8/4 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Jaxson Ryker vs. Cedric Alexander, Garza vs. Dorado, more

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
AUGUST 4, 2021
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Byron Saxton, Kevin Patrick

REASONS TO WATCH…

• Can anyone survive Garza’s pants-removal distraction?

(1) ANGEL GARZA vs. LINCE DORADO

Dorado elicited a “Lucha” chant from the crowd before applying a wrist lock to Garza. Garza reversed the hold and twisted Dorado to the mat. Dorado got to his feet and struggled, eventually snap maring Garza to the canvas. Garza came back and shoulder blocked Dorado, then covered for four consecutive one-counts. Dorado spun Garza to the mat and out to the floor with an ill-fitting head scissors.

While on the floor, Garza delivered a red rose to a woman at ringside, then playfully shrugged and grinned at who appeared to be her significant other. Dorado took advantage and leapfrogged the top rope to the floor, taking Garza down with another head scissors. He rolled Garza back into the ring, then climbed to the top rope and leveled Garza with a high cross body. Dorado covered for two.

Dorado hit a low drop kick to Garza’s head as he was on his hands and knees. Dorado applied an upright side headlock, but Garza hammered his way out. The wrestlers appeared to have their wires crossed for three seconds, then Dorado suplexed Garza before splashing him oddly with his hands behind his back, and remaining on top for a hands-free cover and two-count. Dorado applied a chin lock, and ground his wrist gauntlet across Garza’s eyes.

Garza battled out again and absorbed a chop across his chest. He back body dropped Dorado to the canvas, and both men writhed on the mat. Garza kneed Dorado in the face, then monkey flipped him across the ring after whistling to the crowd. He covered Dorado for two. Dorado kicked Garza and rolled him up into a cross arm breaker in the middle of the ring. Garza got free and rolled up Dorado for two – Dorado immediately returned the favor. Garza got up and tore off his pants and tossed them at Dorado. Naturally, Dorado caught the pants which was all Garza needed to land a superkick, followed by the Wing Clipper and the three-count.

WINNER: Angel Garza by pinfall in 5:35.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Another lame distraction finish. The action was otherwise decent and it’s fun to see Garza interact with the crowd.)

-Main Event recap session:

• Replay of Universal Championship contract signing from Smackdown
• Replay of Goldberg / Lashley in-ring segment from Raw
• Replay of Charlotte vs. Nikki A.S.H. from Raw
• Replay of Carmela & Vega vs. Banks & Belair from Smackdown

(2) JAXSON RYKER vs. CEDRIC ALEXANDER

Alexander ducked Ryker’s initial lockup attempt, then briefly danced in the corner to taunt Ryker. Alexander applied a side headlock. Ryker fired him off, Alexander ducked a kick, then shoved Ryker’s face away. When Ryker moved in to retaliate, Alexander ducked out between the ropes. Alexander briefly applied another headlock but Ryker immediately fired him off and this time nailed a shoulder block. He scooped Alexander and spun around a few times before slamming him to the mat. Ryker hit a diving headbutt and covered for two.

Ryker hung up Alexander in the corner, upside down. He landed a series of blows to Alexander’s chest, then hit another one in the center of the ring before covering for two. Ryker clotheslined Alexander over the top rope, sending him toppling to the floor against the barricade. Ryker exited the ring and chased Alexander around the corner, which led to Alexander wrenching Ryker’s arm against a rope on the ring apron. Alexander then clotheslined Ryker, dropping him hard on the apron. Ryker winced in pain as we cut to break.

Alexander maintained control through the break and had Ryker in an arm bar. Ryker got free, but Alexander twisted him to the mat by his left arm. Alexander flashed his eyebrows at the camera before covering Ryker for two. Alexander laid in another arm bar. Alexander paused his hold to rain down a series of elbows, then resumed the maneuver. Alexander released him and ran the ropes, but Ryker caught him with a spinebuster and a two-count cover. Alexander dropped to the mat with Ryker’s arm, smashing it against his knees on the way down, then went back to the arm bar. Alexander caught a Ryker kick-attempt, but Ryker pushed through and took Alexander down with an uranage.

Ryker leveled Alexander twice with axe handles to the chest, then flung him into two corners. Alexander blocked a suplex, then hit a tornado DDT off the middle rope. Ryker came back with a suplex toss. He fired Alexander off the ropes, then took him down with a belly-to-belly slam. This was good for the three-count and win.

WINNER: Jaxson Ryker by pinfall in 7:15.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Nothing too special here. It appears that Ryker expends every bit of energy to try to keep up with Alexander. They told half a story with Alexander repeatedly attacking Ryker’s arm, but it didn’t play any role in the match’s ending.)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.0

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S MAIN EVENT REPORT: 7/28 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Humberto Carrillo vs. Angel Garza, Ryker vs. Gulak, more