WWE TLC PPV Results
December 19, 2010
Live in Houston, Tex.
Report by James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

I'll be reporting live inside the Toyota Center tonight with off-air news and notes, plus reviews of the matches. Also follow PWTorch editor Wade Keller's detailed, real-time report on the PPV broadcast.

-- We are live inside Toyota Center with no sections tarped off in the arena. We'll see how it fills up by opening bell time. Strong walk up at the box office with the line to get tickets longer than to get in the building.

Dark Match: US champion Daniel Bryan (w/Bellas) beat Ted DiBiase (w/Maryse) at 5:18 to retain the US Title. The crowd recognized all of their offense and reacted accordingly. Bellas took out Maryse on the outside and Bryan applied the LeBell Lock for the victory. Bryan is over as a face and Maryse is over as a heel the crowd wanted to see get hers. (**)

Michael Cole, Matt Striker, and Jerry Lawler were introduced as the announcers tonight. Cole is way over as a heel.

LIVE PPV

1 -- Ziggler vs. Swagger vs. Kingston IC Title ladder match

Swagger was injured or cut early in the match. The ringside doctor wrapped up his wrist with athletic tape while Ziggler and Kofi battled. Some nice hope spots for Kofi that confirmed he's over huge with the kids. Swagger and Kofi yanked the belt down and Dolph grabbed the belt off the mat to "win."

WINNER: Dolph at 8:56. Good opener with some story-driven spots that didn't try to overdo it and kill the crowd the rest of the show. (**1/2)

2 -- LayCool vs. Beth Phoenix & Divas champ Natalya in a tables match

Beth did a trademark show of strength hoisting both Layla and McCool on her shoulders for a bodyslam early in the match. They slowed to a halt after introducing two tables including the Witch Table from Smackdown. They mixed in some false finishes that popped the crowd before Natalya executed a double Sharpshooter. More false finishes, then Natalya pushed both McCool and Layla on a table before hitting a top rope splash through the table for the win.

WINNERS: Natalya & Phoenix. Some slow spots, but an overall good showcase match for Natalya and Phoenix. Both are over and can carry the division going forward. The heels got their comeuppance for a nice payoff to the program.

Backstage, Kane cut a mixed face and heel promo before snapping.

3 -- Santino & Koslov vs. Nexus's Slater & Gabriel in a WWE Tag Title match

Santino with a comedy face promo before the match. They worked toward Santino getting the hot tag and setting up the Cobra, but Hennig ran in and took out Santino for a DQ. Nexus and Wade Barrett then blasted the champs with chairs to set up a Cena chant.

WINNERS: Santino & Kozlov via DQ at 6:28. Filler set up for Barrett vs. Cena later. (*1/2)

4 -- Sheamus vs. Morrison #1 contender ladder match

Sheamus was more interested in finding new and unique ways to work over Morrison's left knee than climb the ladder for the contract. No real hope spots at all for Morrison in the first 12 minutes. After Morrison won a dueling ladder battle, then tease spots started coming in flurries. They set up a big move where Sheamus went flying off a ladder through a ladder on the floor. Morrison then took it home with a nice kick strike after rebounding off the ropes on the ladder to climb up and grab the contract.

WINNER: Morrison at 19:09. Very good match with some innovative spots and a nice pace to the match for the audience to follow along with. The finish was excellent. (***3/4)

Good heat on The Miz during a backstage promo.

Backstage, Barrett and Husky found Nexus sprawled out on the floor selling a beating.

5 -- The Miz vs. Randy Orton in a tables match for the WWE Title

Very telling to have Miz's first PPV title defense on the undercard. Strong crowd reactions both ways during ring entrances and formal ring intros. They did a similar heel title retention finish as the IC Title match with Orton powerbombing Riley through a table, Miz dropping Orton with the SCF and dragging Orton in Riley's place, then Miz waking up a bumped referee. The ref called for the bell to give Miz the win.

Suddenly, the ref restarted the match when he saw a video replay. Moments later, Miz threw Riley into Orton, who flew off the apron through a table on the floor for a second win.

WINNER: Miz at 13:40. That was an overbooked mess. Geez. Might as well take the belt off Miz if they have to go to those lengths to give challengers an "out" for taking a loss to "undeserving champion" Miz. (n/a)

6 -- Kane vs. Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Rey Mysterio in a TLC match for the World Title

They threw everything in the book out here with some wild spots that were about 80 percent on point. The first ten minutes was just action crash and burn without much long-term selling or attempts to grab the title. Lots of teased finishes before Del Rio was KOed with a scary table spot, Rey was taken out via Tombstone, and Kane was taken out via spear through a table. Edge then climbed the ladder and retrieved the belt to become World champ.

WINNER: Edge at 23:49 to become World champ. They were given a lot of time and put together an ambitious match, but the big table and ladder spots were rendered meaningless at times with the lack of selling. It undercuts the whole gimmick. Good story told even with those critiques. (***1/2)

Rhodes out for grooming tips and with the played out 15 years ago "Houston, we have a problem" line. It's also Houstonians, not Houstoners. Probably the worst botch I've heard. Rhodes did a fat promo for the local heat. Some generic rock music interrupted and Santa and the Bellas came out. Big Show played Santa and bantered with Rhodes. Show ripped off Rhodes's clothes and revealed his wrestling trunks. Rhodes sold embarrassment and left.

Backstage, Cena took out Husky with a chair shot to the face. Barrett is the last man standing.

CM Punk was out for commentary on the main event.

7 -- John Cena vs. Wade Barrett in a chairs match

Very simple story early on with Barrett on the advantage with control of a chair. On stage, things became a bit silly when Cena grabbed an office chair from backstage and wheeled Barrett down the ramp into ring steps. The crowd tried to get re-interested with dueling pro and con Cena chants. The formula unfolded with Cena thwarting all of Barrett's offense and eventually nailing an Attitude Adjustment across a row of six chairs for the pin.

Post-match: Cena landed a chair shot on the ramp, then chased Barrett down for another chair shot. Cena then put Barrett under a board and pulled down a string of nine chairs hanging from the entrance staging. That was it for Barrett. Cena celebrated and credits rolled.

WINNER: Cena at 19:03. I don't see Nexus or Barrett recovers from this unless WWE takes the TNA approach that no one watches the PPVs anyways so they can re-write the story on TV. Formula main event to send the crowd home happy.

After the PPV went off the air, Cena celebrated some more while refs cleaned up the TLC debris. Justin Roberts signed off.

The return date is March 8 for a Smackdown TV taping on the Road to the WrestleMania 27.

We welcomes your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "WWE PPV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on the PPV, click here.

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