Well that was uh something. If you watch the hour long pre show and 3 hour PPV TLC was 4 hours of boring. Most of the matches had predictable winners. Quite frankly TLC was one of the worst WWE produced PPV I’ve ever seen. Should be noted that New Day defeated Gold and Star Dust in the pre show match.
Let’s get into this
Dolph Ziggler defeated Luke Harper in a ladder match to regain the Intercontinental Championship
This match was good, not great. I thought Ziggler and Luke should’ve went on later in the show. It was a ladder match so ladder use is a given but I think it was used too much for 2 of the better workers the main roster has. I would’ve loved to see a wrestling match and then have the ladders come into play later. Ziggler ended up getting busted open from a slingshot with the ladder. Both men has welts, bruises and scrapes over their bodies. Finish saw Ziggler climbed the ladder under the belt, but, Harper stopped him. Harper set up another ladder right next to Ziggler’s. Ziggler knocked Harper off his ladder with a knee type thing. Ziggler climbedback up and grabbed the Intercontinental Championship. This match is worth watching.
The Uso’s defeated Miz and Mizdow by DQ
This is where the night began its descent. Miz got booed in his hometown where Mizdow got cheered. That should tell you where this feud should go. They played into the Naomi thing backstage before the match as well as during when they showed her watching on. Miz told Naomi that if he is still champion by end of the night, then that works well for Naomi’s career. The finish saw Miz and Mizdow try to walk out but Jimmy Uso hit a big outside dive on Mizdow. Miz pulled Mizdow in the way. Miz then hit the Uso’s with his Slammy Award getting DQ’d. The actual wrestling was decent but the ending was terrible, this wasn’t a must see match but worth a watch if you have time to kill.
Interview backstage with Rollins. Rollins says he’s the future and he’s going to make Cena’s life hell until he brings back the authority. Rollins dedicates his match to the authority.
Big Show defeated Erick Rowan in a Stairs match
This was bad all over. The match had no flow to it and Big Show clearly at the end of his career is just slow and painful to watch. The finish doesn’t make sense for me either because a win for Big Show at this point in their careers did nothing for him. Also you kill all the momentum that Rowan was gaining. Finish saw Big Show choke slam Rowan on the stairs and follow with a KO punch. Show pinned Rowan under the stairs to get the win. You can skip this.
John Cena defeated Seth Rollins in a Tables Match
Come on did we really expect anything else to happen? Cena losing would’ve made 0 sense. You need the rubber match for the title between Lesnar/Cena and Heel vs Heel would never have sold. The problem in this match lies in how weak Rollins looked. Rollins needed J&J security to continuously get involved to gain advantages. Seth even went through tables on 3 different occasions. 1st occasion he was AA through the table from top rope but referee didn’t see it. 2nd time he and Cena went through tables simultaneously for a false finish. Cena even had a Super Cena moment by picking up both members of J&J Security and AAing them through a table. Finish saw Big Show come down to help Rollins but Roman Reigns music hit, Reigns came down Superman Punched Big Show and speared him through a Table. Reigns then Superman Punched Rollins, Cena followed with an AA through a table for the win. Not terrible but not good either, average match. Again if you have the time it’s worth a watch.
Interview backstage with the Bellas, Nikki said she was going to beat up AJ and Brie said blood is thicker than water.
Nikki defeated AJ via Pinfall to retain Divas Championship
This was terrible! Everybody involved seem to just mail it in. The Divas Division needs an upheaval including AJ. One impressive thing was when Nikki wrapped AJ around the ring post and wrenched back. Finish saw Brie cause a distraction, which lead to Nikki spraying something AJ eyes and following with a Rack Attack for the win. This was extremely skippable.
Roman Reigns is interviewed in the back. Roman cut another boring robotic interview. I thought he was taking acting classes to help this? I think Roman somehow got worse. Roman said he’s entering the Royal Rumble. There was an awkward pause in this interview, Roman clearly trying to think of what he’s going to say next. I don’t think Roman has the mic skills for the push he is getting.
Ryback defeated Kane in a Chairs Match via Pinfall.
Admittedly I didn’t have high hopes for this one. Simply because a chairs match is a dumb gimmick. It’s a no DQ match, call it that. Kane achieved his goal, he put Ryback over without making himself look weak. The 2 started the match with chairs in hand and went to work. Finish saw Kane hit a choke slam but Ryback kicked out. Kane then tried for a tombstone on a chair but Ryback countered with a meat hook clothesline followed by a shell shock for the win. You can skip this one also.
Rusev defeated Jack Swagger via the Accolade to retain the U.S. Championship
This was just a way to get Rusev on the card. If you’ve seen one of these matches you’ve seen them all. Rusev needs a legitimate feud. A feud that may be some question if Rusev wins. Rusev applied the Accolade for a 2nd time to get Swagger to tap. This one is also skippable.
Bray Wyatt defeated Dean Ambrose via Sister Abigail in a TLC Match
This went on last for good reason, it was the match of the night. Bray and Dean beat the ever loving crap out of each other. First spot came when Bray knocked Ambrose off the top rope into a table on the outside. It was all Dean before this. Shortly after Wyatt set up a kendo stick in the corner, on the top rope. Wyatt threw Ambrose into the stick face first. Ambrose kept checking and touching his eye.
Further into the match Ambrose and Wyatt battle up the aisle, with each other taking turns slamming the other into the set, of tables, ladders and chairs. Ambrose lays Wyatt on a table. Ambrose hit a flying elbow onto Wyatt after he climbed up a ladder. This lead to more fighting and Dean finding a giant ladder, setting Bray up on another table and hitting another Elbow Drop.
Back in the ring, Ambrose and Bray kicked out of each other’s finisher. Dean went under the ring and pulled out a TV monitor that was showing the PPV, funny moment as Dean watched himself. Dean then dragged another giant ladder to ringside. Dean hit another Elbow drop on Bray this time through the Spanish announce table. They go back into the ring, Ambrose grabbed the monitor, Dean tried to hit Bray but the cord didn’t reach, Dean tried it a second time and the monitor exploded in Deans face. Dean them stumbled to his feet right into a Sister Abigail and Bray got the pin. Good TLC match with a mediocre ending, I guess it’s a play off of Bray voodoo ways. Well worth a watch.
That put an end to a bad PPV. Which was disappointing because the WWE had a lot of momentum following the NXT show. I give this a D+
As always……
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