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My Gulak Must Be Acknowledged - The WWE Main Event thread


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Look there's usually good wrestling on here - it's ludicrous to ignore a show which is mainly composed of the better guys from the WWE 205Live era. Infact I think the only guys who weren't cruiserweights on the show in 2021 have been Retribution members.

29th April 2021

- with your hosts Kevin Patrick and Byron Saxton. Patrick is indeed as green as the proverbial emerald but he seems to be getting better.

Ricochet vs Mustafa Ali - Mustafa Ali has new generic non-Retribution music but he's essentially kept the aesthetic. Patrick notes that the two are at their best, 'in their prime'.....the gods weep tears. Ali gets the better of the intitial exchange, and trash talks about it so Ricochet actually grabs his hair and starts hitting him with chops, and then 2 elbow drops for the first nearfall. Ali gets in some chops of his own but gets tripped on the apron and goes outside. Ricochet tries to setup a dive from the turnbuckes but Ali throws him front first onto the apron and follows up with the SHADOWSOVERHELL bodypress to the back for 2. Resthold now, but Ricochet basically hulks up and hits a kick combo and half-nelson suplex for 2. Ali elbows out a corner charge, goes for the Tornado DDT but gets caught, slips out of the resulting suplex but Ricochet no-sells a front-posting and clotheslines Ali hard. He's still selling the ribs from the apron bump though, nice touch for a match like this. Ali begs, tries to slip away, and his boot comes off as Ricochet tries to keep him in the ring, In the confusion, Ali manages to get a bridging roll-up with his feet on the ropes for the CHEAT2WIN~! in 6 minutes. Ali declares himself Main Even Mustafa! Oh the irony. But works for me tbh. Surely Ricochet will eventually go to Smackdown and get a run before his lucrative please don't go to AEW contract expires in the Summer of 2024.

This was a very good TV sprint, and it's hilarious that a match like this between two aces like this is basically given no mind. I will do ratings here, but I'm thinking of it more like how the CNSR reviews chicken wings than anything like Meltzer star-ratings. This was pretty levels, have to say....no real heat section, but no real crowd either so what can ye do? Rating: 4.1

Drew Gulak vs 'Ninja Master' Akira Tozawa - Gulak's entrance music and tron is just the best. I also love the orange gear. He truly is the heart and soul of Main Event. Last week he lost a match and thus a bet to Lince Dorado where he had to wash the LHP's underwear for a week. Yes, Main Event now has stips! Tozawa has been working on his conditioning anew accoriding to the commentary team. They lock-up and trade arm-work of different kinds for a while, Gulak gets a headscissors on the mat but Tozawa escapes and gets a headlock which Drew powers out of, then follows up with a shoulderblock and the strike to the arm (follow-up, and Saxton calls it) but he misses a charge and ends up outside and Akira his a nice Tope as we go to break. On our return, Akira is on offence but ambitiously tries to lift Gulak up in a fireman's carry and despite fighting hard for it Drew is able to elbow his way out and hit a big clothesline. Seated dropkick for 2. Nasty looking modified Gory Special type lift and facewashing leads to a jackknife cover for another 2. To the headlock but Akira escapes and turns a pop-up powerbomb attempt by Gulak into a rana and hits a Shining Wizard for 2! Then to the top for the standing senton press for another near fall. He tries some kicks but a spin kick gets turned by Gulak into the 'Vulcan Special' modified STF. Tozawa finds the ropes, and gets out of a Cyclone Clash attempt and into the Octupus hold. From there, a nice sequence where he tries and misses the spin kick again, but slips backwards through Gulak's legs and finally hits it. He goes up for the Senton, but Drew follows him and tries the superplex. Gulak fails and falls off, but catches Tozawa off the Senton into the GULOCK for the referee stoppage in just under 9 minutes. 

This match was plenty of fun, with some nice touches. Not quite as good as the first match, Not quite levels but definitely not too far off the pace. Rating 3.9

--------------------------------------

In all honesty, there was a time when DVDVR would have been all over wrestling like this.

WWE will probably punish me by having Tamina and Slapjack wrestle next week.

Edited by RunningFromAmerica
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Fucking Podcast Prichard. Multiple Shoehorn Charlotte segments on Raw this week & he can’t find 8 minutes for Ali & Ricochet? Sweet shitseeds those two deserve better. I often talk of a hypothetical list of 5-10 names TK should keep on him at all times of performers he should sign no questions asked if they become available. Those two might be 1-2.

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I do have Hulu so I may need to start watching Main Event.  I appreciate that other wrestlers are hyping their upcoming match though considering it's seen as a nothing show I hope that's not in vain.  I do agree that I would have both on his radar though who knows how things will be when their contracts are up.

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Not to be a downer on this thread but this is a genuine question. What is the point of Main Event?

It just seems to have been completely inconsequential for years, with maybe a couple of months pretending it was relevant after launching however many years ago. And I suppose the same goes for various C-level shows over the years - Velocity, Jakked, Metal, Superstars, etc.

My understanding with a lot of these shows was that it was about fulfilling contracts for international markets. But in the era of 3 hour Raws, Smackdown, NXT, NXT UK, 205 live, plus the random Network content they could use, it’s seems strange that there’s still a need for producing this stuff. Is Main Event the only main roster C-show or is there still a Smackdown equivalent?

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I really loved Ali/Ricochet as it seemed like two frustrated guys bent on having one helluva match.  Ali had a killer enziguri reversal and Ricochet's SSP were just beautiful and they sure brought the intensity.  It's starting to make me consider watching the show more if we get more stuff like this.

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6th April 2021

- with your hosts Corey Graves and Byron Saxton.

Ricochet vs Mustafa Ali - I'm just going to say it, Ali's theme reminds me of Chris Benoit's WWE theme. Ricochet runs at Ali with a dropkick to start and he's all over him, Mustafa is pinballing all over the place. He powders and gets chased, before landing a loud chop on Ricochet which is no-sold and so Ali runs away back to the ring. Ali is pretty committed to being a chickenshit heel, but it doesn't do him much good - Ricochet lands more shots and a springboard clothesline for 2. It is mentioned that Ricochet is now willing to maybe do whatever he has to do to win. Punches in the corner, but Ali shoves him away. Tries more punches in the next turnbuckle, but Ali carries him off into an....inverted electric chair flapjack? Looked cool anyway. Stomps, trashtalk and a suplex attempt that gets slipped out of, but Ricochet's enziguri gets caught and his knee planted in a sort of nasty leg whip. Nice. Ali tries for a half-crab, gets kicked off but hits a kick to the hamstring and rolls through into a modified half crab. He then tries trapping Ricochet's leg in the apron, and tries a frog splash but eats the mat. Ricochet goes to the top, fights Ali off a bunch of times and then hits a SHOOTING STAR BODYPRESS on to standing Ali! Ricochet sells the knee and doesn't go for the cover, but gets kicks, and angry lariat and a sweet dragon suplex for 2. Ricochet begins to trash talk himself and goes for the Kickback, but the knee gives out. Ali kicks the knee and tries the roll-up with feet in the ropes but the ref spots it, and then Ricochet reverses and pins Ali with his left hand holding the rope for the win in just under 6 minutes. Ali is pissed, and Ricochet is all 'fuck you dude' and still wincing in pain a bit. These two will go again clearly. They should just have had a best of 7 really.

Now this was another great match, and a very different match to last week. I didn't enjoy it quite as much if I'm honest - I didn't like frog splash spot either. Some nice stuff though. Bless. Rating: 3.8.

Jeff Hardy vs Jinder Mahal  - TWOFORMERWORLDCHAMPSCOLLIDE! Jinder enters with Veer and Shanky, who are pretty close to being a description of my Friday evening. Hardy must have watched the first match because he also tries running at Mahal to start, but Mahal swats him off and hits a big side kick. Hardy does some shoulders to Mahals's midsection but very quickly gets cut off again. WTF is that supposed to be coming out of his back pocket? We soon move to a chinlock, Hardy begins to fight off, but Mahal grounds him again with a PRONECHINLOCK. He is quite the grapple master this one. Jeff fights out and gets a kick but tries a flying press and gets caught and dumped outside. We rejoin with another resthold and Mahal basically punking Hardy out. This is really, really one-sided. Suplex for 2. Jinder almost falls over trying to apply an abdominal stretch but gets it, and then transitions to a waistlock of all things. Hardy turns round and gets the seated jawbreaker. Generic comeback leads to a Manhattan Drop, leg drop to the abdominals, seated dropkick sequence at which point he basically Big Daddy splashes Jinder for 2. But Mahal easily avoids the Whisper In The Wind, cracks Hardy in the face with the knee (it's a good knee strike tbf) and Jinder finishes with a 'I've seen worse' Khallas for the win in just over 6 minutes. Jinder Mahal going from Main Event to the actual main-event it seems, or at least the inevitable McIntyre feud. Jeff Hardy.....is quite the trooper.

Okay. I basically watched this twice and no I don't want to watch it again. But it was entertaining for being strange. Of course you get one-sided matches on RAW, but they're like 2-3 minutes. When the Khallas hit I thought Hardy was going to kick out, do his real comeback so that Mahal could win through interference and a new finish. I was pretty shocked. I really hope this was an one-off appearance for Mahal though, though I should probably brace myself for Gulak vs Mahal next week - which tbh I wouldn't have a problem with if Gulak was able to get some shots in. Anyway....this could have been worse. Rating: 3.0

Edited by RunningFromAmerica
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4 hours ago, Kev said:

Not to be a downer on this thread but this is a genuine question. What is the point of Main Event?

It just seems to have been completely inconsequential for years, with maybe a couple of months pretending it was relevant after launching however many years ago. And I suppose the same goes for various C-level shows over the years - Velocity, Jakked, Metal, Superstars, etc.

My understanding with a lot of these shows was that it was about fulfilling contracts for international markets. But in the era of 3 hour Raws, Smackdown, NXT, NXT UK, 205 live, plus the random Network content they could use, it’s seems strange that there’s still a need for producing this stuff. Is Main Event the only main roster C-show or is there still a Smackdown equivalent?

I guess 205 Live would be the Smackdown equivalent. Another point of these shows is to have some new wrestling content that is exclusive to the Peacock/Network.

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13th May: Run It Back!

- We actually start, pre-credits, with *that* video package. Wowsers.

- with your hosts Kevin Patrick and Byron Saxton.

Nikki Cross vs Naomi (w/ Lana)

Code of Honor is in effect, and so it starts pretty boring but that changes somewhat when Naomi places Nikki on the top rope but then gets booted down before coming back with a Del Rio Enziguri  to send Cross to the outside. They milk that for an age and then Naomi eventually rolls her back in for 2. She then bounces off the ropes and hits a...running chinlock? OK? She sends Nikki back outside with a leg lariat, Nikki gets an Oklahoma Roll on the way back in and Naomi hits a pretty nasty kneedrop to play heel and then a legdrop for 2 then applies a bodyscissors but she fails in a rollup attempt and Nikki gets the Regal Cutter and a running seated senton for 2. She tries a running bulldog but gets swatted off and that leads to a swank Disaster Kick for a nearfall. Backbreaker for another 2 as Naomi is viscerally frustrated. She tries her turnbuckle bulldog but gets thrown off, from which Cross awkwardly hits the rope-assisted rolling neckbreaker for the win in 5 1/2 minutes

I want to like both competitors and this wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either. I don't really see a lot in Cross with what she's got right now. They wasted a lot of time on an outside spot (did they plan to go to break?), and on nothing restwork. They may have had a minute shaved off to give the next match, and face vs face isn't really a WWE thing. But still, this wasn't really doing much. Rating 2.2

(Exercise before the Main Event!)

Ricochet vs Mustafa Ali III - 'No more running it back!' declares Ali, but Ric gets the the best of the initial struggle until Mustafa lands an elbow to the face which is sold briefly. They lockup again, both play dirty in the corner but Ricochet wins that one too and gets a bodyslam and Muta elbows for 2. He goes for the chinlock but Ali goes to the eyes and gets a back suplex for 2. Chinlock of his own and comeback sequence leads to Ali tossing Ricochet out of the ring and almost into the announce desk as we go to break. We return with Ali laying the boots in the corner, and a replay of the toss is shown. Ali tries to get Ricochet to tell the audience Ali is better; Ricky is ticked and gets an angry man lariat coming out of the corner. Big flurry of angry offence leads to a weirdly convoluted cartwheel into a seated rollthrough into a suplex for 2. Not sure about that. Deadlift bridging German gets 2. He puts Ali up top, but gets kicked in the leg. Ali decides to show off his convoluted offence with a sunset bomb roll through into a Ligerbomb for 2. Hmm. Ali goes up top but gets 'kicked in the cheek' and Ricochet hits a very nice swinging neckbreaker from the top but struggles to make the cover and Ali gets his foot on the rope. He goes to the apron, and when Ricochet goes up top again Ali pulls him by the ears to the outside. The ref began counting when they were both on the apron, and so the match ends in a double count in about 7 1/2 minutes of TV time. This ain't ovah, or something.

Tbh I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as the previous encounters and the convoluted stuff I did not care for - I get that they were showing off to eachother or something but they shouldn't competing over Davey Richardnsess. Though if they have Ali reverse the suplex to the outside next week I will chuckle. And obviously they're great and everything was crispy. Rating 3.6

 

Edited by RunningFromAmerica
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20th May

- with Kevin Patrick and Byron Saxton

Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke vs Naomi & Lana

Brooke and Lana start, lockup yadda yadda, Dana hits a shoulderblock and FLEXES~! Tbh I Ilked Tauntspam heel NXT Dana more than I like lower midcard babyface Dana. They do some acceptably slick if meaningless pinfall spots which Lana gets the better of, leading to the commentators remarking on her improvement. She then tags in Naomi and botches their little double-team spot, a double rollthrough snapmare into a double kick (a double Yoshi Tatsu?) - I laughed tbh so it won't count against the rating. Naomi restholds Dana and then drop toeholds her onto the ropes so Lana can come back in and hit double knees to the back of the neck for 2. Lana does another awkward snapmare, and Naomi gets the MAINEVENTCHINLOCK but Dana throws her off and this leads to the tag, and Mandy/Dana hit a double flapjack for 2. Mandy stomps her in the corner then they hit a double cartwheel into kicks for 2. Rose hits the MAINEVENTWAISTLOCK, but changes to a body scissors - quite nice bit here where Naomi rolls back to a pin but Mandy keeps the hold, then Naomi separates Rose's legs and then rolls back again so she can get out of the hold on the kick out, before flipping into another pinfall attempt...this leads to Mandy bridging and getting the underhooks for whatever her finish is called, but Naomi jawbreakers her and then hits a fireman's carry....jawbreaker? Wasn't clear what that was tbh.

But the GLOW girls are in control, and Lana hits a one-handed bulldog and a pretty swank running kick in the corner, before awkwardly luchaing into a russian leg sweep for 2. Many Rose comes back and Lana is back to being awkward as Mandy slams her, midsection shoulders then her sig knee. This sets up Dana to hitting the somersault neckbreaker, her current finish, and Naomi breaks it up. Naomi and Mandy fight and try to throw eachother out, the latter eats a kick on the apron and falls down then Dana throws Naomi out awkwardly and almost (but not quite) onto Rose...and then Lana rolls Brooke up for a decent nearfall. But we do still have a minute of Main Event time left, so Dana socks Lana and goes to the top...tries to hit something....but rolls through and almost stops Lana from getting the tag. But the tag is made, Mandy is nowhere to be found, and Naomi and Lana hit a double sit-out facebuster for the win in almost exactly 6 minutes.

This was mostly perfectly acceptable wrestling. BUT. Lana has improved but she's still awkward and at 36 I'm not overly convinced she's got much of an arc beyond this tag-team. Dana's better in some ways but she's still not great, lacks a personality and she's been on the main 5 years now. Mandy we'll see I guess. Naomi should probably have a word with the Tribal Chief. But yeah the match was alright. Rating: 3.2

Mansoor vs Cedric Alexander

Welcome back guys! Cedric is back to his old music, it's just as well he feels at home in the dark because dark matches may be his future. Alexander takes Mansoor down and ragdolls him. Lots of trashtalking as Cedric tells Mansoor to 'show him something' and then 'you're not ready!' Mansoor tries but Cedric shrugs him off. Mansoor is like 49-1 at this point so not sure the 'you're not ready' schtick is really the thing, and it feels a bit dollarstore compared to Mustafa Ali. The basic story continues for a while with Mansoor doing a little better eachtime but then tries a Tornado DDT and this gets him his stomach suplexed into the ropes. Alexander STOs him into the Apron and celebrates as we go to commercials.

We come back inside the ring with Cedric putting the boots to Mansoor in various ways...Manoor tries comebacks but doesn't really get anywhere...he gets a headscissors and that looks like the actual comeback but Alexander cuts him off with the ANGRYMAINEVENTLARIAT (I swear this is a thing)...nice cutoff. MAINEVENTWAISTLOCK (definitely a thing), Mansoor gets out but Cedric decides it's time to end this foolishness and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker followed by a fireman's carry gutbuster for 2. Alexander's pulling surprised faces. Back to the waistlock, but this time Mansoor properly fights out and gets a top rope bulldog and then the Tornado DDT for 2. He goes for the moonsault...Cedric rolls away...Mansoor rolls through...Alexander gets the Michinoku Driver II for a close 2. Cedric be frustrated, and misses a corner charge having failed to hit the Lumbar Check, so Mansoor gets the flying neckbreaker from the apron for the win in about 9 1/2 minutes of TV time

Mansoor seems to have got a lot better. Cedric Alexander is trying really hard...maybe too hard? It does feel like there's something missing. Take everything away from Mustafa Ali and he's still a superstar. Take it away from Cedric and he feels like a member of the ROH roster. But a decent enough story was told. Pretty bless all in all. Rating 3.7

- Actually a pretty solid show that exceeded expectations. A reminder that A-Kid vs Tyler Bate on NXT-UK breaks the 4s and is worth taking the time to see.

 

Edited by RunningFromAmerica
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27th May

Ricochet vs Mustafa Ali - 2 out of 3 Falls

Ricochet has BLACKPANTS! Mustafa Ali has cooler, shinier black pants.

Ali trash talks then tries rushing Ricky but gets bodypressed and punched then taken down and punched some more, but hits a dropkick to take control. Tries some apron shenanigans and slides outside, but Ricochet is one step ahead of him with the Asai Moonsault. Back in Ali gets back conttol with a kick to the mush and there are some roll up exchanges for 2. Ali slips out again when Ricochet heads to the ropes, but Ali trips him up to get the Apron bump. And then throws him around ringside before getting back in and taking the 1st fall by Countout.

We come back in the 2nd fall. Ali tries some pinfalls then the Main Event Chinlock. Ricochet struggles to get out but eventually hits a back suplex, some forearms then the Main Event Lariat. But he can't get the Kickback, and Ali manages to evade more offence and spikes him with the big Tornado DDT for 2. Ali climbs up for the 054 (?), but he gets caught and hit with a high waistlock German suplex. Ricochet goes up top, and Ali kicks the ref into the ropes which sends Ricochet flying but it's a DQ and thus 1-1.

Ali mauls Ricochet and whips him front first into the buckle and hits a flying neckbreaker for 2. Tries it again and gets hit with the Side Effect. Ricochet with the comeback, but Ali cuts him off with a big kick to the back of the head and a sit-out powerbomb for 2. Ali goes for the 054 again, but Ricochet rolls away. They fight on the barricade and Ricochet gets a suplex from the barricade. They avoid the double count-out and start trading shots, Ricochet gets the better off it but Ali sneakily manages to toss him out and then hits the diving press to the outside. BUT RICOCHET ROLLS THROUGH AND HITS THE MICHINOKU DRIVER! He throws Ali in, but misses the springboard 450 with a hard splat and gets put in the Koji Clutch. Ricochet gets his foot on the ropes, and manages to get the Kickback when Ali charges at him. Ali avoids the 450 again, but Ricochet lands on his feet and catches Mustafa Ali trying the Tornado DDT again with the Recoil for the win in just over 13 minutes of total TV time.
 

When I first saw this match I was underwhelmed. I felt it was better second-time around, but despite some good action it just didn't quite work for me - the count-out and DQ finishes annoyed me, especially the DQ finish. I think a Best of 5 series would have been the better option, rather than going this route. Hey ho. It wasn't like it wasn't fun though. Rating: 3.8

- got another Main Event to catch up on, with more Mustafa Ali and the return of Drew Gulak to come! Maybe later tonight.

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3rd June

Mansoor vs 'The Techincal Terminator' Drew Gulak

Erm.....they did a lot of mat wrestling and it was actually pretty levels but it would take me ages to write it all up. Mansoor wins with a reversal into a Jackknife cover in 6 minutes. 

But yeah, actual wrestling in WWE was something to see.They're going to be fun at house shows. Rating 3.9

 

'The Legend Himself'Jeff Hardy vs Mustafa Ali

To think what a dream match this actually is. Ali is in a bad mood after last week's decisive loss to Ricochet, and Hardy to works the arm to start. Ali won't clean break in the corner and gets the advantage, but not for long as Hardy gets a double-axe handle from the second. He slames Ali's face into every top buckle and Mustafa pinballs a bit too much like he's bumping for his hero but whatever....just funny to remember Jinder doing absolutely none of that a few weeks ago. Twisty is blocked but Ali gets backdropped out of the ring and eats Jeff's boots trying to come back in, and then Hardy heads to the apron, does his little dance and then hits a clothesline from the apron to the floor. Hardy is rolling apparently (yeah, probably not the thing to say). But we go to break and return with Ali in control in the corner. Front-first whip into the flying neckbreaker for 2 and it's chinlock time. Jeff fights out but Ali gets another neckbreaker for 2. Ali works him over and puts Hardy on the buckle, but is forced to backflip away when Hardy fights back and it leads to the sitout chinbreaker and comeback offence which leads to the Warrior Splash for 2. Nonetheless Ali is up first and tries to set up the Tornado DDT in the corner but Hardy blocks and gets the gourdbuster for 2. Back to the Twisto...but Ali slips away and hits a sweet superkick for a good nearfall. He tries the rolling DDT he doesn't do as a heel and finally Jeff gets the Twist of Fate (cutter version). Top is off, and it's off to the top. Truthfully Mustafa is way out of position, but he rolls away anyway and when Jeff follows him, Ali trips him using the ring apron, and then slams his head into the cornerpost on the outside. Back inside, Koji Clutch is on and Ali wins by referee stoppage in about 8 minutes of TV time.

Them getting out of position near the end was irritating, and stops this being a 4.0. But I really liked Hardy here, he's basically the new Goldust at this point. Away from the ego issues he gets fighting Ricochet, heel Ali is a man with a plan and this match got that over. Rating 3.9

Yes I preferred these matches to the 2 out of 3 falls match last week.

- Next (this) week we have the somewhat bizarre heel vs heel matchup of Mustafa Ali vs Angel Garza. Remember when Garza was being pushed on Raw? Oh and Jinder Mahal vs Shelton Benjamin.

 

Edited by RunningFromAmerica
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June 10th

Mustafa Ali vs Angel Garza

Heel vs Heel! Angel Garza's had his three week push and now he's back on Main Event. Ali declares that Angel may be a 'ladies' man' but he is a 'real man'. Garza runs in at the bell and looks to hook the arm, Ali reverses but gets bieled. Headlock exchange leads to Garza getting a dropkick,  guess he's de facto baby here. He then pulls of his pants and throws them at Ali before stomping away in the corner. Mustafa gets back control and hits a big chop, but Garza mans-up, no sells, and hits a chop of his own before trying a whip...which is reversed...and this ultimately leads to Ali striking the leg and getting a standing version of his neckbreaker for 2. Main Event Chinlock is applied but the subsequent suplex is blocked and Garza rolls him up for 2, but Ali kicks him off and recovers first so he gets the running neckbreaker for 2. Chinlock reapplied, but Angel powers out and lifts Ali into a hard kick to the midsection. Nice. Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker, Flapjack and clothesline followed by more punches on the ground. Ali gets back into control and tries the Tornado DDT but gets hit with another big punch coming down like Angel Garza is the new Pete Dunne. 2 count. He tries for the Wing Clipper whilst they replay the spot, Mustafa Ali avoids it but Garza hits a shotgun dropkick and sends Ali into the corner like Angel Garza is the new.....anyways, Ali avoids a facewash or somesuch by slipping outside. Angel Garza grabs him by the hair. but Ali manages to take him down by his legs and looks to slam one of his legs into the corner. But instead...spins him the other way and Angel Garza crashes into it headfirst. Garza is rocked..his opponent stalks his prey like he's the new Randy Orton and the Koji Clutch gets the win for Mustafa Ali by ref stoppage in about 5 minutes. Long time since Garza lost on Main Event I think.

A little bit too short (Main Event match times seem to be being trimmed ugh), but I thought this was actually some really good, psychological pro-wrestling where Ali turned Garza's new found aggression against him and used it to work towards his finish. A story was told. This was real nice. Rating: 4.0

Shelton Benjamin vs Jinder Mahal

Nah. I watched this last week and I'm not doing it again. Very rote WWE match where distractions from Jinder's flunkies lead to the heat section and finish. I understand why Jeff Hardy decided 'fuck it' and just decided to let Jinder Mahal bend him over a few weeks ago. I remember Shelton hitting a nice looking German suplex, but otherwise it's what you expect. The reason I watch Main Event is that it sometimes delivers some surprisingly 'interesting' matches for a WWE setting - which means it's often some really great workers having those matches. This is the other thing. Presumably they're going to do the feud with McIntyre, I am morbidly curious regarding Drew trying to get a match out of Mahal. Rating: 1.9

 

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June 17th

The Ascension Mace & T-Bar vs Lucha House Party

Welcome to the Main Event Wasteland! Commentators actually point out backstory here of Mace & T-Bar previously injuring Metallik, meaning he couldn't get cleared for a subsequent No.1 Contendership Battle Royale. Mace is allover Metallik but he manages to tag Dorado and assist him into a headscissors which they follow up with a double-drop kick. Dorado gets in some good shots but gets cute with another leap and gets caught by the throat and tossed to the outside like Mace is Black Kane. I mean, basically Mace is Black Kane. Tag to T-Bag, who really does have his facepainted like he's in The Ascension - he clotheslines Dorado from the Apron. Back inside, he hits a Cyclone Kill and Metallik has to stop the pin. He gets tossed, but Dorado attempts a comeback and gets a YOUCANTPOWERBOMBKIDMAN on Mace. However T-Bar pulls Metallik off the apron to prevent the tag. Mace with more stomps and Kane-isms to get him back to their corner where they kill him some more. Mace hits an elbow drop backwards from the 2nd rope for 2. Into a bearhug, but Dorado counters with a headlock, forcing Mace to the corner to tag. But T-Bar misses a charge and it's a HOT TAG! House of fire, and a Tornado DDT. King of the Ropes Convoluted Dropkick follows, with Dorado tagging himself in and hitting a big splash from the top! Mace saves! Avoideroo sends Mace to the outside and Metallik hits the convoluted assisted moonsault to the outside. Back inside Dorado goes for the Handspring Stunner but gets caught and T-Bar hits the Eyes Wide Shut (Feast Your Eyes) for the win in a little over 5 minutes.

This wasn't anything special, nothing to go out of your way to see, but it wasn't bad at all. I quite like Mace. LHP know what they're doing. Dijak's makeup is very half-assed - they need to commit or let him wrestle without it. But to be really cold, in an universe that cared about tag wrestling I'd probably put Mace and Kross together. Rating 3.4

I'll do Ricochet vs Gulak later....I am almost caught up!

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