The Miz hosts MizTV and is assaulted by 3MB. They also go after the Spanish announce team, but are stopped by Ricardo Rodriguez and Alberto del Rio. The match between both teams is announced for later, and Miz/ADR will have to find themselves a partner.
On Twitter and in the Wrestlezone Forums, I praised WWE's decision to use the Spanish commentary team as a means to turn Alberto del Rio. It's been reported that they had plans to make the switch, but I wasn't sure how they could pull it off and get the crowd behind it. The legitimate pop that del Rio received when he made the save for his announce team shows that it worked. We'll break that down a little bit later though.
(3) Kofi Kingston def. Wade Barrett to retain the Intercontinental Championship
I don't like the pairing of Kingston and Barrett on paper, but I'll admit they proved at TLC that their style and size differences could work pretty damn well together. While the in-ring action felt a bit unpolished at times, I thought both men got in some good offensive in what was essentially a glorified filler bout on this card. But that's what it comes down to for talents that want to get over: can you take a spot meant to kill time and keep the crowd invested, and turn it into something memorable that the fans can take home with them? I'd like to think that Kingston and Barrett did just that.
Barrett has some of the best power moves in WWE. His Winds of Change backbreaker is monstrous, and has just enough rotation and force to look deadly to just about any opponent. Having Kofi Kingston sell it like a beast only adds to its perceived effect. I still don't like the Bull Hammer, unfortunately. I tried to give it time to grow on me, but unlike Trouble in Paradise – which has the same sort of anticipation – you can see it coming. There's something more about it that I just can't put my finger on, that makes it really hard for me to enjoy. It's a shame too, because the one thing Barrett has been missing since he arrived in WWE is a proper finisher the fans can get behind. Add this loss to the record books, and he's not doing so hot with the whole Barrett Barrage return.
They also may have over-played the matches between both mid-card champions in the month leader up to TLC. Those four guys were involved in so many singles matches and tag matches on Raw, Smackdown and Main Event that I almost took a bathroom break during their TLC encounter. I'm glad I didn't, because I loved their work, but the simple fact that I'd see them together in the ring and on commentary so many times since Survivor Series didn't leave a whole lot for me to get excited about.
Rating: B-
(4) The Shield def. Team Hell No & Ryback
I hate to be one of those guys that supports the direction of the PG Era, but this match is absolute, indisputable evidence that you can put on a Match of the Year candidate without pools of blood and good men taking unnecessary concussions. Don't get me wrong, this TLC was brutal in the purest sense of the word, but it was a sort of controlled, masterfully written violence. And even in that environment, any of the six guys in this match could have sustained a pretty severe injury had just one spot been off by two or three inches. I can't praise these guys enough for coloring within the lines, but still managing to bring some edge and much-needed ferosity to the product.
I'm also completely happy with the finish. The Shield picked up their first win in WWE, while at the same time the monstrous Ryback was still left standing. And after almost murdering Rollins en-route back to the ring, it's safe to say the Ryback will still have momentum when Monday Night Raw goes live tonight. I also loved how even though it was a 6-man tag team match, each Superstar worked both with their respective team, and independent of it as well. There were so many mini-stories that popped up during the match, all taking place under the bigger, more obvious umbrella. I'm sure the indy fans got a kick out of Daniel Bryan going toe-to-toe with Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose to an extent. Kane and Roman Reigns were logical choices to square off during the early going, which was eventually brought back into the picture when Reigns "hit Y" on life's XBox controller, sending the Big Red Monster crashing through the barricade, much to the delight of the live crowd.
I really can't talk up the storytelling of this match enough. It's everything you want in a match like this, and I'm sure they all received a giant round of applause in guerrilla post-match. If this is a sign of things to come for the Shield, and for the foreseeable future of the WWE, we're in for one hell of a ride. Oh and Dean Ambrose, don't think I didn't catch your little "Brainbustaaaaaah" homage; I did, and it was awesome.
Rating: A+
