11/17 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Crews & Azeez vs. Hurt Business, John Morrison vs. Veer Mahaan, more

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
NOVEMBER 17, 2021
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Byron Saxton, Kevin Patrick

REASONS TO WATCH…

• Jimmy Smith attempts a metaphor
• Morrison’s final match before release
• Botched finish to second match

(1) JOHN MORRISON vs. VEER MAHAAN

Veer controlled Morrison early on, tossing him into a corner out of a lockup, then sending him to the mat with a shoulder block. Morrison landed a kick and some forearm shots and jumped off the middle rope but Mahaan caught him with a knee to the ribs on his way down. Mahaan hit Morrison with a suspended vertical suplex. With Morrison on the mat, Mahaan posed and dropped a very deliberate chop to Morrison’s midsection, then covered for two.

Mahaan lifted Morrison to his feet, then remembered this was Main Event and maneuvered him back to a seated position to apply a chin lock. Morrison kicked upward and nailed Mahaan in the face to break free. Mahaan scoop slammed Morrison, then telegraphed an elbow drop that Morrison easily avoided. Morrison hit a running knee and covered for two. Mahaan came back and planted Morrison with a sidewalk slam, and this time landed the cartoonish elbow drop. He clotheslined Morrison twice in the corner, then hit an open-ring lariat that spun Morrison to the mat. Mahaan dropped down and covered for the three-count.

WINNER: Veer Mahaan by pinfall in 3:50.

(Meyers’s Analysis: This would be Morrison’s final match of his run in WWE, as it was taped on November 15 — three days before his release from the company. It was predictably unceremonious.)

-Main Event recap session:

• Replay of Reigns / Heyman backstage interview from Smackdown
• Replay of Woods vs. Reigns from Smackdown
• Replay of Big E & RK-Bro vs. Rollins & Usos from Raw
• Replay of Rey Mysterio vs. Lashley from Raw
• Match rundown for upcoming PPV Survivor Series

(2) APOLLO CREWS & COMMANDER AZEEZ vs. HURT BUSINESS (CEDRIC ALEXANDER & SHELTON BENJAMIN)

Curiously, the referee called for the opening bell while all four wrestlers were still in the ring with no starters decided. The wrestlers carried on as normal and started the match at their own pace. Azeez started off briefly against Alexander, but when Azeez easily took him down, Benjamin tagged in. Azeez muscled Benjamin over the top rope and to the floor. Crews tagged in and knocked down both opponents at down ringside with a baseball slide under the bottom rope.

Benjamin wandered into enemy territory and shoved Azeez on the apron. Azeez began to climb over the top rope to retaliate, but the ref moved in to stop him. This allowed Alexander to run in and knock down Crews from behind. Benjamin went on the offense, then flipped Crews over the top rope. Crews held onto the rope and landed on his feet on the apron, but Alexander moved in and clotheslined him hard against onto apron. Crews toppled to the floor and Alexander stood confidently over him as we cut to break.

Alexander controlled Crews with a chin lock after the break. Crews broke free and hit an enziguri and a German suplex. Both men writhed on the mat after the landing. Alexander hit a smooth arm drag, then took Crews down with a flatliner and covered for two. Alexander dragged Crews toward his own corner and tagged in Benjamin. Benjamin laid in some shots in a neutral corner, but Crews soon returned fire. Benjamin hit a spinning kick to Crews’s face, then covered for two. Jimmy said, “Kickout” just in time for Apollo Crews, but you get that feeling that the sand is starting to come out of the hourglass!” Thousands of viewers furrowed their brow at this attempted metaphor.

Alexander tagged in and hit a quick suplex and made what appeared to be a transitional, routine cover. Crews kicked out, but it essentially coincided with the ref’s third count on the mat. Alexander looked at the ref quizzically, and held up two fingers. The ref also looked confused, and briefly held up two fingers herself before standing up and calling for the bell. Alexander got to his feet and looked surprised with the anticlimactic victory.

WINNER: Hurt Business by pinfall in 6:35.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Screwy start and finish to this match, both involving the referee. There appeared to be a miscommunication regarding the ending, or perhaps Crews simply cut his kickout too close and the ref felt forced to follow through with the final count. Either way, it stood out as an uncharacteristically sloppy finish, yet they still showed a replay of these events.)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.0

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S MAIN EVENT REPORT: 11/12 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: John Morrison vs. Shelton Benjamin, Austin Theory vs. Akira Tozawa, more