8/26 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: First episode from Thunderdome, Mustafa Ali vs. Arturo Ruas, Ricochet vs. Humberto Carrillo

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
AUGUST 26, 2020
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton

REASONS TO WATCH…

• First episode of Main Event from WWE’s ThunderDome
• Both matches exceed Main Event standards

(1) MUSTAFA ALI vs. ARTURO RUAS

Ruas offered a fist bump to Ali, and when Ali moved in to accept, Ruas quickly threw a roundhouse kick up high, causing Ali to duck and back off. Ruas missed a haymaker, then Ali hit smaller forearm shots and two drop kicks. Ruas came back with a rising knee strike, then covered for two. Ali grabbed the middle rope for support, and Ruas took advantage by kicking Ali’s outstretched arm. Ruas postured to the fan video panels.

Ali battled out of an arm bar, then rolled up Ruas for a two-count. Huas scooped Ali and planted him face-first to the canvas, then covered for his own two-count. Ruas cinched in another arm bar. He twisted Ali down to the mat, and Ali screamed in agony. Ali managed to get his boot to the bottom rope, prompting the ref to break up the hold.

Ruas laid in punches in the corner, but then caught a reverse elbow when he charged at Ali. Ali hit another drop kick, then leveled Ruas twice with an elbow shot and a clothesline. In the corner, Ali struck with a kick to Ruas’s face, but not before both wrestlers awkwardly hesitated during the move. It had the appearance of a stuttering video feed. Ali rolled into the middle and executed an arm breaker, then pinned Ruas for another two-count.

Ali rolled through a Ruas attack and applied a crossface. Ruas scooted backward to get his boot on the rope to bust up the hold. He yanked Ali down across the middle rope, then charged at Ali in the corner but Ali dodged. Ali went for the 450 splash but Ruas rolled to safety. Ali saw this and rolled through the 450 attempt. Ruas moved back in and rolled Ali to the mat, then attempted a cross arm breaker, but Ali rolled Ruas’s shoulders down, forcing him to kick out. Ali reversed out of a Ruas hold and rolled him up again, this time good for the three-count.

WINNER: Mustafa Ali in 5:40.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Ruas’s unique offense continues to stand out among his Main Event contemporaries. Both wrestlers targeted body parts during the match. The minor gaffe with the kick on the apron was a fascinating glimpse into mid-match nonverbal communication – it had been a while since I noticed an error on this show. Still, this match wasn’t bad and didn’t feel like a cookie cutter Main Event affair.)

• -Main Event recap session:
• Replay of Orton’s assault on McIntyre on Raw
• Replay of Orton / Keith Lee in-ring segment from Raw
• Replay of Orton vs. Lee from Raw
• Match rundown for upcoming PPV Payback
• Replay of Mysterio & Dominik vs. Rollins & Murphy from Raw

(2) RICOCHET vs. HUMBERTO CARRILLO

The men shook hands before locking up and exchanging a series of wrist locks. They broke loose and Ricochet ducked a clothesline, then used a head scissor to toss Carrillo out to ringside. Ricochet faked diving at Carrillo, but instead rebounded off the ropes and struck his kneeling pose in the middle of the ring. Carrillo charged in after him but Richochet merely put his fist up to meet him. Carrillo froze, then bumped Ricochet’s fist again.

The wrestlers took turns rolling each other up for quick pin attempts, then Carrillo used a deep arm drag to send Ricochet sliding out to the floor. Carrillo, copying Ricochet’s antics, did a handspring bounce off the ropes, then a backflip into a kneeling pose in the middle. Ricochet nodded in appreciation, and climbed into the ring. They fist bumped a third time, but Ricochet caught Carrillo with a superkick a half second later. A dazed Carillo rolled out to ringside, and we cut to break.

Back in the ring, Ricochet had control with an abdominal stretch / chinlock combo. He dragged Carrillo to the mat and covered for two. Ricochet hit another kick to Carrillo’s face, then landed a right cross, dropping Carrillo to the canvas. Carillo escaped a fireman’s carry, then hit a big spinning kick to Ricochet’s head. Both men struggled to get to their feet.

Carrillo hit two kicks and a drop kick, levelling Ricochet again. In the corner, Ricochet absorbed another kick. Carrillo climbed to the top rope and hit a missile drop kick. Carrillo covered for two. On the ring apron, Ricochet hit a reverse elbow, but Carrillo hit a kick to knock Ricochet back into the ring. Carrillo took to the top rope again, this time hitting a high cross body. Ricochet rolled through the landing and covered Carrillo for two.

Both wrestlers swung and missed with big kicks. Carrillo’s follow through allowed Ricochet to hit an axe kick to the back of his neck. With Carrillo stunned, Ricochet ran in and hit the Recoil, good for the three-count.

WINNER: Ricochet in 6:30.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Like the first match, this deviated from the Main Event formula. Both wrestlers showed personality, showing one another up while maintaining good spirits. Both matches were good, this one better than the first.)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 8.4

CATCH UP… 8/19 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Bianca Belair vs. Billie Kaye, Murphy vs. Humberto Carillo with an actual main roster storyline showing up on Main Event