7/29 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Riddick Moss vs. Titus O’Neil, Ruby Riott vs. Shayna Baszler

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
JULY 29, 2020
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Tom Phillips, MVP

REASONS TO WATCH…

• See an injury angle in a five-minute match
• More Shayna Baszler action

(1) RIDDICK MOSS vs. TITUS O’NEIL

O’Neil forced Moss into a corner off the first lockup, then backed away as directed by the referee. This happened a second time, but Moss shoved O’Neil away from him in the corner, then slid out to ringside when O’Neil moved to strike back. O’Neil joined Moss on the floor, and twice smashed Moss’s face into the ring apron before taking it back into the ring.

O’Neil leveled Moss with a shoulder block, then issued a body slam in the middle of the ring. Moss dragged O’Neil’s arm down across the top rope, injuring Oneil’s left shoulder, but O’Neil instantly responded with a big right-armed clothesline. Moss came back by ramming O’Neil’s damaged shoulder against the top turnbuckle. He shoulder tackled O’Neil and covered for two. Moss applied an arm bar.

O’Neil got to his feet but Moss maintained the punishement on O’Neil’s shoulder. O’Neil kicked out of another cover. Moss mocked O’Neil’s signature pose before applying another arm bar. O’Neil used his size to leverage Moss down into the middle turnbuckle. O’Neil leveled Moss three times: clothesline, clothesline, big boot. O’Neil went for Clash of the Titus, but Moss slid free as O’Neil grasped his own injured shoulder. Moss ducked a clothesline, then snuck in a kick to the back of O’Neil’s knee, buckling him. This allowed Moss to move in with a neckbreaker before covering O’Neil for the three-count.

WINNER: Riddick Moss in 5:00.

(Meyers’s Analysis: An adequate match that told an actual injury story, even within the confines of its five minute runtime.)

-Main Event recap session:

• Replay of Firefly Fun House
• Replay of Sheamus vs. Hardy from Extreme Rules
• Replay of Banks vs. Asuka from Raw
• Replay of Ziggler vs. McIntyre from Raw

(2) RUBY RIOTT vs. SHAYNA BASZLER

The women locked up and Baszler shoved Riott to the matt before grinning at her. Riott went behind Baszler, but Baszler turned this into a wristlock. Riott struggled to get to the ropes, then faked a punch at Baszler. Baszler flinched, allowing Riott to kick Baszler’s foot out from beneath her. Riott hit a reverse elbow, then ducked a clothesline from Baszler. In the same motion, Riott jumped into a crucifix roll-up and covered Baszler for a one-count.

Baszlergot to her feet and began the Kirifuda clutch, but Riott quickly backed into the corner and rammed Baszler three times against the turnbuckles to break free. Riott rolled up Baszler again for a two-count. Baszler returned fire with a similar maneuver. Baszler then applied a modifed upright ankle lock with her boot on the back of Riott’s head. Baszler missed a stomp, then Riott dragged Baszler face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Riott hit a running kick, causing Baszler to roll out to the floor. We cut to break.

Back in the ring, Baszler had Riott in a chinlock. Riott managed to break free, then dodged Baszler’s running knee strike in the corner. Riott landed a superkick, dropping Baszler. Baszler missed two right crosses, while Riott landed multiple blows. Riott landed a senton in the middle of the ring, then covered Baszler for two. Baszler came back with elbows and kicks, then a running shining wizard. She dragged Riott away from the ropes, then covered for two.

With Riott toiling on her knees, Baszler methodically delivered a series of kicks to the front and back sides of Riott. Riott blocked a gutwrench slam, but Baszler managed to land her modified cutter and a running knee strike before applying another Kirifuda clutch on the canvas. Riott tapped out within two seconds. Baszler screamed at the camera, “Every single one of you are asking for it!” Meanwhile, Riott was on the floor at ringside, grasping her throat and struggling to breathe.

WINNER: Shayna Baszler in 6:30.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Baszler has been reset since coming to the main roster, and her performance here was anything but dominant. Riott had no trouble hanging with her 50/50. The announcers did their part, however, discussing the legitimacy of Baszler’s MMA career and recalling how she single-handedly defeated all five of her opponents in this year’s Elimination Chamber match. While the match had no obvious errors, it felt at times like they were running at 70% capacity.)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.8

CATCH UP… 7/22 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Bianca Belair vs. Jessi Kamea, Humberto Carrillo vs. Riddick Moss