2/2 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Veer Mahaan vs. Akira Tozawa, Liv Morgan vs. Doudrop, more

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
FEBRUARY 2, 2022
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Byron Saxton and Kevin Patrick

REASONS TO WATCH…

Can’t wait for Veer’s debut? Find him here

(1) VEER MAHAAN vs. AKIRA TOZAWA

The commentators spoke openly about the Mahaan videos that have been shown on Raw leading up to his alleged main roster debut. Kevin quoted Tozawa as saying, “If Veer Mahaan is a lion, then I’m a Komodo dragon. Watch me unleash my venom.” Venomous or not, it is unlikely that a Komodo dragon could defeat a lion.

Tozawa dodged a charging Mahaan in the corner, then hit two drop kicks. Tozawa ran the ropes but was leveled by the larger Mahaan and his shoulder block. Mahaan shouted various sounds between blows to Tozawa. He scooped and slowly slammed Tozawa to the mat. He repositioned Tozawa on the mat before landing a very deliberate and telegraphed elbow drop. Mahaan issued a dual-handed death grip on Tozawa’s shoulder, then moved to the back of his neck. These submissions appeared more like massages.

Tozawa broke free with a series of blows, but was caught in mid-air when he tried a running cross body. He reversed out of a toss attempt, then kicked Mahaan in the gut. Mahaan came back and tossed Tozawa into one corner, then another. Tozawa dodged another Mahaan attack and hit a spinning kick, then Mahaan turned Tozawa inside out with a big clothesline. Kevin mentioned Mahaan’s “million-dollar arm.” Mahaan lifted Tozawa to his feet and hit a twisting DDT and covered for the three-count.

WINNER: Veer Mahaan by pinfall in 4:00.

(Meyers’s Analysis: WWE probably has a better gimmick in overplaying Veer teaser videos than they do actually bringing him to the main roster. He doesn’t bring anything exciting to the ring, and his size isn’t enough to enamor anyone.)

-Main Event recap session:

• Replay of Lashley / Lesnar in-ring confrontation from Raw
• Replay of the KO Show, featuring Seth Rollins, from Raw
• Replay of Alexa Bliss therapy session from Raw
• Replay of Ronda Rousey in-ring segment from Raw
• Video packages were shown reviewing men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches

(2) LIV MORGAN vs. DOUDROP

Doudrop powered Morgan into a corner, then playfully swatted at Morgan’s face before backing off. Morgan applied a side headlock, but Doudrop tossed her off. Morgan landed a series of kicks, then dodged a clothesline. Morgan attempted a roll-up but Doudrop wouldn’t budge. Instead, Doudrop dropped her full weight to the mat while Morgan rolled out of harm’s way. Morgan ran the ropes and hit a low drop kick to the still-seated Doudrop, then covered for two. Morgan sidestepped a running Doudrop in the corner, but Doudrop sprang out of said corner and took Morgan down with a high cross body. Doudrop dusted off her hands and got to her feet as we cut to break.

Doudrop had Morgan in a chin lock after the break. Morgan fought out and hit a clothesline that had little impact. Next she ran the ropes and hit a drop kick, and Doudrop remained upright. When Morgan tried a high cross body, Doudrop caught and slammed her. Doudrop covered for two.

Doudrop slowed the pace of the match and punished Morgan in the corner before applying another chin lock. Morgan got to her feet, ducked a clothesline, and landed another series of kicks. She got her boots up in the corner when Doudrop ran at her, then hopped to the middle rope and finally took Doudrop down with a shotgun drop kick.

Both women struggled on the mat. Morgan was first to her feet and began hammering away at Doudrop. She used an enziguri to drape Doudrop over the middle rope, then hit a drop kick to Doudrop’s exposed back. Morgan landed a knee strike, then sprung off the middle rope to land on her back, dragging Doudrop’s face down against her knees. Morgan covered for two.

Morgan was first to her feet again and went for a hurricanrana but Doudrop stayed upright and slammed Morgan face-first against the canvas. Doudrop covered Morgan for two. Doudrop dragged Morgan’s body toward a corner, then climbed to the middle rope and went for a splash, but Morgan got both knees up. Doudrop staggered across the ring and Morgan sprinted after her to hit Oblivion for the three-count.

WINNER: Liv Morgan by pinfall in 7:20.

(Meyers’s Analysis: This was a fine showing. The bigger story is how two days prior, Doudrop faced Becky Lynch at Royal Rumble. Now she’s wrestling Liv Morgan on Main Event. Have we already seen the apex of her push?)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.0

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42

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