TLC 2009

- December 13th, San Antonio, Texas.
Attendance: 15,226
Buys: 228,000

ECW Title - Ladder Match - Shelton Benjamin Vs. Christian (c)

 The inaugral TLC PPV kicks off with ECW meaning Strikers on commentary, yay for us. Benjamin avoids Unprettier with a nice neckbreaker. Benjamin, kind of, lands on his feet from a monkeyflip then heads up a ladder. Match stops as a doctor checks on Christian who's been cut, booooo. Benjamin bridges a ladder between apron and announce table then slides under it when he's irish whipped. Nice heel kick by the Benj. Christian hits a reverse DDT, wasnt that his original finisher? off a ladder. Some nice athletecism by Benjamin with the ladder and ropes, then he powerslams Christian. They take turns hanging from the belt until Christian is powerbombed into a ladder. Sunsetflip powerbomb by Benjamin is countered to a hurricanrana, now Benjamin is lay out on the aforementioned bridged ladder and Christian splashes him through it which enables him to retain the gold at 18:07. ***1/2 - Very good, the doctor checking on Christian was annoying but not a detriment. I liked the splash at the end.

Intercontinental Title - Drew McIntyre Vs. John Morrison (c)

 Drews music is dire. Slingshot hurricanrana by JoMo as Drew soon bails ringside where he takes control of the champion. Suplex gets Drew 2. Drew does I believe his 4th rest hold so that's one every 75 seconds on average, that C I got in Maths finally coming in handy. JoMo DDTs out of a tilt-a-whirl, woah Drew was slaaaaaaaaamed *said in high pitched voice* on that. JoMos comeback is in full swing, missile dropkick gets 2. Inverted Alabama/Aberdeen Slam by Drew. JoMo soon, partly, hits StarShip Pain but Drew gets a ropebreak. Thumb to the eye and a Future Shock DDT gets 3 at 10:29. **1/2 - Acceptable match, nothing stood out but nothing was actively bad.

Womens Title - Mickie James Vs. Michelle McCool (c) (w/ Layla)
 I never liked McCool this was during the piggie James angle, Be A Star ... what's that? McCool goes ringside straight away, Striker says McCool is a shoe in for HOF, I know it's announcer talk, unless he's being serious but either way I hate him more now. Mickie gets some pin attempts early. There's nothing noteworthy happening and i'm not sure announcers have called anything in-ring. Mickie goes for a headscissors but is backbreakered. Hurricanrana on the outside by Mickie who is making a comeback, Michelle gets 3 via big boot at 7:31. * Moving On.

WWE Title - Tables Match - John Cena (c) Vs. Sheamus

 Champion can lose but not by pinfall or submission how conveniant. Sheamus was on ECW but went to RAW won a battle royal and voila. Cena fans were probably crying he's in the midcard. Lawler ' Cena doesn't lose any advantage these guys are on even terms' even though he has lost his championship advantage. Cena starts better but Sheamus stops the onslaught with a clothesline, Lawler ' I'd like Sheamus more if he was a corpse' so would HHH *comedy cymbal clash*. Powerslam by Sheamus after some knees then he avoids an AA. They're fighting on the ramp, not much has happened beyond punches and kicks. Fighting in the crowd back through to ringside, wahey there's someone dressed as Santa Claus, he's safe now Stone Cold's gone. Sheamus sets a table in the corner. Cena does his act dead then take a hyper potion for a full recovery, yes I played Pokemon recently, routine, AA connects. Cena sets a table as boos ringout, he tries for a toprope AA but Sheamus 'pushes' (Cena jumps back) Cena through a table for the shocking W at 16:21 15,000 people are like 'Say Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat'. **1/2 - Pretty boring but i'll bump it up as a) I sometimes likes surprising results and b) Sheamus was booked to win fair does WWE for breaking the norm and trying something different.

World HeavyWeight Title - Chairs Match - Undertaker (c) Vs. Batista
 Ah the chairs match, the oddbal kid that nobody wants to be net at school of the TLC show. Striker says a chairs match is the most violent that Deadmans been in and my hatred has risen again, i'm craaaaaaaaaaaaazy now. Anything other than a chair and you're DQd. Taker throws a chair in the ring almost KOing Charles Robinson. Chairshot by Batista then Deadman avoids one into the ringpost and mounts some offence, he then attempts Old School but Batista superplexes him for 2. Batista Bomb onto a chair is countered with a backdrop. Spinebuster gets Batista 2 but Deadman soon hits Old School, snake eyes but the boot is avoided with a spear, I like when the usual spots are avoided like that. Spinebuster as Deadmans head hits a chair, his mays may be rolling for real. Hells Gate is applied but Batista gets a rope break. ChokeSlam gets 2 now a Tombstone is signalled, lowblow by Dave followed by a chairshot gets 3 at 12:43 but teddy Long restarts the match due to the lowblow, why doesn't this happen for most matches then? *pauses for the agreeable murmours* Taker sits up and a chairshot then Tombstone gets 3 at 14:42. ** - Poor or maybe average, just seemed to be going through the motions. I dont like the Dusty finish, mainly cause  Idont like Dusty.

Kofi Kingston Vs. Randy Orton

 This is one of Kofis many pushes, this however is the closest he's got to the main event. We see Kofi doing kicks backstage, he reminds me of the guy in Mortal Kombat I think Liu Kang beats him, he has a stick and they're on sand. What the hay-ell is Kofis stance? Even start with counters but Orton soon has control, snap powerslam then the heel Orton speciality......chinlock. Kofi goes for a Boom Drop but Orton rolls ringside and in a nice spot he dropkicks a crossbodying Kofi. Multiple midsection stomps by Orton's been dominant since the dropkick. Kofi ducks a punch and hits SOS, did The Kof almost land on his neck? Suicide dive connects but Kofis ribs are hurt, he is mounting a comeback until Orton hits his backbreaker variation.  Boom (shake, shake the room) Drop connects, Trouble In Paradise almost gets 3 but Orton gets a ropebreak. Kofi is hit by Draping DDT but he avoids a Punt, a last ditch Trouble In Paradise misses and RKO gets 3 at 13:12. *** - Was alright in itself, I just have a problem with the booking, a Kofi win would've made this feud a big part of his career however Ortons W makes it more like a place holder in Ortons. Good match though.

WWE Unified Tag Titles - TLC - JeriShow (c) Vs. DX

 Lat tag main event I remember is No Way Out 2007 (http://wwe-jan-may.blogspot.com/2013/02/no-way-out-2007.html), but tag title mainevent would be IYH 23: Fully Loaded (http://july-dec-reviews.blogspot.com/2013/02/iyh-23-fully-loaded.html). DX have never been champions, though NAO did hold gold whilst in DX colours. Jericho beats on HBK as HHH gets a table. Flying forearm, kip up, scoopslam but Y2J gets his knees up to avoid the Big Elbow. I guess HHH/Show have gone for a cu of coffee or something, ah here they are, HHH is backdropped as champions are in control, they leave DX lying on the entrance way and head for the ring, i'm trying to remember a HHH ladder match between here and SummerSlam 98 but dont think I can. HBK touches the gold but Show pulls him down and cleans house. Heat for Jericho as he poses, HHH has been isolated as HBK is out at ringside, a ladder is placed in the corner which they hang HHH tree of woe style in and whip Michaels into him. Facebuster to Show as he misses a splash then they dump a ladder on Jericho ringside, who when back in the ring hits a codebreaker after ducking SCM. Show is climbing but HHH has a chair, BOOM KO Punch through the chair. HBK climbs but Y2J dumps him ringside onto Show, he climbs himself but HHH powerbombs him. Show breaks a ladder as he stomps it. As there's no ladder Y2J is on Shows shoulders but they get caught, Boom Sweet Chin Music to Show knocks Jericho off his shoulders and he bangs off a table at ringside, Show is clotheslined over and HHH holds the half a ladder up as HBK climbs for the gold at 22;31. ***1/2 - Enjoyable wasn't as car crash at the original TLCs but that's a good thing. re- JeriShow I enjoyed the dynamic of Jericho runs his mouth as Show is his guard.

18 / 35 - Nothing was actively bad but spme were average, basically the middle of the PPV. Booking wise Sheamus was surprising, in a good way and Kofi was dissappointing. The best matches bookended the show. I would recommend it as it was a good watch. TLC is my favorite of the gimmick PPVs. Historic aswell as Sheamus is 1st Irish Born WWE Champion and DXs 1st title reign.

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