11/12 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: John Morrison vs. Shelton Benjamin, Austin Theory vs. Akira Tozawa, more

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
NOVEMBER 12, 2021
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Byron Saxton, Kevin Patrick

REASONS TO WATCH…

• Austin Theory continues heel antics in the ring.

(1) AUSTIN THEORY vs. AKIRA TOZAWA

The men locked up and Theory backed Tozawa into a corner. When the ref ordered them out, Theory cockily straightened Tozawa’s shirt. Tozawa performed a demonstrative kick in the middle of the ring, and Theory responded by charging and knocking him down with a shoulder block. After a brief exchange of moves, Theory mockingly posed in the crane kick position, popularized in “The Karate Kid” (1984). Tozawa paused at this, then planted a bicycle kick to Theory’s face. Tozawa went on a flurry of offense, landing more kicks. Theory recovered on the apron, then rammed his shoulder into Tozawa’s ribs through the ropes before yanking him back-first to the mat.

Theory whipped Tozawa hard into the far corner, then asked him, “You know where you at?” He issued a snap suplex to Tozawa and covered for a two-count. Theory proclaimed, “They know I’m the best! They know!” Theory punished Tozawa a bit against the second rope before doing a victory lap in the ring. He returned to Tozawa and delivered a backbreaker, then covered for another two. Theory applied a chin lock.

Tozawa got to his feet and landed some punches, but Theory whipped him against the ropes and then tossed Tozawa up to land face-first on the mat. Tozawa wound up and hit a couple lightweight flying forearms, then a running kick to Theory’s face. Tozawa went to the apron and climbed to the top rope and launched into a high cross body. Theory caught him cleanly, then hoisted him up onto his shoulders and hit the ATL, good for the three-count.

WINNER: Austin Theory by pinfall in 5:35.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Decent match where Theory continued to exhibit heel antics throughout. Theory winning makes sense as he has been featured in recent weeks on Raw. Not bad.)

-Main Event recap session:

• Replay of Xavier Woods vs. Jimmy Uso from Smackdown
• Replay of Dominik Mysterio vs. Bobby Lashley from Raw
• Replay of Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens from Raw

(2) JOHN MORRISON vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN w/Cedric Alexander

Benjamin powered Morrison into a corner to start, then grinned as he backed off. He plowed Morrison into another corner, then took Morrison to the mat with a waist lock. Morrison surprised Benjamin with a roll-up pin attempt, then followed up with a knee strike to the face. Morrison went to the corner and prepared for a very early Starship Pain, but Alexander climbed the steps of the same corner. Morrison aborted the maneuver and hopped over the ropes to the ring apron and began jawing with Alexander. Meanwhile, Benjamin recharged and hit a rising knee strike to Morrison’s face, knocking him down to the floor. Alexander taunted Morrison as we cut to break.

After the break, Benjamin hit a spinning kick, a pin for a two-count, then applied a chin lock. Morrison came back with a springboard kick off the middle rope. Stunned, Benjamin rolled out to ringside and stood by Alexander, catching his breath. Morrison revved up in the ring and jumped at the pair, but Alexander shoved Benjamin out of harm’s way, and took the brunt of Morrison’s landing himself. Morrison nodded in approval while Benjamin jumped off the ring steps to attack. Morrison sensed his approach and intercepted with a front kick, then rolled Benjamin back into the ring.

Benjamin ran the ropes and Morrison jumped at him with a Thesz Press position, but Benjamin had more momentum and planted Morrison on his back with a powerbomb. Benjamin held this position for a two-count. Benjamin briefly had Morrison in an upright ankle lock, but Morrison pivoted on his free foot, then swung it up to kick Benjamin in the back of the neck. Kevin said, “He’s got two legs, Byron – he knows how to use ’em,” channeling the lyrics of ZZ Top’s “Legs” (1983).

Benjamin planted Morrison with an Olympic slam, then covered for two. Both men lingered on the mat, but Benjamin eventually positioned Morrison on the top turnbuckle. Morrison knocked Benjamin away, then hit a double-barrel kick when Benjamin ran back at him. Alexander appeared on the apron again, but this time Morrison took him out with a clothesline. Benjamin recovered a bit, but Morrison maintained control with an elaborate spinning DDT. Morrison then climbed to the top rope and hit the Starship Pain and then a pin and three-count.

WINNER: Morrison by pinfall in 7:00.

(Meyers’s Analysis: More decent action. The Hurt Business seems all but extinct if Benjamin and Alexander cannot contain John Morrison, of all wrestlers, while attempting two-on-one distractions.)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.8

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42

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