2/22 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Akira Tozawa vs. Cedric Alexander, women’s tag team action, more

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
FEBRUARY 22, 2023
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

WWE Main Event Announcers: Byron Saxton, Kevin Patrick

REASONS TO WATCH…

Fun women’s tag match

(1) AKIRA TOZAWA vs. CEDRIC ALEXANDER (w/ Shelton Benjamin & MVP)

Alexander took Tozawa to the mat with a waist lock, but Tozawa scrambled to the bottom rope to break the hold. An decent “MVP” chant was heard from the crowd, and MVP turned to acknowledge the fans. Alexander ran the ropes but was taken down with back-to-back Tozawa arm drags. Alexander blocked the third attempt, but then caught a double kick and a hurricanrana from Tozawa out of the corner. Alexander came back to drop Tozawa back-first onto the ring apron with a uranage. Alexander covered Tozawa for two.

Tozawa sat up on the mat, allowing Alexander to kick him between the shoulder blades. Alexander covered for another two, then applied a chinlock. The crowd clapped rhythmically to rouse Tozawa. Tozawa did escape, and he took Alexander down with another hurricanrana, then delivered a running knee strike. Tozawa quickly scaled the corner and knocked Alexander down with a flying reverse elbow from the top rope. He covered Alexander for two. Tozawa slowly lifted Alexander into a fireman’s carry, but Alexander got free. They exchanged chest chops in the middle of the ring. Tozawa got the upper hand, but when he ran the ropes, Alexander planted him with a sitout body slam. He covered Tozawa for two. They had a quick back-and-forth until Alexander caught Tozawa with the Lumbar Check and a cover for the three-count.

WINNER: Cedric Alexander by pinfall in 5:00.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Standard back-and-forth Main Event match. Not much to it.)

(2) DANA BROOKE & TAMINA vs. MICHIN & CANDICE LERAE

Michin started against Brooke, and Brooke resisted an early suplex attempt. Brooke ran the ropes and spun Michin to the mat with a head scissor take down. They did a bit of chain wrestling, then shook hands. Tamina, not enjoying this sportsmanship, tagged herself in and locked up with Michin, then tore her down to the mat by her hair. Michin surprised Tamina with a roll-up and pin for a one-count. Michin gave flap jacks to both Tamina and Brooke, the latter entering illegally. Michin and LeRae combined forces to kick both opponents through the ropes to the floor. We cut to break.

Michin had control of Tamina after the break, but Tamina took her out with a crescent kick. Tamina lingered, then approached Michin and landed multiple forearm strikes. She scoop slammed Michin to the mat, then reluctantly tagged Brooke back in. Brooke hit a handspring splash and covered Michin for two. She planted a few knee strikes, then another two-count cover. Brooke tagged Tamina back in. She snap mared Michin to the mat, then covered for two. Michin reached toward her partner, but Tamina intervened and applied a chinlock. LeRae slapped the top turnbuckle to elicit a response from the crowd. Tamina slammed Michin to the mat by her hair, then fired her into a neutral corner. Tamina clotheslined her there, then tagged in Brooke. Brooke hit a reverse elbow in the same corner, then landed a bulldog and covered Michin for two. Michin kicked Brooke twice, enough to stun her to make a hot tag. Tamina also tagged back in. LeRae went to the top rope and took out Tamina with a missile drop kick. Brooke entered the ring, but LeRae shoved Tamina into her, sending Brooke out to the floor. LeRae hit Tamina with two sentons, then landed two kicks before tagging Michin in. LeRae jumped at Tamina with a high cross body, but Tamina caught her. LeRae dropped Tamina with a neckbreaker-like maneuver, causing her to fall to the mat with LeRae on top of her. LeRae rolled away. Michin quickly tagged LeRae back in, then hit Tamina with Eat Defeat. LeRae hit Tamina with a springboard moonsault off the middle rope and remained in place for the three-count.

WINNERS: Michin & Candice LeRae by pinfall in 7:25.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Pretty good match! Michin and LeRae showed impressive tag team coordination, especially in the finish.)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 8.2

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42

CATCH-UP: 2/15 WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT: Bron Breakker vs. Akira Tozawa, Brooke vs. Choo, more