WWE TLC 2015: 6 Most Memorable Moments in Event's History

Though only six years old, the annual TLC pay-per-view has provided fans with its fair share of memorable matches and moments, establishing itself as a fan-favorite of sorts.

From the very first incarnation of the event, featuring the crowning of a new WWE champion, to the rise of The Shield and the night of underdogs in 2011, the event has left fans wanting more on countless occasions.

On Dec. 13, World Wrestling Entertainment will present the latest edition of the event, with Roman Reigns challenging Sheamus for the world heavyweight championship in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs match.

With the company under pressure to deliver a blow-away broadcast, what with ratings down and fan interest waning, fans are sure to be treated to yet another memorable moment or two from today's crop of talented Superstars and Divas.

In preparation for the upcoming extravaganza, celebrate the most memorable occurrences in WWE TLC history, ranked according to historical significance and overall quality of the segment or match it took place in, with this journey back in time.

6. From Internet Champion to United States Champion (2011)

Credit: WWE.com

In 2011, a frustrated Zack Ryder took to the Internet to voice his complaints about the way he was handled by management. He did it quite unconventionally, creating a YouTube show known as Z! True Long Island Story and soon, he was the subject of intense debate by millions of fans who enjoyed the exercise in humor.

"We want Ryder" chants soon hijacked shows in arenas all over the country, the cheers for the perennial midcard talent rivaling that of The Rock and John Cena.

At TLC in December, Ryder finally earned the nod of approval from management when he defeated Dolph Ziggler to win the United States Championship in front of hometown New Yorkers in Brooklyn.

The celebration was fitting of a consummate underdog and was the product of very real emotion. The tears of joy in the eyes of his father as he celebrated with his son made the entire ordeal that much more memorable.

Of course, WWE Creative and management screwed the proverbial pooch and demoted Ryder back to the midcard.

5. Barrett Buried (2010)

The war between John Cena and The Nexus should have been the start of a major push for a youthful group of stars looking to change the industry.

Instead, it was a but another excuse to build a group of villains up for Cena to mow down while strengthening his star power and legacy.

At TLC 2010, with the feud well past its sell-by date, Cena battled Nexus leader Wade Barrett in a Chairs match.

The contest was fine for what it was, but no one remembers it for anything that happened in the ring. Cena won the match (duh!) and proceeded to take Barrett up the aisle and bury him under a huge pile of chairs.

That's right, Cena literally buried Barrett, bringing an end to the Brit's credibility.

To this day, some five years later, the current King of the Ring has not recovered, his career doomed to mediocrity when it should have been so much more.

4. Daniel Bryan Cashes in (2011)

Daniel Bryan has long been an Internet hero, someone respected for his incredible technical wrestling skills and sheer ferocity between the ropes. When he arrived in WWE, there were certainly dreams and aspirations of the Aberdeen, Washington native one day holding the top prize in sports entertainment, though no one truly believed he would.

After all, he was smaller than normal and did not possess the physique Vince McMahon typically looks for in a star.

That is why his victory in the SmackDown brand's Money in the Bank match in July 2011 was such a surprise. An even bigger one would occur that December at TLC, when he successfully cashed in his championship opportunity on Big Show and captured the world heavyweight title.

Bryan celebrated with thousands of cheering fans in Baltimore, his childhood dream having come true.

Few would have known it at the time, but it was the start of a meteoric rise for the best wrestler on the planet that would culminate with a grand main event at WrestleMania XXX.

3. Unleash the Hounds (2012)

The arrival of Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns at Survivor Series 2012 took WWE by storm, the idea that three fresh, young faces would have the opportunity to thrive at a time when the company desperately needed to change up its product.

At TLC in December, they were thrust into the spotlight, the result of an injury to WWE champion CM Punk.

On that evening, they would turn in a five-star classic, a true Match of the Year candidate as they battled Daniel Bryan, Ryback and Kane in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs match. In their first high-profile opportunity to show the world what they were capable of, The Hounds of Justice delivered one of the best performances of 2012 en route to their first victory.

It was only the first of many wins to come as the trio began to make a mark that is still felt today with both Reigns and Ambrose chasing the WWE title and Rollins already having held the top prize in the industry.

2. Celtic Warrior Rising (2009)

Sheamus exploded onto the scene just one night after the 2009 Survivor Series, winning a Battle Royal to become the No. 1 contender to the WWE Championship and earning himself a shot at John Cena at December's TLC event.

Having driven the titleholder through a table just moments after signing the contract for the match, it only made sense they would clash in a bout where doing just that would earn him his first heavyweight title in Vince McMahon's company.

Sheamus withstood the offense of Cena, eventually striking him and causing both Superstars to fall off the top rope. The Celtic Warrior fell to the ring apron while Cena crashed through a table, ending his title reign and crowning Sheamus the first Irish-born WWE champion.

It was a coronation of sorts for Sheamus, who became a legitimate main-event star that evening.

His run with the title was doomed from the start—the lack of convincing booking and subpar booking doing him no favors—but no one can deny Sheamus' run atop WWE today never would have happened without that monumental first pay-per-view main event and his victory in it.

1. Undisputed Champion (2013)

The 2013 incarnation of TLC brought with it a high-stakes main event pitting world heavyweight champion John Cena against WWE champion Randy Orton for the right to unify the titles.

The longtime rivals clashed in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs match, their legacies hinging on their ability to make history one more time.

In the end, The Authority's back Superstar Orton won the match clean, much to the surprise of the fanbase.

The outcome infuriated fans who wanted nothing more than to see Daniel Bryan hold that title, reaffirming his greatness.

But that could not happen without first establishing a champion for him to defeat months later at WrestleMania, which is exactly what happened.