The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Big E) (c) vs. The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) – Ladder match for the Smackdown Tag Team Championships

Background: On the November 8 episode of SmackDown, The New Day’s Big E and Kofi Kingston defeated The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder) to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. A rematch occurred the following week, but NXT’s The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong) interfered, causing a no-contest ruling. On the December 6 episode, The Revival defeated Heavy Machinery (Otis and Tucker), Lucha House Party’s Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik, and Mustafa Ali & Shorty G in a fatal four-way elimination match to earn another rematch for the title at TLC, which was made a ladder match.

Previous PPV matches: This is a second PPV match between these two teams. The Revival beat the combination of Big E and Xavier Woods at Clash Of Champions.

TLC PPV Record: Kofi is 4-3, Big E is 2-0 and The Revival wrestle at this show for the first time tonight.

Match: The match starts on the outside for the most part with The Revival taking the early advantage. Kofi shows off his athleticism and looked like he may have injured Scott Dawson at one point but he’s ok. The REvival pick apart both opponents, double teaming each member of New Day separately. Kofi hits a nice seesaw move using the ladder but it brings back bad memories of Joey Mercury. Kofi hits a lovely springboard DDT off the top rope on Dawson and then trouble in paradise on Wilder. The Revival hit shatter machine on Kofi off the ladder but Big E saves the match for his team. Dawson looks tp suplex Big E through a ladder but Big E misses the ladder so Wilder lays Big E back on the ladder and splashes him through it. Big E hits a big ending on Wilder off the top of the ladder. Kofi then hammers Dawson off a ladder, he goes through a ladder below and Kingston grabs the belts to win the match.

Result: The New Day retain the Smackdown Tag Team Championships.

Review: This was a fun way to start the show. It wasn’t a match that will go down in history as one of the best ever ladder matches but it was decent. There were some good spots and the clash of styles worked well. The New Day retain tonight.

Rating: 6.75/10

Aleister Black vs. Buddy Murphy

Background: On the November 18 episode of Raw, Buddy Murphy went to Aleister Black’s locker room to challenge him, but Black was absent and Murphy claimed that Black was all talk and no fight. The following week, Black appeared and attacked Murphy after the latter’s match. On the December 2 episode, after watching Black’s match from backstage, Murphy was interviewed where he challenged Black once more. The following week, a match between Black and Murphy was scheduled for TLC.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

TLC PPV Record: This is a TLC debut for both men.

Match: There’s a nice exchange of wrestling moves in the early going. Black has a lovely arm drag to his reportoire. Both men hit nice strikes between the wrestling moves. The fight goes to the outside where Murphy smashes Black’s face into the ring steps and Black is pissing blood from his nose. Murphy grabs Black’s entrance gear but doesn’t do anything with it. Aleister Black has one of the most unique offences in the WWE today, he’s a great wrestler, striker and hits some beautiful springboard moonsaults. He hits a lovely running knee for a near fall. Murphy hits a couple of nice superkicks in the corner and then a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall. The two men exchange strikes and Black hits Black Mass out of nowhere for the three.

Result: Aleister Black wins by pinfall.

Review: This was a great match. I really enjoyed the style of this match, the strikes, wrestling and high flying, it was a fantastic match. Both men are great but Aleister Black may be the most under-rated wrestler in the company. A great win for him tonight.

Rating: 7.5/10

The Viking Raiders (Ivar & Erik) (c) vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson – Raw Tag Team Championship match

Background: The O.C. are the only team to have beaten the Viking Raiders and it happened as part of a gauntlet that Gallows and Anderson would win to be named the best tag team in the world.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two teams.

TLC PPV Record: All four men wrestle at TLC for the first time tonight.

Match: Erik and Karl Anderson kick off the match. The Viking Raiders take the early advantage, using their power. Some crafty double teams give the challengers the advantage. Anderson hits a nice spinebuster on Erik for a two count. Anderson and Gallows keep Erik away from his corner. Ivar makes the tag and picks up the pace. The O.C. hit the old Dudley Boy double neckbreaker and then Ivar hits ahdnspring elbow on both opponents. The Raiders hit the Viking Experience on Anderson but Gallows breaks up the cover. The teams battle to the outside and all four men get counted out! It’s a double countout tonight! That’s met with a “bullshit” chant from the crowd. The Raiders put Karl Anderson though a KFC sponsored table after the match.

Result: Double countout.

Review: This match was ok. It was a pretty standard tag team matrch that felt like it should have gone longer. It wasn’t terrible but there wasn’t a lot to it. It ends a draw which means the Viking Raiders retain their tag team championships. I fully expect this rivalry to continue.

Rating: 4/10

Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin – Tables, ladders and chairs match

Background: Prior to Survivor Series, a feud began between Roman Reigns and King Corbin. During the men’s Survivor Series match, after Corbin had essentially caused the elimination of their Team SmackDown partner Mustafa Ali, team captain Reigns performed a spear on Corbin, which resulted in Corbin’s elimination, while Reigns went on to win the match for his team. On the following SmackDown, Reigns called out Corbin, who claimed Team SmackDown won because of him, and stated that Reigns had betrayed his team by attacking him. Reigns challenged Corbin to a match, however, Corbin instead introduced Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode and Roode challenged Reigns instead, in which Reigns won. Following the match, a brawl ensued. The following week, a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match between Reigns and Corbin was scheduled for TLC.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time singles PPV match between these two men.

TLC PPV Record: King Corbin is 1-1, Roman Reigns is 1-2.

Match: Corbin has a line of security blocking the entrance way but Reigns disposes of them. The fight then starts up on the entrance ramp where Reigns lays into Corbin. It’s not long before Corbin takes control after avoiding a shoulder charge in the corner. Corbin slowly picks apart Reigns, using chairs and ladders too. It’s then back and forth as both men try and keep an advantage. Corbin hits a chokeslam backbreaker and then mocks Reigns, looks for a spear but runs into a boot. Reigns sends Corbin into a chair and then hits a superman punch for a two count. Corbin pulls out a can of dog food from under the ring and hits Reigns with it before chokeslamming him through a table. Reigns then hits a Samoan drop on Corbin through the announce table. Reigns looks for a spear on the outside but Dolph Ziggler appears and hits a superkick (or a superman kick as Michael Cole called it). Reiogns fights back with a kendo stick, taking out anyone that moves. The REvival then come out and lay into Reigns! Reigns manages to fight them all off and hits a massive suicide dive taking out everyone. Ziggler gets back involved and hits Roman with a zigzag. The Revival hit a shatter machine and Corbin hits end of days on a chair for the three.

Result: King Corbin wins by pinfall.

Review: This was a chaotic match and I quite enjoyed it. It was a slow starter but with Ziggler and The Revival getting involved it got pretty fun. Corbin wins tonight with a lot of interference and you can only expect this feud to continue.

Rating: 6.5/10

Bray Wyatt vs. The Miz – Non-title match

Background: At Survivor Series, “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt defeated Daniel Bryan to retain the Universal Championship. On the following SmackDown, Wyatt (as his Firefly Fun House character) challenged Bryan, who was now embracing the “Yes Movement” again, to another match for the title, which Bryan accepted. The Fiend then appeared and attacked Bryan, ripping out his hair. The following week, The Miz, who had been intertwined in the feud, said that Bryan had not been seen since The Fiend’s attack and stated that although he and Bryan did not like each other, they were both part of the WWE family, and he would find Bryan. Wyatt interrupted and wanted to “play” with Miz since Bryan had disappeared and wanted to become a part of Miz’s family, which enticed Miz to search for Wyatt. Later backstage, Miz found a photo-shopped picture of Miz’s family with Wyatt in place of Miz, after which, Wyatt attacked Miz. A non-title match between Miz and Wyatt was then scheduled for TLC, marking Wyatt’s first match since his return in April to wrestle as his Firefly Fun House character instead of as The Fiend (as Miz and Wyatt had never previously feuded).

Previous PPV matches: This ia a first time PPV match between these two men.

TLC PPV Record: The Miz is 3-4, Bray Wyatt is 4-0.

Match: Interestingly, Wyatt is fighting tonight as Bray Wyatt and not The Fiend. And this is a non-title match. The Miz dominates for much of this short match. He hits the skull-crushing finale but chooses not to pin Wyatt. The fight goes to the outside where Bray hits Sister Abigail, Miz beats the count back into the ring but Wyatt hits another Sister Abigail for the three. After the match The Fiend teases coming out, Wyatt pulls a mallet out from under the ring but before he can use it Daniel Bryan comes out and wipes him out. Bryan picks up the mallet but the lights go out and when they come back on both Wyatt and Miz have vanished.

Result: Bray Wyatt wins by pinfall.

Review: This was a bit of a dud. It wasn’t terrible but it was just short and disappointing. I don’t understand why it wasn’t a title match. Bray wins though and presumably he’ll go back to his rivalry with number one contender Daniel Bryan.

Rating: 3.75/10

Rusev vs. Bobby Lashley – tables match

Background: Prior to the 2019 WWE Draft, Rusev, his wife Lana, and Bobby Lashley returned from their hiatus; during the September 30 episode of Raw, Rusev’s Universal Championship match ended in a no-contest when Lashley appeared, called out Lana, and proceeded to make out with her. All three were drafted to Raw, and Lashley and Lana continued to torment Rusev with their love affair over the next several weeks. Lana explained that she cheated on Rusev because he had cheated on her first and that he was a sex addict. Divorce papers and restraining order were eventually issued against Rusev. On the November 25 episode, Rusev violated the restraining order and brutally attacked Lashley, after which, security escorted Rusev out of the building. The following week, Rusev once again violated the restraining order and attacked Lashley, though the security did not attempt to stop him. The security, in turn, arrested Lashley and Lana after Lashley shoved a cop and Lana slapped another. On the December 9 episode, Rusev and Lana signed their divorce papers under the agreement that Rusev received a match against Lashley at TLC, which was made a tables match.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

TLC PPV Record: Rusev is 2-0, Lashley wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: Rusev takes the early advantage until a Lana distraction allows Lashley to take control. Both men struggle to put each other through tables. There is a table set up in the corner but nobody goes through it. Lana cheers on her new man. There are three tables set up, one of which is outside and Rusev tries to hammer Lashley off the apron and through it but Bobby jumps over it. Rusev uses ring stepa and then picks up a guardrail and rams Lashley with it. Lashley spinebusters Rusev into the guardrail and then lays into him with a kendo stick. Rusev starts a comeback but Lana jumps on his back. Rusev shakes her off and Lashley hits a spear but Rusev doesn’t go through the table behind him. Bobby picks him up and suplexes him through another table to win.

Result: Bobby Lashley wins.

Review: This match was decent enough. I thought Lashley would win but maybe Rusev will get the win in the long run. I didn’t mind this at all and I think there is a place for this sort of storyline.

Rating: 6/10

The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) (c) vs. Charlotte & Becky Lynch – Tables, ladders and chairs match for the women’s tag team championships

Background: During the women’s Survivor Series match, Team Raw captain Charlotte Flair and partner Asuka had an altercation, resulting in Asuka spitting green mist in Flair’s face; Asuka walked out of the match while Flair was eliminated. A match between the two occurred on the following night’s Raw where Asuka, with some assistance from her tag team partner Kairi Sane, defeated Flair after again spitting green mist in Flair’s face. The following week, Flair lost to The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Sane) in a handicap match. On the December 9 episode, Flair approached former rival and Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch and stated that although she did not like Lynch, she disliked The Kabuki Warriors more. Lynch initially rejected Flair and then won a handicap match against The Kabuki Warriors by disqualification, after which, they put Lynch through a table. Later, they attacked Flair backstage and issued a challenge to Lynch and Flair with their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship on the line at TLC. Lynch and Flair accepted the challenge as a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match, marking the first women’s tag team match contested under the stipulation.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match between these two teams.

TLC PPV Record: Asuka is 2-0 at TLC, Charlotte is 1-1 and Becky is 0-2. Kairi wrestles at TLC for the first time tonight.

Match: The bell rings and all four girls go right for it. Charlotte and Becky are aggressive in the early going and throw Kairi to each other on the announce desks. Kairi Sane goes mad not too long after and launces chairs at Charlotte and Becky as hard as she can. One actually bounces back and hits her in the face. Charlotte is then pretty stiff with a chair herself. Sane then sprays a fire extinguisher in their face and Asuka whips a rope into their challengers faces. The Kabuki Warriors tie Lynch to a ladder with the rope and then double team Charlotte. They then nearly win the match but Charlotte lays into them with a kendo stick. Becky manages to break free and she and Charlotte lay into the champions. Becky puts Asuka through a table on the outside and the challengers double team Sane. Kairi then fights back and looks to elbow Becky through a table but the table doesn’t give way. Charlotte powerbombs Kairi through a table. Charlotte goes to the top but Asuka powerbombs her all the way to the floor and through a table! Becky fights off Asuka and climbs the ladder but the rope is still tied to it and Asuka pulls it down from the outside using the rope. Asuka then climbs the ladder and retrieves the titles!

Result:The Kabuki Warriors retain the women’s tag team championships.

Review: This was a really fun match. It was a match that could have gone either way but it’s the Kabuki Warriors that win it tonight. A huge win, especially for Kairi Sane who wrestled in her first main event tonight. A really solid main event and the right call to put this one on last.

Rating: 8/10