Move over, NCAA.
WWE delivered its own March Madness Thursday on Main Event with an upstart toppling a veteran, while a slumping Apollo Crews chased his first singles win of 2026 against a very game Axiom.
Petrovic Shocks Nile!
NXT and Evolve star Karmen Petrovic upset American Made’s Ivy Nile in a rematch from 2023 on NXT Level Up, where Nile beat Petrovic in Petrovic’s first televised match in WWE.
Unlike their first contest, where Petrovic looked flat-footed and unsure, “WWE’s Prettiest Problem” showed far more confidence
three years later. The karate specialist lit up Nile with a series of kicks, then mocked the American Made star with Nile’s signature poses.
A few times, Petrovic looked like she was thinking. Still, her movements looked more fluid, and she sold well, showing good facial expressions as Nile stretched her arms back.
Showing her dominance, Nile drew applause from the crowd with an impressive show of power. Going for a vertical suplex, she held Petrovic up for more than 20 seconds before dropping her to the canvas.
The end came when Petrovic reversed Nile’s clothesline into a crucifix for two. As they rose, Petrovic struck first with a superkick. With Nile stunned, she followed with the “Petrifier,” a rolling spin kick to the back of the head, for the three count for Petrovic.
No Pleasure Cruise for Apollo
Since returning from a torn pectoral that sidelined him for most of 2025, Apollo Crews has kept grinding on Main Event. The results haven’t followed, as he entered 0-3 on WWE’s Thursday night program. His struggles continued as he opened the show against Axiom, who had tag partner Nathan Frazer at ringside.
To Crews’ credit, he looked sharp. Commentary highlighted his serious demeanor, with Vic Joseph saying, “He’s finally waking up.” Still, it’s unclear whether fans are meant to root for or against him. He controlled much of the action and was aggressive, though he didn’t wrestle like a heel.
Crews also skipped handshakes and fan acknowledgment during his entrance, but he did play to the crowd when firing up. His standout moment came on a delayed vertical suplex. Axiom nearly slipped free, but Crews deadlifted him back up and slammed him down.
Victory seemed close after Crews caught the Madrid masked man mid-air and launched him with a fallaway slam. Axiom recovered, catching the former Intercontinental and U.S. Champion with a running kick as Crews climbed the ropes.
The high flyer followed with a Spanish Fly that knocked the wind out of Crews, then sealed the win with a Golden Ratio for the pin, continuing Crews’ spiral.
The Final Bell
This week’s Main Event was the shortest episode of the year at 22:56. The matches were taped at different locations, with Crews vs. Axiom filmed last Friday before SmackDown and Petrovic vs. Nile taped Monday ahead of Raw.
Even with just two matches, Main Event remains a proving ground for young talent and a place for stars to fine-tune their game. Eight matches into his comeback, Crews looks good in the ring but needs a defined character to make an impact on SmackDown.
As for Nile, commentary debated whether she is a gatekeeper or a solid test for NXT and Evolve stars. Two weeks ago, she beat 24-year-old Skylar Raye. This week, she put Petrovic over with a clean, decisive win.
That’s a promising sign for Petrovic’s future, and a reason for fans to check out this week’s show as another young prospect begins making strides toward bigger things in the future.
