WWE TLC: The 5 Best Matches in the PPV's History

Ever since the influx of gimmick PPVs, WWE TLC has always been my favorite of these new events. Over the past couple of years, this show has featured some memorable moments, such as the shock of Sheamus winning his first WWE title in 2009.

On top of that, us fans are treated to a night of big spots involving lots of hardware. Because of this, we have witnessed some very good matches in just two years from this show, and that trend should hopefully continue into 2011.

Here are my top five matches from the past editions of WWE TLC.

5) DX vs. Jeri-Show (TLC Match, 2009)

Although the win by Sheamus came with the shock factor, this match was still a little better in terms of entertainment and spots, even if it was a bit underwhelming.

Given the competitors in the match and its place as the main event of the evening, there were high expectations for this contest. Even though I don't feel they lived up to those lofty standards, this was still a solid TLC match. Innovative uses of the ladder were featured, and in the end Trips supported HBK on half of a ladder when he climbed for the belts.

I don't know if it was just me, but I was hoping for a Triple H heel turn at the end. Nonetheless, still a very solid performance by four respected veterans.

4) John Cena vs. Wade Barrett (Chairs Match, 2010)

I hated how Cena was booked to destroy the Nexus in one night. I hated that this was chosen as the main event of the show. And I hated the corny and pointless spot at the end when all the chairs well on a wood plank draped over Wade, effectively accomplishing nothing.

But this was still a good match.

Many people don't realize this because of the hate for "Super Cena" and his antics. I can't blame them, but this bout showed that Wade could hang in the main event. Yes, he still had some work to do, (and it seems he has succeeded with this latest push) but the poor booking of the Nexus towards the end cannot be blamed on Wade's in-ring abilities.

Cena and Barrett made good use of the weird chairs stipulation, and the AA on the chairs to end the match was a nice spot. Even though it was a good match, it will sadly be overshadowed by the extremely poor booking of Cena and Nexus.

3) Sheamus vs. John Morrison (Ladder Match, 2010)

How the mighty have fallen.

Morrison got the win in what was an excellent #1 contender's match that showed both men belong in the spotlight. Sheamus delivered quite a beating during the middle part of the matchup by using the ladder in a number of creative ways. For Morrison, however, this seemed to be the beginning of his run at the top.

What happened? Well he lost to the Miz on Raw two weeks later, hated on Trish at WrestleMania, and let Melina run all over his career, and now he is on his way out of the company. It's a shame to see that much talent basically go to waste.

Nonetheless, this was a great ladder match, with the main big spot sending Sheamus into a ladder propped up by the ring and announcer's booth. This was a great example of what the young stars in the WWE could do when given a decent amount of time on a PPV.

2) Christian vs. Shelton Benjamin (Ladder Match, 2009)

The opening contest of the inaugural TLC PPV has turned out to be one of its best matches. And how could it not be? Shelton and Christian are two of the finest athletes the WWE has seen, and their track record with ladder matches is extraordinary.

One thing that hurt this match was the blood stoppage a few minutes in. This was one of the first times that a match had to be completely stopped in order to tend to the injured Christian. Fortunately, both men were able to regain momentum fairly quickly and continue to put on a show.

The highlight of the match came at the end, when Christian hit a splash on Shelton through a ladder propped up on the outside. Although Christian got the win, Shelton looked like a star as well, and he is another man whose talents could have been used for so much more.

1) Edge vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Kane (TLC Match, 2010)

Now here is the match that should have main evented last year's show.

At first, it was announced that the TLC match would simply feature Edge vs. Kane. Although both men are veterans who know how to put on a great match, I was not exactly looking forward to the contest. The addition of the Rey vs. Del Rio feud was an excellent idea: it brought some much needed agility to the match and gave Del Rio a test run in the spotlight. 

Obviously Del Rio passed the test, because he won the Royal Rumble the next month. He also took the bump of the night, when Mysterio pushed him off the ladder and through two tables on the outside. Edge also had a big spot when he hit a splash on Kane about halfway though the match.

All in all, the finishing sequence told a great story, and Edge was victorious with his well-deserved 10th championship. A great win for a future Hall-of-Famer.

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