A week after I said WWE was missing the boat on Grayson Waller, the “Aussie Icon” returned to programming after a two-month absence Thursday on Main Event.
Facing Je’Von Evans, Waller was an absolute killjoy. He attacked “The Young O.G.” as he was making an electric entrance, robbing the audience of a good time. Later, he mocked Evans and the fans as he shouted, “Your boy is bouncy,” before bouncing Evans’ head off the announce desk.
Two spots in particular stood out. The first came when Evans shot Waller into the corner. Rather than leap over a charging Evans, Waller came down on the back of Evans’ head with a double stomp.
Near the end, Evans fired back, hoisting Waller up in a torture rack position, then tossing him face-first into the turnbuckle, à la a snake eyes. As Waller stumbled out of the corner, Evans hit a running knee for the pin.
With Evans set to compete in a gauntlet match this Monday on Raw, where the prize is an Intercontinental title match at SummerSlam, the outcome wasn’t in question. The victory gives the 2025 Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge winner some momentum, though the favorite in that match appears to be Chad Gable.
A couple of extras about this match:
- I didn’t like the finish, as Evans’ running knee strike looked too much like Trick Williams’ Trick Shot. I know it’s commonplace for modern wrestlers to borrow each other’s signature moves and finishers. But the more that happens, the less special those moves and their famous practitioners feel.
- While I was happy to see Waller again, I was disappointed that he didn’t antagonize the crowd more. A recent video from an NXT live event showed Waller breaking a kid’s heart by rejecting an autograph request. Was it cruel? Absolutely. But it’s the kind of wickedness that adds spice to a match and puts heat on the heel.
A Match That Happened
The opener of Main Event saw Ivy Nile in her familiar role as schoolteacher, with NXT hopeful Lizzy Rain serving as her pupil.
Rain tried to pump up the crowd during her entrance, but the fans weren’t buying it. Having performed at many an open mic night at several comedy clubs, I can tell you there is nothing worse than a crowd that doesn’t react to your work.
Kudos to Rain, who forged ahead seemingly unshaken.
As for the rest, Rain’s facials, whether she’s in control or selling, were sometimes over-the-top, even by pro wrestling standards.
Notably, WWE cut away to a crowd shot while she was trapped in an armbar. WWE doesn’t do many crowd shots during matches on Main Event, so the sudden cut stood out. I couldn’t help wondering whether something had been edited.
Ultimately, “The Maiden of Metal” took the L, falling to Nile after the American Made star hit her patented spinning ura nage for the pin.
Judging by Nile’s track record, I predict she’ll get another win on this show before doing the honors for a babyface from Raw or SmackDown who needs warming up.
The Final Bell
At 19:05, this was the second shortest episode of Main Event in 2026, and honestly, it was just there. That pains me to say, especially after I requested more Waller and WWE delivered. To be hypercritical feels like a lack of appreciation. I was glad to see him, and equally happy to see Evans, whose entrance always lights up my living room.
Still, their match didn’t hit with me, nor did Rain and Nile, beyond what I highlighted.
Despite being an auxiliary program, Main Event is one of my favorite shows. The matches never go through a commercial break, so it’s uninterrupted action from bell-to-bell. And although there are no storylines, there’s always something or someone to root for.
Not every at-bat can be a hit, and so this was a rare miss for Main Event. Better luck next week.
