Please check back and enjoy in the coming days TBM's following posts:
- CFB BEST BET: Navy vs Army -
- Best Bets -- NFL Week 15.
- WWE TLC PPV 2013 PREVIEW!
TBM presents…….
WWE TLC - TOP 10 MATCHES
The Tables, Ladders and Chairs match has been a staple of WWE events since 2000 and has featured some of the bravest, most daring Superstars in company history sacrificing their bodies for the sake of entertainment. Edge, Christian, the Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz are the founders of the match, but throughout the years, everyone from John Cena to CM Punk and even Ric Flair have attempted to climb the ladder to championship glory. Join TBM as we take a look back at the 10 greatest Tables, Ladders and Chairs matches in WWE history!
(Honourable Mention) - SmackDown 2001: Jericho and Benoit vs. Edge and Christian vs. Hardyz vs. Dudleys. This match came less than two months after the Hardyz, Edge and Christian and the Dudleys had their classic WrestleMania TLC match, and the addition of Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit did enough to give it a fresh feel. These guys put their bodies through hell for 15 minutes just for a television taping, not even a pay-per-view, which only made the fans respect their effort even more.
---
#10 DX vs. Jeri-Show – WWE TLC 2009
MATCH REPORT:
Big staredown to start, and Show piefaces Hunter, triggering a slugfest between the two teams. It comes down to Shawn versus Jericho for a while, which is a good idea. Shawn hits his usual, but Jericho gets his knees up to block the Picture-Perfect elbow. They all brawl up to the entrance platform where Shawn wins a chair duel. Show bats DX around, though, allowing Jericho to return to the ring. DX stops them from putting a ladder in the ring. They suplex a ladder onto Jericho. Show returns to save Jericho, as per usual. Hunter gets caught upside-down in a ladder, and they whip HBK into him. Everyone starts hitting big moves. Jericho ducks Sweet Chin Music and Breaks HBK's Code. Hunter smashes Show with a chair, but that just pisses him off, and Show punches the chair right back into Hunter's face. Hunter and HBK shove the ladder over and Pedigree show. Shawn goes up, but Jericho returns and pushes the ladder over. Shawn falls into Big Show on the outside. Back in, Jericho goes up, but Hunter powerbombs him off. That may be Hunter's first-ever powerbomb. Jerishow smashes DX inside the ladder, breaking it in the process. They try the old Snuka-Andre method of Jericho on Show's shoulders to retrieve the belts, but that leaves them helpless when DX recovers. A superkick to Show knocks Jericho all the way to the floor and a facefull of table. Owwwwch! They clothesline Show over with a ladder, and Hunter holds up half of the ladder while HBK goes up and collects the belts at 22:32.
I liked the creativity with the broken ladder, and some of the bumps were horrific. The Big Show/Jericho dynamic busted up but it was fun while it lasted because Show always needing to swoop in and save Jericho from his own mouth is a great dynamic. Despite all four participants’ decorated careers in all types of stipulated contests, this was the first match of its kind for all involved except Jericho. Big Show’s participation in the battle added a daunting challenge for Triple H and Shawn Michaels, who found themselves chokeslammed through tables and tossed into one another on top of a ladder. Clearly, The World’s Largest Athlete understood the risk of allowing either DX member to climb a ladder, so he began to destroy every one he could find. It was good to see DX finally win the tag titles.
I liked the creativity with the broken ladder, and some of the bumps were horrific. The Big Show/Jericho dynamic busted up but it was fun while it lasted because Show always needing to swoop in and save Jericho from his own mouth is a great dynamic. Despite all four participants’ decorated careers in all types of stipulated contests, this was the first match of its kind for all involved except Jericho. Big Show’s participation in the battle added a daunting challenge for Triple H and Shawn Michaels, who found themselves chokeslammed through tables and tossed into one another on top of a ladder. Clearly, The World’s Largest Athlete understood the risk of allowing either DX member to climb a ladder, so he began to destroy every one he could find. It was good to see DX finally win the tag titles.
Mr Blu Rating: ***1/2
#9 Kane & The Hurricane vs. Christian & Chris Jericho vs. Jeff Hardy & Rob Van Dam – Raw, Oct. 7, 2002 (TLC IV)
MATCH REPORT:
Jericho and Christian take advantage of a schmoz to make the first climb, but get stopped. Jeff’s hankies tonight: Red and white, thus indicating that he’s into Canadians, or semaphore. Hardy & RVD double-team Kane, and that backfires on them. Kane pounds Hardy on the outside, but gets hit with a railrunner. In the ring, Bubba does the old Terry Funk ladder routine, knocking everyone down before getting booted by Kane. Rob dropkicks him and dumps him, and Christian & Jericho double-team Spike and send him into the ladder. Heel miscommunication allows Bubba to get the Flip Flop and Fly, but Kane hits Christian with the flying lariat. Bubba gives him some ladder and climbs, but Kane pulls him off and chokeslams him. Spike goes after Kane, and also gets slammed. Now Jericho makes a go of it, hitting Kane with a ladder and sending him out, where he ends up on a table. Jericho & Christian take too long setting up and get a ladder in the face from RVD as a result. Now Jeff tries to put Kane through the table, as he heads to the top of the ladder and gets the LEAPFROG OF DOOM to put Kane through. Bubba drops a ladder on Kane for good measure and Bubba climbs, but we’ve gotta take a break……
We return as Rob and Bubba climb duelling ladders, and Jericho and Christian follow them up. Jericho bulldogs Bubba off the ladder, and Christian takes RVD down with the inverted DDT. Now Spike climbs but gets dumped by Christian. Christian climbs and gets crotched by Kane, and Hardy gets slammed by Kane and dumped. Kane makes a go of it, but Spike hangs onto the leg. Kane gets rid of him, too. Jericho finally ends the no-selling with a chairshot, but gets hit with a spinkick from RVD. Rob follows with the Van Terminator to put Kane out of the ring. Now it’s over to Jeff suplexing Jericho onto the ladder. Christian gets slammed UGLY STYLE into the ladder and Jeff climbs, but Bubba follows him up and superplexes him off the ladder. Everyone appears to be dead. Now Rob makes the miracle revival and climbs, but Bubba knocks him off. Now Jericho climbs (and can’t reach the belts – we’re gonna need a bigger boat), but Spike pushes the ladder over and Jericho hits the floor. Now Spike climbs, but gets pulled down by Christian and dumped through a table. Now Christian climbs and gets bombed down by Bubba. RVD hits Christian with a frog splash as Bubba rolls into position to get hit with the swanton, but moves. Jeff goes through a table!! Bubba gets Van Daminated, and Rob climbs, but gets chaired by Jericho and sent down. Now Kane returns and follows Jericho up, and chokeslams him off. So with everyone out of commission, Kane climbs and (being the only one tall enough to reach) retains the tag titles at 25:08.
In that contest Kane had to single-handedly attempt to defend the Tag Team Championship against capable teams in the form of The Dudley Boyz, Christian and Chris Jericho and Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam. Despite the fact that Kane's partner, The Hurricane, had been attacked earlier in the night by Triple H and Ric Flair and couldn't compete, Kane was forced to defend the titles. The odds were obviously stacked against him as he was on his own against six great superstars, but he overcame them as he so often has. Because of the exciting spots, the storytelling and the spontaneity of the match, many considered it one of the best of 2002. The ending was quite fitting as Kane and Jericho were doing battle atop a ladder. Kane tried to set up Jericho for a chokeslam, and he was eventually able to execute one off the ladder. Both men were limp on the canvas, but Kane did his signature sit-up, scaled the ladder and retrieved both belts himself. It was definitely one of the signature moments in The Big Red Monster's long and impressive career. One guy defending the Tag Team Championship had been done before and it has been done since, but Kane made it both convincing and believable due to his utter dominance.
We return as Rob and Bubba climb duelling ladders, and Jericho and Christian follow them up. Jericho bulldogs Bubba off the ladder, and Christian takes RVD down with the inverted DDT. Now Spike climbs but gets dumped by Christian. Christian climbs and gets crotched by Kane, and Hardy gets slammed by Kane and dumped. Kane makes a go of it, but Spike hangs onto the leg. Kane gets rid of him, too. Jericho finally ends the no-selling with a chairshot, but gets hit with a spinkick from RVD. Rob follows with the Van Terminator to put Kane out of the ring. Now it’s over to Jeff suplexing Jericho onto the ladder. Christian gets slammed UGLY STYLE into the ladder and Jeff climbs, but Bubba follows him up and superplexes him off the ladder. Everyone appears to be dead. Now Rob makes the miracle revival and climbs, but Bubba knocks him off. Now Jericho climbs (and can’t reach the belts – we’re gonna need a bigger boat), but Spike pushes the ladder over and Jericho hits the floor. Now Spike climbs, but gets pulled down by Christian and dumped through a table. Now Christian climbs and gets bombed down by Bubba. RVD hits Christian with a frog splash as Bubba rolls into position to get hit with the swanton, but moves. Jeff goes through a table!! Bubba gets Van Daminated, and Rob climbs, but gets chaired by Jericho and sent down. Now Kane returns and follows Jericho up, and chokeslams him off. So with everyone out of commission, Kane climbs and (being the only one tall enough to reach) retains the tag titles at 25:08.
In that contest Kane had to single-handedly attempt to defend the Tag Team Championship against capable teams in the form of The Dudley Boyz, Christian and Chris Jericho and Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam. Despite the fact that Kane's partner, The Hurricane, had been attacked earlier in the night by Triple H and Ric Flair and couldn't compete, Kane was forced to defend the titles. The odds were obviously stacked against him as he was on his own against six great superstars, but he overcame them as he so often has. Because of the exciting spots, the storytelling and the spontaneity of the match, many considered it one of the best of 2002. The ending was quite fitting as Kane and Jericho were doing battle atop a ladder. Kane tried to set up Jericho for a chokeslam, and he was eventually able to execute one off the ladder. Both men were limp on the canvas, but Kane did his signature sit-up, scaled the ladder and retrieved both belts himself. It was definitely one of the signature moments in The Big Red Monster's long and impressive career. One guy defending the Tag Team Championship had been done before and it has been done since, but Kane made it both convincing and believable due to his utter dominance.
Mr Blu Rating: ***1/2
#8 CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. The Miz – TLC 2009
MATCH REPORT:
I believe this is the first time we've had a triple threat TLC match in the WWE, so that adds a bit of luster to the mix. The crowd is completely behind Punk, of course, so the heels gang up on him to start despite their earlier agreement to end their alliance. They double suplex Punk and put the boots to him. While Punk is down the heels exit the ring to head for the ladders and Del Rio sneak attacks Miz from behind with a steel chair. He grabs a clearly too-small ladder and turns around only for Punk to dive out of the ring and knock the ladder back into Del Rio's face! Back in the ring Miz knocks a chair into Punk's midsection and tries to leap off the chair at him in the corner, but Punk moves out of the way and nails him with a Muay Thai knee. He looks to bulldog Miz onto the chair, but Miz counters into a sick back suplex, crumpling half of the chair up against Punk's neck in the process! Miz heads out of the ring again to fend off Del Rio but Alberto just back-drops him onto a ladder set-up against the apron. Punk exits the ring and knees that same ladder into Del Rio before tossing him into the guard barricade and pulling a set up table closer. Both men tease suplexing the other through the table until Punk counters into a neckbreaker on the floor. Miz approaches with a chair...bad idea Mike, as Punk snatches the chair out of his hands and proceeds to waffle him with it repeatedly before setting Miz up on the guard rail and hitting a unique running Muay Thai knee to knock him back into the crowd moments later. Well that was creative. Punk sets up the ladder in the middle of the ring and looks to climb to the top and grab his title when Ricardo Rodriguez enters the ring to knock Punk down and then hand-cuff him to the ladder! Who gave that man handcuffs?! Del Rio stomps away leisurely at Punk and then tries to climb the ladder, but Punk rips the middle bar of the ladder off with the handcuffs, knocks Del Rio off, and then nails Del Rio with the hand-cuffs! He pancakes Del Rio onto the ladder against the ropes and then takes his exit, leaving Miz to enter the ring and take his turn using the ladder as a weapon against CM Punk. Punk tries for the Go 2 Sleep but Miz blocks it. Punk tries to superplex Miz out of the ring now through a table at ringside, but Del Rio breaks it up with his signature running step-up enziguri to the back of Punk's head, which Punk sells like a champion, taking just enough time before slowly falling backwards and plummeting out of the ring and through the table at ringside! That whole sequence was great. While Punk is out, Del Rio drags Miz up the aisleway and puts him into his lethal armbar with a ladder around his shoulder for added pressure, which causes the Miz to tap immediately. Del Rio returns his attention to Punk afterwards, whose still laying on a broken table, slamming two chairs into him repeatedly. Del Rio wraps the chair around Punk's shoulder and puts the armbar on Punk as well now, though Punk doesn't tap. Del Rio tries setting up a ladder back in the ring and climbing it, but Miz and Punk both are able to hit the ring and knock the ladder over, sending Del Rio crotch-first onto the top rope with force. That'll ruin your Saturday night. Punk fires off a few kicks but both men wind up lariating each other and being wiped out. So naturally, Ricardo Rodriguez hits the ring again to climb the ladder in Del Rio's place, but again Punk and Miz knock the ladder over, this time sending Ricardo flying out of the ring and through another table at ringside! Ricardo Rodriguez is DEAD! Punk and Miz each tease going for their finishers back in the ring, but Miz decides to try and outsmart Punk by handcuffing him to the corner turnbuckle, but while he's celebrating this cunning move Punk nails him in the back of the head with a kick regardless. Del Rio returns to the ring and he and Miz each set up a ladder while Punk starts twisting and turning the turnbuckle rod connected to the second rope. Punk is able to fully twist it off and the second rope drops limp, allowing Punk to join the fracas at the top of the ladders. Punk knocks Miz off and then knocks Del Rio off with a kick, but Miz yanks him down before he can grab the belt. Punk returns the favor, yanking Miz down and giving him the Go 2 Sleep for good measure! Punk climbs to the top of the ladder and grabs his title to retain at 18:25!
The 2011 TLC pay-per-view was WWE champion CM Punk's first chance to truly carry a major World Wrestling Entertainment production on his own, without the safety net of John Cena to fall back on. His image was all over the promotional materials, and the main event of the evening featured the Second City Saint defending his title against Alberto Del Rio and The Miz in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match. Punk was the glue that held the match together. As the babyface and champion, he was responsible for driving the emotion of the match. He did his job perfectly and the crowd was into everything he did. It was a crowning achievement for Punk and the first successful pay-per-view title defense in what became a 434-day title reign. The Miz, for all the negativity that follows him, was outstanding here
as he stole the spotlight from Del Rio and was easily the most hated wrestler
in the match. Great little TLC match here with some inventive spots and creative twists and turns with the use of the handcuffs and the second rope.
Mr Blu Rating: ***1/2
#7 Edge vs. Ric Flair – Raw, Jan. 16, 2006
MATCH REPORT:
Flair stops for a moment to hug his beautiful daughter, Ashley. CHOPS~! By Flair to start. Edge knees him to take over. He sandwiches Flair in the ladder and SMASHES it with a chair. To the outside, Flair chops him Edge into the crowd. For God's sakes, don't let Edge near your daughter, Ric! Don't let him near Ashley! Back to ringside, Edge sets Ric up on a table and goes for a Conchairto, but Flair counters with the TESTICULAR CLAW! Lita jumps on Flair's back, providing enough of a distraction for Edge to jump Flair from behind. They set Flair down on the table, and Edge SPLASHES HIM FROM A LADDER IN THE RING! Oh yeah, that's going in the opening montage. We come back to a bloody Flair giving Edge a lowblow. There's blood ALL over the table, and Flair's hair has turned bright crimson. A WICKED chairshot puts Edge down, and Flair smashes his knee with the chair. Flair climbs the ladder for…something, but Edge catches him and SUPERPLEXES him off the top. A SICKENING chairshot hits Flair's arm, and he tumbles to the floor. Edge climbs the ladder, but Flair staggers back in the ring and tips the ladder over so that Edge falls all the way over the top rope through a table! Flair climbs the ladder, but Lita yanks him off and wails on him. Flair shoves her aside and locks in the figure-four. That takes her out of the equation. Flair goes up again, but he's so tired he can't climb all the way up. Edge recovers, and they brawl on the ladder. Edge knocks him away and grabs the belt for the anticlimactic win at 16:38.
Mr Blu Rating: ***3/4
#6 Edge vs. The Undertaker – One Night Stand 2008
MATCH REPORT:
If Taker loses, he's gone from the WWE. Taker boots Edge in the face and hits the Old School Ropewalk Forearm early. Taker sets up a stack of tables outside the ring, but since no one can even get on top of those unless they're tipped off a ladder from the ring, I know this is just for later use. Edge knocks Taker down and goes up a ladder. Taker yanks him down and sets up a couple of ladder on the corners. Why? So when he goes up, he can shove Edge off into one of them, and Edge can bounce off and shove the Taker off into the other. CONTRIVED PSYCHOLOGY~! To the outside, Taker tries his apron legdrop, but Edge blocks with a chair and clips Taker's knee. Taker shrugs it off and goes for the Last Ride on a ladder, but Edge goes low. Edge hits a few chairshots and splashes Taker through a table. Edge goes up but has to come back down and spear the Undertaker because Taker was recovering too quickly. Edge gets a big ladder and waffles the Undertaker with a chairshot. He lifts the chair over his head for the coup de grace, but Undertaker goes low. Edge heads to the apron to recover, so Taker chokeslams him on the ladder stretched between the apron and the crowd barrier. Taker goes up, but Hawkins & Ryder run in and pull him down. They set him up on a table and put another table over him. Why? Who the hell knows because he just tips over the table and chokeslams them both through tables on the outside. All of this allows Edge to recover and spear Taker off the apron. Edge resets the tables the way Hawkins and Ryder had them. Oh, and he turns the ladder to face them. Why? Because he needs them to be that way so when he goes up, Undertaker can catch him and give him the Last Ride through the stack of tables. I'd say that would normally be the finish, but there are a stack of tables on the outside that still haven't been used, so Chavo Guerrero and Bam Neeley run in. Taker fends them off, though. The ladder is directly under the belt, which won't work at all, so he pulls it over toward the edge of the ring near the stack of tables. Why? So that Edge can recover and tip over the ladder, sending Taker through the stack of tables on the outside. Okay. That's all the tables. Edge can go up and get the title now. And that's just what he does at 23:33.
At the time people called this a Match of the Year Candidate, but with such contrived spots, it doesn't even come close. All ladder matches have a bit of contrivance, but it isn't always made so obvious, and usually it's only noticeable on multiple viewings. With this, I saw them setting up things a mile away and doing things that only made sense because they had to arrange everything for later bumps that they were going to take. Taker held his own in the bumping department. The spots that they did set up were great and there was nothing really wrong with the match outside of the "tells." The in-ring veterans developed a very smart match that limited the amount of pain and punishment their bodies endured by limiting the amount of big bumps they took. As a result, the match was a smarter, more story-centric one. Interference from Chavo Guerrero, Bam Neeley, Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins added to the story surrounding the match, and the dangerous table bumps by Ryder and Hawkins popped the crowd and added to the chaotic finish. The Last Ride powerbomb from Undertaker to Edge and through two stacked tables was phenomenal, and the big bump by Undertaker through the two rows of stacked tables was the match's most memorable spot. The match itself has no real historical significance outside of the title change, but it did prove that a TLC match can minimize the insane bumps and still be an effective, show-stealing contest.
At the time people called this a Match of the Year Candidate, but with such contrived spots, it doesn't even come close. All ladder matches have a bit of contrivance, but it isn't always made so obvious, and usually it's only noticeable on multiple viewings. With this, I saw them setting up things a mile away and doing things that only made sense because they had to arrange everything for later bumps that they were going to take. Taker held his own in the bumping department. The spots that they did set up were great and there was nothing really wrong with the match outside of the "tells." The in-ring veterans developed a very smart match that limited the amount of pain and punishment their bodies endured by limiting the amount of big bumps they took. As a result, the match was a smarter, more story-centric one. Interference from Chavo Guerrero, Bam Neeley, Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins added to the story surrounding the match, and the dangerous table bumps by Ryder and Hawkins popped the crowd and added to the chaotic finish. The Last Ride powerbomb from Undertaker to Edge and through two stacked tables was phenomenal, and the big bump by Undertaker through the two rows of stacked tables was the match's most memorable spot. The match itself has no real historical significance outside of the title change, but it did prove that a TLC match can minimize the insane bumps and still be an effective, show-stealing contest.
Mr Blu Rating: ***3/4
#5 CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy – SummerSlam 2009
MATCH REPORT:
Punk's mocking of the Hardy chant is pretty funny. Punk would be better off in an anti-hero role than as a straight-up villain, I think. Punk stomps a mudhole early and smashes Hardy with a chairshot. Hardy shoves the ladder out from under him as he goes up, though, and hits the gunshot dropkick (or Hardiac Arrest, according to JR. Isn't it a little late to come up with move names?). Jeff tries a one-man Poetry in Motion, but Punk catches him and drops him on the open chair. Oooh. That could have been sick. To the floor, Punk misses a chair swing. He tries to avoid a whip by bounding up to the steps and coming off, but Hardy goes all Pujols on him with a chairshot. Jeff goes up and comes off, trying to put Punk through a table, but Punk gets out of the way at the last second. They go up the ladder, and Jeff gets his fingertips on the belt. Punk yanks him into a Go2Sleep, but Jeff counters to a sunset bomb. Jeff goes up and takes a SICKENING bump when Punk tips over the ladder. And as if that wasn't enough, Punk superplexes Hardy on the ladder! That sets up the running knee, but Hardy throws him out of the ring through another table. Hardy goes up, but Punk flies off the top rope and knocks him off the ladder. To the floor now, Punk tries to collar Hardy with a chair and throw him into the post, but Jeff puts on the breaks and DESTROYS Punk with a chairshot. Punk is out of it on the announce table, so Jeff pulls out a 300-foot ladder, hand to God, and Swantons Punk through the table. The officials come down to cart off the dead bodies, specifically Jeff, whom the put in a neck brace. Punk, meanwhile, goes up the ladder for the belt. Jeff shrugs them all off and goes after Punk. Great facial expression from Punk as he sees Jeff get in the ring. They both go up, but Punk goes to the gut to knock Hardy off. That leaves Punk to grab the belt at 21:35.
This lived up to the hype. There wasn't a particular iconic moment, but Jeff standing on top of the giant ladder was a great visual. Punk looked ruthless, and Hardy matched him blow-for-blow, which makes Punk's victory look more impressive. The feud between Punk and Hardy had a very interesting dynamic because you had the two contrasting lifestyles of these men, and it was easy to get a story going between them that would be believable and allow people to grab on to. Punk is the straight edge star. He doesn't drink, do drugs or anything like that. Hardy basically leads his life in the exact opposite way, which makes you wonder what it says about us that he was the baby face in this feud. This was a great way for Hardy to leave the company and could have elevated Punk to main event status two years before he was finally given that chance for real.
This lived up to the hype. There wasn't a particular iconic moment, but Jeff standing on top of the giant ladder was a great visual. Punk looked ruthless, and Hardy matched him blow-for-blow, which makes Punk's victory look more impressive. The feud between Punk and Hardy had a very interesting dynamic because you had the two contrasting lifestyles of these men, and it was easy to get a story going between them that would be believable and allow people to grab on to. Punk is the straight edge star. He doesn't drink, do drugs or anything like that. Hardy basically leads his life in the exact opposite way, which makes you wonder what it says about us that he was the baby face in this feud. This was a great way for Hardy to leave the company and could have elevated Punk to main event status two years before he was finally given that chance for real.
Mr Blu Rating: ****
#4 John Cena vs. Edge – Unforgiven 2006
MATCH REPORT:
Edge is the babyface as far as the crowd is concerned. Cena & Edge trade moves back and forth until Edge slaps the taste out of his mouth. Big pop for that. Edge gets an Impaler DDT but eschews the ladder in lieu of setting up chairs. His suplex is countered, but Edge comes up with a reverse DDT on the chairs! Edge sets up the ladder against Cena's face and dropkicks it from the railing. Cena comes back with a hiptoss onto the ladder. They botch a spot where Edge is supposed to sunset flip Cena and powerbomb him through a table. Instead, Edge powerslams him through the table in a much cooler spot anyway. Edge smashes Cena with a chair and goes for the Con-chair-to, but Cena sweeps the leg. He sandwiches Edge in the ladder and locks in the STFU for the insignificant tapout. Cena drops the Five-Knuckle Shuffle on Edge from the ladder. Cena sets up a table but doesn't see Edge recover. Edge pops up and KNOCKS CENA OUT with a chairshot! Edge sets up Cena in between two set-up tables and goes up. Unfortunately, Cena pops up and knocks him to the floor. Cena goes up, but Edge climb a nearby ladder and spears him off! Cena catches Edge going up and powerbombs him into a ladder! Cena goes up the big ladder, but here's Lita to tip over the ladder and send him falling through a table below! INSANE! Edge goes up, but Cena recovers and jumps in the ring. Lita tries to help Edge out with a chairshot to Cena, but the challenger stumbles into the ladder and shoves Edge out and through the tables. MORE INSANE! FU to Lita! Cena thinks for a moment about going out and getting some more of Edge, but he decides to go up instead. Edge catches up with him, but Cena grabs him and FUs him through some nearby tables. The WWE Title is easy pickings from there. Cena picks up another title reign at 25:38.
Another brutal, intense match from these two. John Cena has never been viewed as a guy who excels in daredevil-type matches like TLC, but he and Edge engaged in the best singles TLC match of all time at Unforgiven 2006. Edge entered the match as WWE Champion and had experience on his side in terms of TLC matches, but it was Cena who came out on top, and that signaled the start of his 380-day run as champion. Cena and Edge had quite a history with each other heading into the match as Edge initially won the title from Cena when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract at New Year's Revolution. Their feud was on and off throughout the rest of the year as they traded the belt a couple times, but it came to a head at Unforgiven. The bout was given the necessary time to tell a proper story, and both men brought their respective "A" games. Cena has gotten a bad rap over the years as a poor in-ring worker, and while he is rarely perfect, he has managed to put on some great matches. The TLC match against Edge was one of the best, though, and he owes a lot of that to the performance of the Rated R Superstar. The final spot with Edge being given the FU—or Attitude Adjustment, as it is now known—through two tables off a ladder at the end is my favourite ending spot in any TLC match.
Another brutal, intense match from these two. John Cena has never been viewed as a guy who excels in daredevil-type matches like TLC, but he and Edge engaged in the best singles TLC match of all time at Unforgiven 2006. Edge entered the match as WWE Champion and had experience on his side in terms of TLC matches, but it was Cena who came out on top, and that signaled the start of his 380-day run as champion. Cena and Edge had quite a history with each other heading into the match as Edge initially won the title from Cena when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract at New Year's Revolution. Their feud was on and off throughout the rest of the year as they traded the belt a couple times, but it came to a head at Unforgiven. The bout was given the necessary time to tell a proper story, and both men brought their respective "A" games. Cena has gotten a bad rap over the years as a poor in-ring worker, and while he is rarely perfect, he has managed to put on some great matches. The TLC match against Edge was one of the best, though, and he owes a lot of that to the performance of the Rated R Superstar. The final spot with Edge being given the FU—or Attitude Adjustment, as it is now known—through two tables off a ladder at the end is my favourite ending spot in any TLC match.
Mr Blu Rating: ****1/4
#3 Team Hell No & Ryback vs. The Shield – WWE TLC 2012
MATCH REPORT:
The Shield enter through the crowd, and Ryback, Bryan, and Kane immediately attack them at ringside to start the match. Ryback and Ambrose face off in the ring as Bryan & Rollins and Kane & Reigns face off on the outside. Ryback takes control and slams Ambrose's head into the mat, but Rollins and Reigns make the save. Rollins and Reigns toss Ryback as Kane retrieves a ladder from under the ring. Kane tries to slide the ladder into the ring, but Rollins drop kicks in into Kane's chest. The Shield retrieve the ladder and use it to take out Bryan, but Ryback takes the ladder from them and repeatedly drives it into Ambrose and Rollins. Reigns tries to take the ladder from Ryback, but Kane makes the save with a chair. Bryan sets up the ladder in the corner, and Kane and Bryan whip Reigns into the ladder for a two count. Bryan heads to the outside, but Ambrose slams his face into the ring post. Rollins comes off the top rope, but Kane catches him with a mid-air punch for a two count. Kane sandwiches Rollins inside the ladder and beats him senseless with the chair, but Ambrose makes the save and DDTs Kane onto the chair. Ryback heads back into the ring and muscles Ambrose into the corner. Ryback turns his attention to Rollins, but Ambrose comes to the rescue and holds Ryback as Rollins drives the ladder into his Ryback's gut. Rollins sets up the ladder in the corner, and Ambrose and Rollins try to whip Ryback into the ladder, but Ryback blocks and levels both men. Ryback whips Ambrose and Rollins into the ladder and splashes them both. Ryback sets the ladder the middle of the ring and double suplexes Ambrose and Rollins onto it. Ambrose has a cartoonishly exaggerated expression of pain on his face at this point. Reigns helps to even the odds, and the Shield whips Ryback out of the ring. Reigns sets up the Spanish announce table, and the Shield hit Ryback with a triple team powerbomb through the table. The turn to face the ring and eat a suicide dive from Bryan. Bryan and Rollins head back into the ring, and Bryan takes control with a chair. Ambrose scoop slams Bryon onto the chair, and Rollins follows up with a chair shot to Bryan on the mat. Rollins sets up a table in the ring as Ambrose once again scoop slams Bryan onto a chair. Rollins and Ambrose set a table on the top turnbuckle and ram Bryan's neck into the edge of the table. Ambrose and Rollins head up on top of the table with Bryan. AMBROSE AND ROLLINS HIT BRYAN WITH A DOUBLE TEAM SUPLEX OFF A TABLE ON THE TOP ROPE! Ambrose goes for the cover, but Kane makes the save. Ambrose and Rollins try to heads up top with Kane, but Kane knocks Rollins all the way down to the floor. Kane comes off the table and levels Ambrose with a flying clothesline. Reigns evens the odds, and Ambrose tries to DDT Kane onto a set-up chair, but Kane counters and choke slams Ambrose onto the set-up chair. Kane goes for the cover, but Reigns makes the save. Reigns and Kane head to the outside. REIGNS SPEARS KANE STRAIGHT THROUGH THE BARRIER ON THE OUTSIDE! Rollins and Reigns bury Kane in the rubble of the barrier and the announce table. "This is awesome! This is awesome! This is awesome!" chant from the crowd. Rollins and Reigns survey their handiwork on the outside, but Bryan heads back into the ring and locks Ambrose in the No Lock. Ambrose nearly taps, but Rollins and Reigns eventually turn around and make the save. Ambrose sets up a chair in the ring, and Ambrose and Rollins go for a double team brainbuster on the chair, but Bryan floats over. Bryan fights back, but Rollins eventually catches him with a bicycle kick onto the chair. Ryback comes back to life and launches Rollins out of the ring onto Ambrose. Ryback sets a chair in the middle of the ring and sets up for a powerbomb, but Ambrose makes the save. Ryback destroys Ambrose with the Meat Hook Clothesline and follows up with Shell Shocked, but Rollins and Reigns make the save at two. Ryback whips Rollins out of the ring and follows him to the outside. Ryback pounds on Rollins and Reigns at ringside and bounces them of the ladders and chairs that have been set up on the ramp. Reigns takes Ryback down and goes to work with the ground and pound. Ryback sets up Rollins for a powerbomb on the stage, but Ambrose makes the save. Ambrose and Reigns pound on Ryback with chairs, and Rollins tips a ladder onto him. Ambrose sets Ryback on a table next to a very large ladder. Rollins heads up the ladder, but Ryback gets off the table and chases him off the ladder. RYBACK PUSHES ROLLINS OFF THE TOP OF THE LADDER AND THROUGH FOUR TABLES ON THE STAGE! Ambrose and Reigns are back in the ring with Bryan. Reigns heads up to the second rope, and Ambrose sets Bryan on his shoulders. Reigns powerbombs Bryan off the second rope and through a table for the three count.
The match was structured brilliantly. It started at a moderate pace and built gradually to the insane spots and frantic pace that popped the audience late in the match. The most memorable spot of the match saw Ryback toss Seth Rollins off the top of a ladder and through tables that were set up near the entrance. Elsewhere, Roman Reigns showed explosive fury, spearing Kane through the guardrail that separated the timekeeper's position from the rest of the ringside area. Daniel Bryan was his typically great self, carrying the majority of the actual ring work. He and Rollins were responsible for taking the majority of the big bumps. Ryback, Reigns and Kane brought some outstanding power and high-impact manoeuvres that looked even more impressive with Rollins, Bryan and Ambrose selling them.
The match was the coming out party for The Shield. Fans of Ambrose and Rollins from their independent days knew how talented they were, and there was definitely a presence about Reigns that helped keep him while he evolved as an in-ring performer. Ryback did not get enough credit for his performance in this match. He was the top babyface and he did an admirable job of delivering the big power spots that helped fuel the match and tell the story. The only negative thing surrounding the bout was that it happened so late in the year that it was ineligible for the majority of the year-end awards. It featured five young talents determined to leave an impression and make an immediate impact. The match blended story and action seamlessly and achieved its greatness, with an insanely hot crowd to boot, without the hype and grandeur from which Triple H and Undertaker benefited. The match, unlike the TLC bouts that preceded it, introduced the big, powerful guys to the mix and utilised their strengths to its advantage. The bumps looked that much more impressive knowing it was a massive man such as Ryback or Kane instigating them. The smaller workers were the glue that held it together, and that mixture of different types of performers helped make it a wholly unique, exciting and interesting match.
The match was the coming out party for The Shield. Fans of Ambrose and Rollins from their independent days knew how talented they were, and there was definitely a presence about Reigns that helped keep him while he evolved as an in-ring performer. Ryback did not get enough credit for his performance in this match. He was the top babyface and he did an admirable job of delivering the big power spots that helped fuel the match and tell the story. The only negative thing surrounding the bout was that it happened so late in the year that it was ineligible for the majority of the year-end awards. It featured five young talents determined to leave an impression and make an immediate impact. The match blended story and action seamlessly and achieved its greatness, with an insanely hot crowd to boot, without the hype and grandeur from which Triple H and Undertaker benefited. The match, unlike the TLC bouts that preceded it, introduced the big, powerful guys to the mix and utilised their strengths to its advantage. The bumps looked that much more impressive knowing it was a massive man such as Ryback or Kane instigating them. The smaller workers were the glue that held it together, and that mixture of different types of performers helped make it a wholly unique, exciting and interesting match.
Mr Blu Rating: ****1/2
#2 Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardyz – SummerSlam 2000 (TLC I)
MATCH REPORT:
Big brawl to start. Matt tosses a chair right into Bubba's face in the first of many "Holy Shit!" moments. Jeff charges, but Bubba tosses the chair right back at him. Christian springboards off a chair to splash D-Von. Edge charges, but Bubba steps aside and tosses a ladder into his face. Two ladders are set up. D-Von and Jeff go up, but Edge Russian leg sweeps both of them off. Christian goes up and gets caught by Bubba. FULL NELSON BOMB OFF THE LADDER! Jeff goes up, but Edge pushes him onto two other ladders, creating an intricate see-saw effect that WHACKS Bubba in the face. Edge and Christian go for a Con-chair-to, but Jeff ducks out of the way. Bubba and D-Von get the Whazzup Drop on Edge. D-Von sets up a table, and they 3-D Christian through it. The Dudz set up a stack of tables on the outside. Edge takes them out with chairshots before anything bad can happen. Matt jumps Edge from behind. The Hardyz each deliver a legdrop onto Edge — with Jeff leapfrogging the ladder to do so. Matt accordions Edge in the ladder, then slams Christian off the top onto the ladder. Insane! Outside, Jeff sets up a HUGE ladder and Swantons off of it. BUBBA MOVES! Jeff winds up putting himself through a table. Matt goes up, but Chrstian reverse DDTs him off the ladder. Edge and Bubba fall off the other side, clotheslining themselves on the top rope. Bubba goes up the big ladder. Edge and Christian recover in time to push the ladder over sending Bubba all the way out of the ring, through the tables. That's probably the most memorable spot of the match. Edge and Christian go up, but Lita comes out to push the ladder over, buying time for Matt and Jeff. Matt goes up, but D-Von recovers and shoves the ladder backwards, tipping Matt into another set of tables. Lita runs over to check on Matt. Edge makes her pay with a spear (nearly hitting her head on one of the ladders). Jeff and D-Von climb up, each grabbing a title belt. Edge and Chrtistian pull the ladder out from under them, creating a chicken fight between Jeff and D-Von. Jeff wins, but can't pull the belts off. Edge and Christian SMACK him with the ladders until he falls all the way to the mat. Edge and Christian climb up and retain their titles at 14:49.
Just insane action from start to finish and, most importantly, it escalated to the finish. Gimmicks in wrestling only last if the first match is great, not good or above average. Thankfully, these three teams knew what they were doing and how to make all of the different elements work together. Edge and Christian were masters of the chair, the Dudley's loved to use tables to deliver a message and the Hardyz specialised in wild, high-flying spots from on top of a ladder. So what better way to showcase all of that than by putting them in one match? WWE has tried a number of gimmick matches over the years, and some have worked out well—such as Elimination Chamber—but most of them end up failing because the first match is not very good or worthy of being done again. But if it weren't for the success of the TLC match, we might not have as many of these gimmick matches as we have now.There would not be a TLC pay-per-view if it weren't for this match between these three teams that understood how to work a hardcore style match incorporating so many different elements. The action was fast and furious, and it definitely exemplified the true meaning of the match type. There were tons of cool spots with guys constantly going through stacked tables and both Jeff Hardy and D-Von Dudley were even hanging from the titles in midair at one point. Edge and Christian were able to knock them off, though and won the first ever TLC match. Due to the mere fact that it was the first of its kind, the SummerSlam 2000 TLC match deserves a lofty spot on this list. It was an incredible contest on top of that, though, and it is undoubtedly required viewing for any wrestling fan.
Just insane action from start to finish and, most importantly, it escalated to the finish. Gimmicks in wrestling only last if the first match is great, not good or above average. Thankfully, these three teams knew what they were doing and how to make all of the different elements work together. Edge and Christian were masters of the chair, the Dudley's loved to use tables to deliver a message and the Hardyz specialised in wild, high-flying spots from on top of a ladder. So what better way to showcase all of that than by putting them in one match? WWE has tried a number of gimmick matches over the years, and some have worked out well—such as Elimination Chamber—but most of them end up failing because the first match is not very good or worthy of being done again. But if it weren't for the success of the TLC match, we might not have as many of these gimmick matches as we have now.There would not be a TLC pay-per-view if it weren't for this match between these three teams that understood how to work a hardcore style match incorporating so many different elements. The action was fast and furious, and it definitely exemplified the true meaning of the match type. There were tons of cool spots with guys constantly going through stacked tables and both Jeff Hardy and D-Von Dudley were even hanging from the titles in midair at one point. Edge and Christian were able to knock them off, though and won the first ever TLC match. Due to the mere fact that it was the first of its kind, the SummerSlam 2000 TLC match deserves a lofty spot on this list. It was an incredible contest on top of that, though, and it is undoubtedly required viewing for any wrestling fan.
Mr Blu Rating: *****
#1 Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardyz – Wrestlemania X-Seven (TLC II)
MATCH REPORT:
Big brawl to start. Dudleyz dominate. Hardyz hit Poetry in Motion as Edge & Christian bring a ladder in and destroy everyone. They stomp on Matt’s nuts and drop Jeff on a chair. Matt climbs but gets speared off by Edge. Edge climbs and Jeff dropkicks him off, and they baseball slide the Dudleyz. Two ladders get set up and Hardyz hit Rolling Thunder off them. Dudleyz come on with the Wazzup Drop on Edge, they get the tables. Buh Buh powerbombs Jeff onto Edge, through the table. Dudleyz stack some stables outside and set up some ladders in the ring. All six guys climb, all six guys go flying off in all sorts of crazy bumps, including Christian clearing the top rope by six inches and splatting on the floor. Ye gods. Edge climbs, but Spike runs in and Acid Drops Christian out of the ring, through a table! Rhyno comes in and gores everything in sight, allowing Edge to climb again. Lita stops that, but Rhyno goes after her. Lita ranas him, and Rhyno knocks Edge off the ladder by mistake. Dudleyz give Rhyno the Dudley Device, then 3D for Lita. Edge chairs Buh Buh, but Jeff sets up a supersized ladder outside and puts Spike & Rhyno through a table. In the ring, Edge & Christian set up the big ladder and Christian races D-Von up, and both guys are left hanging. Both fall, and Jeff walks across the tops of four ladders, then falls off the last one and hangs in mid-air, only to get speared 15 feet in the air by Edge to the mat. OH MY GOD. Matt & Buh Buh fight on the ladder, but Rhyno shoves him out, over the top, through the double-stack of tables on the floor. OH MY HOLY GOD. Edge & Christian beat D-Von up to the top (with the help of a boost from Rhyno) and claim the titles for a record seventh time at 15:41.
The greatest Tables, Ladders and Chairs match in WWE history took place at the greatest pay-per-view event in company history, WrestleMania X-7. Edge, Christian, the Dudleys and Hardys renewed their rivalry just in time for the Showcase of the Immortals and the second incarnation of the revolutionary TLC match they founded some eight months earlier. The teams traded the tag titles leading into the show and, in this instance, Bubba Ray and D'Von were champions entering the match. The closing of ECW introduced a few new elements to the match and enhanced the overall story tenfold. Spike Dudley had joined his half-brothers in WWE and, shortly thereafter, former ECW heavyweight champion Rhyno made his debut, siding with longtime friends Edge and Christian. With Lita always by the Hardys' side, the potential for outside interference and crowd-pleasing spots involving the three seconds was high. The match, like the ones at SummerSlam and the previous year's WrestleMania, contained the same breathtaking spots but introduced a new one that became one of the most iconic snapshots in WrestleMania history. With Jeff Hardy hanging from the ceiling via the ring, the steel cable supporting the tag team championships, Edge climbed a ladder and caught him with a spear, taking him down 20 feet to the ring. It was an outstanding moment that left the audience stunned. The introduction of Lita, Spike and Rhyno earlier in the evening resulted in some outstanding spots, including Lita destroying Spike with a chair shot, ripping her shirt off and turning straight into a 3D from Bubba and D'Von.
The greatest Tables, Ladders and Chairs match in WWE history took place at the greatest pay-per-view event in company history, WrestleMania X-7. Edge, Christian, the Dudleys and Hardys renewed their rivalry just in time for the Showcase of the Immortals and the second incarnation of the revolutionary TLC match they founded some eight months earlier. The teams traded the tag titles leading into the show and, in this instance, Bubba Ray and D'Von were champions entering the match. The closing of ECW introduced a few new elements to the match and enhanced the overall story tenfold. Spike Dudley had joined his half-brothers in WWE and, shortly thereafter, former ECW heavyweight champion Rhyno made his debut, siding with longtime friends Edge and Christian. With Lita always by the Hardys' side, the potential for outside interference and crowd-pleasing spots involving the three seconds was high. The match, like the ones at SummerSlam and the previous year's WrestleMania, contained the same breathtaking spots but introduced a new one that became one of the most iconic snapshots in WrestleMania history. With Jeff Hardy hanging from the ceiling via the ring, the steel cable supporting the tag team championships, Edge climbed a ladder and caught him with a spear, taking him down 20 feet to the ring. It was an outstanding moment that left the audience stunned. The introduction of Lita, Spike and Rhyno earlier in the evening resulted in some outstanding spots, including Lita destroying Spike with a chair shot, ripping her shirt off and turning straight into a 3D from Bubba and D'Von.
TLC II was a perfect storm, a five-star classic that defined an era of tag team wrestling that may never be seen again. It was the culmination of a year-long story that saw three very different, ultra-talented teams grow together as performers and develop a chemistry with one another that left fans always wanting more. The match built upon everything that had happened in the previous matches and added new elements to ensure it was different and unique. It worked, resulting in the perfect Tables, Ladders and Chairs match that, for this writer's money, will never be equaled or surpassed. Although this particular match happened more than a decade ago, wrestling fans still talk about it to this day. It was such an incredible match that some believe it's the greatest WrestleMania match ever. I wouldn't necessarily go that far, but it is certainly the best TLC match of all time.
Mr Blu Rating: *****
--
I hope you have enjoyed reading. With much excitement and potential involved with this years event it should be another memorable pay per view. If your crazy about wrestling, read and enjoy TBM's 2013 WWE TLC preview & post analysis made available before and after sunday's show!
No comments:
Post a Comment