SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE MAIN EVENT TV REPORT
APRIL 22, 2020
HULU STREAMING TV
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Tom Phillips, MVP
REASONS TO WATCH…
- MVP debuts on Main Event commentary
- Debut of masked Chilean wrestler “Catalina”
(1) ASUKA vs. CATALINA
During Asuka’s entrance, Tom introduced MVP as his co-host. MVP was quick to point out the championships he had won in WWE, and snapped at Tom to “give me all of my accolades, please.”
After a bout of Asuka screaming, the women locked up and Asuka pushed Catalina into the corner. Asuka backed off, then aimed her screaming at the ref. Thrice Asuka charged at Catalina in the corner, but she was met with a reverse elbow, a boot to the face, and a drop toe hold. Catalina covered for a one-count.
Asuka wrenched Catalina to the mat with an arm bar and planted her knee in Catalina’s back while pulling back on her hair. Catalina reversed her way out of the hold and after some decent grappling, she broke free by arm dragging Asuka to the mat. Asuka slid under the bottom rope to the floor. Catalina approached the ropes, but Asuka swept Catalina’s feet, causing her to fall onto the apron and roll to the floor. Asuka got back in the ring while Catalina barely made it back in before the ref’s ten-count.
In the ring, Asuka, landed a series of kicks and a low drop kick. She covered Catalina, but Catalina got a rope break on the two-count. Asuka reapplied an arm bar. Meanwhile, on commentary, MVP said that “Bruce Willis might be able to help out this situation,” comparing the upcoming Money in the Bank ladder match to the 1988 blockbuster Die Hard.
Catalina got free, but Asuka continued the punishment in the corner with a Hip Attack and more kicks. Asuka hit a bulldog and covered for two. Asuka hammered on Catalina some more and applied an octopus. Catalina finally fired back with multiple forearm shots to a resilient Asuka, then took Asuka down with a short clothesline. Catalina knocked Asuka down again with a kick to the back of the neck, then climbed to the middle rope. She executed a twisting senton, but Asuka rolled out of the way, leaving Catalina to land on her back. Asuka kicked the stunned Catalina in the face before applying the Asuka Lock. Catalina quickly tapped out.
WINNER: Asuka by submission.
(Meyers’s Analysis: Catalina was given more offense here than a standard squash match, but Asuka was in control most of the time, and she toyed with Catalina in a heelish fashion. Not a bad debut.)
-Main Event recap session:
- Replay of Firefly Fun House
- Replay of Moment of Bliss, featuring Strowman, from Smackdown
- Replay of Mysterio vs. Murphy from Raw
- Match rundown for upcoming PPV Money in the Bank
- Replay of Big E vs. Jey Uso vs. Daniel Bryan from Smackdown
- Replay of McIntyre vs. Garza from Raw
(2) HUMBERTO CARRILLO vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN
Tom asked MVP if he would be unbiased during this match due to his friendship with Benjamin. After denying that friendship, MVP added, “Even if I’m biased, it doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”
After some arm drags and back-and-forth, the wrestlers found themselves standing on the apron. They simultaneously kicked one another, and both tumbled down to the floor. We cut to break.
Back in the ring, Carrillo had the upper hand, but Benjamin turned the tide by catching Carrillo in mid-air while Carrillo was attempting a handspring reverse elbow off the ropes. From this position, Benjamin planted Carrillo with a release German suplex. MVP said that Benjamin may have lost a step, but he still has power. Benjamin landed a running knee strike on Carrillo in the corner, then covered Carrillo for a two-count. Tom gave MPV a chance to unbury Benjamin by asking him how great an athlete Benjamin is. MVP improved on this second try, saying that Benjamin is one of the most impressive athletes he’s seen, “but I’ve beaten him for the United States championship.” Benjamin hit a snap suplex. He slowly got to his feet, then hit Carrillo with another suplex. Benjamin applied a chin lock.
Carrillo got free and stunned Benjamin with a kick to the face before whipping him to the canvas with a hurricanrana. Carrillo ran the ropes and hit Benjamin with a springboard kick to the chest. Benjamin rolled out to the floor for a breather, but Carrillo pushed on with a baseball slide, but Benjamin dodged. In turn, Carrillo dodged a Benjamin front kick against the ring barrier, then leveled Benjamin with a kick of his own. Carrillo jumped off the barricade and took Benjamin down with a flying clothesline. Back in the ring, Carrillo attempted a missile drop kick but Benjamin intercepted him, slamming Carrillo to the mat. Benjamin maintained that position and covered Carrillo for a two-count. After two quick exchanges and a pin attempt each, Carrillo was able to roll up Benjamin into a small package for the three-count.
WINNER: Humberto Carrillo by pinfall.
(Meyers’s Analysis: The comentators didn’t mention this, but this was the third match between these two in the last month and a half, and Carrillo has won all three. They changed things up a bit with some cool action outside the ring, but the match wasn’t remarkable otherwise.)
SHOW SCORE (0-10): 7.4
FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s cool to see Catalina’s debut on Main Event, but the most noteworthy part of the episode was the addition of MVP. You could tell he hadn’t done extensive preparation for the show, but his heel attitude and mic skills brought some otherwise-absent sizzle to the commentary team.
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