‘WWE: TLC – Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2015’ Blu-ray Review
When you think about the Tables, Ladders and Chairs matches of the past, they have been about human wreckage and high spots. When the name was taken for the PPV event it lessened the appeal somewhat. Is WWE: TLC – Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2015 something different though? Surprisingly yes it is.
Starting with the Tag Team Championship Ladder Match, The New Day vs. The Lucha Dragons vs The Usos was as expected. The Usos may feel bland at times, but they know how to be a part of a high fliying match. I’d say that in terms of daredevil moves though The Lucha Dragons stole this one, with New Day typically being as entertaining as ever.
Then we had the forgettable match of the night, Rusev vs. Ryback. For me this battle of the brutes was ruined by the “when will Lana fake a fall again” angle that was obviously the aim of the fight. It lessened the battle they were having and made the match feel flat.
Moving onto Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger, this match reminded me why it is good to have Del Rio Back. The underused Swagger put up a good fight and there were good use of chairs (as it was a chair match) and it proved one point about the WWE at the moment. Some of the better performers are getting lost in the crowd somewhat. Swagger deserves some time in the spotlight, and this United States Championship match was a good start for him.
As an old school ECW fan it was good to see The Dudley Boys, Tommy Dreamer and Rhyno go up against the Wyatts. While there were plenty of tables and weapons around, WWE would never put on a true ECW match, or be able to create the magic that was part of what ECW was. WWE is a PG product, ECW was far from that. Still this was good for nostalgia and a welcome match for WWE: TLC – Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2015.
Kevin Owens vs. Dean Ambrose was probably my favourite of the night. Kevin Owens is so easy to like in the ring, he works the psychology of the ring well, knows how to play the audience and most importantly is a good performer. Going up against Ambrose who is equally as good in what he does, I expected a classic and got it. Though I know based on what is to come, they give us even better performances in future PPV events.
Charlotte vs. Paige is a match that shows that the “Diva” division is making the move in the right direction, though it probably will never have that magic that NXT has created in their division. In a match where I expected Paige to be the “heel” Charlotte showed her “Flair” for the family heritage and showed her true colours. The fact I am looking forward to the Diva match at Wreslemania says a lot about where the division is heading. Now just call it the Women’s Championship instead?
Sheamus vs. Roman Reigns in an actual TLC match should be something that we would look forward to. Honestly though I was treating this one as an afterthought, until it got going. The fact is both wrestlers gave it their all and actually put on a good show. Now we know what match is coming at Wrestlemania it was also interesting to see Reigns “losing it” and attacking Triple H after this. I actually enjoyed him finally showing some character as the raging beast tearing people apart. This is the side we need to see, even if it led to him turning heel. WWE needs more monsters like Brock Lesnar, and while Reigns may not be on that level, he can sure be a beast at times.
Surprisingly WWE: TLC – Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2015 was a good event. It remembered what Tables Ladders and Chairs used to be and brought all the weapons into the matches. With some high impact spots and plenty of violence, it’s a shame that WWE don’t leave the days of PG behind them and amp things up a little. I guess it depends on what’s “best for business” doesn’t it?
****½ 4.5/5
WWE: TLC – Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2015 is available on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK now.
