WWE TLC 2014
The WWE TLC Kickoff Show ends with the panel breaking down the main events for tonight. From there, we head straight into the pay-per-view portion of tonight’s show, with the always-awesome, bad-ass video package.
After the video package concludes, we shoot live inside the arena in Cleveland, Ohio where Michael Cole welcomes us to “WWE’s version of a demolition derby.” After the quick intro, we shoot to the ring where our first match is ready to get rolling.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
– Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper (c)
Lilian Garcia quickly runs down the rules for a ladder match and then Dolph Ziggler’s theme hits. Ziggler makes his way to the ring to an enormous pop from his hometown fans in Cleveland.
As Ziggler makes his way to the ring, we shoot over to the announce table where Cole, Jerry Lawler and JBL officially welcome us to the final WWE pay-per-view event of 2014. From there, Luke Harper’s music hits. The I-C champ makes his way to the ring.
The bell sounds and here we go. The “let’s go Ziggler” chants immediately break out from his hometown fans in Cleveland. The crowd is absolutely on fire for Dolph tonight. Both guys head out to the floor. They each grab ladders and put them in the ring. There’s already four ladders in the ring now.
The carnage begins already as Harper smashes Ziggler into some ladders outside the ring. He throws Ziggler over the barricade and into the crowd before heading into the ring and setting up a ladder. As Harper climbs the ladder, Ziggler hits the ring and knocks it over. Harper lands on his feet, however, and drops Ziggler with a big boot to the face.
Harper sets a ladder up like a bridge. It’s draped from the ring apron to the announce table. He goes to powerbomb Ziggler onto the ladder-bridge but Ziggler slides out the back door. Harper quickly clotheslines Ziggler down to the ground. Harper heads back into the ring.
We’re back in the ring now where Harper has a ladder set up under the I-C belt again. Before he can climb, Ziggler returns to the ring. Harper switches his focus back to Ziggler and immediately starts beating him down in the corner of the ring. He takes a ladder and slams it onto Ziggler in the corner. There’s literally six ladders in the ring right now.
As Harper charges at Ziggler in the corner, Ziggler throws the ladder at him as he’s coming in. Ziggler climbs to the top rope, holding onto a standing ladder while doing so. Harper charges and kicks the ladder, knocking Ziggler from the top rope all the way to the floor behind him. Harper picks up a ladder and throws it over the top rope, where it comes crashing down onto Ziggler on the floor.
Harper hits a big dive out to the floor on Ziggler, but he has a very — VERY — bad landing. Harper landed very awkwardly on a ladder on his arm. He might’ve broken his arm just now. Ziggler sprints into the ring insanely fast and sets up a ladder under the belt. Ziggler begins his climb, but Harper hits the ring and stops him. Harper knocks the ladder over and now both guys are down in the ring.
Harper clothes a ladder and sets it in the middle of the ring. He goes to powerbomb Ziggler on it but Ziggler slides out the back door and dropkicks Harper, where Harper lands back-first on the ladder. Ziggler goes for the FameAsser when Harper gets up, but Harper catches him and slams him on a ladder wedged in the corner. These two are going to be sore as hell in the morning.
Harper puts Ziggler under the bottom rope with a ladder laying on top of him. He hits a slingshot, which launches Ziggler face/throat-first into the bottom rope, but with the ladder on top of him, he pretty much launched him right into the ladder. Creative stuff, but like many of the spots in this one, probably very painful. As a result, Ziggler is badly busted open — hardway. He’s bleeding badly now as doctors come to clean him up.
As the doctors attend to a very bloody Ziggler on the floor, Harper tries to sneak his way up the ladder in the ring. Ziggler hits the ring just in time to stop him. Ziggler is still bleeding pretty badly in the ring now. JBL says “the doctor has stopped the bleeding,” but he’s absolutely wrong. Ziggler is still bleeding pretty good. Harper grabs a bigger ladder and throws it in the ring.
Harper goes for a big move but Ziggler counters it, slamming Harper into a ladder in the process. Ziggler pops up to his feet and sets the ladder up under the belt. He climbs it, but as soon as he gets his fingers on the belt, Harper grabs him. Ziggler leaps off the ladder and blasts Harper with a huge DDT. Both guys are down now as loud “let’s go Ziggler” chants break out again.
Both guys get up. Ziggler is on the top rope with a ladder in front of him. Harper has another ladder and baseball swings it at Ziggler’s, knocking him down. Harper has the ladder around his neck now, long-ways, but Ziggler dropkicks it, knocking him down. Now Harper’s arm is bleeding pretty good. Ziggler blasts Harper with a ladder in the face, which knocks him out of the ring, where he lands back-first — violently — on the aforementioned bridge-ladder set up from the ring apron to the announce table.
Harper is laid out on the ladder-bridge as Ziggler climbs up the ladder in the ring. He grabs the I-C title but Harper knocks the ladder over just in time. Ziggler landed awkwardly on the way down. These two are both bloody and battered. This is one of the more violent ladder matches in recent memory. It’s not your typical high-flying, high-spot type of ladder match. It’s more of a Rock vs. Triple H SummerSlam, violent, physical type of ladder match. Ziggler on the top rope with a ladder. He leans foward, leaping off the ladder and landing on the middle rung of the ladder set up under the belt, knocking Harper flat on his ass in the process.
Ziggler climbs the ladder under the belt, but once again, Harper stops him. Harper sets up another ladder right next to Ziggler’s. Ziggler knocks Harper off his ladder with a big knee lift. Ziggler climbs back up and grabs the I-C title. He yanks it down. Ziggler wins and is once again the WWE Intercontinental Champion.
Winner and NEW WWE Intercontinental Champion: Dolph Ziggler
WWE Tag-Team Championship
– The Usos vs. The Miz & Damien Mizdow (c)
After a quick Tribute To The Troops commercial, we head back into the arena where The Usos make their way down to the ring. Our WWE Tag-Team Championship match is up next. Out comes the champs, The Miz and Damien Mizdow.
The bell rings and here we go. Miz and Uso kick things off for their respective teams. As they do a bunch of pin attempts back-and-forth, Mizdow is on the apron rolling around on his back, mimmicking it. The fans explode and completely erupt in applause for Mizdow. Now the “we want Mizdow” chants break out.
God, Sandow is so awesome. As Uso has Miz upside down in the corner, Mizdow does a head-stand in the other corner, mimmicking the actions. Miz gets thrown out to the floor, so of course, Mizdow throws himself out to the floor next to him. We see Naomi watching on from backstage as Uso hits a big dive onto both guys on the floor.
The fans chant “we want Mizdow” again. Miz points to him, doing his “you want me to tag him in?” thing, only to garner heat for himself by not tagging him in. JBL questions on commentary why Miz’s own hometown fans would be more behind Mizdow than their own guy.
The Miz decides he’s had enough. He goes out and gets his titles and Slammy Awards. Mizdow, of course, gets his replica titles, which JBL refers to as his “sub-titles.” As the two are walking away, Uso hits a big dive, which Miz avoids by pulling Mizdow in front of him. As Uso gets up, Miz blasts Uso with his Slammy Award. The ref saw it, however, and calls for the bell.
Winners via Disqualification: The Usos