SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
MAY 27, 2020
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Tom Phillips, MVP
REASONS TO WATCH…
- Like Raw, Main Event now has a makeshift crowd
(1) BIANCA BELAIR vs. RUBY RIOTT
The 400th episode of Main Event opened with this rematch from two weeks ago. Like this week’s episode of Raw, it featured NXT personnel behind plexiglass as an audience, and Tom explained their social distancing.
The bell rang and the women had decent back-and-forth action until Belair scooped Riott up and spun her into a tilt-a-whirl gutbuster. Belair covered for two, then applied a chinlock. Riott battled out and rolled up Belair for a one-count.
Belair whipped Riott into the corner, then laid in some kicks to her midsection. Belair leveled Riott with a drop kick, then kipped up and ran at Riott in the corner. Riott sidestepped, causing Belair to launch through the turnbuckles, shoulder-first into the ring post. Riott nailed Belair in the corner with a forearm and repeated kicks. Riott was momentarily preoccupied with the crowd, giving Belair time to recover. Riott ran at Belair, but Belair got up a reverse elbow. Belair tossed Riott with a fallaway slam.
Both women got to their feet and Riott swept Belair to the mat with an STO, then kicked Belair in the face and covered for two. Belair climbed to the top rope and jumped, but Belair intercepted and flapjacked Riott face-first against the top turnbuckle. Belair hoisted the stunned Riott to her shoulders and hit the K.O.D., then covered for the three-count.
WINNER: Bianca Belair in 6:00.
(Meyers’s Analysis: This match was bland, especially compared to their initial bout two weeks ago.)
-Main Event recap session:
- Replay of “The Dirt Sheet” from Smackdown, featuring Strowman
- Replay of Miz vs. Strowman from Smackdown
- Match rundown for upcoming PPV Backlash
- Replay of Edge video promo from Raw
- Replay of MVP’s VIP Lounge w/ McIntyre from Raw
(2) AKIRA TOZAWA vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN
Tozawa landed a quick flurry of rights to start, but Benjamin grabbed him by the neck and threw him to the ropes, then landed clubbing blows. He caught Tozawa in the high cross body, but Tozawa broke free and hit an enzuigiri. Benjamin returned fire by leveling Tozawa with a big shoulder block. MVP said, “I was just about to call Tozawa the Little Bullet Train that Could, but he just ran into a Mack truck.” (Reporter’s note: This comparison was confusing at best. A Mack Granite service truck weighs 45 tons, while the N700 Shinkansen weighs 715 tons.) Benjamin applied an arm bar.
Tozawa got free but Benjamin planted his knee into Tozawa’s midsection. Tozawa came back with some forearm strikes, then dodged a Benjamin splash in the corner. Tozawa twirled Benjamin out to ringside with a head scissor takedown. Tozawa set up to charge through the ropes, but Benjamin intercepted with a knee strike to the face. We cut to break.
Benjamin remained in control, planting Tozawa with two bodyslams, then a snap suplex. After some contemplation, Benjamin covered for a two-count. He then applied a chinlock. Benjamin executed a backbreaker, then stretched Tozawa backward against his knee. Tozawa escaped and applied the octopus, riling the crowd up for the alleged underdog. Tozawa threw Benjamin with an arm drag, then leveled him with a shining wizard. MVP shouted, “Shining wizard!,” affecting a Japanese accent.
Tozawa climbed to the top turnbuckle and hit a missile dropkick, then covered for two. Benjamin blocked a back suplex, then somersalted through the hold to reverse Tozawa into an upright ankle lock. He dragged Tozawa to the middle, but Tozawa rolled him up for a pin attempt. Tozawa leveled Benjamin with a superkick, then climbed again to the top rope. Benjamin sprinted up to meet him, and threw him from great heights with a belly to belly suplex. Benjamin then hit the Paydirt and covered for three.
WINNER: Shelton Benjamin by pinfall in 6:00.
(Meyers’s Analysis: This match was fun action and little more. The crowd helped to emphasize Tozawa’s potential comeback and seemed genuinely excited for him.)
SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.0
FINAL THOUGHTS: Having an audience helps Main Event as much as any other show, but these two matches were nothing special.
TIL a Mack Granite service truck weighs 45 tons, while the N700 Shinkansen weighs 715 tons.