WWE TLC 2017: The Shield and 5 Greatest TLC Performers in WWE History

The Shield has left its imprint all over WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.

Since debuting at the 2012 edition of Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins have battled showboats, powerhouses and monsters in a number of memorable outings. And they were poised to build on that on Sunday before illness struck.

WWE announced Friday that Reigns will miss TLC 2017 "due to medical issues." That puts The Shield reunion on hold.

But his teammates have shown they can tear down the house without him.

Who else has been outstanding at TLC throughout the years? Who has outshone Reigns and Rollins at the event?

The following is a look at those questions and who has proved themselves to be Mr. TLC.

Honorable Mentions

• Alberto Del Rio
• The Miz
• Sheamus

The Miz and Alberto Del Rio have some TLC performances to be proud of, but not quite enough to make the list proper.

They both clashed with CM Punk in 2011 in an excellent TLC match. The Miz excelled against Dolph Ziggler five years later. Del Rio did well in a four-man clash 2010. But that's it. Both men were involved in a 2012 six-man tag match with the Brooklyn Brawler that was played for laughs.

That won't vault them any higher than this.

As for Sheamus, he has two excellent showings to his name, against John Morrison 2010 and Reigns in 2015. There's too much mediocre stuff between those home runs to justify a higher spot.

5. Seth Rollins

Standout Matches

• The Shield vs. Team Hell No and Ryback (2012)
• The Shield vs. CM Punk (2013)
• Seth Rollins vs. John Cena (2014)

Rollins was a key part of perhaps the greatest match in the PPV's history: The Shield's crash-and-burn debut in 2012. And he had one of the best tables matches you will ever see against Cena two years later.

The Kingslayer's agility and gravity-defying style have been good matches for the stipulations seen at TLC each year. He's added eye-popping moments to the event's history as a result.

He just hasn't had a ton of chances.

Rollins wasn't around for either the 2015 or 2016 editions. And one of his Shield teammates just edged him out in his singles showdown.

4. Roman Reigns

Standout Matches

• The Shield vs. Team Hell No and Ryback (2012)
• The Shield vs. CM Punk (2013)
• Roman Reigns vs. Sheamus (2015)

Roman Reigns has essentially the same TLC resume as Rollins. But instead of diving around in the chaotic environment the PPV is famous for, The Big Dog has made his mark with sheer power. He has left ladders bent and security barricades demolished.

And when he had his first TLC opportunity following the breakup of The Shield, Reigns gave a more stirring performance than Rollins.

Fans began his 2015 bout with Sheamus booing, but Reigns was able to sway the crowd by the end. Plus, he nailed a career moment when viciously attacked Triple H after his loss.

3. John Cena

Standout Matches

• John Cena vs. Wade Barrett (2010)
• John Cena vs. Dolph Ziggler (2012)
• John Cena vs. Randy Orton (2013)
• John Cena vs. Seth Rollins (2014)

Consistency helped Cena nab a high spot here.

None of his outings were as good as The Shield's debut, but he has had four solid showings at the PPV. And he did so with a sampling of all that TLC has to offer. His bout with Barrett focused on chairs, his clash with Rollins was table-centric and he fell to Ziggler in a ladder match.

Throw in a TLC bout to unify the WWE and world heavyweight titles, and The Cenation Leader has quite the history at the PPV.

Had one of these showings been a classic, he would have ranked higher. As it stands, his TLC 2012 opponent was able to push past him here with more high-quality work.

2. Dolph Ziggler

Standout Matches

• Dolph Ziggler vs. Zack Ryder (2011)
• Dolph Ziggler vs. John Cena (2012)
• Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper (2014)
• Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz (2016)

Dolph Ziggler seems to be at his best when TLC rolls around.

He helped launch Zack Ryder's career in a loss to him in 2011. He and Cena thrived in a ladder match with the Money in the Bank briefcase on the line the following year. And he twice rocked it in ladder matches for the Intercontinental Championship.

Credit his dramatic selling, his willingness to fling his body around and a strong sense for storytelling. Ziggler has been a go-to performer at the PPV.

That's been good enough to outdo the immortal Cena and two-thirds of The Shield at TLC. A certain lunatic, though, has him beat by a smidge.

1. Dean Ambrose

Standout Matches

• The Shield vs. Team Hell No and Ryback (2012)
• The Shield vs. CM Punk (2013)
• Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt (2014)
• Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens (2015)
• Dean Ambrose vs. AJ Styles (2016)

After blasting into TLC history with his stablemates in 2012, Dean Ambrose has delivered each and every year at the PPV since.

He and The Shield made their Handicap match against CM Punk in 2013 more entertaining than most would have expected it could have been. He then flourished in singles bouts for the next three years.

His latest performance, a let-it-all-hang-out clash with AJ Styles has been his best to date. It has to rank up there with the best stuff we have seen at TLC.

Both quantity and quality are key to The Lunatic Fringe nabbing the top spot here.

And he will have quite the opportunity to add to his resume in a big way when he teams with Kurt Angle and Seth Rollins against five of Raw's heels Sunday. That TLC match is sure to be wild, dangerous and memorable. That's been Ambrose's M.O. since making his debut.