For pro wrestling fans of a certain age, WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event evokes feelings of nostalgia. The special event originally aired in 1985 on NBC as a replacement for Saturday Night Live repeats, with legends like Hulk Hogan, André the Giant, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, and The Ultimate Warrior all taking part over the years. Now, WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event is set to return to NBC’s airwaves to make memories for a new generation of fans.
This newest iteration will be headlined by a bitter championship showdown between former friends Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens.
Owens’ frustration hit a boiling point after Rhodes teamed with rival superstar Roman Reigns at WWE Bad Blood in October. After the event, Owens attacked Rhodes in the parking lot in a clip which was not shown on WWE television but nonetheless went viral with fans.
Owens has also targeted Rhodes’ longtime friend Randy Orton, including the use of a piledriver last month. The barbs have become personal in recent weeks, but the time for talking will soon be over as Rhodes will defend his undisputed championship against Owens LIVE on NBC.
Rhodes vs. Owens is one of four championship matches slated for the primetime special.
Nostalgia is a big theme of what to expect during WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, including a tease about the potential return of a certain championship belt design. Look for lots of callbacks to history throughout the night!
One. Night. Only. @CodyRhodes #SNME pic.twitter.com/9SlZhOgPRd
— Triple H (@TripleH) December 11, 2024
Where and when is WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event?
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event will air LIVE at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 14 from Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. In a nod to the event’s storied history, this is the same location of the very first edition of the series 39 years ago.
And for another dose of nostalgia, it was announced on the Bill Simmons Podcast that WWE Hall of Famer Jesse Ventura will return to the broadcast table for the event. Ventura was a broadcaster for the majority of the original run of Saturday Night’s Main Event.
That's right the Governing Body returns to Saturday Night's Main Event! So excited to get back into the broadcast booth. A very big thank you to @TripleH, @WWE and my son @TyrelWatching for helping make my return a reality. https://t.co/bSjAJCegRE
— Jesse Ventura (@GovJVentura) December 6, 2024
Where can I watch WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event?
The special two-hour event will be simulcast on NBC and Peacock.
What are the matches for WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event?
Undisputed WWE Championship
Cody Rhodes (C) vs. Kevin Owens
World Heavyweight Title
Gunther (C) vs. Finn Bálor vs. Damian Priest
Women’s World Championship
Liv Morgan (C) vs. IYO SKY
Tournament Final for inaugural WWE Women’s United States Championship
Chelsea Green vs. Michin
Grudge Match
Sami Zayn vs. Drew McIntyre
When was the last WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event?
The last edition of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event took place on July 28, 2008 from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., with Edge vs. Jeff Hardy featured in the main event.
Where can I watch previous WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event episodes?
All previous episodes of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event can be found on Peacock. There are dozens of episodes in the event’s history, so you can stay busy watching leading up to December 14!
