WWE TLC Coverage: Cleveland Fails to Rock in Hardcore PPV

Those who wondered if TLC could top the amazing NXT R-evolution show got their answer.

An emphatic no.

The 2014 TLC event was a slow, plodding mess. Not even the return of Roman Reigns and another John Cena title shot at Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble could create enough drama to get the show over the hump.

A shoddy card lineup and several weak finishes made sure that the WWE ended its 2014 Pay Per View schedule with a fart, rather than a bang.

Without the heart and soul performance of Dean Ambrose, this show wouldn’t have been on the same level as a TNA PPV.

Matches:

Kick-Off: Goldust and Stardust vs. Kofi Kingston and Big E. Langston w/Xavier Woods: A decent back and forth that ran a few minutes too long. Kingston did the majority of the selling as Goldust and Stardust utilized quick tags and heel tactics between Kingston’s signature offense and New Day hand claps. Langston changed the momentum with a pair of Belly-to-Belly variations and a Splash on Stardust, but he couldn’t put Goldust away. Following a Disaster Kick from Stardust, Langston was nearly pinned, but following another sequence of counters, Langston and Kingston got the win with the Big Ending/Double Axe Handle Combination dubbed The Midnight Hour.

Ladder Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Intercontinental Champion Luke Harper: A bloody encounter as Harper cut his arm and Ziggler’s face was busted up. While Harper got extra marks for his creativity with the ladder, emulating Terry Funk at one point, Ziggler’s DDT late in the match was the most innovative move of the match. It appeared Ziggler had the match won on several occasions, but Harper, like a serial killer, never stopped coming. But after a nasty Super Kick on top of the ladder, Harper was sent crashing to the mat, allowing Ziggler to regain the Intercontinental Championship.

Tag Team Champions The Miz and Damien Sandow vs. Jimmy and Jey Uso: A good match that was killed after a silly finish. After some good back and forth, Jimmy Uso was surprisingly solid with strikes and a version of the Tequila Sunrise, but Sandow again sold the show with his antics. After Jimmy went for the Suicide Dive and took out Sandow, Miz nailed both Usos with their Slammy Awards to get the match thrown out.

Stairs Match Erik Rowan vs. The Big Show: A complete dud. Both guys traded offense and were stiff, but it was far from sexy. Show got the win with the Chokeslam on the steps and the Knockout Punch.

Tables Match: Seth Rollins w/Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble vs. John Cena: Noble and Mercury interfered every chance they had, making the match more a snooze-fest than anything else in the early going. Things got spicy after Cena took things to the outside, where the former WWE Champion took out Noble on the rail to start to even the odds. Mercury and Rollins then beat on Cena on the outside before Cena gave Mercury the Attitude Adjustment into the time keeper’s section. Now more of a one-on-one match, Rollins set up tables on the outside while Cena reeled from his injuries on the inside.

Although Cena made a comeback, Rollins was still in control and after setting up a table in the ring, it appeared he was ready to finish Cena off. Cena again made a comeback, but Rollins was able to take out the referee. While Cena eventually hit Rollins with the AA through a table, the ref was still out and Noble and Mercury cleaned up the evidence to keep the match going. With a new table set up, Cena continued his comeback and hit a double AA on Mercury and Noble through a table. With the referee now back in the match, Cena and Rollins both went through the table at the same time, forcing two more refs to hit the ring. One raised Rollins’ hand, while the other raised Cena’s. Instead of there being a winner, the match was restarted. Right after the bell, Rollins hit a Suicide Dive, but Cena nailed Rollins with another AA on the announce table, but the table didn’t break and the match continued. With things pretty even, Big Show joined the party and punched Cena in the ribs a few times until Roman Reigns made the save, hitting Show with the Superman Punch and a Spear through a table. Reigns then caught Rollins with the Superman Punch, which Cena followed with the Attitude Adjustment for the win.

AJ Lee vs. Divas Champion Nikki Bella w/Brie Bella: Nikki used submissions on the inside and outside to slow things down, but in the end just showed off the flexibility and selling ability of Lee. Lee eventually made a comeback and scored a near-fall with the Tornado DDT, but Nikki kept coming with offense. Lee then hit the Shining Wizard and nearly won, but Brie put Nikki’s leg on the ropes to break up the pin. Although the referee saw the heel move and threw out Brie, it gave Nikki enough time to spray something in Lee’s face and finish her off with The Rack Attack for the win.

Chairs Match: Ryback vs. Kane: An overall time filler that was nothing short of mediocre. Pretty sad that even a great worker the likes of Kane can’t even make Ryback look ike a polished performer. Ryback got in some shots, but Kane was in control for the majority of this match until Ryback hit the (botched or just plain sloppy) Spinebuster on two chairs and about a dozen chair shots. Kane did fight back with a Chokeslam, but he couldn’t get the pinfall. Soon enough, Ryback got the win with the Meathook Clothesline and the Shellshock.

United States Champion Rusev w/Lana vs. Jack Swagger: A waste of a match as Rusev escaped the Ankle Lock on several occasions before hitting a pair of Super Kicks and latching on the Accolade for the submission win.

TLC Match Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt: A lengthy hardcore battle that mixed in some good wrestling as well. Regardless, with no title at stake and no real stipulation, it wasn’t the most enthralling main event. Ambrose got the crowd involved after he hit the Elbow Drop from the top of a ladder on Wyatt through a table on the outside and later after he did it again through an even taller ladder, but it wasn’t enough to make this match a classic. Once back in the ring, Wyatt nearly won with a sneaky Sister Abigail, but he couldn’t put Ambrose away. A sequence later, Ambrose hit the Dirty Deeds, but Wyatt kicked out as well. With another huge later set up on the outside and the Mexican announce table vacated, Ambrose worked over Wyatt with a chair on the throat and then hit a third Elbow Drop, this one through the announce table. After Ambrose threw Wyatt back in the ring, he attempted to hit Wyatt with a TV monitor, but when it blew up in his face, Wyatt got the win with the Sister Abigail.