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Add FightsATW on GoogleWWE Saturday Night’s Main Event was live in ‘The Mecca,’ where they launched their brand just over 40 years ago, when WrestleMania was launched in front of nearly 20,000 inside Madison Square Garden. These days, hopes are much higher in the ‘Big Apple’ with their New York Knicks defeating the Spurs in the 7-game series.
The SNME card is one of the most hyped since the brand was revived in December of 2024, with tonight’s card featuring a “can they co-exist” storyline between upcoming opponents CM Punk and Cody Rhodes in tag action, while Roman Reigns is booked for some sort of announcement with Jalen Brunson of the championship Knicks.
ROMAN REIGNS X JALEN BRUNSON
Eli Manning, the former Super Bowl champion for the NY Giants, narrated a video package before the segment began, and a giant inflated balloon floated down from the rafters and lit up as the lights in MSG were cut ahead of Brunson’s entrance. Brunson was shown walking from the back of the arena to an on-screen reaction from the backstage staff before meeting Roman Reigns waiting for him on the other side of ‘Gorilla.’
They enjoyed a long walk out as the two stars soaked up the crowd’s admiration. Roman cut a promo about acknowledging Brunson’s own championship wins. The heavyweight champion gifted Jalen his own version of the belt, with Knicks décor. They held up the belts together before Seth Rollins‘s music hit.
Instead of Seth, it was Tyreese Halliburton who walked through the curtain, and Rollins was able to get the jump on Roman. Brunson watched from inside the ring as Seth set up Roman for the curb stomp, but that is when Jalen finally stepped in and allowed for The Tribal Chief to take back momentum.
Halliburton did not get involved, instead helping Seth to lick his wounds on the way back to the locker room as Roman and Brunson held up their titles in unity. The scene ended when Roman lifted the Knicks’ NBA championship trophy to close out the show.
CM PUNK & CODY RHODES VS SAMI ZAYN & GUNTHER—Tag Team Match
The two uber faces were interviewed just before stepping through “Gorilla,” while ‘The Last Real Good Guy Left’ was highlighted in his own interview before he and his partner Gunther tried to get the pre-match advantage. Sami’s hatred of both Cody Rhodes and Punk stems from Zayn’s 9-day reign as WWE champion, while Gunther still holds a grudge for his belief that he was cheated against Cody in their singles match.
Cody was wearing the ‘blue and orange’ Knicks’ colors, staying with the theme that the faces on tonight’s card utilized. It was a fairly standard match early on while the hot New York crowd came alive when both Cody and Punk locked in dual submissions on each of their opponents.
Gunther had Punk in the sleeper submission that ended Cena’s career, but he was able to make the hot tag for Cody to come in and grab the momentum of the match. It did not last long after Sami broke up the near fall, which led to the match’s final act.
After Punk held Gunther for Cody to take his shot, Gunther ducked, and Cody made contact with Punk as Gunther big booted his way out of the spot. Gunther hit Cody with the belt and another ref ran down to make the count.
As the ref counted 1 and 2 before Nic Aldis pulled out the official just before 3 and then hit Gunther with the belt for Cody to take the win for his team. Cody and Punk hugged it out, but Aldis and Gunther certainly will not. There was a terrific moment when Punk threw the belt over his shoulder without acknowledging Cody behind him as the strap nailed “The American Nightmare” in the face in a disrespectful scene.
DAN HAUSEN VS JD McDONAUGH—NO DQ STREET FIGHT
This match was fun, even if the program has run longer than fans expected, in a storyline involving stolen jerseys gifted by NBA champions, cold hard cash, and curses. Hausen’s character has developed into a full universe with backstage experiments and interactions that span the rosters on both brands.
They battled around the ring until the mini Hausens returned to cause all sorts of mayhem. That spot set up the ‘big spot’ of the night when Karl Anthony Towns (KAT) debuted from the darkness at the end of the match to help Dan Hausen win in NYC the way he helped the Knicks win in San Antonio.
PAIGE & BRIE BELLA VS LAINEY REID & FALLON HENLEY- WWE Women’s Tag Team Title
Fatal Influence picked up their first gold on the main roster of WWE by defeating Paige and Brie Bella for the tag titles. Paige had replaced and injured Nikki Bella at WM42 to help Brie realize her dream of claiming the titles that did not exist when the Bellas were dominating the women’s division.
The fact that Paige took the pinfall to lose the belt suggests that we could get a Nikki return before it is all said and done, where she blames Paige for their current title-less state. First, we might get a 6-woman tag between Fatal Influence and the OG squad of The Bellas and Paige.
BAYLEY VS LYRA VALKRYIA
The feud continued tonight, though Lyra walked away with the momentum, as Bayley was unable to keep the piece with the woman that was once a fan of her former mentor. Bayley busted Lyra open the hard way before Lyra put a severe beatdown on Bayley in the post-match. This program will likely continue with a stipulation raising the stakes for the next time around.
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