WWE Live from MSG: Brock Lesnar vs. Big Show Preview

With a streaming subscription service in need of fresh content and a major attraction willing to work a show in a New York City venue that's hosted some of the most famous moments in company history, WWE is broadcasting their second Network exclusive live event tonight.

Live from MSG featuring Brock Lesnar vs. Big Show can be yours tonight, October 3, 2015, for $9.99 (or a unique email address). The Madison Square Garden house show-turned-Network special will air at 8PM Eastern, and is set to run for two hours and thirty minutes - although without restrictions from any other partners, it could go longer if need be.

In addition to the two names on the marquee, WWE is officially hyping two other matches on WWE.com - and both are for championships. We also have several other matches that have been announced by the Manhattan building that hosted the first WrestleMania, and a list of names of performers who will be there but haven't been booked yet.

We'll take a peek at each of the known and possible contests WWE will give us in this preview.

Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar

The major draw of the event...his advocate Paul Heyman is right when he says that every appearance by the Beast Incarnate is special, and his first time in the Garden in over a decade makes it even more so. Watching him hoss around the World's Largest Athlete ups the spectacle even more.

Why it's a house show match? Because, as Vince McMahon would say, there's no chance in hell that Lesnar loses. This is to keep Brock loose and remind fans what a bad ass he is before his Hell in a Cell finale with Undertaker in a few weeks.

How they tried to make it seem less like a house show match? By playing up the long, and at times pretty darn exciting, history between these two future Hall of Famers. Show has actually beaten Brock in the past, albeit many years ago and with his Heyman on his side. The last time they faced, Lesnar went to town on the Giant with steel chairs, and they've positioned this as his chance to make a statement that he's not done.

Seth Rollins vs John Cena (c) in a steel cage for the United States championship

The WWE titleholder and the Face That Runs the Place have been going back and forth since the Summer, and have traded the red, white and blue belt at back-to-back pay-per-view (PPV)s.

Why it's a house show match? They've mentioned this on Raw and SmackDown exactly...zero time, by my count. Putting the two inside some metal fencing doesn't do much to change the "this is something we've been doing on the shows that count, so we're gonna keep doing it for the road" vibe.

How they tried to make it seem less like a house show match? While there's no way to tell if it was part of the plan, but the news that Cena has November off adds a level of intrigue to this that wouldn't have been there otherwise. It still seems highly unlikely that Rollins, neck-deep in his feud with Kane for his strap, would walk out of her with the U.S. belt. But everyone will be looking for signs of why and how The Champ Who Is Here soon won't be.

The New Day (c) vs. The Dudley Boyz for the WWE Tag Team championship

Big E, Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods were only too happy to get disqualified at Night of Champions and give Bubba Ray & D-Von the win while they kept their titles. That controversy helped get the most decorated team in wrestling history another shot at their tenth turn with the WWE prize.

Why it's a house show match? Those table-smashing Dudleyz have New York ties, and that fact has been played up in promoting this rematch, making this a prime candidate for a feel good moment where the Garden can celebrate with their returning heroes. Possibly mucking that up, however, is the fact that New Day are as popular an act as WWE has right now...and with a smark-y East Coast crowd, there's no telling to how sour a loss for positivity-preaching trio would be received.

There's also the matter of this still be a stipulation-free affair. Meaning there's no reason Xavier Woods can't interfere to keep the belts again, and increasing the sense that this is also an exhibition match for a feud whose important story beats will happen elsewhere.

How they tried to make it seem less like a house show match? A 3D being hit for the win would mean a title change, which happens at house shows these days less than New York Rangers' Stanley Cup celebrations happen on the MSG ice.

Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens (c) for the Intercontinental championship

Both men had eventful nights at the September PPV. KO won his first title on the main roster by defeating Ryback (who he's still feuding with) for the IC strap. Y2J was the MYSTERY PARTNER for Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose in their war with The Wyatt Family, and was left unconcious following a BigAss McStrongman hug.

Why it's a house show match? Despite teases of both a heel turn and a potential feud with Ambrose at Night of Champions, reports do not have Jericho sticking around, making a record-extending run with the Intercontinental title highly unlikely. This one feels like an indie match where they bring in a veteran on a one-shot deal to put over the younger full-timer.

How they tried to make it seem less like a house show match? It's CHRIS FREAKING JERICHO VS. KEVIN G-D OWENS! Although it's become trendy to dismiss the Ayatollah of Rock 'n' Rolla as a washed up, corporate kiss-ass who's worn out his welcome, a lot of the NYC crowd and target audience for the Network will still pop for the guy. And the seeds of a return to his big-timing rudo personality planted at NoC gives those of us who still mark for him all the more reason to pay attention.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Rusev
Sheamus vs. Randy Orton

So, yeah...you can read the PPV match previews for these (here and here for Ziggy vs. RuRu; here and here for Mr. Money in the Bank and The Viper) and pretty much get everything you need.

Why are they house show matches? See above.

How they tried to make them seem less like house show matches? They didn't.

Orton actually seems to have moved on from his beef with The Celtic Warrior, but the program he's moving into - Ambreigns battles with Bray & his boys - are all in Bangor, Maine on the other circuit tonight. Sheamus could conceiveable execute one of his comically inept cash-in attempts after Cena beats Seth, but neither of those things change their match against one another.

Also appearing: Kane, Mark Henry, Stardust, Team Bella, Charlotte & More!

The Garden website doesn't provide details on whether it will be Demon or Corporate Kane, but with the Big Red Monster being built for a title shot, he could appear as either or both. Don't be surprised if the Director of Operations acts as Authority figure for the show, with the Devil's Favorite you-know-what squashing Henry...especially since that's The World's Strongest Man's job description these days.

Speculation started making the rounds yesterday that Charlotte's Divas title might make its way onto this show. If rumors that Sasha Banks is being groomed for a program with the champ, this could be a way to blow off Nikki Bella's rematch. Or just a way to pad her main roster résumé with a win over another former holder of the butterfly belt like Alicia Fox or Brie Bella.

Stardust can barely get on SmackDown, I doubt they'll find time for him on this show.

That's our take on Live from MSG, Cagesiders. What's yours?