1/20 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Angel Garza vs. Akira Tozawa, Carrillo vs. Gulak, and more

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
JANUARY 20, 2021
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe

REASONS TO WATCH…

– Inventive offense in Humberto Carrillo vs. Drew Gulak

(1) ANGEL GARZA vs. AKIRA TOZAWA

Garza leaned against the corner looking confused while Tozawa screamed “ninja power” in the middle of the ring. Garza ran in and absorbed three flashy kicks from Tozawa. Tozawa climbed a corner but Garza yanked him down, then yanked off his trousers. Garza tossed said trousers at Tozawa’s face, then leveled him with a low super kick.

Garza ground Tozawa’s face into the top turnbuckle, then hit a running kick to Tozawa’s chest. Garza covered for a one-count, then raked Tozawa’s face against the bottom rope. He smashed Tozawa with a low-altitude drop kick, then scooped him up and positioned him vertically between the turnbuckles. He briefly wrenched Tozawa’s left ankle against the top rope, then hit a running knee into Tozawa’s ribs. Tozawa crumbled down to the canvas.

Garza moved in and applied a modified calf crusher while stomping on Tozawa’s spine. Garza turned up the punishment by gripping Tozawa’s chin from behind, then spiking his face into the mat. Garza asked Tozawa how that felt before landing two playful kicks to his chin. Tozawa almost started to fight back, but Garza snapmared him to the mat, then hit another low drop kick. Garza went back to the calf crusher / chin lock.

Once again, Tozawa began to fight out, but Garza reared back and smashed Tozawa’s chin with a right cross. Garza covered for two. Garza reverse-suplexed Tozawa by rebounding him off the top rope, then covered for another two. Tozawa hit a surprise hurricanrana, then stayed on top for a pin and two-count. Tozawa attempted to apply the octopus, but he appeared to legitimately slip down to the mat. Garza responded with a crescent kick to Tozawa, who was on his knees. Garza grinned, then slowly set up and landed the Wing Clipper. This was good for three.

WINNER: Angel Garza by pinfall in 5:20.

Meyers’s Analysis: Garza wins again in this rematch from last week’s Main Event. Interesting that he was given 90% of the offense in this victory. Overall, a bit sloppy as there were a couple unexpected and rare miscues in the match.

-Main Event recap session:

Replay of Reigns / Pearce contract signing from Smackdown

Replay of Dirt Sheet featuring “Goldberg” and “McIntyre” from Raw

Replay of WrestleMania Report featuring Henry E. Panki & Anita Reelman

Replay of Bliss vs. Asuka from Raw

(2) HUMBERTO CARRILLO vs. DREW GULAK

The wrestlers exchanged grapples and quick pins early on. Gulak transitioned to strikes and chops, then pinned Carrillo for a one-count. Tom described Gulak as “Philadelphia tough.” Carrillo ran the ropes and ducked a clothesline, then took Gulak down with a springboard reverse elbow off the middle rope. Carrillo covered for two. Gulak stunned Carrillo by yanking his arm down across the top rope, then knocked Carrillo off the apron with a forearm strike. Carrillo flew into the barricade at ringside and they cut to break.

Back in the ring, Gulak had control with an arm bar. Carrillo got free and eventually leveled Gulak with a spinning kick to the face. Gulak caught an elbow and a kick in the corner, and Carrillo followed up with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker before covering for two. Carrillo got to his feet and landed punches and kicks. Carrillo ran the ropes and executed a cool looking handspring arm drag to Gulak, who was lying on his back to start the move. Carrillo covered for two.

Both men got up slowly. Carrillo attempted a springboard arm drag, but Gulak remained upright and instead planted Carrillo face-first to the canvas. Gulak rolled into a cross arm breaker and began wrenching on Carrillo’s wrist. He cinched Carrillo’s wrist under his arm, but Carrillo barely managed to get the toe of his boot on the bottom rope, causing Gulak to release the hold. Gulak got to his feet and quickly body slammed Carrillo, then covered for two. Gulak was visibly frustrated at the kick out. He got to his feet and landed some kicks. Carrillo reversed out of a vertical suplex, then hit a springboard kick. With Gulak on the mat, Carrillo climbed to the top rope and hit a moonsault, good for the three-count.

WINNER: Humberto Carrillo in 7:10.

Meyers’s Analysis: Predictable good action here. Gulak is a opponent for Carrillo’s inventive offense. In particular, the handspring arm drag trick. It caused me to rewind a couple of times. Entertaining match. 

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.6

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S WWE MAIN EVENT REPORT: 1/13 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Tozawa vs. Garza, Carrillo vs. Slapjack, and more