BLVDAVE: The Hot Take REPORT: WWE'S TLC 2019 Recap Whiskey Sour Kenny

Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Hot Take REPORT: WWE'S TLC 2019 Recap Whiskey Sour Kenny

WWE held its final pay-per-view of 2019 when TLC took place in Minneapolis, MN. The Revival vs. The New Day for The SmackDown Tag Team Championships in a ladder match was first up. The match started with both teams slugging it out in the ring before the action spilled outside. The Revival took control when Big E was thrown into the stairs by Scott Dawson. Kofi Kingston was thrown into the LED board that is attached to the ring. Dawson and Dash Wilder tried to throw Kingston into a ladder, but he was able to jump over it and into the ring only to be smacked with it as he attempted to mount some offense. The Revival tried to continue their onslaught by isolating Kingston, but he once again avoided the ladder and hit a springboard dive onto Dawson and Wilder.

Big E got back into the match with a muffler stretch that he applied to Dawson's knee and Kingston hit Dawson with the ladder. The Revival seemed to be one step ahead of The New Day when Big E went for a splash to Wilder who was laying on a ladder only for Dawson to move him out of the way. Big E fought back and set up a ladder which he tried to use to put Dawson through it, but Wilder interfered and stopped him in his track. Dawson hit a superplex on the ladder and Wilder hit a splash on Big E sending him through it. Kingston attempted to climb the ladder and grab the championships only to be pushed off the ladder, but he bounced off the top rope and hit Dawson with a DDT. Wilder was met with a Trouble in Paradise spin kick from Kingston.

The New Day looked like they were going to retain until Kingston was hit with a Shatter Machine by The Revival off the top of the ladder. Big E speared Wilder off the apron and onto the floor and Kingston did a springboard off the ropes and onto two ladders that were set up. As Kingston tried to reach for the titles, The Revival trapped his legs in the ladders. Big E recovered and dropped Wilder face first off the top of the ladder with a Big Ending. Kingston used the titles that hung above the ring and hit Dawson in the face causing him to fall off the ladder. Kofi grabbed the titles and the seven time champs retained.

Aleister Black vs. Buddy Murphy was the first match on the main card to represent Monday Night Raw at TLC. Black and Murphy started with an exchange of dodging strikes from each other which led to a standoff. Black was able to back Murphy into the corner with kicks and punches after a series of armdrags, but the momentum shifted when Murphy dropped him onto the steps and busted Black open. Murphy applied an armbar and grinded his forearm into Black's face to inflict punishment on him who was trying to recover from a knee to the face and smacking face first into the stairs. Black got back into the match with a knee strike of his own and a springboard moonsault to Murphy.

Murphy used a charging Black's momentum to send him over the top rope and face first into the ring apron. Murphy looked to take things high risk off the top rope, but he was met with a pump kick to the face by Black. Aleister appeared to be going for the finish after taking the fight outside of the ring, but when he rolled Buddy back in, he was met with a series of superkicks to his already damaged face and a running powerbomb by Murphy for a two count. Black and Murphy exchanged kicks with neither man giving ground, but Murphy was able to withstand the blows and hit a few knee strikes and a brain buster suplex for a two count. Black went for a modified Dragon sleeper, but Murphy escaped, hit some punches, kicks and stomped on Black's foot only to be hit with a Black Mask spin kick and Black got the pinfall victory.

The Viking Raiders issued an open challenge to defend their Raw Tag Team Championships. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows of The OC answered the call to try and become four time champs in WWE and hand The Raiders their second loss both of which would be at their hands. Anderson was isolated by Erik and Ivar to start off following a powerslam from Ivar and Erick slamming Ivar on top of him. Erik looked to end the match quickly, but he was blindsided by Gallows when he went outside of the ring. Gallows hit Erik with body shots and a sit down chokeslam and tagged in Anderson who landed a kick to Erik's head and a spinebuster, but Erik was able to hang on. Erik made a tag to Ivar who got The Raiders back into the match.

Ivar drove Anderson into the corner and hit him with a running splash. Gallows got back into the ring and The OC hit a belly to back suplex/neckbreaker combo for a two count. The OC tried to finish off Ivar, but he hit a springboard off the ropes for a double elbow. The Raiders looked like they were going to retain after hitting Anderson with a Viking Experience, but Gallows broke up the count. The action spilled to the outside with Anderson throwing Erik over the barricade, but Anderson and Gallows were taken out by Ivar. As the action continued outside, the ref counted to 10, and the match ended in a double count out. The OC was not satisfied with the result and tried to use a table, but The Raiders fought back and drove Anderson through it to stand tall.

Baron Corbin vs. Roman Reigns in a tables, ladders and chairs match was up next. Corbin's security guards attempted to attack Reigns before the match, but they were beat down with one of them being thrown off the entrance ramp and another being slammed through a table. Corbin rushed Reigns on the ramp only to be thrown into the LED board. Corbin and Reigns continued their battle in the crowd as Corbin got into the fight by driving Reigns into a railing. Reigns was determined for revenge after dog food was poured on him last Friday by Corbin and Dolph Ziggler. Reigns threw Corbin over the barricade and then into the ring only to be hit with a Deep Six slam by Corbin for a two count. Corbin set up a chair in the corner after hitting Reigns with a ladder.

Corbin would regret his decision to set up the chair later on when Reigns launched him into it. Reigns tried to make Corbin pay by bringing a table into the ring, but Corbin hit him with a can of dog food and chokeslammed him through the table for a two count. The action went outside of the ring as Corbin tried to put Reigns through the commentators table only for him to counter with a Samoan Drop and drive King Corbin through a table. Reigns looked to finish off Corbin with a spear through the barricade only to be hit with a superkick by Ziggler. The Revival would join in on the beatdown and hit Reigns with a Shatter Machine. Corbin finished off Reigns with an End of Days slamming him face first into a steel chair for the pin.

WWE Universal Champion Bray Wyatt vs. The Miz in a non title match started with Miz backing Wyatt into a corner with knee strikes and punches. Miz had to be restrained by the referee on multiple occasions, but his onslaught continued. Miz would hit a series of running knees into the corner, and Wyatt showed little signs of fighting back other than briefly tossing him into the corner. Miz dodged Wyatt and kept coming for him. Miz hit The Skull Crushing Finale, but he did not go for a pin. Miz wanted to inflict pain onto Wyatt after Bray infiltrated his home and scared his infant daughter on Friday. Instead of going for a pin, Miz snapped Wyatt's shoulder out of its socket with Bray encouraging him to do it.

Wyatt went to the outside and rammed his shoulder on the barricades to pop it back into place. Miz went on the attack, but he was thrown into the time keeper's area and was driven face first onto the floor with a Sister Abigail. After Miz beat the 10 count by diving into the ring, he was hit with another Sister Abigail for the one, two, three. Wyatt was not satisfied with his work and tried to hit Miz with a mallet when Daniel Bryan made his return and beat down Wyatt with a series of dropkicks and running knees. Bryan attempted to use the mallet on Wyatt, but the lights went out and Wyatt was gone from the ring when they came back on.

Bobby Lashley fought Rusev in a tables match that started with them trading punches, but Rusev gained the upper hand with a clothesline to Lashley. Rusev tried to throw Lashley into the steel stairs, but he reversed it and drove Rusev into them. Lashley picked up a table as Rusev was laying on the ring post and smashed it in half on the post as Rusev ducked out of the way. Rusev was able to regain the advantage by picking up the stairs and hitting Lashley with them. Rusev introduced a steel railing into the match by hitting Lashley with it, but Rusev would pay when Lashley caught him and slammed him through the railing.

Lashley used a Kendo stick which left welts on Rusev's back beating him with it all around the ring. The fight looked like it was over until Rusev blocked a Kendo stick shot from Bobby, grabbed it and gave him a measure of revenge when Rusev hit Lashley repeatedly with the weapon. Rusev was about to drive Lashley through a table when Lana jumped on his back and Lashley was able to hit a spear and a belly to belly overhead throw through a table to win the match.

Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair challenged The Kabuki Warriors for The Women's Tag Team Championships in the main event. Flair and Lynch were on the same page despite their past and took the fight to Asuka and Kairi Sane. Sane was isolated early on and thrown from one commentators table to another by Flair and Lynch. Asuka threw a chair into the faces of Flair and Lynch stopping their momentum. Lynch was not going to be held down for long as she hit Asuka with a drop toehold on the chair. Flair took the fight to Sane on the outside, but The Warriors eventually isolated Flair and Lynch tying Lynch to a ladder with a rope.

Flair was hit with chair shots and The Kabuki Warriors looked like they would retain. Charlotte tried to untie Becky from the ladder, but was attacked from behind. Lynch was able to break free after getting her knees up when Sane tried an elbow drop. Lynch and Flair powerbombed Asuka thorough a table, but Sane hit an elbow drop on Lynch when they tried to isolate her again. Flair moved off the table and drove Sane through a table with a powerbomb. Flair looked like she was going to finish off Asuka with a moonsault through a table only for Asuka to rise up and powerbomb her off the top rope through the table. Asuka and Lynch were left to fight things out to determine who would walk away with the titles.

Lynch gained the upper hand driving Asuka out of the ring, but Asuka was able to use the rope that was tied to the ladder, pull it and bounce Lynch off the top rope. Asuka climbed the ladder and The Kabuki Warriors retained their titles over the 10 time women's champion Charlotte and Lynch whom is the longest reigning champion on the main roster.