WWE Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Results and Review December 16 2018 : Bowen’s Botches and Bodyslams
WWE TLC is from the SAP Center, San Jose, California. The Smackdown Women’s Championshp will be defended in a Triple Threat TLC Match. Ronda Rousey will defend the RAW Women’s Championship against Nia Jax. Seth Rollins will defend the Intercontinental Championship against Dean Ambrose. The Bar defend the Smackdown Tag Team Championships in a Triple Threat Match against The Usos and The New Day. And The WWE Champion Daniel Bryan defend his title against AJ Styles.
TLC Kickoff Show
Baron Corbin and Heath Slater Backstage
As far as #RAW GM-Elect @BaronCorbinWWE is concerned, there’s only one plausible outcome for his match against @BraunStrowman tonight at #WWETLC! pic.twitter.com/dbWiEukFJH
— WWE (@WWE) December 16, 2018
Cruiserweight Championship Match
Buddy Murphy (c) vs. Cedric Alexander
Buddy Murphy retains the Cruiserweight Championship by Pinfall after the Murphy’s Law.
For @WWE #Cruiserweight Champion @WWE_Murphy and @CedricAlexander, it all comes down to WHO WANTS IT MORE on the #WWETLC Kickoff! pic.twitter.com/yrakf1mSOA
— WWE (@WWE) December 16, 2018
Becky Lynch Backstage
#SmackDown #WomensChampion @BeckyLynchWWE has a few receipts to hand out… and there’s no time like the present. #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/8MagmBsh7N
— WWE (@WWE) December 16, 2018
Guitar Ladder Match
Elias vs. Bobby Lashley with Lio Rush
Elias wins by removing the guitar, but Lio Rush distracts Elias allowing Lashley to gain the advantage and break the guitar over Elias’ back.
#TheAllMighty @fightbobby takes full advantage of his surroundings… at @IAmEliasWWE‘s expense! #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/M7S34eA4Vm
— WWE (@WWE) December 16, 2018
TLC PPV Matches
Mixed Match Challenge Finals Match
R-Truth and Carmella vs. Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox with Samir and Sunil Singh
Carmella forces Alicia Fox to tap out to the Code of Silence for the Submission victory.
#WWEMMC Season 2 WINNERS @CarmellaWWE and @RonKillings are using their all-expenses-paid vacation to go somewhere tropical, somewhere exotic, somewhere BIG…
…they’re going to @WWE Headquarters in STAMFORD, CT! #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/kHZrBD1PIK
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
Triple Threat Match for the Smackdown Tag Team Championships
The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro) (c) vs. The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods with Big E)
Sheamus wins by Pinfall over Xavier Woods after the Braugh Kick to retain the Smackdown Tag Team Championships.
The agility of @TrueKofi. The power of @WWECesaro. The quickness of @WWEUsos.
This #TripleThreat for the #SmackDown #TagTeamTitles HAS IT ALL! #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/fTJzcmx0Wh
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match
Baron Corbin vs. Braun Strowman with Heath Slater as the referee.
If Baron Corbin loses the match, he loses all power on RAW and Braun Strowman will face Brock Lasnar for the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble. If Baron Corbin wins, he becomes the permanent RAW General Manager.
Braun Strowman wins by Pinfall after Apollo Crews, Bobby Roode, Chad Gable, Finn Balor, and Kurt Angle attack Baron Corbin with chairs and their finishing maneuvers.
#RAW Superstars, referees, and even a @WWE Hall of Famer have A LOT of aggression to take out on @BaronCorbinWWE tonight! @BraunStrowman #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/inqjIs8iid
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
Tables Match
Natalya vs. Ruby Riott with Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan (The Riott Squad)
Natalya wins after putting Ruby Riott through a table with a Powerbomb from the middle turnbuckle.
If your friend doesn’t go through a table for you… are they even your friend at all? #WWETLC@NatbyNature @RubyRiottWWE @YaOnlyLivvOnce @SarahLoganWWE pic.twitter.com/s39IYBI7A0
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
Drew McIntyre vs. Finn Balor
Finn Balor wins by Pinfall after the Coup De Grace with an assist from Dolph Ziggler who interfered at ringside when the referee was distracted.
A fired up @DMcIntyreWWE delivers his own brand of beatdown to @FinnBalor… but at what cost?! #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/PNhmjEZi3v
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
LOOK WHO’S HERE, @DMcIntyreWWE!!! #WWETLC @HEELZiggler @FinnBalor pic.twitter.com/jE9T7bnUhw
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
Chairs Match
Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton
Rey Mysterio wins by Pinfall with a Roll Up reversal of the RKO on a row of chairs.
There’s no limit to the punishment that @RandyOrton and @reymysterio will dish out in tonight’s #ChairsMatch! #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/mnLKKiP6Tp
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
Finn Balor Backstage Interview
Consider @HEELZiggler‘s assistance a one-time only occasion, @FinnBalor… #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/s0EhqzS5TA
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
RAW Women’s Championship Match
Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Nia Jax with Tamina
Ronda Rousey wins by Submission with the Armbar.
#Facebreaker vs. #Armbreaker.
The #IrresistibleForce vs. The #BaddestWomanOnThePlanet.@NiaJaxWWE is challenging #RAW #WomensChampion @RondaRousey for her title at #WWETLC! pic.twitter.com/EoBfz1v5CO— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
WWE Championship Match
Daniel Bryan (c) vs. AJ Styles
Daniel Bryan wins by Pinfall after reversing an Inside Cradle to retain the WWE Championship.
Did @AJStylesOrg just make #TheNew @WWEDanielBryan ask for MERCY?
Well, not exactly… #WWETLC #WWEChampionship pic.twitter.com/uB3NoUMxqE
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
Intercontinental Championship Match
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
Dean Ambrose wins by Pinfall after the Dirty Deeds to become the New Intercontinental Champion.
When @TheDeanAmbrose sets a target, he knows exactly how to hit it.
Could he be closing in on dethroning #ICChampion @WWERollins?! #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/cWMVDtrqFr
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
Smackdown Women’s Championship Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka
Asuka acquires the championship belt to become the New Smackdwon Women’s Champion after Ronda Rousey interfered and pushed Lynch and Flair over while they fought atop the ladder.
When #TheQueen, #TheEmpress, and #TheMan battle in a #TLCMatch for the #SmackDown #WomensTitle… expect complete and total CARNAGE! @BeckyLynchWWE @MsCharlotteWWE @WWEAsuka #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/HVM4NiQM39
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
This is YOUR moment!!!
Congratulations to YOUR #SDLive #WomensChampion, @WWEAsuka! #WWETLC #AndNew #TLCMatch pic.twitter.com/wP1jd7ShAf
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2018
Botches
- The tag team triple threat match was originally promoted as a TLC Match, but ended up the worst style of three way tag team match, where only two teams are in the ring at once. This made the match a mess and did not allow this match to live up to its potential.
- Nia Jax not getting her shoulders up on the kickout. That’s a pet peeve of mine, being that it is not the hardest thing they do in the ring and it completely breaks the ability to suspend disbelief.
- Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins had a rough pace and lost the fans in the arena. This could have been the match of the night but ended up being one of the least exciting. This should have been a TLC match also.
Bodyslams
- Natalya vs. Ruby Riott was a better match than the story that got us there. This was one of Natalya’s best matches of the year.
- Finn Balor vs. Drew McIntyre was a brutal match without using all the accessories. In an event centered around the typical weapons of wrestling, this match was the hardest hitting match on the card without any stipulations.
- The Smackdown Women’s Championship Match. That was an incredible match, and the ending opens the doors for everything the fans really want. An Asuka title reign and Becky Lynch being free to move over to RAW and fight Ronda Rousey. Without a doubt, the best match of the night.
TLC was a sign that things could get better for RAW sooner rather than later. The women have staked their claim over WWE, consistently garnering the biggest crowd reactions of the night. The men had some good matches, but the women stole the show once again. The RAW Superstars were on fire, but the Intercontinental Championship match ended their night with an unexpected dud. But a change is in the air on RAW, and some fresh matchups from the rumored Superstar Shakeup could breathe new life into the show if the stars get more time. Finn Balor and Elias are clearly loved by the fans, and when given the opportunity they deliver a great show.
But this night was once again about the women. The Tables Match was great. The RAW Women’s Championship Match may not have been great, but it was good, and much better than expected. The Smackdown Women’s Championship Match was the evidence of the Women’s Division being the best thing going in WWE. Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Asuka gave us a TLC match that surely made its innovators proud, and can easily be included in the discussion of best TLC Matches in WWE history.