WWE TLC 2013 Results

Well the Tables Ladders and Chairs pay per view happened last night. The card it’s self didn’t look particularly strong in fairness. Some of the fights that appeared on the card would of looked better suited for WWE Main Event, but never mind. Here’s the card and thoughts on each one –

Kick off match – Fandango vs Dolph Ziggler –

Oh Ziggler… Just after Wrestlemania you had fans chanting your name demanding they wanted to see you and you were in for a push for the WHC belt, and had a magnificent cash in after Wrestelmania which I still see as the highlight of the year for me. And now you’re in a less than 5 minute pre show match before a PPV. I can’t understand why both these guys were here rather than on the main show given some of the other matches I had to sit through later on in the night. Nothing to say on this match really. It was filler and had no importance. Ziggler lost, I got annoyed as I like him. What else is there to say?

3 on 1 Handicap match –  CM Punk vs The Shield –

Well, it was an entertaining match, if only because it’s started hinting that the Shield could be soon to disband and go their separate ways. It’s no secret that Roman Reigns is going to be destined for great things in the WWE, and just over a year of the hounds of justice, it looks like we could see the breakup soon. They all still worked together solidly in beating on Punk and tagging to keep fresh. But the finale with Reigns spearing Ambrose is the game changer here. Over the past few week’s there have been hints that Reigns looks to be outgrowing the Shield and with him being the catalyst, I assume tensions will flair between Ambrose and Reigns and we could see maybe a face Reigns against a heel Ambrose rivalry build in 2014?  Another rivalry that could now tick over too is CM Punk & HHH. He’s beaten the Shield that was meant to be his punishment for crossing with the authority, and the exchanges on RAW last week with HHH and Punk coming to blows could continue on now that Punks dispatched the Shield. HHH may have a mentality of “Want something done right, you gotta do it yourself!” Sounds like it could happen.

Divas Title – AJ Lee vs Natalya –

This was your toilet break match here if you needed one. Match can be summed up pretty easily.
Natalya – “AAAHHH” x 10, lots of submission attempts, and AJ Lee walks out winner despite some apparent real backstage fallout recently. I guess AJ’s partner CM Punk sweet talked the boss into what’s best for the business? Who know’s? Diva’s division has been more interesting recently, but damn I miss the Diva’s matches with stipulations such as bra and panties…

Intercontinental Championship – Damien Sandow vs Big E Langston –

Another fairly quick match. Not really alot exciting happened, I think we all knew that Big E would retain. I question just what they have planned for Sandow? Money in the bank winner with a failed cash in but then a bit of a feud with Cena to losing an IC title shot. I had the assumption Sandow was getting a push, but it would appear he’ll now be back to mid card mediocrity at best. Along with ZIggler another wrestler I really like, his character is portrayed excellently, just a  shame it doesn’t appear WWE know what to do with him.

Fatal 4 Way Tag Team Championship – Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs Real Americans vs Ryback & Curtis Axl vs Rey Mysterio & Big Show –

This was one of the highlights of the night, Mainly down to how well Goldust can still perform at his age. He made this match what it was. Rybaxl were the first team to drop out of the running thankfully. I had genuine optimism that the Real Americans would take this. After all Goldust can’t be contracted for that long can he? And at his age can he continue defending a major title frequently? And Big Show and Rey aren’t a real tag team, just a quick last minute put together (Where the hell were the Usos or Prime time players?)

And then it happened, the Real Americans are eliminated. At this point now I want Rhodes and Goldust to win, I couldn’t handle the tag team belts changing hands to a just created for the hell of it tag team. Fortunately that wasn’t to be and the belts remained with the Rhodes brothers. But it does make you wonder why other real tag teams weren’t included in this (especially when we later on see Prime Time players playing with some toys back stage in perhaps the worst thing I’ve ever had to endure watching)

Singles Filler Match – R Truth vs Brodus Clay –

Well some big news. Tons of Funk have parted ways. Yep devastating isn’t it? err actually no not really, and not big enough to warrant time on a PPV, but apparently that’s not the case. Brodus Clay apparently suffering from roid rage ended up falling out with Albert sorry Tensai, and I can now only believe that Tons of fun are all but over. This was a surprise match on the card and it wasn’t a pleasant one. Why couldn’t Ziggler vs Fandango be here? The break up sketch really didn’t need to be shown here. It could of just been a 5 minute segment on Raw. Also given this PPV is called Tables Ladders and Chairs it’s worth mentioning not one site of either weapon has yet to occur. So why couldn’t this of been like a Tag Team number one contenders TLC match? Uso’s vs Prime Time. I could see the Uso’s flying off ladders and smashing Prime time through tables. But no, we got a 5 minute breakup. Oh well It’s best for the business right guys… right?

Singles Filler Match #2 – The Miz vs Kofi Kingston –

We knew this was going to be scheduled the minute that Kof interrupted the Miz and slapped him across the face, it was just a case of guessing the scheduling. Apparently it’s important enough rivalry to be a fairly high billed fight. So important the crowd could be heard very clearly chanting “Boring… Boring!”

It was boring, This was a no DQ match, I guess removing the turnbuckle cushion gives the match a no DQ tag appropriately but this was a dull match. Hopefully this rivalry can be put to bed now.

3 on 1 handicap match #2 – Daniel Bryan vs The Wyatt Family –

Now this was a good match. However I do fear just what Daniel Bryan will be doing now in terms of any push? John Cena said that Bryan would be first for a rematch at the title. But That’s not up to him. He’s hopefully going to win the Royal Rumble to beat who ever is the Unified Champion at Wrestlemania, but can they keep Bryan that high and popular for another 4 months. Time will tell.

Anyway this match itself was more like a snuff film. Bryan getting smashed about like a rag doll for the majority of the match. A few brave efforts but this was a burial really. I’d like to mention that Bray Wyatt is fantastic character. His creepy aura is portrayed incredibly well and just doesn’t break that character. The crawl across the ring in which looked like a possessed man was just… wow… the only way that could of been creepier would have been if he were making animal noises while doing it. Then the final out come arrives and Bryan loses. And again you have Bray cradling Bryan just creeping the hell out of the audience, it’s really impressive how dedicated he is to his character. I hope big things will happen to him, All I could thing of was Mankind. And that’s not a bad thing to be thinking at all.

Main Event – The unification of the World Heavy Weight Championship & WWE title – John Cena Vs Randy Orton –

Finally some Tables, Ladders and chairs. Obviously the longest running match of the night, and very entertaining. Seeing Orton go through 3 tables was brilliant viewing. Especially the announcer table. Chair shots were a plenty, shame they can’t do head chair shots anymore, but hey ho it still looks kind of painful. John Cena swinging from the belts to be beaten like a pinata was also amusing. They did batter the living daylights out of each other. And worked very well to show this. I think there will be more to this story to come, given that Orton knew exactly where some handcuffs were hidden, there was obviously some assistance here from someone who was backing Orton. If that’s someone on the authority remains to be seen. It was a nice twist to see Orton cuffing Cena, I personally expected the golden boy Cena to have this as another achievement to go down on his WWE list. So when seeing Orton slam him, or try to slam him through the final table and make the climb I was surprised. But as mentioned can’t see this being the last of this battle.

All in all, it was an okay PPV. The handicap matches were entertaining due to who was involved in them. Shield, Punk, Bryan are some of the hottest properties in WWE now, and Bray Wyatt is driving the Wyatt family. The Tag match was also another entertaining match despite the lack of more deserving tag teams involvement. And the main event itself threw some twists and lots of entertainment at us. Shame that the rest of the card was forgettable.

Hopefully Raw can provide some entertainment tonight.

– Murr