Normally, I begin these recaps with a witty hook to catch readers’ attention.
Not today. This was an excellent show that I can’t wait to get into, so let’s go!
We begin with the second bout of the evening that stole the show, as Ivy Nile took on NXT and Evolve star Karmen Petrovic. These two met in March on Main Event, with Petrovic pulling off a stunning upset over the main roster star.
Nile showed off her incredible strength with a delayed vertical suplex, holding Petrovic up for nearly 35 seconds! Still, Petrovic kept fighting, a theme throughout this match.
Early on, the third-degree karate black belt stunned Nile with strikes before using her legs to wrap her opponent up in a Full Nelson. During her comeback, Petrovic hammered Nile with body shots and a flawless spin kick to the breadbasket.
Facing another upset, Nile fled the ring with Petrovic in hot pursuit. A cheap shot by Nile from the apron, though, stunned Petrovic long enough for Nile to race back into the ring and hit a swinging ura nage for the win.
This was an outstanding match that might have drawn a stronger reaction than it did if the crowd had been more familiar with Petrovic. Based on her performance, it may not be long before more fans are talking about her.
Thursdays Belong to Alpha Academy
Akira Tozawa and Otis proved once again that they’re the team to beat on Thursday nights. This week, Alpha Academy put its 2026 Main Event undefeated streak on the line against Charlie Dempsey and Uriah Connors from NXT’s Birthright.
Dempsey and Connors quickly got under fans’ skin with their smugness. But they had a right to be arrogant. At one point, Dempsey caught a flying Tozawa and hit him with a bridging fallaway slam for a two-count.
For a moment, I felt like I was watching 1980s tag wrestling as Birthright drew Otis into the ring. With the referee distracted, the heels doubled up on Tozawa. Fans were getting hot the longer this went on, and it was great.
The crowd erupted when Otis finally tagged in and cleaned house. A refreshed Tozawa wiped out Connors with a dive to the outside as Otis flattened Dempsey with a Caterpillar Splash. Dragging Dempsey to their corner, Otis tagged in Tozawa, who wrapped up another victory with a flying senton.
Danhausen Curse Strikes Again
Danhausen’s curse continues to haunt Kit Wilson, who lost to Axiom, joined by Nathan Frazer, in the show’s opener. Despite the loss, Wilson looked incredibly sharp.
With the masked Spaniard holding onto the ropes, Wilson yanked him off and into a powerbomb for a two-count. Later, he hit a rotating DDT that looked absolutely brutal.
Kudos to Axiom, who continued selling the damage to his neck all the way through his comeback. After hitting a Spanish Fly, he put Wilson away with a Golden Ratio kick to earn a decisive 1-2-3.
This episode is a strong contender for Main Event’s best show of the year. After a nice start from Wilson and Axiom, Nile and Petrovic came together for a match that had me inching closer to my screen the longer it went on.
Fans following Evolve and NXT know there has been a lot of chatter about Kendal Grey, with some likening her to Kurt Angle because of how quickly she’s taken to the ring in just over two years.
Well, don’t sleep on Petrovic. Her biggest issues are a lack of a defined character and exposure. She could be in the NXT Women’s Championship picture by year’s end and main roster-bound not long after.
Speaking of NXT, man, I love Dempsey and Connors. They have a presence about them, Connors, especially. With more size and maybe a mouthpiece, they could take over SmackDown’s tag division in a snap.
Meanwhile, Otis and Tozawa seemed poised for another run at Raw’s World Tag titles. The problem is they need wins on Netflix to appeal to WWE’s larger base. Still, a showdown with reigning champs The Vision is inevitable, and with Austin Theory courting the Alpha’s Maxxine Dupri, a heartbreaking betrayal looms large.
Finally, this episode featured implications for Friday Night SmackDown. Emanating from Barcelona, Spain’s Axiom will face Wilson’s mentor, The Miz, who was conspicuous by his absence here. There’s more than a good chance that Frazer and Miz will back their respective partners.
Overall, this was an enjoyable 33 minutes that left me wanting more. It also reinforced my stance that fans looking for more wrestling from WWE programming should make Main Event a steady part of their diet.