WWE Main Event
| WWE Main Event | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by | Vince McMahon |
| Starring |
|
| Opening theme | "I Can't Lose" by def rebel feat. Justin Starling |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 12 |
| No. of episodes | 583 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Paul "Triple H" Levesque |
| Producer | Bruce Prichard |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera setup |
| Running time | 55 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network |
Peacock (U.S.) (2021–present) |
| Release | October 3, 2012 – present |
| Related | |
WWE Main Event is an American professional wrestling streaming television program produced by WWE. Premiering on October 3, 2012, the hour-long program features mid-to-low-card wrestlers from WWE's Raw brand as well as some from NXT.
Main Event is taped on Monday nights prior to WWE Raw. Episodes generally feature two matches (typically one men's match and one women's match). In the United States, Main Event streams new episodes on Hulu on Thursdays; it was initially carried by Ion Television as well until April 2014. It is also carried by WWE's international television partners.
History
The series first aired in the United States on Ion Television, originally premiering October 3, 2012 and airing on Wednesday nights. WWE considered the show to be a spiritual replacement for WWE Superstars (which previously aired on WGN America until 2011, and transitioned to WWE's digital platforms in the U.S. afterward). Hulu acquired rights to the series as well, as part of a larger pact that included video on-demand rights for WWE's main weekly programs.[1][2]
Ion Television dropped the series in April 2014; following the cancellation, WWE streamed a live episode of Main Event from Detroit on its then-new subscription service WWE Network. It was reported to be a stress test for live events on the service in preparation for WrestleMania XXX.[3]
Prior to November 28, 2016, Main Event was taped prior to SmackDown. It was then moved to Raw after the premiere of WWE Network's 205 Live, which was broadcast live after SmackDown from the same venue.[4]
Main Event was initially positioned as a non-branded show, featuring performers from both the Raw and SmackDown rosters.[2] Following the 2016 WWE Draft, the program became exclusive to SmackDown. After the cancellation of WWE Superstars, Main Event became exclusive to Raw. In late-2022, under changes made by Triple H after being promoted to WWE's chief content officer, NXT wrestlers began to increasingly appear on Main Event, particularly to evaluate their performance and audience reception when performing with members of the main roster.[5][6]
Commentators
| Commentators | Date started | Date finished |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Cole and The Miz | October 3, 2012 | October 10, 2012 |
| October 24, 2012 | ||
| November 7, 2012 | November 14, 2012 | |
| December 5, 2012 | January 9, 2013 | |
| January 23, 2013 | January 30, 2013 | |
| February 20, 2013 | ||
| March 6, 2013 | March 27, 2013 | |
| May 15, 2013 | May 22, 2013 | |
| Michael Cole and JBL | October 17, 2012 | |
| October 31, 2012 | ||
| November 21, 2012 | November 28, 2012 | |
| February 6, 2013 | February 13, 2013 | |
| April 3, 2013 | May 8, 2013 | |
| November 4, 2014 | ||
| December 23, 2014 | ||
| April 14, 2015 | ||
| Michael Cole and Brad Maddox | January 16, 2013 | |
| Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler | February 27, 2013 | |
| Josh Mathews and Ricardo Rodriguez | May 29, 2013 | June 5, 2013 |
| Josh Mathews and Wade Barrett | June 12, 2013 | |
| Josh Mathews, The Miz and Cody Rhodes | June 19, 2013 | |
| Josh Mathews and The Miz | June 26, 2013 | |
| July 10, 2013 | July 24, 2013 | |
| August 7, 2013 | August 21, 2013 | |
| September 11, 2013 | ||
| October 16, 2013 | October 30, 2013 | |
| November 20, 2013 | ||
| December 4, 2013 | December 11, 2013 | |
| December 25, 2013 | ||
| Josh Mathews and Cody Rhodes | July 3, 2013 | |
| Josh Mathews and JBL | July 31, 2013 | |
| Josh Mathews and Alex Riley | August 28, 2013 | September 4, 2013 |
| September 18, 2013 | October 9, 2013 | |
| November 6, 2013 | November 13, 2013 | |
| November 27, 2013 | ||
| December 18, 2013 | ||
| Tom Phillips and The Miz | January 1, 2014 | January 8, 2014 |
| January 22, 2014 | ||
| Tom Phillips and Alex Riley | January 15, 2014 | |
| January 29, 2014 | February 5, 2014 | |
| Tom Phillips and Byron Saxton | February 12, 2014 | August 12, 2014 |
| March 31, 2015 | ||
| September 15, 2015 | ||
| November 3, 2015 | ||
| November 17, 2015 | December 1, 2015 | |
| December 15, 2015 | ||
| November 29, 2016 | December 6, 2016 | |
| March 15, 2017 | April 4, 2017 | |
| April 9, 2020 | April 16, 2020 | |
| August 7, 2020 | November 4, 2020 | |
| Michael Cole and Byron Saxton | August 19, 2014 | October 21, 2014 |
| November 11, 2014 | December 2, 2014 | |
| December 16, 2014 | ||
| November 10, 2015 | ||
| September 16, 2020 | ||
| Michael Cole, JBL and Byron Saxton | October 28, 2014 | |
| Tom Phillips and Renee Young | December 9, 2014 | |
| July 25, 2019 | August 1, 2019 | |
| Michael Cole, JBL and Booker T | December 30, 2014 | January 6, 2015 |
| Tom Phillips and JBL | January 13, 2015 | January 20, 2015 |
| February 3, 2015 | March 24, 2015 | |
| Rich Brennan and JBL | April 7, 2015 | |
| April 21, 2015 | May 26, 2015 | |
| Rich Brennan, JBL and Jimmy Uso | June 2, 2015 | June 16, 2015 |
| Rich Brennan and Jerry Lawler | June 23, 2015 | July 14, 2015 |
| July 28, 2015 | August 18, 2015 | |
| January 5, 2016 | April 26, 2016 | |
| Michael Cole and Rich Brennan | July 21, 2015 | |
| Tom Phillips and Jimmy Uso | August 25, 2015 | |
| Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, and Jimmy Uso | September 1, 2015 | September 8, 2015 |
| September 22, 2015 | ||
| October 6, 2015 | October 27, 2015 | |
| Michael Cole, Byron Saxton and Jimmy Uso | September 29, 2015 | |
| Kyle Edwards and Corey Graves | December 8, 2015 | |
| Rich Brennan and Byron Saxton | December 22, 2015 | December 29, 2015 |
| Tom Phillips and Jerry Lawler | January 29, 2015 | |
| May 3, 2016 | May 17, 2016 | |
| Tom Phillips, Jerry Lawler and Dolph Ziggler | May 24, 2016 | June 7, 2016 |
| Tom Phillips and David Otunga | June 14, 2016 | |
| June 28, 2016 | October 11, 2016 | |
| October 25, 2016 | November 22, 2016 | |
| Tom Phillips, Dolph Ziggler and David Otunga | June 21, 2016 | |
| Tom Phillips, David Otunga and Aiden English | October 18, 2016 | |
| Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton and Austin Aries | December 20, 2016 | February 8, 2017 |
| Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton and R-Truth | February 15, 2017 | March 8, 2017 |
| Tom Phillips and Corey Graves | April 12, 2017 | May 17, 2017 |
| Vic Joseph and Corey Graves | May 24, 2017 | August 30, 2017 |
| September 27, 2017 | ||
| January 31, 2018 | ||
| Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness | September 6, 2017 | September 20, 2017 |
| October 4, 2017 | January 24, 2018 | |
| February 7, 2018 | April 4, 2018 | |
| November 30, 2018 | December 5, 2018 | |
| Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness and Percy Watson | April 11, 2018 | |
| April 25, 2018 | June 13, 2018 | |
| June 27, 2018 | January 16, 2019 | |
| Vic Joseph and Percy Watson | April 18, 2018 | |
| Tom Phillips and Percy Watson | June 20, 2018 | |
| January 17, 2019 | ||
| Byron Saxton, Percy Watson, and Renee Young | January 25, 2019 | March 29, 2019 |
| Vic Joseph, Byron Saxton and Renee Young | April 4, 2019 | April 11, 2019 |
| Byron Saxton, Renee Young and Sam Roberts | April 18, 2019 | |
| May 23, 2019 | ||
| July 13, 2019 | July 19, 2019 | |
| Byron Saxton, Renee Young, and David Otunga | April 25, 2019 | May 2, 2019 |
| Byron Saxton and Renee Young | May 9, 2019 | |
| May 30, 2019 | July 3, 2019 | |
| August 8, 2019 | September 5, 2019 | |
| Byron Saxton, Nigel McGuinness and Aiden English | May 16, 2019 | |
| Byron Saxton, Renee Young and Dio Maddin | September 12, 2019 | September 19, 2019 |
| Vic Joseph, Mickie James and Dio Maddin | September 26, 2019 | |
| Byron Saxton, Mickie James, and Dio Maddin | October 10, 2019 | November 7, 2019 |
| Vic Joseph and Byron Saxton | November 21, 2019 | November 28, 2019 |
| Byron Saxton and Mickie James | December 5, 2019 | April 2, 2020 |
| Tom Phillips and MVP | April 23, 2020 | July 29, 2020 |
| Byron Saxton and Samoa Joe | September 9, 2020 | |
| Tom Phillips and Samoa Joe | November 11, 2020 | March 3, 2021 |
| Byron Saxton and Kevin Patrick | March 10, 2021 | August 3, 2023 |
| Byron Saxton and Wade Barrett | August 10, 2023 | November 8, 2023 |
| November 22, 2023 | December 6, 2023 | |
| December 20, 2023 | January 3, 2023 | |
| January 10,2020 | ||
| Blake Howard and Wade Barrett | November 2, 2023 | |
| Blake Howard and Byron Saxton | November 15, 2023 | November 29, 2023 |
| December 13, 2023 | January 17, 2024 - present | |
Ring announcers
| Ring announcers | Dates |
|---|---|
| Lilian Garcia | October 3, 2012 – October 24, 2012 December 5, 2012 – December 19, 2012 January 2, 2013 – February 6, 2013 May 29, 2013 October 9, 2013 November 27, 2013 January 1, 2014 March 18, 2014 April 15, 2014 May 27, 2014 March 24, 2015 November 3, 2015 |
| Tony Chimel | October 31, 2012 – November 28, 2012 December 26, 2012 February 13, 2013 – May 22, 2013 June 5, 2013 – October 2, 2013 October 16, 2013 – November 20, 2013 December 4, 2013 – December 25, 2013 January 8, 2014 – March 11, 2014 March 25, 2014 – April 8, 2014 April 22, 2014 – May 20, 2014 June 3, 2014 – June 24, 2014 |
| Eden | July 1, 2014 – March 17, 2015 March 31, 2015 June 2, 2015 – June 23, 2015 July 14, 2015 – October 6, 2015 October 20, 2015 – October 27, 2015 November 10, 2015 – February 23, 2016 April 19, 2016 |
| JoJo | April 7, 2015 – May 26, 2015 June 30, 2015 – July 7, 2015 October 13, 2015 July 19, 2016 December 1, 2016 – December 8, 2016 December 22, 2016 – January 19, 2017 March 23, 2017 – April 6, 2017 September 14, 2017 March 22, 2018 November 29, 2018 - January 3, 2019 |
| Greg Hamilton | March 1, 2016 – April 12, 2016 April 26, 2016 – July 12, 2016 July 26, 2016 – November 22, 2016 July 2, 2020 – December 3, 2020 |
| Mike Rome | January 26, 2017 – March 16, 2017 April 13, 2017 – September 7, 2017 September 21, 2017 March 15, 2018 – March 29, 2018 November 22, 2018 January 10, 2019 – May 4, 2023 October 12, 2023 |
| Samantha Irvin | November 4, 2021 – December 9, 2021 May 11, 2023 – present |
| Alicia Taylor | January 26, 2023 – November 2, 2023 |
See also
Notes
References
- ^ Graser, Marc (2012-09-24). "Hulu Plus pacts with WWE". Variety. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
- ^ a b Graser, Marc (2012-06-25). "ION pins down 'WWE Main Event'". Variety. Archived from the original on 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
- ^ Harris, Keith (2014-03-02). "Main Event moving from ION TV to the WWE Network?". Cageside Seats. Archived from the original on 2020-01-11. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
- ^ Davis, Brad (2014-03-05). "UPDATE ON NXT & MAIN EVENT ON THE WWE NETWORK, SUMMERSLAM TRAVEL PACKAGES". SEScoops.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-27. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
- ^ Heydorn, Zack (2022-12-21). "NXT talent appearing on Main Event strategy update". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on 2023-02-28. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
- ^ Fight, Jonie (2022-12-21). "NXT talent excited about WWE Main Event". Superluchas. Archived from the original on 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
