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6 Takeaways From WWE TLC 2018

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Written by

Robert Lentini

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WWE TLC 2018 aired live from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. For the full PPV results, click here. Here are 6 takeaways from WWE TLC 2018:

The Bar Retained The SmackDown Tag Team Championships

The Bar defended their SmackDown Tag Team Championships against New Day and The Usos in a Triple Threat match at WWE TLC 2018.

The Usos took out everyone with a flurry of Superkicks and then planted Kingston with a Samoan Drop. Jey Uso hit Kofi with a Frog Splash but Cesaro got into the ring and launched Jey into the ring post. Cesaro went for the cover on Kofi but Kingston kicked out at two. Woods hit Sheamus with an Elbow Drop off the top rope but the pinfall was broken up at two. Sheamus wound up hitting Xavier Woods with the Brogue Kick to retain the titles for The Bar.

This match was decent, but we’ve all seen these teams put forth a much better effort. The crowd wasn’t all that into this match and it is hard to blame them. I have seen enough of these three teams at the top of the division. The Bar retained but there isn’t really an interesting feud for them to have right now on SmackDown.

Baron Corbin Is No Longer The RAW GM

RAW GM Baron Corbin squared off against Braun Strowman tonight at WWE TLC 2018. Heath Slater was the referee for the match. If Corbin lost the match, he would no longer be the GM of RAW. Braun Strowman had not been seen on RAW since Corbin, Lashley, and McIntyre brutally attacked him a few weeks back.

Strowman came down to the ring with his arm in a sling. Braun noted that Corbin forgot that there are no disqualifications in a TLC match and said that there was somebody that wanted to help him. Apollo Crews, Bobby Roode, Chad Gable, and Finn Balor surrounded the ring. Heath Slater took off his referee shirt and threw it at Corbin’s face.

Corbin tried to retreat up the entrance ramp but former RAW GM Kurt Angle showed up on the entrance ramp. Angle hit Corbin with a steel chair several times until Baron got back into the ring. Everyone took turns beating the hell out of Corbin before Kurt hit him with the Angle Slam. Balor followed it up with the Coup de Grace as Heath put his official’s shirt back on. Strowman placed his boot on Corbin for the pinfall victory. Braun Strowman now has a Universal Championship match against Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble PPV next month.

RAW was just as terrible with Kurt Angle as the GM in my opinion, so this was completely meaningless to me. I’m not sure how anyone could be excited about another Braun Strowman versus Lesnar match either. WWE could have put the belt on Strowman before, but instead, they decided to awkwardly turn him heel in a feud against Roman Reigns and The Shield. Now, I’m not nearly as invested in Braun Strowman as a character on RAW. I will say that this segment was entertaining. Everyone that Corbin had screwed over recently as the GM got some revenge tonight and it was a clever way to work around Braun Strowman’s injury.

Ronda Rousey Tapped Out Nia Jax In A Solid Match

Ronda Rousey defended her RAW Women’s Championship against Nia Jax tonight. Tamina was ringside for the match. Rousey started off the match by hopping around the ring and avoiding every strike Nia attempted. Jax finally caught her and hit a Powerbomb for a two count. Jax followed it up with an Elbow Drop and went for the cover but Ronda kicked out at two.

Rousey battled back and was able to lock in the Arm Bar but Nia quickly grabbed the bottom rope. Jax then dragged Ronda out of the ring and hurled her into the barricade as Tamina applauded ringside. Back in the ring, Nia charged at Ronda in the corner but Rousey got out of the way and Jax crashed into the ring post. Rousey made her way to the top rope and connected with a Crossbody on Nia outside the ring.

Rousey brought Nia back inside and went for the cover but Jax kicked out at two. Ronda went for another Crossbody but Nia caught her and hit the Samoan Drop for a near fall. Jax lifted Ronda onto her shoulders and climbed up to the middle rope. Ronda escaped and connected with a Powerbomb for a two count. Ronda then locked in the Arm Bar for the submission victory.

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After the match, Becky Lynch confronted Jax backstage and punched her in the face.

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The build-up to this match was not good at all, but to their credit, Jax and Rousey put on a solid match tonight. Rousey has improved a ton since joining WWE when it comes to her in-ring work. I honestly was expecting this match to be a disaster based on the build, but it wound up being fine. I have absolutely no idea where Nia Jax goes from here.

The New Daniel Bryan Is Still WWE Champion

WWE Champion Daniel Bryan defended the title against AJ Styles tonight at WWE TLC 2018. Bryan spent the beginning of the match rolling out of the ring to try and avoid Styles. Daniel finally got inside the ring and dominated for several minutes. AJ finally battled back and turned Bryan inside out with a massive Clothesline out of the corner.

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Styles connected with a Dragon Screw and then went to work on Bryan’s knee. AJ locked in a Half Crab but Bryan countered into the LeBell Lock in the middle of the ring. AJ broke free and dropped Daniel with the Pele Kick. AJ followed it up with the springboard 450 Splash and went for the cover but Bryan kicked out at the last second.

AJ locked in the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring. Bryan screamed in agony but was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold. Daniel then rolled out of the ring and grabbed his left leg in pain as the crowd shouted: “this is awesome!”. AJ followed Bryan out there and connected with a Phenomenal Forearm off the barricade. Styles rolled Bryan back inside and went for another Phenomenal Forearm but Daniel avoided it. AJ went for a roll-up but Bryan countered into a roll-up of his own for the pinfall victory.

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AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan put on a terrific match tonight. Bryan has been excellent as a heel and I’m looking forward to seeing who his next opponent is. Styles will be hovering around the WWE Championship picture as long as he is on SmackDown and you won’t hear me complain if we see these two Superstars compete again for the belt down the line.

Dean Ambrose Captured The Intercontinental Championship In Boring Fashion

Seth Rollins put his Intercontinental Championship on the line against Dean Ambrose tonight at WWE TLC 2018. The match started off at a painfully slow pace with Ambrose in control. Ambrose hit a Neckbreaker and tried to pin Rollins three times but Rollins kicked out at two every time.

Ambrose targetted Rollins’ knee with a Dropkick and locked in a Cloverleaf submission in the center of the ring. Seth was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold and then rolled to the ring apron. Seth battled back and connected with a Slingblade and then a Blockbuster off the second rope.

Rollins battled through the pain in his injured knee and hit Ambrose with a Buckle Bomb for a near fall. Ambrose battled back with a Facebuster for a two count. Rollins hit the Superplex and then the Falcon Arrow for another near fall. Ambrose tried to do The Shield’s fist bump but Rollins declined. Seth knocked Ambrose to the outside and Powerbombed him into the barricade.

Seth brought Ambrose back inside the ring and said: “this is for Roman Reigns you piece of sh*t”. Rollins went for The Stomp but Ambrose countered into the Dirty Deeds for the pinfall victory. Dean Ambrose is the new Intercontinental Champion.

I could not believe how terrible this match was. Ambrose turning heel was an awesome moment on RAW several weeks back, but since then this feud has been complete garbage. I thought it would still at least lead to a fight tonight, instead, we got a match that was incredibly boring.

I did not anticipate watching Rollins sell a knee injury for twenty minutes tonight. Despite the atrocious build, I was still looking forward to a good match between these two Superstars. This match didn’t come close to being remotely entertaining and now Dean Ambrose is the Intercontinental Champion, despite being a complete bore on RAW since turning heel.

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Ronda Rousey Handed Asuka The SmackDown Women’s Championship

Becky Lynch defended the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair and Asuka in the first-ever women’s TLC Match. Asuka Powerbombed Charlotte through a table and made her way up the ladder. Becky connected with a Dropkick to Asuka off the top rope but Asuka responded with a Hip Attack that sent Lynch out of the ring.

Flair took out Asuka and Lynch with a Moonsault off the top rope and then set up a table. Lynch got up and started swinging a steel chair. Flair booted it out of her hands and slammed Becky into the barricade. Lynch battled back and set up Asuka and Charlotte on top of the announce table. Becky climbed up a gigantic ladder and went for a Leg Drop but Asuka got out of the way. Lynch landed directly on Charlotte’s ribs and then bounced to the floor.

Asuka got back into the ring and started making her way up the ladder. Becky climbed up on the opposite side and the two started trading shots. Flair got into the ring and bashed them both with a kendo stick several times.

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Lynch hit Charlotte with an Exploder Suplex outside of the ring. Asuka beat the hell out of Lynch with the kendo stick and then posed against the barricade. Charlotte Flair came out of nowhere and hit Asuka with a Spear that sent her crashing through the barricade. Becky and Charlotte started trash talking in the ring before trading punches.

Flair brought Becky out of the ring and hit a bunch of chops to her midsection. Charlotte set Becky up on top of a table and then slapped her in the face before climbing up the turnbuckle. Charlotte hit Lynch with an epic Cannonball through the table from off the top turnbuckle.

Charlotte made her way back inside the ring and set up the ladder under the title. Asuka rushed back in and climbed up the opposite side of the ladder. Flair and Asuka traded shots on the top of the ladder as Lynch set up another ladder right next to them. Charlotte knocked Asuka to the canvas and then traded punches with Becky.

Ronda Rousey came down to the ring and shoved over the ladder with Becky and Charlotte on it. Lynch and Flair fell to the canvas as Asuka climbed her way up the ladder. Asuka grabbed the title to become the new SmackDown Women’s Champion.

This was a terrific main event. Vince McMahon will appear on tomorrow night’s episode of RAW in order to “shake things up”. I figured that Becky would drop the title tonight but I thought it would be to Charlotte Flair. However we wind up there, the main event of WrestleMania should be Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte. As for Asuka, she has been wasting away on SmackDown and it is great to see her as the champion again. Overall, WWE TLC 2018 was a mixed bag. The main event and Bryan vs. Styles were the only matches that were memorable.

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