Tables, Ladders and Chairs; for an ordinary person this might be things lying around in their house, but for a wrestling fan, these things mean a whole lot more. There have been many gimmick matches in the course of WWE history but not many have attained the legendary status that TLC matches have.TLC matches have always managed to garner the attention of the faithful WWE Universe and it would be a similar case when Vince McMahon and his promotion head into the latest edition of the PPV.As the company is preparing for another TLC themed pay-per-view, it would only be fair to look back and cherish some of the best TLC matches in the history, so here goes.
#10 Kane & The Hurricane vs. Christian & Chris Jericho vs. Jeff Hardy & Rob Van Dam (Raw 2002)
Trending
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
It’s not every day that you get so much quality on free television. The Tag Team Championship match that happened on the October 7, 2002 edition of Monday Night Raw was an exception from the initial statement.
In addition to the main stay names of TLC like Jeff Hardy and Christian, the company added an array of potential show stealers and Kane.
A big man like Kane should’ve been limited by a match like this but instead, it was he who won the match despite being alone in the match. Kane and Hurricane was the champions before the match started and Hurricane had to pull off due to an injury angle.
No one expected Kane to win with such odds but the Big Red Monster surprised everyone and emerged as the winner.
#9 DX vs. Jeri-Show (TLC 2009)
Though the second run of D Generation X wasn’t as successful compared to their original one, there was this gem of a match that came from the second spell.
From the four men, only Jericho was the superstar who had experience in tag team TLC matches. The size of Big Show and possibility of all the veterans being protected were real concerns before the initial bell, but all that flew off the window once it started.
The climax sequence of the match was top notch as well when Triple H hoisted up a half broken Ladder which Shawn Michaels used to climb and get the championship belts.
#8 John Cena vs. Edge (Unforgiven 2006)
The feud between Edge and John Cena that happened in 2006 took both of their careers to new heights. Unlike most of the other feuds where only one superstar would reap the benefits in the end, this was a feud where both men shined alike.
A match that stood out from that storyline was their TLC encounter at the Unforgiven pay-per-view in 2006. This was a rematch for the SummerSlam match they had and Cena had to leave Raw if he lost.
The match happening in Edge’s hometown further screwed up the chances of Cena. However, the Cenation leader won the match by sending Edge through two tables that were stacked near the ladder they were standing on.
#7 CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. The Miz (TLC 2011)
Though Punk was the WWE Champion for majority of 2011 he only had some rare chances to carry the product on his back. Headlining the TLC pay-per-view was one of those chances and Punk made sure that everyone took notice.
There were a lot of doubts in the WWE Universe about how Miz would fit in with two great in ring performers but the Awesome one surprised everyone.
All three men were taking bumps after bumps throughout the match and took a lot of punishment. After a span of action filled twenty minutes, Punk came out as the winner and thus extending his historic title reign to another chapter.
#6 Ryback & Team Hell No vs. The Shield (TLC 2012)
A ladder match between Dolph Ziggler and John Cena headlined the 2012 edition of TLC but it was this match that stole the limelight. Initially, the fans thought that it would end up being a boring six man tag team match but once these men picked up the pace, it was an instant classic.
There were some great spots throughout the match as all the superstars were at their best. Rollins, Ambrose and Bryan in particular had many bumps which made the fans stand on their feet.
This was also the first real opportunity for the Shield to show what they were all about and the hounds of justice reigned supreme after the bout which lasted more than twenty minutes.
#5 Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk (SummerSlam 2009)
The Heel run that CM Punk had back in 2009 was actually a career changer for him. A majority of the WWE fans only saw him as a one dimensional baby face but when Punk shredded off that image and went full on heel, it turned out to be a great success story.
The best choice that WWE had to put over Punk as a heel was Jeff Hardy, who at that time was a very hot babyface. These two had multiple pay-per-view matches during their feud and at the 2009 SummerSlam; they went at it again in a TLC match.
There were a lot of punishment to be witnessed throughout the match and once it all cooled down, Punk stood with the Championship which marked a new reign for the Straight edge superstar.
#4 Edge vs. Undertaker (Extreme Rules 2008)
Undertaker wouldn’t be the first name that’ll come to mind when TLC is mentioned. However, that wasn’t the case when he clashed with the Rated R superstar in the 2008 edition of Extreme Rules for the vacant World Heavyweight championship.
It didn’t have a plethora of bumps like the other matches on the list but both the veterans knew how to work out a smart bout. There were numerous interferences with the likes of Zack Ryder, Chavo Guerrero and Curt Hawkins disrupting the phenom’s rhythm. Throughout the matche it was those outsiders who took most of the big bumps.
Edge won the match in the end and Taker was taken away for two months after which he returned and captured the title back in a Hell in a Cell match.
#3 Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho (SmackDown 2001)
Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho snatched the Tag Team Championships from Triple H and Steve Austin in the early months of 2001.The title change didn’t sit well with Vince McMahon and the chairman wanted to punish the new champions for what they did to Hunter and Austin.
And the mode of punishment was a four way TLC tag teams match with the championship on the line. All the participants were at their prime during this period and this ensured a classic match.
Also, the match being on free television made it more worthy of the plaudits. The superstars could’ve just had a slow match due to the lack of PPV pressure but they didn’t and gave out everything for the fans.
#2 Edge & Christian vs. Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardyz (SummerSlam 2000)
Mick Foley was the WWE commissioner back in 2000 and one of the decisions he made during that tenure was to book this match. It was the first ever TLC match in WWE and the choice of wrestlers for the same was perfect.
Edge & Christian came into the match as Tag team champions and had the odds stack against them. Bodies were flying around everywhere once the starting bell rang and the tempo never dropped.
The fans expected the Hardy Boyz to emerge victorious because of the pay-per-view happening in their hometown but that wasn’t the case. The Champions retained their championship after a comparatively short 14 minute match.
#1 Edge & Christian vs. Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardyz (WrestleMania X-seven)
If there is a benchmark for TLC matches in WWE, then it’s this match. Over the year, the company has tried to replicate the success of this match many times but none were able to reach the level of excitement that these six men bought to the table.
It was the culmination of a great feud between the three teams and from the history they had, the fans were sure to be treated with a show. A show it was, but not just any show, the best show they could get.
Insane would be the word to describe the spots that filled this match. WWE also added Lita and Spike Dudley later in the match to make it more intriguing. At the end of the Edge and Christian walked out as winners but it wasn’t about winning or losing.
