TLC 2019: 5 Things WWE got right at the pay-per-view

The final pay-per-view of the year, Tables, Ladders, and Chairs 2019 (TLC 2019), tried to end the decade on a high note and build towards rivalries for the coming years. At the event, we watched Roman Reigns take on King Corbin in an attempt to avenge his previous loss and humiliation. Fans also had the chance to watch the first match between Bobby Lashley and Rusev in their current rivalry, which has extended for almost two months.

Apart from that, the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Championships along with the WWE Women’s Championships were on the line during the evening.

Bray Wyatt was the only major champion to take part in singles action, as he defeated The Miz before being attacked by the returning Daniel Bryan.

In this article, we will look at the 5 things the company got right at TLC 2019.

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#5 Andrade & Zelina Vega

Is this the end of the road for Andrade and Zelina Vega?

The Kickoff Show witnessed a battle between two of WWE’s brightest rising stars. Andrade and Humberto Carrillo had already locked horns on Monday Night RAW after a backstage argument, but took things a step further at TLC.

Andrade was as aggressive as ever and went after Carrillo right away. He tried his best to keep the babyface down, but Carrillo found a way to fight back each time.

At the end of the bout, Carrillo once again managed to go over the former NXT Champion after delivering a moonsault. 'El Idolo' took out his anger on Zelina Vega, as Vega had once again disrupted the match, as she did on Monday. After the match, Andrade was frustrated with Zelina Vega and left her behind. This could signal toward a new move from Andrade, where we could see him appear without his manager from now on.

Andrade has a great record since partnering with Vega, and it will be interesting to see how the company handles him going forward. On the other hand, will they hand another client to Vega to manage, or make her a full-time in-ring competitor?

#4 An incredible mid-card match

Fans got to watch an incredible match right at the beginning

It’s always good to get a big non-title match on a WWE pay-per-view. At TLC, it was great to watch two of the most underutilized Superstars go head-to-head.

Former NXT Champion Aleister Black came out to hunt down former Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy. Murphy played a phenomenal heel from the start and utilized mind games against 'The Dutch Destroyer' during his entrance, clearly showing that he wasn’t afraid of Black.

The two men delivered arguably the best performance of the night and elevated the mood of the entire WWE Universe.

This wasn’t an easy match for Black who usually runs through his opponents. Buddy Murphy gave him his toughest fight on the main roster. After countless strikes and reversals, Black delivered the Black Mass out of nowhere to pick up yet another victory and continue his undefeated streak.

This was the right call by the company, as it helped them build both men simultaneously and give Black that push on a PPV he so very well deserves. It won’t be long before we watch both men at the top of SmackDown, and until then, the company should continue to utilize these two more.

#3 Big E’s build

Big E took some crazy bumps during the match

The New Day have proven time and time again that they are among the best tag teams in WWE history. At TLC, they defended their SmackDown Tag Team Championships against The Revival. The New Day did all they could to hold on to their titles, and the first big spot saw Kofi Kingston deliver a crossbody from the middle of the ropes onto his opponents and a ladder.

Throughout the match, fans were treated to some big spots and moments, but it is important to note that most of those big spots included Big E. He took some major bumps during the match to sell the intensity and assumed the role we usually see Xavier Woods take.

In the end, he delivered a Big Ending off the ladder to Wilder, allowing Kofi a chance to retrieve the Championship belts. This was a great tag team match, and it seemed like the company has now started investing a lot more in Big E than they did previously.

Kofi Kingston has already had his major singles moment and it's about time that Big E gets his big moments before its too late. One thing is for sure, fans will get behind Big E no matter what direction the company decides to take with him in the new year.

#2 The Kabuki Warrior’s victory

The Kabuki Warriors faced their toughest competitors yet as they took on RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair while defending their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.

All four women delivered some huge spots, but the focus throughout the match was on Asuka and Charlotte Flair. Near the end of the match, Asuka delivered a powerbomb to Flair through the table and then took out Becky Lynch to retrieve the titles after climbing the ladders. While it was good to watch Flair and Lynch battle together again, it was the right call to allow Asuka and Kairi Sane to keep their titles.

Even though the match was a bit messy, especially because of some brawls going on outside the ring, it was great to watch the women main event once again.

Asuka and Sane have proven to be excellent champions and heels, and a victory over arguably the best women’s competitors on the roster now allows them to extend their reign further.

The rivalry between Asuka and Flair will probably continue, and it will be interesting to see whether Flair will interfere during a championship match to cost Asuka and Sane the titles and further fuel a big match between the two.

#1 Daniel Bryan’s return

It was great to watch the old Daniel Bryan return

Bray Wyatt returned to the WWE ring as his “normal” self for the first time in over a year. He took on The Miz at the event after haunting his challenger for a couple of weeks.

The Miz was focused and determined throughout the bout, but could not match the mentality and the strength of the new and improved Bray Wyatt. After a good match, Wyatt delivered the good old Sister Abigail on 'The A-Lister' to pick up the win.

After Wyatt’s victory, The Fiend appeared on the video screen, prompting Wyatt to say "OK, I'll do it." He retrieved an oversized mallet from under the ring, just like The Fiend did at Hell in a Cell, and returned to use it on The Miz.

However, the company pulled the trigger and dimmed the lights, allowing Daniel Bryan to return at the PPV. Bryan returned with a refreshed look and seemed more focused and energetic than before.

He entered the ring and delivered a running knee to Wyatt as the WWE Universe erupted into “YES!” chants. He unloaded on the Universal Champion and continued to attack his rival until the lights dimmed again and Wyatt disappeared from the ring.

Bryan’s new look suggests that he will be a much bigger threat to The Fiend than before, and we could see him go after the Universal Champion at Royal Rumble.