WWE TLC Results
December 16, 2018
San Jose, California
Results by: Adam Martin of Wrestleview.com
Kickoff Show Results:
* Buddy Murphy def. Cedric Alexander to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Title
* Elias def. Bobby Lashley in a Ladder Match
A video package opens the show focusing on Becky Lynch, Dean Ambrose turning on Seth Rollins, Ronda Rousey vs. Nia Jax, Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles.
We go live to San Jose as Michael Cole welcomes us to the final PPV of 2018.
Mixed Match Challenge Season 2 Finals
R-Truth & Carmella vs. Jinder Mahal & Alicia Fox
This match is also streaming live on Facebook Watch to open the show.
As announced earlier, the winning team will earn No. 30 spots in the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble matches next month.
205 Live’s Vic Joseph is on commentary tonight with Cole and Renee Young.
We start with Jinder Mahal and R-Truth. Mahal with a headlock takedown early. Truth with a cross body for a two count. Tags to Alicia Fox and Carmella. The Singh Brothers broke up the dance break and danced themselves. Truth tosses them out. Fox catches Carmella with a jumping neckbreaker. Carmella with a head scissors spinning takedown. Tags to Truth and Mahal. Truth with a head scissors takedown of his own followed up by a heel kick. Fox tags herself in after Truth connects with a spinning splash. Truth puts on Fox’s captain hat. Fox kicks Truth, but eats a superkick from Carmella. Mahal breaks up the pinfall attempt, but Truth dumps him over the top rope. Truth with a dropkick through the ropes to Mahal. Carmella gets the Code of Silence submission applied on Fox. Fox taps.
Winners: R-Truth & Carmella
Truth and Carmella have now earned No. 30 spots in the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble matches. They are interviewed after the win about earning Rumble spots and an all-paid vacation. Truth says they are headed to WWE HQ in Stamford for the vacation. Carmella was not happy about hearing this announcement.
Smackdown Tag Team Championships
Triple Threat Match
The Bar (c’s) vs. The New Day vs. The Usos
Corey Graves and David Otunga are joining Tom Phillips on commentary tonight.
We start with Kofi Kingston and Sheamus. Series of reversals early. Tag to Xavier Woods who drops an elbow over Sheamus after getting the tag. The Usos jump in going after Kingston and Cesaro. Jey eats an uppercut from Cesaro. Woods with a baseball slide to Cesaro. Sheamus catches Woods with a backbreaker. Tag to Cesaro who eats right hands from Woods. Tag to Sheamus who hits a double clothesline on Woods with Cesaro. Tag back to Cesaro who drops double elbows over Woods with Sheamus. Tag to Sheamus who prevents Woods from tagging out. Tag to Kingston who connects with a big dropkick to Cesaro followed up with a Boom Drop. Jimmy tags himself in as Cesaro catches Kingston, gets him up in a vertical suplex and Jimmy connects with a cross body from the corner. Jimmy kicks Cesaro in the head. Jey tags himself in and superkicks Kingston. Superkick to Woods, Sheamus and Cesaro. The Usos with a Pop Up Samoan Drop on Kingston. Woods breaks it up. Jey comes off the top with a splash. Cesaro tags himself in and tosses Jey to the corner. Cesaro gets a close two count on Woods. Cesaro Swing on Kingston that transitions into a Sharpshooter. Woods catches Cesaro with a DDT. Sheamus with a knee to Woods and tags himself in. Kingston rolls up Sheamus for two. Kingston with a step up double stomp to Sheamus and tags in Woods. Trouble in Paradise and Woods with an elbow drop. Jey breaks up the pinfall. Cesaro with uppercuts to both Usos. Kingston with a dropkick launching Cesaro out. Kingston with his dive to the outside taking everybody out. Woods with a shot to Cesaro, but Sheamus catches him with a Brogue Kick. Sheamus hooks the leg of Woods and gets the pinfall to retain.
Winners and still Smackdown Tag Team Champions: The Bar
We get a reminder about Vince McMahon returning to RAW tomorrow night to “shake things up.” Footage is shown of Baron Corbin’s run as Acting General Manager, including orchestrating an attack on Braun Strowman last month.
TLC Match
Braun Strowman vs. Baron Corbin
Before the match, we are reminded of tonight’s stipulation for this match. If Braun Strowman wins, he earns a shot at Brock Lesnar and the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble. If Baron Corbin wins, he will become the permanent GM of RAW. It’s noted that if Corbin loses tonight, he officially loses his authority over RAW.
Heath Slater, who was made a referee by Corbin, will referee this match tonight.
Before the match, Corbin grabs a mic and gets a negative reaction. Corbin thanks the fans for that warm welcome. He understands some complaints have surfaced about his performance as the Acting GM of RAW. Corbin respects what they think and here is what he has to say: “Too bad. Get used to it. After this referee counts to 10, Braun Strowman loses by forfeit and I’m your new permanent General Manager.” He asks for the bell to be rung. Referee Heath Slater begins the count inside the ring.
Slater reaches 7 and Braun Strowman’s music hits. Strowman walks out with his arm in a sling and his arm heavily wrapped up. Corbin can’t believe it. Strowman grabs a mic and says Corbin forgot to mention something very important: “You forgot in a TLC match, there are no disqualifications.” Strowman says if someone wanted to help him, someone “sick and tired of dealing with a crappy General Manager” and it would be “perfectly legal.” Apollo Crews shows up at ringside with a steel chair in hand.
RAW Tag Team Champions Bobby Roode and Chad Gable are also at ringside holding steel chairs staring down Corbin. Finn Balor is at ringside next with a chair in hand. Crews, Roode, Gable and Balor jump up on the ring apron with chairs in hand. Corbin tells Slater to get control and kick them out of the match. Slater removes his referee shirt and throws it in the face of Corbin. Slater with a big right hand that drops Corbin. Everyone is now inside the ring holding steel chairs. Corbin gets hit by everyone with a chair.
Corbin drops out of the ring holding his back. He heads up the ramp and appears to be done. Kurt Angle’s music hits and he walks out on stage. Angle grabs a steel chair and drives it into the ribs of Corbin. Angle cracks the chair over the back of Corbin repeatedly. Corbin rolls back inside the ring. Roode with a neckbreaker and Gable with a moonsault off the top rope. Crews connects with a frog splash over Corbin off the top rope. Angle Slam on Corbin. Balor with a Coup De Grace over Corbin. Slater puts his referee shirt back on. Strowman puts a boot on the chest of Corbin. Strowman gets the pinfall win.
Baron Corbin is no longer the Acting General Manager of RAW.
Winner: Braun Strowman
Tables Match
Natalya vs. Ruby Riott w/ The Riott Squad
The Riott Squad brought a poster of Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart out to ringside over a table that is propped up near the ringside area.
Natalya with shots to Ruby in the corner as Sarah Logan tries to get involved. Ruby slams Natalya down and follows it up with a big kick to the ribs. Natalya with a quick back suplex with a release. On the outside, Natalya sends Ruby face first off a table repeatedly. Natalya tries to spear Ruby off the ring apron, but Liv Morgan jumped up and takes the spear crashing through the table at ringside! Natalya fights off Logan with a shot. Natalya with a nasty slap to Ruby at ringside adding, “You want to mess with my family bitch?” Natalya tries a powerbomb over a table on Ruby, but Ruby counters and Natalya is able to toss her into the barricade. Natalya with a scoop slam on Logan through the table at ringside! Ruby fights off Natalya and then props the table with The Anvil on it inside the ring in the corner. Back inside, Natalya is able to lock the Sharpshooter on. Ruby pulls the table down and it hits Natalya on the head to break up the submission. Natalya has Ruby up on her shoulders and drops back in an electric chair. Natalya pulls a table out from under the ring with a photo of Ruby Riott on it. Natalya puts on The Anvil’s jacket and points up. Natalya kicks Ruby right in the face. Ruby responds with a kick to the face. Natalya is up top and Ruby connects with a kick to the face. Ruby jumps on Natalya in the corner. Natalya has Ruby up and powerbombs her back down through the table to win the match.
Winner: Natalya
A promo for Lars Sullivan coming to WWE airs.
Drew McIntyre vs. Finn Balor
Back and forth offense early. Balor tries to chop away at the legs of McIntyre. McIntyre responds with a quick clothesline and chop. Balor with a dropkick to the knee of McIntyre. McIntyre launches Balor across the ring with a belly to belly suplex. McIntyre was favoring his knee after the toss. McIntyre again launches Balor across the ring. Balor tosses McIntyre out of the ring and then catches him with a dive over the top rope. Back inside, Balor connects with a Slingblade and then backs up to the corner. McIntyre with a powerful tilt-a-whirl backbreaker out of no where to slow down Balor. McIntyre has Balor wrapped up in the corner and dives off connecting with the ring below off the second rope! McIntyre gets a two count off the pinfall attempt. McIntyre with a big shot to Balor on the outside and he smiles. McIntyre tosses Balor back inside the ring. Dolph Ziggler then shows up at ringside out of no where and levels McIntyre with a superkick. Ziggler grabs a steel chair, but McIntyre kicks it back in his face. McIntyre then tosses Ziggler inside the ring. Balor catches McIntyre with a big dropkick to the corner. McIntyre bounces off the corner and is down. Balor off the top rope with Coup De Grace to get the pinfall.
Winner: Finn Balor
Chairs Match
Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton
Orton has a chair early and cracks it across the back of Mysterio who was up on the corner and falls back down. Mysterio grabs the chair, hits Orton in the ribs with it, connects with a baseball slide dropkick to the legs of Orton and Orton bounces face first off the apron. Mysterio then slides under the bottom rope using the chair and splashes over Orton! Orton is propped up on a chair on the floor, Mysterio jumps off the ring apron, Orton moves and Mysterio crotches himself on the chair. Back inside, Mysterio with a huricanrana that sends Orton face first into a chair in the corner. Orton catches Mysterio with a snap powerslam. Mysterio jumps off the top and Orton throws a chair at him in mid-air. Mysterio cracks a chair over the back of Orton and connects with a 619. Orton trips up Mysterio when he goes up to the top turnbuckle. Four chairs are setup in the middle of the ring. Mysterio runs across them, jumps on Orton and rolls him up to get the pinfall.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Backstage, Finn Balor is interviewed about his win over Drew McIntyre tonight. Balor questions Dolph Ziggler getting involved. Ziggler walks up and says you’re welcome. Balor wants him to stay out of his business. Ziggler attacks Balor.
RAW Women’s Championship
Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Nia Jax w/ Tamina
The bell rings and Nia immediately throws Ronda to the corner. Ronda starts throwing jabs. Ronda with some kicks to Nia. Nia catches Ronda’s leg. Nia is teasing a right hand. Ronda rolls through into an armbar. Nia lifts Ronda up and dumps her in a powerbomb. Nia tosses Ronda across the ring and then follows it up with a splash in the corner. Nia sends Ronda shoulder first into the ring post. Nia follows that up crashing Ronda’s shoulder against the post using her hip. Ronda avoids a leg drop attempt by Nia. Ronda counters and has the back of Nia applying a headlock/sleeper. Ronda rolls into an armbar, but Nia rolls out under the bottom rope and swings Ronda into the barricade. Nia hits the corner hard after Ronda moves out of the way. Nia falls to the outside. Ronda climbs up to the top turnbuckle, jumps and catches Nia with a cross body to the floor. Back inside, Ronda connects with a step up knee to the head of Nia. Ronda then hits a modified Superman elbow. Ronda jumps off the top rope again, but this time Nia rolls through, picks up Ronda and drops her down in a big samoan drop for a two count. Nia with a headbutt. Ronda is able to counter Nia in the corner and pull her down into a powerbomb for a two count. Tamina distracts Ronda at ringside. Ronda avoids a right hand from Nia, jumps up and pulls her down into the armbar. Nia is fighting it. Ronda lets go and wrenches down harder in the armbar. Nia taps.
Winner and still RAW Women’s Champion: Ronda Rousey
Backstage, Nia Jax brushes off an interview attempt. She walks by Becky Lynch. Lynch asks her if she remembered breaking her face. Lynch attacks Jax. Lynch adds, “Keep my name out of your mouth.” Tamina runs up to see Jax on the ground.
WWE Championship
Daniel Bryan (c) vs. AJ Styles
Backstage, AJ Styles says the old and new Daniel Bryan are beatable. We get ring introductions for the challenger AJ Styles and champion “the new” Daniel Bryan.
Bryan messes with Styles early on by repeatedly leaving the ring. San Jose gets real loud in support of Styles. Bryan returns to the ring and Styles throws chops. Bryan trips up Styles, Styles with a huricanrana and then kicks Bryan back. Styles goes for his dropkick and Bryan hangs on to the ropes. Bryan hits the ropes right away and this time Styles catches him with a dropkick. Styles springboards over the top rope and Bryan catches him with a quick kick. Back inside, Bryan kicks the ribs of Styles and then catches him with a knee to the ribs as well. Bryan with big chops to Styles in the corner. Styles counters with a chop of his own. Bryan gets Styles in the tree of woe and pulls back on his neck from under the bottom rope. Bryan with kicks that sends Styles to the outside. Bryan catches Styles with his running dropkick in the corner. Bryan connects with a second running dropkick. Styles levels Bryan with a clothesline on a third attempt. Bryan avoids a Styles Clash attempt rolling to the outside. Styles sends Bryan face first into the ring post twice. Bryan yells at Styles to wait when he slides back in. Styles connects with his neckbreaker over his knee for a two count. Bryan locks the head of Styles, throws big knees and then tosses him backwards in a suplex. Bryan avoids a forearm from Styles, but Styles kicks out his legs. Bryan with body shots to Styles in the corner. Bryan avoids a Styles Clash attempt after countering a huricanrana off the top rope. Styles gets a half Boston Crab applied. Bryan counters, drops elbows and gets the LeBell Lock applied. Styles breaks free and connects with a Pele Kick. Both men are down. Bryan and Styles exchange shots. Styles connects with a springboard 450. Bryan powers out after two. Styles has the Calf Crusher applied. Bryan escapes when Styles tries to reapply the submission. Styles with a Phenomenal Forearm off the barricade to Bryan. Styles tosses Bryan back in. Styles attempts another springboard Phenomenal Forearm, Bryan moves, Styles nearly hits the referee, roll up by Styles, Bryan counters into a small package and gets the pinfall.
Winner and still WWE Champion: Daniel Bryan
Backstage, RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey is talking with Natalya and is asked for comments about her win tonight. Charlotte Flair is brought up. Rousey simply says payback is a bitch and walks off.
We get a reminder that Braun Strowman will challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble after beating Baron Corbin tonight.
Announced for RAW tomorrow night: Finn Balor vs. Dolph Ziggler.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
We get introductions for the challenger Dean Ambrose and champion Seth Rollins.
Rollins pie faces Ambrose early. Rollins catches Ambrose bouncing off the ropes. Rollins with a springboard flying clothesline. Rollins with repeated elbows to Ambrose in the corner. Ambrose bails. Ambrose responds with a quick snap suplex. Ambrose with a quick clothesline and swinging neckbreaker combo. Ambrose begins taunting Rollins and throws a big boot to the jaw. Rollins sends Ambrose face first into the corner. Ambrose gets the Texas Cloverleaf applied. Rollins is screaming in pain and reaching for the bottom rope. Rollins gets to the rope and waits until the referee nearly gets to 5 during the count before breaking the submission. Rollins catches Ambrose across the back of the neck with a leg drop. Rollins connects with a Blockbuster. Ambrose has Rollins up on the top turnbuckle. Rollins has his knee give out flipping down in a sunset flip attempt from the turnbuckle. Rollins is able to recover and connect with a Buckle Bomb to Ambrose. Ambrose with a knee to cut off Rollins. Both men collide attempt a cross body. Ambrose drops Rollins down face first. Ambrose crotches Rollins on the ropes and connects with a jumping clothesline. Rollins catches Ambrose with a knee. Ambrose gets his knees up during a frog splash attempt by Rollins for a close two count. Rollins with a superplex, floats through and connects with a Falcon Arrow for two. Ambrose extends his arm for a Shield fist bump. Rollins with a right hand and superkick. Rollins tackles Ambrose and tosses him into the barricade on the outside. Rollins powerbombs Ambrose into the barricade. Back inside, Ambrose catches Rollins with Dirty Deeds. Ambrose gets the pinfall.
Winner and new WWE Intercontinental Champion: Dean Ambrose
A video package runs hyping tonight’s first ever women’s TLC main event.
Smackdown Women’s Championship
Triple Threat TLC Match
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka
We get ring introductions for the challengers Asuka and Charlotte Flair and the champion Becky Lynch. Big reaction for Becky in San Jose tonight.
The championship is raised above the ring, the bell rings and here we go. Asuka with a dropkick early to Becky. Asuka with kicks to Charlotte. Asuka catches Becky with a spinning backfist. Asuka with charges to Charlotte and Becky in different corners. Becky with knees to the lower back of Asuka over the second rope. Becky launches Asuka with an overhead suplex. Charlotte dumps Becky with an overhead suplex of her own. Becky has a ladder and Charlotte kicks it back into her. Asuka with a Codebreaker to counter a spear attempt by Charlotte into the table propped in the corner. Becky is up on the corner, Asuka trips her up and then drops her down over the ladder! Asuka has the ladder setup. Charlotte climbs up, Asuka goes under her and then powerbombs her into the table in the corner! With Becky and Asuka on the outside, Charlotte is able to recover and connect with a moonsault on both off the top turnbuckle. Charlotte sets up a table at ringside as Becky cracks a chair over Charlotte and Asuka’s back repeatedly. Charlotte is clearing off an announce table at ringside. Becky runs up and hits Charlotte with the chair some more. Becky has both Charlotte and Asuka on the announce table. Becky brings a ladder near the table, climbs up, jumps, Asuka moves and Becky crashes over Charlotte! Becky’s entire weight literally landed over Charlotte on that spot. Back inside, Asuka is climbing up the ladder. Becky cuts her off. Charlotte is back in hitting both with a kendo stick. Charlotte keeps the kendo stick in hand and tries to climb, but notices Asuka recovering and hits her more. Becky cuts off Charlotte and hits an exploder into a table against the barricade! Asuka has the kendo stick and hits Becky repeatedly with it. Charlotte with a spear to Asuka into the barricade! Back inside, Charlotte stops Becky from climbing up the ladder. Becky tackles Charlotte and they brawl to the outside. Charlotte with chops to Becky. Charlotte puts Becky over a table and slaps her in the face hard. Charlotte flips and crashes over Becky crashing through the table at ringside. Charlotte is climbing up the ladder. Asuka cuts her off up top. Charlotte has her fingers on the title. Becky brings in another ladder. Charlotte dumps Asuka down. Charlotte switches to Becky’s ladder and they exchange shots.
Here comes Ronda Rousey.
Rousey pushes the ladder over with Charlotte and Becky on it. The fans boo in San Jose as Ronda leaves the ring and heads to the backstage area.
Asuka is back up. Asuka is climbing. She has the Smackdown Women’s Champion.