1/13 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Tozawa vs. Garza, Carrillo vs. Slapjack, and more

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
JANUARY 13, 2021
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe

REASONS TO WATCH…

-Slapjack showcases strong heel behavior

-Will Retribution’s distraction finish work two weeks in a row?

(1) AKIRA TOZAWA vs. ANGEL GARZA

Garza grappled Tozawa to the mat early. He took advantage of Tozawa’s split-toe boots and executed some small joint manipulation on his toes. Tozawa reversed out of the hold and applied a side headlock. Joe referred to this as a “ninja headlock,” and Tom asked, “Why does it have to be exactly a ninja headlock?” Garza fired Tozawa off the ropes, then planted him with a spinning facebuster. Garza tore off his warm-up pants and stomped Tozawa in the corner.

Garza positioned Tozawa on the top turnbuckle, smashed him in the back with forearms, flipped him downward and then upside down. Garza crossed the ring and ran back at Tozawa with a knee strike to the suspended Tozawa’s face. Garza slowly stalked Tozawa. Tozawa hit a couple weak shots, but Garza leveled him with a right cross. Tozawa climbed the corner and managed to hit a flying hurricanrana. He attempted a cross body but Garza caught and held him. Tozawa ended up applying an octopus and wrenched back on Garza’s right arm. Garza freed his arm, but Tozawa released the hold to arm drag Garza to the mat. He landed a spinning kick and pinned Garza for two.

From there, Tozawa landed some blows to Garza’s head, and followed up with a back kick. Tozawa ran the ropes and came at Garza, but Garza intercepted and lifted Tozawa up into the Wing Clipper. Garza covered for three.

WINNER: Angel Garza by pinfall in 5:10.

Meyers’s Analysis: Simply a standard Main Event match.

-Main Event recap session:

Replay of Street Profits vs. Ziggler & Roode from Smackdown

Replay of Gauntlet Match aftermath from Smackdown

Replay of McIntyre selfie promo, responding to Goldberg from Raw

Replay of Triple H / Orton confrontation from Raw

Replay of Bliss / Orton Fireball Event from Raw

(2) HUMBERTO CARRILLO vs. SLAPJACK (w/ Mustafa Ali)

Slapjack applied an early arm bar while yelling aggressively into Carrillo’s ear. Carrillo reversed out of the hold and arm dragged Slapjack to the mat, applying an arm bar of his own. Ali yelled from ringside, “Failure is not an option!” Slapjack got to his feet and slammed Carrillo’s face into the top turnbuckle. He lifted Carrillo up by his ears, then smashed him into another turnbuckle. Carrillo returned the favor by shoving Slapjack twice into a corner, then landed forearm shots. Carrillo ducked a clothesline before hitting a springboard reverse elbow off the middle rope. Carrillo executed two more arm drags, the latter of the springboard variety. Slapjack was staggered at ringside, so Carrillo leveled him with a drop kick through the ropes.

Carrillo rolled Slapjack back into the ring at the ref’s four-count. He climbed to the top of the corner, but Slapjack got to his feet and yanked him down face-first against the top turnbuckle. Slapjack hit a running cannonball in the corner, then covered for two. We cut to break.

Carrillo battled out of trouble in the corner, but then caught a drop kick in the middle of the ring. Slapjack applied a chinlock while Ali screamed more encouragement. Slapjack hit some brutal looking kicks. He took Carrillo down with a side Russian leg sweep, then leveraged both of Carrillo’s arms backward with his knee against Carrillo’s spine.

Carrillo somersaulted out of the move and kicked Slapjack in the face. Both men got up simultaneously, but Carrillo hit back-to-back tilt-a-whirl backbreakers. He kicked Slapjack in the face, then landed a standing moonsault. Carrillo covered for two. Carrillo took flight and leveled Slapjack with a flying back elbow, then covered for another two-count. The wrestlers exchanged blows, then Slapjack planted Carrillo with a falcon arrow. Carrillo kicked out of a cover at two.

Slapjack set up Carrillo for the Snapback, but Carrillo got free and climbed to the top turnbuckle. Ali climbed onto the apron and distracted Carrillo, allowing Slapjack to move in and knock Carrillo down from his perch. Slapjack then hit the Snapback, and covered Carrillo for the three-count and victory.

WINNER: Slapjack by pinfall in 7:50.

Meyers’s Analysis: The match was above average and Slapjack continued to show strong heel traits. The finish was lame in that it was the exact same distraction finish as Slapjack’s match last week against Tozawa. It’s worth noting that in high school, my wood shop group name was “Atomic Kickbacks,” something that would’ve fit in nicely with Slapjack and his finisher, the Slapback.

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.0

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 1/6 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Akira Tozawa vs. Slapjack, Ricochet vs. Drew Gulak, and more