3/3 WWE MAIN EVENT REPORT: Mansoor vs. Drew Gulak and Ricochet vs. Akira Tozawa

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
MARCH 3, 2021
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe

REASONS TO WATCH…

• Both matches on the show feature moments of brilliance.

(1) MANSOOR vs. DREW GULAK

Gulak twisted Mansoor to the mat with a side headlock takedown, but Mansoor quickly reversed into an arm bar. Mansoor executed a unique arm drag after swinging through the ropes, 619-style. Gulak came back with a German suplex before covering for two. Gulak applied a chin lock while driving his knee into Mansoor’s back.

Mansoor escaped by way of jawbreaker, then landed forearm shots and a chop. Gulak hit another suplex, then made back-to-back covers for two-counts. Gulak chopped Mansoor in the corner, then snapmared him to the canvas. He covered Mansoor for a one-count. Mansoor attempted an enziguri, but Gulak caught the incoming boot and wrestled Mansoor to the mat and into an STF. As Mansoor scooted along the canvas toward the ropes, Joe said, “He’s trying to crawl to salvation!” He reached the bottom rope and the ref called for the break.

Gulak maneuvered Mansoor onto the top turnbuckle in a seated position, but Mansoor knocked Gulak to the mat with elbows to the midsection. Mansoor stood atop the top rope and launched into a twisting high cross body, leveling Gulak in the middle of the ring. Both men writhed on the mat.

Mansoor landed multiple strikes before taking Gulak down with a clothesline. He scooped Gulak and dumped him belly-first to the mat, then covered for two. Mansoor then hit an inverted spinebuster followed immediately by a spinebuster, then covered for another two-count. Gulak rolled up Mansoor by surprise for a two-count, but Mansoor popped out and applied a brief sleeper hold. Gulak broke the hold by rolling back into a pin attempt. Mansoor kicked out and rolled out to the apron. He got to his feet, and when Gulak approached, Mansoor slung himself over the top rope and into a neckbreaker against Gulak. He covered Gulak for the three-count.

WINNER: Mansoor by pinfall in 5:50.

(Meyers’s Analysis: This was pretty basic, but was highlighted by some flashy moves and combos by Mansoor. As always, both of these guys could be doing greater things.)

-Main Event recap session:

• Replay of Belair / Reginald / Banks in-ring segment from Smackdown
• Replay of Bryan vs. Jey Uso from Smackdown
• Replay of Paul Heyman / Daniel Bryan segment from Talking Smack
• Replay of Lashley vs. Miz Lumberjack match from Raw

(2) RICOCHET vs. AKIRA TOZAWA

Joe spouted some nonsense about “ninja code” as the match got underway. The wrestlers took each other down once each and exchanged a sportsmanlike handshake. Tozawa flung Ricochet to the mat with an arm drag, then squatted and screamed while posing. Ricochet got to his feet and shoved Tozawa, saying, “Are you just having some fun? I’m not having fun; this is serious for me. I’m not just playin’.” He went on to level Tozawa with a right cross, then reiterated that he was not, in fact, playing a game. We cut to break.

After the break, Ricochet was in control with a chin lock. He dropped multiple elbows on Tozawa, then covered for two. Tozawa battled out of another chin lock before being leveled by a Ricochet drop kick. Ricochet buried knees into Tozawa’s midsection, then fired him off the ropes. Ricochet went for a powerbomb on the rebound, but Tozawa reversed into a hurricanrana. Tozawa quickly went to the top rope and hit a cannonball, then covered Ricochet for two.

Ricochet powered out of a rear waist lock, then landed strikes against Tozawa. The wrestlers went into an impressive exchange of kicks and missed-kicks, culminating with Ricochet backflipping over Tozawa and transitioning into a German suplex. Ricochet bridged the suplex into a pin for a two-count. Ricochet measured Tozawa from the opposite corner, but got rolled up for two when Tozawa saw him coming. Tozawa ran the ropes but got turned inside out with a big Ricochet lariat. He hoisted Tozawa onto his shoulders and nailed the Kickback, then covered for three.

WINNER: Ricochet by pinfall in 7:20.

(Meyers’s Analysis: This was a longer version of the first match. It was pretty basic with moments of excellence. Between the two matches, this episode is worth a watch.)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 8.2

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S MAIN EVENT REPORT: 2/24 WWE MAIN EVENT REPORT: Mansoor vs. Drew Gulak, Elias in tag team action, more