Every Major Wrestling Debut TV Show Ranked From Worst To Best

13. WWE Main Event

Dynamite Chris Jericho
WWE.com

If you think this is a naked attempt to grab that additional slideshow ad revenue cash—‘Main Event isn’t a major show, akchually’—that is nothing on how WWE pitched the show itself to original U.S. broadcast partner Ion Television in 2012.

WWE promised a show that lived up to its name, one that promoted main event talent, but they didn’t deliver, and over time, the name developed the irony most expected. The debut show, promoted around a novel and gripping premise, was decent one-segment wonder: kick-started by a match between WWE Champion CM Punk and World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, this was a showcase of Punk’s storytelling craft. Fans were initially reluctant to boo his heel persona, but his heel work secured the intended atmosphere at the apex of a good, forgotten match.

The format was original; Punk and Sheamus were profiled in well-produced vignettes, and shown training, to put over the stakes and importance of the match. Front-loaded to capitalise on the curious audience, the main event is closer to what the programme has become: Santino Marella & Zack Ryder Vs. Justin Gabriel & Tyson Kidd.

It’s a…very different show now, home to, and this isn’t satire to mock how uneventful it is, a Best of Seven Series between Dana Brooke and Sarah Logan.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!