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WWE Saturday Night's Main Event XL Results, Winners, Live Grades and Highlights
Could Goldberg win the World Heavyweight Championship in what was billed as his retirement match when WWE returned to NBC for Saturday Night's Main Event.
The WCW icon and 2018 Hall of Famer headlined the latest broadcast television special, challenging Gunther for the top prize on the Raw brand. Would he strike gold in his hometown of Atlanta or would The Ring General claim another fan-favorite victim in yet another dominant performance?
Find out with this recap of the July 12 show, which also featured a high-profile showdown between LA Knight and Seth "Freakin" Rollins.
Match Card
1 of 7
Announced for Saturday's event were:
* World Heavyweight Championship Match: Goldberg vs. Gunther (c)
* LA Knight vs. Seth "Freakin" Rollins
* United States Championship Match: Jimmy Uso vs. Solo Sikoa
* Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre
Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre
2 of 7
Jellyroll accompanied Randy Orton to the squared circle Saturday night for his match with Drew McIntyre, who was seconded by former United States champion, Logan Paul.
A physical battle between the two former world champions, echoing back to their rivalry in 2020, saw them unload their arsenals on each other, with McIntyre failing to put Orton away with a Claymore.
Paul made his presence felt but ultimately, Orton dropped his longtime rival with an RKO for the win.
After the match, Jellyroll assisted Orton, who was on the receiving end of a beatdown from Paul, only to eat a Claymore of his own from The Scottish Warrior. Raw and SmackDown general managers Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis scolded McIntyre while Orton checked on his friend to close out the segment.
Result
Orton defeated McIntyre
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
* So that Jellyroll and Logan Paul nonsense wasn't a fever dream? Great.
* Orton and McIntyre have ungodly in-ring chemistry and could seemingly have a good-to-great match with their eyes closed. The timing is perfect and the transitions are seamless.
* If there were two guys you have to book in a scenario like this, which is almost certainly headed toward a tag team match at SummerSlam, Orton and McIntyre are those guys. They guarantee the quality, can thrive under the brighter lights that the mainstream cameras bring with them, and will hit all the marks.
Jade Cargill and Naomi Brawl
3 of 7
During the customary "look who is at ringside" spots that have become a staple of WWE programming, the commentary team highlighted Jade Cargill. From out of nowhere, Naomi attacked and a brawl ensued.
SmackDown general manager Aldis returned to ringside and revealed that the match between the two at Evolution will now have a special guest referee.
With that, Bianca Belair returned, looking dismayed at the current state of what was once considered the Big Three.
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
* Highlighting one of the big matches on the Evolution premium live event was a great move. An even better one was the return of Belair, who is one of the biggest stars in the women's division.
* Has anyone picked up the proverbial ball and run with it more than Naomi in 2025? She has been one of the bright spots on WWE television and, win or lose against Cargill, could find herself leaving Atlanta with gold, thanks to the Money in the Bank briefcase.
United States Championship Match: Jimmy Uso vs. Solo SIkoa
4 of 7
Solo Sikoa barely escaped Atlanta with the United States Championship Saturday, overcoming a game Jimmy Uso and benefiting from interference from the massive Talla Tonga to successfully retain his title.
Before that, everything Sikoa threw at Uso, he had an answer for, and repeatedly stunned him with a superkick. He even unloaded with a German suplex onto the ring apron in an attempt to put the champion away. Instead, Sikoa proved tough and resilient, continuing to push forward just enough to finally seal (or steal) the win with a roll-up and some added leverage from Tonga.
After the match, Sikoa, Tonga, Tanga Loa, and JC Mateo attacked Uso until Jacob Fatu made his return and cleared the ring before standing tall to a thunderous ovation.
Result
Sikoa retained US Championship over Uso
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
* Uso definitely has better in-ring chemistry with this brother than he did his other, Jey, at WrestleMania last year.
* As a match, this was infinitely better than expected and the post-match involving Fatu was electrifying. The Samoan Werewolf is going to be big money for WWE when he moves into the main event.
LA Knight vs. Seth Rollins
5 of 7
Backstage, Cathy Kelley caught up with Orton and Jellyroll, who came up with a time and place to meet McIntyre and Paul: SummerSlam.
Back in the ring, Seth "Freakin" Rollins took to the squared circle for a showdown with LA Knight that had been weeks in the making.
Unfortunately, the match would not reach its final form, thanks to an apparent injury suffered midway through by The Visionary.
Late in the contest, Rollins attempted a springboard moonsault and landed on his feet, injuring his right knee. The action stopped, the ringside doctor checked on him, and after a few minutes of uncertainty, Rollins rose to his feet and Knight quickly delivered Blunt Force Trauma for the abrupt win.
Result
Knight pinned Rollins
Grade
Incomplete
Top Moments and Takeaways
* A Rollins injury, especially one that forces him to the sidelines for an extended period of time, would be catastrophic for the Raw brand. He has been the lifeblood and centerpiece of the Netflix brand since WrestleMania and was the long-term face of the brand.
* The win is a big one for Knight, who has lacked that signature victory over a legitimate main event star. The question is whether it was the intended outcome all along or if the injury forced a change to plans.
World Heavyweight Championship Match: Goldberg vs. Gunther
6 of 7
In what was billed as his retirement match, in front of his hometown friends and family in Atlanta, Goldberg challenged Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship.
The challenger overcame one errant spear that saw him explode through the timekeeper's position, fought through a debilitating knee injury, and accidentally speared referee Charles Robinson nearly out of his boots.
Despite the obstacles, he was in the match late, capitalizing on a distraction created by Gunther and involving his son, Gage, to deliver a Jackhammer for a two-count.
His last gasp effort failed, Goldberg found himself trapped in the unbreakable grasp of The Ring General, who put him down with his trademark sleeper. With Goldberg unable to answer the official, the match was called off and Gunther retained his title.
The show abruptly came to an end there, with the retaining champion making his way up the ramp and Goldberg left in the center of the ring.
Result
Gunther defeated Goldberg via referee stoppage to retain
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
* This match had no right being this good and it is a testament to Gunther as a worker and Goldberg's effort in his final match.
* Goldberg sold his knee and had his working boots on, delivering a match that played to Gunther's strengths while still managing to include the explosivity that was a trademark of his legendary career.
* It was a damn shame that Goldberg's farewell address to his fans, family, and friends was cut short by television time restraints. It is almost like this should have been saved for...a premium live event.
Overall Grade
7 of 7The latest in the Jelly Roll/Logan Paul saga and the official announcement for SummerSlam was certainly noteworthy, but there was little else about this show that justified its existence.
Goldberg worked hard and had a much better match with Gunther than anyone thought possible, and Jacob Fatu shining brightly is always a welcome addition to any show but unfortunately, the potential injury suffered by Rollins will hang over this broadcast like a dark cloud.
Even the main event, a better-than-expected match, still unfortunately ran long and resulted in Goldberg's farewell speech being cut from the broadcast.
The positives were great, but ultimately, this was a show that was simply there.
Grade: C+
