SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
MAY 20, 2020
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Tom Phillips, MVP
REASONS TO WATCH…
- Ricochet vs. Thorne exceeds Main Event recommended excitement levels
- MVP entertains on commentary
(1) JINDER MAHAL vs. AKIRA TOZAWA
Tom emphasized Mahal’s alleged “hero’s journey” as Mahal made his entrance. As Tozawa entered, MVP compared this matchup to a “man against mountain.”
Mahal body slammed Tozawa right off the bat. Tozawa fired back with a series of kicks, but Mahal leveled him again with a kick to the charging Tozawa’s face. Mahal covered for two, then applied a chinlock. Mahal whipped Tozawa against the turnbuckles, then choked him against the ropes. Mahal ground his knee into Tozawa’s face, using the ropes for leverage. He snap mared Tozawa to the mat and applied a side headlock.
Tozawa nearly battled out but Mahal landed several blows and a standard suplex before applying a chinlock / arm bar combo. Tozawa got to his feet but Mahal tore him back down to the canvas back-first. Mahal issued another body slam. He stood over a cowering Tozawa before landing a clubbing blow. Mahal applied yet another chinlock, and Tozawa got to his feet for a third time, this time the fastest of them all. Mahal fired him off the ropes, but Tozawa leaped and hit a head scissor take down. Tozawa sprinted at Mahal and hit a shining wizard, then landed a missile drop kick from the top rope. Tozawa covered Mahal for a two-count.
Tozawa screamed at the sky, then attempted to lift Mahal into a fireman’s carry position, but Mahal blocked the effort and came down with elbows. He fired Tozawa into the turnbuckles, flipping Tozawa upside down. He dragged Tozawa to his feet, then planted him with the Khallas and covered for the three-count.
WINNER: Jinder Mahal by pinfall.
(Meyers’s Analysis: WWE’s mixed use of Tozawa continues, where he is currently contending in an NXT Cruiserweight Tournament, but is being jobbed out on Raw and Main Event. This match featured even more formulaic reptition than usual, with Tozawa battling out of three variants of chinlocks in a short time frame. Jinder is still working heel. Nothing special.)
-Main Event recap session:
- Replay of Otis & Strowman vs. Miz & Morrison from Smackdown
- Replay of Orton’s in-ring promo / challenge to Edge from Raw
- Replay of McIntyre vs. Corbin from Raw
(2) RICOCHET (w/Cedrix Alexander) vs. SHANE THORNE (w/Brendan Vink)
Ricochet controlled early with a wristlock, but Thorne twisted into an advantageous position and arm dragged Ricochet to the mat. Thorne slapped mockingly at Ricochet’s head. Ricochet rolled up into a surprise pin, and Thorne kicked out at two with a shocked look on his face.
They velocity increased quickly, with Thorne side stepping a flipping heel kick from Ricochet. Ricochet turned and punched Thorne across the face, then slid to the mat while sweeping Thorne off his feet with his arm. Ricochet landed a somersault senton on Thorne, using the top rope as a fulcrum for the tumble. He covered Thorne for two. MVP commented on this athletecism: “I will give credit where it’s due: I am one of the most gifted athletes the planet has ever seen, but my moveset was a little different from Ricochet’s.”
Meanwhile, Thorne had torn Ricochet down from the middle turnbuckle, causing him to land flat on his back. Thorne then hit a running cannonball against Ricochet in the corner. Thorne applied a chinlock. MVP indicated that Thorne’s wrenching of Ricochet’s neck was “nastier than a Vegemite sandwich.” Thorne kicked Ricochet in the back, then covered for a two-count. MVP asked Tom if he would say Shane Thorne is currently “a man at work,” referencing Australian rockers Men at Work. Tom yes-anded, but didn’t seem to understand the joke.
Thorne punished MVP in the corner, then leveled him with a flying leg strike. Thorne covered for two, then grounded Ricochet on the mat again. Ricochet managed to roll toward the edge and grab the rope to force a ref break. Ricochet got a chop in, but Thorne leveled him with a European uppercut and applied another chinlock. Ricochet created space with a snap mare, then took Thorne down with a shotgun drop kick. Off the ropes, Ricochet hit a flying forearm, then followed up with a high cross body. Thorne was reeling in the corner, where Ricochet hit a body splash and tiger feint kick. Springing off the top rope, he leveled Thorne with a flying clothesline, then landed a standing shooting star press. Ricochet covered for two. MVP said, “I could do that if I wanted to. I just don’t want to.”
Both wrestlers got to their feet, and Thorne took Ricochet down with a ripcord knee strike. Thorne planted Ricochet with a Saito suplex, then covered for two. Thorne climbed to the second turnbuckle, but Ricochet was able to execute a head scissor takedown, then planted his heel to the back of Thorne’s neck. Ricochet hoisted Thorne onto his shoulders and landed the Kickback (esentally a Go to Sleep, but substituting a quick Pele kick for the knee strike) – this was good for the three-count.
WINNER: Cedrick Alexander by pinfall.
(Meyers’s Analysis: Not much story here, but the back-and-forth action was dazzling. The tag partners were present but uninvolved – Vink was partiuclarly stoic. MVP’s Australian references were amusing, and his delivery on commentary is improving. He found ways to put over the babyface Ricochet while maintaining his own self-centered character.)
SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.8
FINAL THOUGHTS: Skippable first match, fun second match.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.