launched Ryder on top of him so that he could turn around and cover Young with a sunset flip.

This was a good shock finish, with Ryder and Hawkins celebrating up the ramp while Rowan and Young stayed in the ring shaking their heads in disbelief.