WWE MAIN EVENT TV RESULTS (10/18): Chad Gable vs. Trick Williams, Nathan Frazer vs. Akira Tozawa

WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
OCTOBER 18, 2023
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Byron Saxton, Wade Barrett

REASONS TO WATCH…

Fresh matchup: Chad Gable vs. Trick Williams

(1) CHAD GABLE (w/Otis & Maxxine Dupri) vs. TRICK WILLIAMS

Gable reversed out of a wrist lock and applied an arm bar to Williams. They exchanged quick arm drags, then Gable offered a handshake. Williams slapped his hand, and went onto smack Gable’s face, knocking him to the mat. He landed three more blows in the corner, again dropping Gable. Gable landed two chest chops, then Williams responded with a swinging body slam and a cover for two. Gable applied an arm bar while hanging over the top rope. Williams hit a scissor kick and covered for another two-count. Williams set up for a superplex, but Gable head butted Williams to the mat. Gable stood on the top rope, held up dual peace signs, then hit a diving headbutt. He covered Williams for two.

Gable ducked a clothesline and transitioned into an ankle lock. Williams flipped onto his back and kicked Gable off, then took Gable down with a neckbreaker. Williams covered for two. The wrestlers traded a series of quick reversal covers. Williams escaped out of a DDT attempt and flapjacked Gable to the mat. Gable dumped Williams to the mat with a deliberate German suplex. He hit a second German suplex, this time bridging the landing for a cover and three-count.

WINNER: Chad Gable by pinfall in 5:40.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Decent back-and-forth action, with Gable inserting a bit of his obnoxious character into his diving head butt and cover. This was a first-time matchup, and was a refreshing sight on Main Event.)

(2) NATHAN FRAZER vs. AKIRA TOZAWA

The men shook hands as the match started. They locked up, and Frazer went to work on Tozawa’s arm. This was short lived, and Tozawa flipped out of the hold. Tozawa took Frazer to the mat with a wrist lock, then Frazer reversed the hold, whipping Tozawa to the mat and applying another arm bar. Tozawa fired Frazer off, allowing Frazer to turn on the jets and run the ropes at a full sprint. He took Tozawa down with a running drop kick. Frazer swept Tozawa’s feet on the apron, causing him to stumble to the floor. Frazer got a running start in the ring and dove through the ropes, knocking Tozawa down. We cut to break with both men at ringside.

Frazer had control of Tozawa in the ring after the break. Tozawa struggled to his feet and started to land elbows, but Frazer slammed him back to the mat. Tozawa escaped on his second attempt by way of a jawbreaker. Frazer came back with a twisting neckbreaker and a two-count cover. Frazer climbed to the top rope, but Tozawa dodged his diving attack. Instead, Tozawa tossed Frazer with a German suplex and followed up with a running knee strike. Tozawa took his turn on the top rope, but Frazer ran in to meet him there. Frazer backflipped from the corner to the mat, and Tozawa immediately flew after him with an airborne elbow strike. Tozawa covered for two.

Tozawa looked to the crowd for some support, and was rolled up by Frazer for a surprise two-count. Frazer hit an inverted DDT and covered for two. Frazer went back to the top rope. He jumped into a phoenix splash, but Tozawa dodged. Frazer saw this and rolled through his landing. The wrestlers exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring, Tozawa got the upper hand. Tozawa went to the top rope and hit a big senton splash, then covered for three.

WINNER: Akira Tozawa by pinfall in 7:00.

(Meyers’s Analysis: More quality action with a little more razzle-dazzle than the first match. I’m undecided on Frazer’s “high speed” gimmick, because it’s tough to translate that ability in an enclosed wrestling ring – it feels like more of an exhibition than an attempt to win a fight. It’s definitely unique.)

SHOW SCORE (0-10): 8.4

(Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42)

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