SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
DECEMBER 11, 2019
STREAMED ON HULU TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Byron Saxton, Mickie James
REASONS TO WATCH…
- Play “Spot the miscues!” on both matches
(1) NO WAY JOSE vs. ERIC YOUNG
The match opened with Jose performing dance moves while holding a strangely compliant Young in wristlocks and headlocks. Jose shoulder blocked Young to the mat and did more dance moves. Jose then did the bi-directional airplane spin to Young before tossing him to the canvas. He covered Young for two.
With Jose on the ring apron, Young grappled Jose’s head downward, clotheslining him across the top rope. Young flailed and cartoonishly tilted backward, but his conga line was in place and caught him. While being held aloft, Jose began cheering and pumping his fist, but Young sprung over the top rope and splashed onto Jose, thus collapsing the entire conga line. Young rolled Jose into the ring and covered him for a two-count.
Young worked on Jose in the corner, then hit a prone Jose with forearm, and covered for another two-count. Young applied a chinlock. With a rare reference to TNA, Mickie explained the time that she and Young were in a band together: “He played the cowbell for me. He was in a pair of chaps and a thong, it was great. He was fun, and now look at him. He’s all serious and angry.”
Jose quickly battled out and shifted the momentum to his favor, knocking Young to the mat multiple times before landing the backstabber. Jose covered, but Young kicked out at two. He dragged Young toward a corner and began to climb, but Young got to his feet and swept Jose’s legs, causing him to faceplant on the top turnbuckle. Young lifted Jose from a rear waistlock, and the wrestlers ceased to be on the same page. Jose bounced on his hands, lucha style, and their timing was off kilter. Jose then twisted in midair to land on his back, a move that seemed to surprise Young. With that flat back bump, Young covered for the three-count and victory.
WINNER: Eric Young by pinfall.
(Meyers’s Analysis: The conga line involvement was inventive, if not slow-paced and painfully choreographed. After that, the match was totally standard until the botched finish. I can’t speak to who was at fault for the ending, but I have mentioned Young’s lack of chemistry with his opponents in previous reports.)
-Main Event recap session:
- Replay of Miz TV featuring Firefly Funhouse from Smackdown
- Replay of AOP attacking Owens backstage, plus Rollins reveal from Raw
- Match rundown for upcoming PPV TLC
- Replay of Rusev and Lana’s divorce signing from Raw
- Replay of Corbin / Ziggler dog food assault on Reigns from Smackdown
(2) RICOCHET vs. CEDRIC ALEXANDER
During Alexander’s entrance, Byron pointed out that this was the first time these wrestlers have faced off. Just as he was saying they are friends, they shook hands in the middle of the ring, then locked up.
The wrestlers grappled one another to start before turning up the velocity. This included a sunset flip where Alexander had flipped too far over Ricochet, thereby requiring Ricochet to awkwardly scoot backward on his heels to get in position to take the move. Not pretty. They proceeded with more high speed action, culminating with Alexander rolling through a head scissor takedown, and both men getting to their feet simultaneously. They paused to take in some medium applause from the crowd.
Alexander went for a head scissor takedown of his own, but Ricochet rolled through it just as Alexander had earlier. The men exchanged blows, and once again showed signs of confusion with their moves. We cut to commercial with both men down.
Back from the break, Ricochet knocked down Alexander with a high cross body, then landed a running shooting star press. He covered Alexander for a two-count. On the apron, Alexander blocked a front kick from Ricochet, then countered with a uranagi. Alexander hit Ricochet with a Michinoku driver and covered for another two-count. Ricochet countered (again, awkwardly) out of the Lumbar Check, then superkicked Alexander. Ricochet then hit Alexander with the Recoil, which was good for the three-count. Mickie said, “Hats off to both men. That was incredible.” Something like that, Mickie.
WINNER: Ricochet by pinfall.
(Meyers’s Analysis: It really did appear that this was the first time these guys worked together, as Byron said at the match’s open. Things got choppy more than once, and that’s not what I expect from either wrestler.)
SHOW SCORE (0-10): 5.2 or 8.4
FINAL THOUGHTS: Someone must have spiked the eggnog backstage before this episode of Main Event. Your enjoyment will vary depending on what interests you. If you only appreciate technically crisp matches, this show will be a 5.2. If, like me, you’re fascinated by rare miscommunications in a WWE ring, it’s an 8.4. You make the call!
Richocet and Cedric Alexander both on main event is bullshit of the highest order. Both are incredible
You’re not wrong, but unfortunately poor creative is dragging both guys down.