Top 10 matches in WWE TLC history

Brian Fritz

Top 10 matches in WWE TLC history image

Absolute carnage.

That might be the best way to describe WWE TLC (Tables, Ladders, and Chairs) matches that have become some of the wildest and dangerous that WWE has presented over the past two decades.

The TLC match debuted in 2000 and since then, there have been 21 such matches providing unbelievable action and violence along with plenty of jaw-dropping moments.

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This Sunday night, WWE will present WWE TLC, airing live on the WWE Network. (Sporting News will have live coverage of the show beginning at 6 p.m. ET Sunday night).

Now is a good time to look back on the 10-best TLC matches in WWE history.

MORE: Everything you need to know about WWE TLC 2018

10. TLC 2011 – CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. The Miz for the WWE Championship

CM Punk had just won the WWE Championship the month before at Survivor Series, but his title was in jeopardy, having to defend it against two opponents. While The Miz and Del Rio worked together early on, that quickly fell apart as the match went on.

The Miz thought he had the match in hand when he handcuffed Punk to the middle turnbuckle and began to taunt him. However, that backfired with the “Straight Edge” champion dropped him with a roundhouse kick to the head.

Punk had to get creative to escape as he unscrewed the rope from the turnbuckle to break free and eventually win in what was the early days of his 434-day title reign.

 

9. TLC 2010 – Kane vs. Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Rey Mysterio in a Fatal 4-Way for the World Heavyweight Championship

Kane was the champ going into the match and had to fend off three opponents. It was an uphill battle for the “Big Red Machine” with Mysterio, Del Rio, and Edge trying to keep him out of the picture throughout the match.

Del Rio almost won as he ascended to the top of a huge ladder before Mysterio pushed it over, sending him crashing down hard through a table on the floor. Kane then put Mysterio down and out with a Tombstone piledriver before Edge did a number on him with a chair and speared him from the ring through a table.

The “Rated R Superstar” took advantage of the money to grab the title to become the world heavyweight champion for the sixth time and a 10-time world champion overall.

 

8. TLC 2016 – AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose for the WWE Championship

Styles and Ambrose smashed and bashed each other for over 30 minutes in this instant classic of destruction.

That included Ambrose hitting a rolling release suplex on Styles onto four chairs followed by him putting Styles through the announcer’s table with a big elbow off the top of a ladder. Styles topped that when he hit a Springboard 450 splash off the top rope that sent Ambrose through a table on the floor.

This match did end with a bit of a questionable finish, though, as the plucky underdog James Ellsworth came to ringside and turned heel, pushing Ambrose off the top of the ladder as he was inches from becoming champion, allowing Styles to retain his title.

 

7. One Night Stand 2008 – Edge vs. The Undertaker for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship

This would be the first TLC for “The Dead Man” and one he would remember — and feel — for a long time.

This was quite the violent confrontation and back in the day when chair shots to the head were still allowed. 

Edge’s good buddies Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder tried to help him out, but instead, The Undertaker chokeslammed both through tables. Taker then turned his attention back to Edge and gave him a Last Ride powerbomb off a ladder through a pair of stacked tables in the ring.

It looked like The Undertaker had the match when Chavo Guerrero and Bam Neely of La Familia (remember that group?) hit the ring and attacked him. That didn’t work so well, but it did allow Edge time to recover and shove Taker off the top of an incredible high ladder as he thunderously crashed through four stacked tables outside the ring in what might have been the biggest bump of his career.

As you can imagine, he was done for with Edge winning the vacant title. With the loss, Taker was also banned from WWE. That lasted a whole month.

 

6. SummerSlam 2009 – CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy for the World Heavyweight Championship

The expectations were huge for the daredevil Hardy to put on another showcase performance in a match that suited his high-risk style. And he wouldn’t disappoint against the now egomaniac Punk, who was looking to regain the title he lost the month before.

The signature spot in this wild affair saw Hardy climb a ridiculously-high ladder and take flight with a Swanton Bomb that put Punk through the announcer’s table.

The end came in dramatic fashion with them slowly climbing a ladder in the center of the ring and fighting at the time with Punk kicking and punching until Hardy took a hard fall leading to him grabbing the title.

As happy as Punk was for winning back the belt, that wouldn’t last long as the lights briefly went out with The Undertaker then in the ring and chokeslamming the new champ to end the show.

 

5. WWE SmackDown May 24, 2001 – Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz in a Fatal 4-Way Match for the WWF Tag Team Championship

This was only the third-ever TLC match and the only such match that has ever aired on SmackDown. Fans were treated to an incredible war that was given away on television.

Vince McMahon was hell-bent on screwing the Canadian duo of Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit out of the tag-team championship, so he made them defend the titles against three other teams.

While this re-used some of the same spots from the first two TLC matches, it didn’t take away from what turned out to be a hellacious match. Some of the incredible moments included the Dudleys giving Christian a 3-D off the top of a ladder through a table, Jeff Hardy delivering a leg drop from a ladder onto Bubba Ray Dudley that sent him through the announcer’s table, and Edge spearing Jericho high in the air off a ladder.

The story of the match was Benoit selling a rib injury, but he fought through the pain and was able to grab the titles to retain the straps. 

 

4. Unforgiven 2006 – John Cena vs. Edge for the WWE Championship

The scene was electric with the Toronto crowd firmly behind its hometown guy, Edge, despite him being the heel champ.

While the “Rated R Superstar” was no stranger to the TLC match, this was Cena’s first and only such match. He made it count, taking some of the biggest bumps of his career, including Lita pushing him off a ladder with him plunging through a table at ringside.

The climactic finish saw the two battling on the top of the ladder, but Cena getting the better of the exchange, propping Edge up on his shoulder and delivering an Attitude Adjustment with Edge taking a nasty bump through two stacked tables.

This match was a reminder of the amazing chemistry these two had in what's likely the most memorable match in their storied rivalry.

 

3.  TLC 2012 – Team Hell No and Ryback vs. The Shield

This was The Shield’s first WWE match and it was quite the debut with TLC rules on a pay-per-view. But the trio did not disappoint as this turned out to be non-stop action from the opening bell.

Their game plan throughout the match was to isolate a member of the other team that saw them triple powerbomb Ryback through the announcer’s table and Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins giving Daniel Bryan a double suplex off a table positioned on the top rope.

Kane was taken out of the match when Roman Reigns speared him through the ringside barricade with all three Shield members then burying him with anything they could get their hands on.

Daniel Bryan and Ryback fought hard, including the latter throwing Rollins off the top of a ladder onto stacked tables at the top of the entrance ramp. That left Bryan alone in the ring with Ambrose and Reigns, who finished him off with a double powerbomb through a table.

 

2. SummerSlam 2000 – Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Earlier in the year, these three teams tore it up in a ladder match at WrestleMania. They decided to take it up a notch at SummerSlam in their first-ever TLC match.  And did they ever.

This was 15 minutes of reckless abandon overflowing with crazy stunts, including Bubba being pushed off a ladder as he violently fell through four stacked tables outside the ring.  Even Lita got in on the action, as she sprinted to the ring and pushed Edge and Christian off a ladder, with both crotching the top rope.

The Hardy’s took a ton of punishment, with Jeff missing a Swanton Bomb from the top of a high ladder on the floor and Matt later being pushed off a ladder though multiple tables at ringside.

At one point, Jeff and D-Von were dangling high in the air, while holding onto the titles with the Dudley screaming due to his notorious fear of heights. He took a hard fall to the mat with Edge and Christian then knocking Jeff down and grabbing the title to a chorus of boos to remain champions.

 

1. WrestleMania X-Seven – Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz for the WWF Tag Team Championship

This was a pure spectacle as these men treated their bodies like crash-test dummies in one of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history.

This was the "Grandest Stage of Them All" and all six Superstars were committed to topping the previous year and stealing the show in the second-ever TLC match.

This was a barnburner from the start with tons of insane spots that saw run-ins from Lita, Rhyno, and Spike Dudley. Every weapon was used throughout the match, including some stiff chair shots and more than a dozen tables being smashed to bits.

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The signature moment saw Jeff Hardy trying to pull down the titles, only for Bubba to pull the ladder out from under him. With Hardy dangling over the ring, Edge flew off a ladder and hit a picture-perfect spear with the crowd in a frenzy and Jim Ross screaming, “For the love of God, Jeff Hardy may be broken smack-dab in half!”

Bubba and Matt climbed up the same ladder and both came crashing down at ringside through four tables when Rhyno pushed them over. Edge then held onto D-Von’s legs, while Christian sat on Rhyno’s shoulders up a ladder as he unhooked the titles to become new champions.

This was a masterpiece of violence and a demolition derby of storytelling that will stand the test of time.

Brian Fritz

Brian Fritz Photo

Brian Fritz is a contributor with The Sporting News covering the NBA and NFL who previously worked at BasketballNews. He is a 20-year veteran of sports talk radio in Orlando, Florida, after graduating from the University of Central Florida. He now resides in Durham, North Carolina.