Main Event – February 25, 2021: Only Half

Main Event
Date: February 25, 2021
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe

It’s time for a post pay per view edition of the show, meaning that for the sake of this episode, Main Event does not exist. I’m not sure what this is going to include, but odds are there are going to be some Elimination Chambers included. Or is it an Elimination Chamber included because it’s the same Chamber in two different matches? Let’s get to it.

Here is Elimination Chamber if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Mansoor vs. Drew Gulak

I guess this is an upgrade over 205 Live. Mansoor starts fast with a rollup but has to slip out of a rear naked choke. An armbar has Gulak in more trouble and a standing moonsault gives Mansoor two. Gulak knocks him down though and we hit the chinlock, meaning commentary has to talk about what else is coming tonight. Mansoor fights up without much effort and hits a dropkick, followed by a middle rope bulldog. The slingshot neckbreaker finishes Gulak at 5:05.

Rating: C-. Mansoor continues to be a rather fun guy to watch and I have no idea why he has been banished to 205 Live for so long. He could easily hang on a show like this or maybe even NXT but instead we have seen him around about once a year on a show bigger than 205 Live. This worked out well enough but it needed a little more spice.

Video on Drew McIntyre retaining the WWE Title inside the Elimination Chamber, getting jumped by Bobby Lashley and the Miz cashing in Money in the Bank.

From Raw.

It’s time for MizTV, Championship Edition, with all kinds of pyro and balloons. Miz is VERY pleased with having the title back because he is the star that stayed. Want to see Batista? Go watch a buddy cop movie. John Cena? He’s doing a commercial. Miz is a bigger star than all of them, including Edge. If Edge is playing high stakes poker, this title is Miz’s royal flush. Miz is holding this title because he deserves it….and here’s the Hurt Business (with Bobby Lashley in a light pink suit) to interrupt.

MVP talks about how Miz omitted Lashley’s involvement but Miz says he was ready to get to that. That’s not good enough for MVP, because there was a deal last night: Miz gets the title and Lashley gets the first title shot. Miz says that’s true, but Miz never said when he gets the title shot. There just isn’t time right now, so Lashley grabs him by the tie and says Miz has one more hour. If Miz makes the wrong decision, he’s going to be in a new reality series called “How Bobby Lashley Sent Me To The Emergency Room.” Either way, Lashley is getting that title and it’s going to be awesome.

Rhea Ripley is coming to Raw.

We look at Lacey Evans announcing she her pregnancy.

From Raw.

Shayna Baszler/Nia Jax vs. Asuka/Charlotte

Non-title. Asuka starts fast with an Octopus on Shayna, who reverses into a Stretch Muffler. That’s reversed into an armbar which is broken as well so it’s off to Charlotte to strike away at Jax. Everything breaks down with Jax and Baszler being knocked outside as we take a break. Back with Shayna kicking Asuka down and stepping on her face. The big stomp to the arm misses though and Asuka gets over for the tag to Charlotte. Everything breaks down and Charlotte gets to clean house with a big boot to Shayna but Jax powerbombs her down for two.

The chinlock goes on before Baszler comes in to work on the arm. That doesn’t last long so Jax comes back in, allowing Charlotte to hit a weird looking hurricanrana into the corner. The Figure Four has Baszler in trouble but Jax makes the save with the legdrop. Charlotte gets over to Asuka to start cleaning house but the Asuka Lock is broken up by Charlotte’s missed big boot. Jax drops the leg for the pin at 12:31.

Rating: D+. I wasn’t feeling this one whatsoever as it was awkward in multiple parts and felt like they were in different books. I’m not sure why Charlotte kicking Asuka in the face by mistake is supposed to be some big moment, but WWE has a history of thinking Charlotte is a bit more important than most others do. Pretty off match and hopefully it’s the last time we have to see it.

Post match Asuka isn’t pleased and Charlotte walks off. That would seem to be a stake in the heart of the partnership after….uh….about two months.

From Raw again.

Charlotte is with Ric Flair in the back and says she can’t do this anymore. She can’t keep focusing on Ric because it is affecting her career. Last week he was out there pretending the baby was his and it’s costing them their legacy. She tells him to go home but Ric says that he never said it was his baby and he saw potential in Lacey. Charlotte: “You see potential in a lot of blondes.”

Flair talks about how he had a bit of a hand in making Charlotte what she is today and wanting to expand their brand. Charlotte says Ric just wants to be the Nature Boy and all he cares about is himself, leaving him rather sad. I’m sick of this story, but they absolutely nailed the emotions here and Flair’s explanation did make sense.

We look at stills of Riddle winning the US Title and Roman Reigns retaining the Universal Title over Daniel Bryan, who had just won the Elimination Chamber. Then Edge speared Reigns to set up the already obvious Wrestlemania title match.

Elias/Jaxson Ryker vs. Akira Tozawa/Humberto Carrillo

Elias shoulders Carrillo down to start and hands it off to Ryker. That works a bit better for Carrillo, who hits a high crossbody and brings Tozawa in. Tozawa sends Elias over the top and hits a kick to the face, followed by the big dive. Carrillo knocks Ryker outside with him and we take a break.

Back with Tozawa hitting a top rope back elbow for two on Elias but Ryker comes in with a spinebuster. The sitout chokeslam gives Elias two and the chinlock goes on. That’s broken up in a hurry and it’s off to Carrillo to kick Elias in the head. Ryker is knocked to the floor but Elias is back up with a jumping knee for two on Carrillo. Tozawa dropkicks Ryker down but he pops up for the swinging Boss Man Slam for the pin at 9:35.

Rating: C. This was better than I would have expected and part of that is due to how it felt like something new. It was nice to throw something together like an old Superstars match, which is almost always going to work. If nothing else, Elias and Ryker needed a win as it’s not like the team has exactly done much so far.

From Raw.

Here’s Adam Pearce to bring out Lashley (in gear) and MVP, followed by Miz (in his suit) and John Morrison. Miz says he needs more time to make a decision because so many people want their chance. MVP doesn’t want to hear it but Miz asks for a week. Cue Braun Strowman to say he deserves a shot but Pearce and Shane McMahon have something against him. He is far more “clarified” to face Miz than Lashley, which is all the opening Miz needs to try and stir the pot.

MVP isn’t having that but here’s Shane McMahon to interrupt. Shane says last night was about former WWE Champions rather than Universal Champions but Strowman says all of that sucks. He wants his match tonight but Shane thinks that idea sucks. Strowman says he wants to face Lashley tonight then, so Shane makes the match and let’s sweeten the pot a bit: if Strowman wins, next week’s title match is a triple threat. Reality sets in on Miz in a hurry but Strowman yells at Shane, allowing Lashley to take out Strowman’s knee.

And once more from Raw.

Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Lashley

If Strowman wins, next week’s title match is a triple threat. Miz is on commentary as Strowman runs Lashley over to start. Lashley is sent outside but avoids a charge into the steps. Back in and Strowman counters the Hurt Lock and hits the running powerslam for a near fall. Lashley manages a heck of a spinebuster for two and then cuts Strowman down with the spear for the pin at 3:15.

Rating: C. They were very smart to keep this short because these two could have gotten in trouble going long. I’m rather surprised by the result as it’s not often that the win and in stipulation doesn’t work. The title match next week should be good, if nothing else for seeing how many ways there are to go.

Post match Lashley puts Strowman in the Hurt Lock so Miz comes in with the title…and gets planted with a spinebuster. Lashley picks up the title and poses to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. Again, it’s one of those shows that is only going to include Raw and that makes for a pretty weird show. It was nice to have something thrown in from the pay per view but that does not exactly make up for the rest of the show. You can only get so much out of the Raw recap because Raw isn’t much to see most of the time. That and I just watched Raw a few days ago, making this a bit much to take. The original stuff was ok but that’s wasn’t quite enough.

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