WWE TLC 2019 aired live on December 15, 2019 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Humberto Carrillo defeated Andrade during the Kickoff Show. The Viking Raiders defended their RAW Tag Team Championships against The OC tonight as well. The Viking Raiders retained via a double count-out in a match that was nothing more than an advertisement for Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Here are 6 takeaways from the PPV:
New Day Retained The SmackDown Tag Titles
New Day defended their SmackDown Tag Team Championships against The Revival tonight at TLC. The Revival dominated the match early and beat the hell out of Kofi Kingston with a ladder. Kingston battled back and took out Wilder and Dawson with a Crossbody on top of the ladder.
Big E went for a Splash but Dash got out of the way and Big E crashed on the ladder. Kingston tried to leap onto The Revival but they got him and slammed his face into the ladder.
The Revival slammed Big E face-first onto the ladder as the crowd began to boo. Kofi battled back and slammed the ladder onto Wilder and Dawson.
Kingston made his way up the ladder but The Revival shoved the ladder. Kingston then incredibly landed on the top rope and planted Dawson with a Tornado DDT. Kofi followed it up with an SOS to Dash and made his way up the ladder again.
Dawson ripped him down and The Revival connected with a Shatter Machine. Big E hit Dash Wilder with a ridiculous Spear through the ropes and both superstars fell to the floor outside the ring.
Big E set up two giant ladders next to each other under the titles in the middle of the ring. Big E set up another ladder in the corner and made his way to the top rope. Wilder tripped Big E up and then Dawson Suplexed him on top of the ladder. Wilder followed it up with a Splash through the ladder.
Dawson started climbing and Kofi leaped out of nowhere to join him up there. The Revival trapped Kofi in between the rungs but Big E came out of nowhere to make the save. Big E hit the Big Ending on Wilder off the top of the ladder. Kingston smashed Scott Dawson in the face with the title belt and Dawson crashed onto a ladder. Kingston then grabbed the titles and New Day are still the SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
New Day and The Revival kicked off WWE TLC 2019 with an awesome Ladder Match. There were several amazing spots during this match but Kingston’s springboard Tornado DDT was the best in my opinion. The Big Ending off the ladder was pretty awesome too.
Aleister Black Defeated Buddy Murphy In A Great Match
Buddy Murphy squared off against Aleister Black tonight at TLC. Buddy mocked Aleister by taking a seat in the middle of the ring before the match. Aleister sat across from him and then went for Black Mass right when the match started. Buddy was able to avoid it and rolled out of the ring.
Back in the ring, Buddy caught Aleister in the face with his knee and blood started pouring out of Black’s nose. Buddy brought Black’s jacket into the ring and tried to throw it at him. Black ducked and the jacket went flying into Jerry Lawler’s face ringside.
Aleister connected with a Shining Wizard and went for the cover but Buddy kicked out at two. Black knocked Buddy out of the ring and connected with a Moonsault. Back in the ring, Black leveled Murphy with running knee to the face for a near fall.
Buddy Murphy hit Aleister with four Superkicks and followed it up with a Powerbomb off the second rope. Murphy went for the cover but somehow Black kicked out at two as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”.
Murphy hit Black with a series of knees to the face and then a Brainbuster for another two count. Aleister then connected with Black Mass for the pinfall victory.
Aleister Black was busted open in the first minute but still wound up delivering a great match with Murphy. The build to this match sucked but Murphy and Black are two of the most talented workers WWE has and they were able to overcome it. I just hope WWE does something meaningful with them going forward on RAW.
King Corbin Reigned Supreme
Roman Reigns battled King Corbin in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match tonight at WWE TLC. Before the match, members of Corbin’s security team but Reigns fought them off. Corbin rushed up the ramp with a chair but Roman connected with a right hand and threw him off the stage as the crowd chanted “Roman!”.
King Corbin took control and drove Reigns into the barricade. Corbin launched Reigns into a turnbuckle and followed it up with a Clothesline for a two count. King Corbin beat down Roman for the next several minutes as the crowd became restless.
Corbin connected with a Chokeslam/Backbreaker as the crowd chanted “Burger King!”. Roman launched King Corbin into a chair in the corner of the ring and connected with a Superman Punch for a near fall.
Roman set up a table in the ring as Corbin rolled to the outside. King Corbin hit Reigns in the face with a can of dog food and Chokeslammed him through the table for a two count.
Roman Reigns planted King Corbin with a Samoan Drop through the announce table as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”. Roman Reigns was about to Spear Corbin through the barricade but Dolph Ziggler came out from under the ring and hit Roman with a Superman Kick.
Ziggler grabbed the handcuffs and Corbin grabbed can from the endless supply of dog food under the ring. Reigns hit Ziggler and Corbin with a Drive By before grabbing a kendo stick from under the ring. Reigns beat Corbin’s security team down with the kendo stick before The Revival interfered and attacked Reigns.
Roman took out The Revival with a couple of Superman Punches and then leaped onto everyone outside the ring. Roman set up for a Spear but Dolph launched a chair into Roman’s face. The Revival planted Roman with the Shatter Machine and Corbin followed it up with the End of Days on the chair for the pinfall victory.
I thought this was absolutely terrible. I thought part of this story line was that Roman Reigns was the locker room leader, yet nobody helped him tonight. The pace of this match was so slow and deliberate, it is embarrassing to even refer to it as a TLC Match. It was a crappy No Disqualifications Match that would have concluded a lackluster episode of SmackDown.
It looks like this feud is going to continue, even though I cannot imagine someone genuinely being excited to watch these two stink up the joint again. A backstage brawl including Roman Reigns and Corbin went down later during the show. The superstars on Reigns’ side during the fight must have all fallen asleep out of boredom during the match. That is the only way to explain why they didn’t come down to the ring and help him.
Daniel Bryan Attacked Bray Wyatt
The Miz battled Bray Wyatt tonight at WWE TLC 2019. Wyatt got an awesome reaction from the crowd and posed for them several times.
The Miz absolutely dominated the match early as Bray barely fought back. Miz connected with the Skull Crushing Finale but didn’t go for the cover. The Miz started snapping back Wyatt’s arm and Bray shouted “do it!”. Miz obliged and Wyatt rolled out of the ring.
Bray slammed his own shoulder into the barricade and Miz slammed him into the steel steps. Wyatt battled back and hit a Sister Abigail outside the ring. Back in the ring, Wyatt hit another Sister Abigail for the victory. The Fiend then appeared on the jumbotron and Wyatt smiled. Bray grabbed the giant mallet from under the ring but the lights in the arena went out.
Daniel Bryan showed up and leveled Wyatt with the Running Knee. Daniel revealed short hair and leveled Bray with another Running Knee. Bryan booted Bray in the face and grabbed the mallet. The lights went out again and Bray Wyatt disappeared but left the Universal Championship behind. Bryan grabbed the mallet and slammed it on the canvas. He then posed in the corner of the ring as the crowd chanted “yes!” to close the segment.
Wyatt facial expressions throughout this match were the best part of it. He transitioned from being the giggly, Mr. Rogers type of character into the dark side of his character flawlessly. Bryan looks about ten years younger now and got a great reaction from the crowd. While I wouldn’t call this a good match by any means, this feud remains the most interesting thing in WWE right now.
Lana Helped Lashley Win
Rusev faced Bobby Lashley tonight in a Tables Match. Lana was ringside for the match. Rusev controlled the match early and set up a table outside the ring. Rusev lifted Lashley up onto his shoulders and was going to slam Bobby through the table but Lashley flipped it over.
Lashley took control and launched Rusev into the turnbuckle. Bobby brought a table into the ring and set it up in the corner. Rusev attacked Lashley and the two battled to the apron. Rusev knocked Lashley off the apron but Bobby was able to hop over the table.
Rusev grabbed the steel steps and bashed Lashley in the face with them. Rusev hit Lashley with the steel guardrail but Bobby raked Rusev’s eyes. Lashley then slammed Rusev through the guardrail and grabbed a kendo stick from under the ring.
Bobby beat the hell out Rusev with the kendo stick as Lana laughed. Lashley set up a table in the corner again and went to hit Rusev with the kendo stick but he blocked it. Rusev grabbed the kendo stick and hit Lashley a bunch of times before breaking it over his knee.
Rusev leveled Lashley with the Machka Kick but Lana leaped on his back. Lashley hit Rusev with a Spear onto the table but it didn’t break. Bobby then hit connected with a Belly to Belly Suplex through the table in the opposite corner for the victory. A terrible match to go along with a terrible feud. There really isn’t anything else to say.
The Kabuki Warriors Retained
The Kabuki Warriors defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships in a TLC Match against Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. It was the main event of the PPV.
Flair and Lynch dominated the match early but Asuka battled back and hit Flair with a steel chair. Asuka hit Lynch with a Hip Attack and sent her tumbling out of the ring. Asuka held up a chair and Sane Dropkicked it into Charlotte’s face. Charlotte and Becky set up a table outside the ring and sent Asuka flying into the ring post.
Kairi Sane slid under the ring but Becky and Flair grabbed her legs. They dragged Kairi out but she had a fire extinguisher and sprayed it into their face. Kairi hit Becky with a Neckbreaker on top of several chairs The Kabuki Warriors tied Becky to a ladder outside the ring and then Asuka hit Flair with a Shining Wizard.
The Kabuki Warriors started climbing up the ladder but Flair brought them down by attacking them with a kendo stick. Flair launched Sane into the steel steps and then threw Asuka into the barricade. Charlotte went to untie Becky but Asuka hit her with a steel chair. Asuka and Sane then launched Charlotte into the steel steps.
Kairi tried to hit Lynch with the Insane Elbow but Becky got her knees up. Becky then escaped and bashed Asuka’s face off the announce table. Charlotte and Becky took back control and set up Asuka on top of a table. Lynch connected with a Leg Drop on Asuka through the table.
Lynch and Flair went for a Suplex on Kairi but Sane countered into a double DDT. Kairi hit a Splash on Becky on top of the table but the table didn’t break. Flair Powerbombed Sane through a table but turned around into a German Suplex from Asuka.
Asuka then piled a bunch of chairs on top of Flair and helped Sane back up. The Kabuki Warriors set up a ladder in the ring but Becky and Charlotte got back up. Becky and Charlotte got into the ring and beat down the Kabuki Warriors with chairs as a lot of the crowd booed.
Charlotte climbed to the top rope and Asuka caught her with a couple of punches. Flair then Powerbombed Flair through a table outside the ring. Becky hit Asuka with an Exploder Suplex outside the ring. Becky went to climb the ladder in the ring but Asuka grabbed the rope still tied to it and Becky fell into the ropes. Asuka then climbed to the top of the ladder and grabbed the titles. The Kabuki Warriors are still the Women’s Tag Team Champions.
After the match, the brawl between Reigns, Corbin, and a bunch of random superstars was still going on and it spilled out to the ringside area. Reigns hit Corbin with a Spear to close the show.
WWE TLC 2019 started off with two great matches and then somehow wound up as one of the worst PPVs of the year in my opinion. The main event was an absolute mess and the crowd completely turned on the match. The crowd was ready to go from the start tonight but just wanted to go home by the end of the show.