WWE MAIN EVENT TV RESULTS (4/3): Jinder Mahal vs. Akira Tozawa, Natalya vs. Chelsea Green, Road Dogg on commentary talks Slammy Award for Green

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
APRIL 3, 2024
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Blake Howard, Brian “Road Dogg” James

(1) NATALYA vs. CHELSEA GREEN

Green was acting belligerent as the match started, pointing her finger in Natalya’s face. Natalya saw enough and shoved Green away, then Green shoved her back. The women traded quick pins, then Green retreated to a corner and called for a non-existent time out. Green offered a handshake and Natalya informally polled the crowd to see if she should accept. She took Green’s hand, but yanked it down to the mat and stomped it. Natalya clotheslined Green to the mat, causing Green to roll out to ringside to plead further for her time out. Natalya knocked her down with a baseball slide under the bottom rope. Green began to flee up the ramp, but Natalya caught her and dragged her toward ring, but not before slamming her into the ringside barricades.

Back in the ring, with Natalya distracted by the ref, Green yanked her to the mat by her hair and covered for two. Green snap mared Natalya to the mat, then applied a chinlock. Blake said that Green was looking forward to winning a Slammy award this weekend in Philadelphia, but wondered what award Slammy she would qualify for. Road Dogg said, “I think Best Wrestler Ever, in the History of Wrestling.” Natalya tossed Green off to escape the chinlock, then nailed Green with an elbow strike. Green came back with a slap across Natalya’s face. Natalya jumped into a high cross body from the top rope, knocking Green down. She clotheslined Green to the mat twice, then covered for two.

Natalya set up for the sharpshooter, but Green kicked her off, then punched Natalya in the face. Green threatened a sharpshooter of her own, but Natalya reversed into another pin and two-count. Green immediately returned the favor, rolling up Natalya with a with a handful of tights. The ref missed the illegal grip and Green got the three-count.

WINNER: Chelsea Green by pinfall in 5:50.

(Meyers’s Analysis: This was a five-minute showcase of Green being a bit of a dopey heel. Good for Natalya for striking first during Green’s undoubtedly phony handshake.)

(2) JINDER MAHAL (w/Veer) vs. AKIRA TOZAWA (w/ Otis)

Tozawa literally tried to run away from Mahal as he approached him in the ring. Mahal caught him and tossed him into a corner, but Tozawa scrambled away to pose with Otis on the apron. Tozawa applied a waist lock, then a side headlock, but Mahal fired him off and they shoulder blocked one another. Tozawa ducked two clotheslines, then Mahal took Tozawa down twice with shoulder blocks. He scoop slammed Tozawa, then applied a chinlock. With Tozawa in excruciating agony, the camera cut to Otis who was gyrating at ringside. Tozawa got free and spun Mahal to the mat with a hurricanrana. Mahal rolled out to ringside, and Tozawa dove through the ropes at him. Mahal caught him and fired him into the barricade. Mahal posed at the crowd as we cut to break.

Mahal was in command after the break – he suplexed Tozawa to the mat and covered for two. He hit Tozawa with two knee drops, then choked Tozawa with a knee across his throat. He punched Tozawa in one corner, then fired him back-first into the opposite corner. Mahal planted his knee in Tozawa’s back and applied another chinlock. Tozawa battled out, ducked a clothesline, then hit Mahal with a surprise DDT. He ran and hit Mahal with a shining wizard. Tozawa climbed to the top rope and knocked Mahal back down with a missile drop kick, then covered for two.

Tozawa strained to lift Mahal with a fireman’s carry, but Mahal blocked. Tozawa missed two kicks, then hit the third, knocking Mahal to the canvas. Tozawa dramatically tore his tee-shirt off, then climbed the corner. He went for an arcing senton, but Mahal rolled aside. Mahal blasted Tozawa with a boot to the face, then planted him to the mat with the Khallas. He remained on top for the cover and three-count.

WINNER: Jinder Mahal by pinfall in 6:55.

(Meyers’s Analysis: About what you’d expect – unserious performances by Tozawa and Otis, and mid-grade heel work from Mahal.)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.2

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42