Published: 9 minutes ago by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: 11 hours ago by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
WWE
When it comes to WWE programming, Main Event is probably the one show that fans rarely consider as favorably as Raw, SmackDown and NXT.
Currently streaming on Rumble, the debut episode of WWE Main Event sits at over 765,000 views at the time of writing, with new episodes going live every Wednesday.
Previously a YouTube show, WWE Main Event has also called Peacock, WWE Network, the official WWE website, Hulu and Ion Television its home since its launch in 2012.
Recent years have seen WWE Main Event grow from a main roster highlight show with taped matches thrown in, to a shorter show of just the matches, back to the combination of matches and highlights that it now is on Rumble, but its significance goes beyond the format:
Continuing stories
WWE Main Event could just be the aforementioned taped matches and a “what happened on…?” recap of Raw and SmackDown.
Instead, stories are continued through the medium of Main Event, with main roster stars in segments, providing a through-line to what’s taking place on Raw and SmackDown. The segments may be released separately on social media, but their inclusion in Main Event cements the show as a way to keep up as opposed to just a side attraction.
Main roster stars mixing it up
With Main Event matches being taped before Raw and SmackDown, it perhaps comes as no surprise that mid and lower card stars will feature on the Rumble show.
This week’s episode will see Chelsea Green face Lainey Reid, while Sol Ruca takes on Candice LeRae, the MFTs face Axiom, and Otis goes toe-to-toe with Bronson Reed.
The make-up of Main Event doesn’t suggest “stars we can’t fit into Raw or SmackDown”, so much as using names familiar to the fans to bring the audience across to the streamed show.
The NXT factor
NXT stars have been involved in WWE Main Event since 2022, with their inclusion offering an opportunity to test them in front of a main roster audience when it comes to a potential call-up.
NXT itself has seen a number of main roster stars head to the Tuesday night show, allowing talent on the show to face names on Raw and SmackDown who likely came up through the show that still has its focus on being a developmental pipeline.
The position of WWE Evolve
WWE Evolve features stars from NXT and WWE ID, many of whom are yet to make an impact on the Tuesday night show. In addition to the developmental talent, main roster stars have also been featured on the pre-taped show.
Airing on Tubi in the US and YouTube in international territories, WWE Evolve has its own specials, with Succession being the first in October of last year.
Why WWE Main Event has its place
It may not draw the same audience as Raw, SmackDown or NXT, but WWE Main Event certainly has a place in programming, whichever platform carries the show.
As a way of getting stars into the ring, it’s another string to WWE’s bow, not that many of the featured main roster names are absent from their respective programming’s creative plans. It does, however, offer another avenue to expose stars when shows are so densely packed with backstage segments and ongoing stories.
The aforementioned strategy of testing NXT stars in front of a main roster audience also has worth, as does putting Raw and SmackDown stars against opponents with a view to see how they would work together in feuds on those shows.
Sure, it’s unlikely a Raw or SmackDown title will change hands on Main Event, but that doesn’t stop the show from being interest for what it is.
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