7/21 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Ricochet vs. Cedric Alexander, Garza vs. Gulak, more

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
JULY 21, 2021
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Byron Saxton, Kevin Patrick

REASONS TO WATCH…

• First Main Event back in front of a live crowd.

(1) ANGEL GARZA vs. DREW GULAK

Garza blew a kiss to Gulak as the bell ring, but Gulak was not impressed. He soon had Garza in a side headlock, but Garza fired him off, leapfrogged Gulak, then blew another kiss. Gulak chased Garza out of the ring and back in where Garza leveled him with a drop kick. Garza applied a chin lock.

Gulak battled out and landed several blows before body slamming Garza. Gulak covered for a one-count. He clotheslined Garza twice to the mat and made two more pin attempts. Garza came back with a clothesline and pin of his own. Gulak took Garza down with a bridged German suplex and cover for two. He took Garza down with a dragon screw leg whip, then applied a submission to Garza’s knee.

Garza escaped and delivered an atomic drop and a drop kick. Garza ducked a clothesline and knocked Gulak down with a running forearm. Garza removed his pants as the audience mildly heated up. He tossed the pants to Gulak, who, for reasons unknown, gave all his effort and attention to catch the pants. Of course, this was the opening Garza needed to land a clean superkick to Gulak’s chin. Garza followed up with a running boot to Gulak’s jaw in the corner. Garza set up and hit the Wing Clipper, good for the three-count.

WINNER: Angel Garza by pinfall in 5:15.

(Meyers’s Analysis: The pants distraction Garza used to win the match was really, really stupid. It’s alarming how mild the crowd was for what was probably the first wrestling match most of them had seen in person in a long time. This did not feel like a grand homecoming for live Raw wrestling.)

-Main Event recap session:

• Replay of Belair vs. Carmella from Smackdown
• Replay of Cena in-ring promo from Raw
• Replay of Lee vs. Lashley from Raw
• Replay of Goldberg challenging Lashley from Raw
• Replay of Ripley vs. Charlotte from Raw

(2) RICOCHET vs. CEDRIC ALEXANDER

Ricochet struck first with a drop kick, hurricanrana, and a back body drop to Alexander. Ricochet tried to slingshot from the apron onto the top rope, but Alexander knocked his feet out from under him. Alexander joined Ricochet on the apron and clotheslined him hard to the ring’s edge. Alexander screamed at the crowd from the floor as we cut to break.

Alexander maintained control through the break and was punishing Ricochet on the mat before applying a chin lock. The crowd lightly encouraged Ricochet’s escape. Ricochet landed a chest chop but Alexander came back with a drop kick and a cover for two. Alexander screamed, “I know you’re hurt!” A “Ricochet” chant started, and Alexander sarcastically rooted the crowd on between knee strikes to Ricochet’s chin. He covered Ricochet for another two-count.

Ricochet began to turn the tide with a neckbreaker. He ducked a clothesline, then hit Alexander with a few blows before turning Alexander inside out with a clothesline. He dead lifted Alexander from behind, but Alexander broke free with a reverse elbow. Alexander hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, then followed up with a rib cracker and a cover for two.

Alexander attempted the Lumbar Check but Ricochet was too alert and rained down elbow shots. This allowed Ricochet to break free and deliver a Canadian Destroyer. The crowd popped, and Ricochet followed up with the Recoil, good for the three-count.

WINNER: Ricochet by pinfall in 6:15.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Decent, brief, back-and-forth action. The crowd was more excited for this match, whose moves were flashier than the first.)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.2

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S MAIN EVENT REPORT: 7/14 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Shelton Benjamin vs. Mansoor, Garza vs. Ryker, more