Tula and the supposed influence of Toltecs at Chichen Itza

This week I will be traveling to Tula and Chichen Itza to put in my two cents on the debate over whether the Toltecs had architectural influence at the Chichen Itza site or not. Most of this debate lies between Pyramid B at Tula and the Temple of the Warriors at Chichen Itza. Let's have a look.

I start at Tula, the site of the Toltecs. Pyramid B is unlike the pyramids you would see in Egypt: it has a flattened top in lieu of a point to create a triangle; it has several figures made of a stone material standing on the top, and it has several columns placed in front of it and beside it, as if creating a processional way. The figures on top, from what I remember, are Toltec warriors, perhaps guarding the pyramid. The pyramid has typical Mesoamerican features such as talud tablero structure and a central staircase leading to the top. It is either elevated on a platform of land, or the land below the columned area has been dug out like a sunken court, with steps leading into it.

In Chichen Itza, the pyramid is similar. It has a flattened top as well with a central staircase and talud tablero construction. It also has the several columns in front and beside it. It is somewhat elevated on a platform of  few stairs leading up to the columned area. What is different about this pyramid is that at the top it has a partially enclosed area, like a stone gate, no roof or cover, over some more columns. There are also a couple columns invading the central staircase space. There appears to be a small, human like statue in the middle of the columns on top of the pyramid as well. From what I can faintly see, there does seem to be some feathered serpent designs and sculptural work on the walls of these gates. I don't see any sculptural forms that look like Toltec warriors.

From looking at both of these forms, I can definitely see an influence, or connection, between the two. There must have been some kind of contact between these two areas to leave an impression on Chichen Itza. If the Toltecs had a lot of control and power in Chichen Itza, I feel that they would have built Toltec warriors there as well to mark the architectural area as an influence of the Toltec. The columned areas appear to be much shorter in Tula than at Chichen Itza, and the partially enclosed area confuses me as well. But, overall, in my opinion, I believe there must have been some influence from the Toltecs on this site because there are too many features that are too similar to just have been a coincidence.