WWE TLC 2011 Results: What CM Punk's Win over Alberto Del Rio and Miz Means

Finally, the creative team and WWE's management got it right.

The Tables, Ladders and Chairs pay-per-view event lived up to the hype.

Actually, I thought it was better than advertised. And for the first time since MITB, we had a final match that was worthy of the title.

We saw Zack Ryder get the title he deserved, Big Show take down Mark Henry and then see his World Title slip out of his hands and be taken by Daniel Bryan.

We saw Beth Phoenix continue her domination of Divas ranks; and we saw veterans Kevin Nash, Triple H and Booker T all sell it like they were kicking it old school.

In other words, there was very little disappointment for this fan—for a change.

But the match between CM Punk, Albert Del Rio and The Miz was everything I had hoped it to be. I wished in a strange way, there were more twists and turns, but it lived up to what it was supposed to be.

And for a change, we all went home happy.

Del Rio and Miz sold like they were champions, and Punk helped put them over. Not like they needed any help; but the current champion retained his title by making his opposition look like aces. That is the mark of a great performer and wrestler.

CM Punk does both.

What this means is that heading into 2012 and the Royal Rumble, the WWE is on pretty good grounding. It proved a few things tonight that make for the new year to be exciting and one where there is a lot of possible angles creative teams can take on both Smackdown and Raw. But the match of the night itself, for the WWE Title proved all three wrestlers will be heavily involved in a storyline for the title in the coming year.

Punk is a master at creating the story in the mind first before we see it on the mat. He is a mastermind—much like Randy Savage before him—of creating an image in our minds and building on it. Savage was solid that way.

ADR has no other angle than to compete for the title. The WWE has built him in such a way that holding the U.S. Title or Intercontinental Title is a demotion of sorts. He is a main event star, even though I don't like him; and the Mexican Aristocrat needs to challenge the likes of Punk, Miz, John Cena and others to remain a top draw.

The win by Punk also does a few more things for other possible contenders.

Miz is maybe the second best performer on Raw right now besides Punk. And the idea of a feud between those two is just what WWE needs, much like a Punk/Cena matchup, which I am personally hoping for again.

We can blame that on Nash.

Miz seems the most viable option to challenge for the title and maybe feud with Del Rio as well.

Cena could get back in the picture because he and Punk sell for each other like no other competitors.

The win by Punk leaves the door open for options. And it leaves many questions still left unanswered.