WWE Main Event results: Akira Tozawa vs. Axiom

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska before Monday’s episode of Raw.

Two good matches this week, with an appearance from the very talented Axiom to boot, made this a very pleasant experience indeed.

Nikki Cross defeated Kiana James (5:07)

This was a good five-minute match where James was able to get over who she is as a character, whilst also showing off her moveset.

Kiana James hasn't appeared on Main Event in over a year. Believe it or not, she wrestled Asuka the last time she worked an episode. Asuka is a dream opponent for anyone on Raw, let alone on this minnow of a show.

James plays the heel really well, she appears to be a businesswoman who has the power to manipulate anyone who stands in her way. She’s got a great smile and so if they wanted to turn her babyface later down the line, that’d work too.

She hit a great-looking belly to back suplex, but unfortunately, they stuck a body scissors spot in the middle, which always look a little bit hokey for my taste. Credit to Cross who sold it like the move was squeezing the life out of her.

The finish saw Cross go for a bulldog, but she was posted as James halted it. James hit the 401K but Cross kicked out. After some back and forth, Cross used a swinging DDT and The Purge to get the win.

Akira Tozawa defeated Axiom (8:48)

This was an excellent match by Main Event standards. Tozawa is always value for money and here despite winning, he played his role just right to allow Axiom to get over with the live crowd.

Axiom has only had the opportunity to appear on a main roster show once before and it was this one in December last year. He was able to work with Mustafa Ali and they were tremendous together.

It was nice to see here that they resisted the temptation to put him up against a giant, like a Bronson Reed, and instead went with something that would be far more entertaining.

This was a really carefully crafted match. It had everything you would want: a ton of grappling and intricate mat work early on, some high spots and some late drama before the victor was crowned.

It’s hard to believe that they haven’t worked together before, because the timing was there. Before the break, they worked really hard on the mat and then Axiom did a springboard moonsault onto Tozawa on the outside as they went to the ads.

Tozawa was in control after the commercials and did a sweet spot where he did a kip up into a German before heading up to the top rope.

In the end, the top rope played a big part in the finish. They fought up there and did a wicked-looking Spanish Fly for a near fall before Tozawa got the upper hand and used the senton to get his hand raised.