Ranking and grading every match at WWE TLC 2020

By Divesh Merani
Modified Dec 21, 2020 11:00 IST
WWE TLC 2020 was a wild pay-per-view.
WWE TLC 2020 was a wild pay-per-view.

So, that does it. A year's worth of WWE pay-per-views is finally in the books, with the last one being TLC. It may have only featured two matches based on the titular stipulation, but the show was filled with great wrestling, memorable moments, and a truly shocking ending.

There were only six matches on the main card at WWE TLC, all of which delivered spectacularly. Some of them provided good in-ring action, while the others provided moments. Either way, TLC was a very memorable affair. It might be among the greatest WWE pay-per-views of the entire year.

Every match at WWE TLC 2020 delivered

As has been the case more often than not in recent times, WWE did not put on a single bad match on pay-per-view. TLC joins some other top class efforts from the company during the ThunderDome era as a true creative success. It may have been predictable at times, but you wouldn't know it while watching in a bubble.

With all six matches on the main card offering something good, here is every match at WWE TLC 2020 graded and ranked, from worst to best.

#6 Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler vs. Asuka and Charlotte Flair (WWE Women's Tag Team Championship)

Put at the bottom of this list simply by default, Charlotte Flair's return match was pretty solid. She made for a great partner to Asuka, with that pair taking down the mighty Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler at TLC. The match kicked off with the nice surprise of The Queen's return, but it was quickly back to business.

This match did well in establishing Flair as the biggest star in the women's division, as she went through Jax and Baszler with all of her big signature moves. Asuka did a good job at complementing her in this match, but it was mainly the Charlotte Flair show.

The former Tag Team Champions' period of dominance may have dragged a bit, but it was made up for by the fire shown by Charlotte Flair. She and Asuka are now the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, which makes for a very interesting dynamic. Asuka is now a double champion following TLC.

The ending sequence was pretty fun as well, with all four of them being involved in some way. This was one of the best matches Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler have ever had as a duo, with it being much better than it would have ever been had Lana remained a part of it.

Grade: B

#5 Randy Orton vs. 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt (Firefly Inferno Match)

It is truly hard to rate a match like this. The main event of WWE TLC saw Randy Orton take on 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt in the first-ever Firefly Inferno Match and what ended up happening was shocking, to say the least. The action at TLC was pretty decent, but it picked up once the flames appeared around the ring.

Orton and The Fiend tried to kill each other by pushing each other in the fire, or simply dipping various weapons in it. Wyatt even sat The Viper on his rocking chair, before setting it on fire. There were several close calls, until the end of the match which saw both Superstars go for their finishers.

An RKO attempt was countered into the Mandible Claw, but Orton pushed The Fiend into the flames. A fire-covered Fiend entered the ring, only to succumb to the RKO. Randy Orton then lit a match and dropped it on the lifeless body of The Fiend, making for a very uncomfortable visual.

TLC ended with Bray Wyatt's monstrous alter-ego burning in the ring, while The Legend Killer stood tall. This match was completely story-based and the ending might be pretty divisive. Anyway, it was unique. Could TLC have been the end for The Fiend? This was certainly a way to ensure RAW's viewership figures improve from last week's ratings disaster.

Grade: B+

#4 Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods vs. Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander (RAW Tag Team Championship)

Adding to The New Day's long list of stellar pay-per-view tag team matches, this tag title contest at TLC was hot right from the start. An incredible flurry on Cedric Alexander saw Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods nearly end the match instantly. However, the young star managed to weather the storm.

Shelton Benjamin was excellent at TLC, proving to be the glue that stuck everything together for The Hurt Business. He showed how good he really is in several different spots, particularly when he caught Kingston mid-air when he leaped up for the Boom Drop. His superplex proved vital as well.

Alexander ended up scoring the victory at TLC, which sees The Hurt Business with the United States and RAW tag team titles. This stable truly is one of the best parts of the Red brand and should continue to be a highlight as 2020 turns into 2021.

Grade: A-

#3 Sasha Banks vs. Carmella (SmackDown Women's Championship)

This match was a true Sasha Banks masterclass. She showed up at TLC to have the best match she possibly could, with the results proving just that. Carmella was also really good in her role here, playing the heel challenger who might have had the Champion's number.

Everything that Banks and Carmella did was pretty smooth, as the match got more and more compelling over time. A series of pinfall and submission attempts were countered well, while both Superstars came close to winning on multiple occasions. A double Superkick from Carmella particularly seemed like the finish.

Even the interference from Reginald was well done, with Sasha Banks hitting him with a Meteora. The ending saw The Legit Boss submit Carmella, but not before a tough fight. Put in a tough spot following the insane WWE title TLC Match, the two were able to have one of the better women's matches of 2020.

Grade: A-

#2 Drew McIntyre vs. AJ Styles [vs. The Miz] (TLC Match for the WWE Championship)

This was a fantastic way to start TLC, with two of the best in the business going at it with weapons at play. It may have started methodically, but Drew McIntyre and AJ Styles did pick up the pace when it truly mattered. The tables, ladders, and chairs were all very smartly used throughout the match.

A battle between Styles' technical brilliance and McIntyre's immense strength, both Superstars worked brilliantly together. The story of the TLC match was the Scotsman's injured leg, which was in constant pain thanks to the chair and ladder-assisted Calf Crushers from Styles.

While both men were down, The Miz cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to make it a triple threat match. However, it seemed like a bad idea after Omos slammed him through a table. AJ's bodyguard looked great here, chasing John Morrison to the back.

The final stretch of the match saw Drew McIntyre, AJ Styles, and The Miz all on top of two ladders and fighting it out over who would win the WWE Championship. It was unpredictable and could have gone either way, before McIntyre gutted it out and retained the title.

This match was laid out well, from start to finish. What started as a tactical war ended in a Money in the Bank cash-in and shootout on top of a ladder. All three men did very well to make the ending as unpredictable as possible. This was one of the better TLC matches in the history of this pay-per-view.

Grade: A

#1 Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens (TLC Match for the Universal Championship)

While AJ Styles vs. Drew McIntyre started off methodically, this TLC match was intense right from the get-go. Kevin Owens attacking Roman Reigns from behind was the right thing to do as it kickstarted the match with a bang and instantly made it different from the TLC opener.

Jey Uso interfered early on, but Owens had it sorted. He smashed Uso's leg with a steel chair. However, that wouldn't stop from the former Tag Team Champion from thwarting KO on his cousin's behalf. This was essentially a handicap match, but the former Universal Champion more than held his own.

He took a lot of punishment but showed incredible resilience and hits Reigns with a barrage of moves, including a Fisherman's suplex onto a chair and a Pop-up Powerbomb through a table. Owens even had the match won, but Uso's constant interference proved to be his downfall.

The ending saw Roman Reigns catch up to Kevin Owens after a delay from Jey Uso, hitting a low blow and applying the Guillotine choke to send KO crashing down. That was what it took for The Prizefighter to go down at the hands of The Tribal Chief, looking sensational in defeat,

The heart shown by Owens at TLC must mean he remains in the upper echelons of the card, which is a positive. He was outstanding here, proving just how good of a babyface he could be. This was as intense a world title match as there has been, in the last few years.

Grade: A