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Maybe it's that Christmas spirit or just a happy mood altogether, but the year-end of wrestling has been very giving to the fans despite those two lacklustre RAW shows.
And at the least, it feels the time to give WWE back for another inconsistent year ending on a fascinating high.
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There was no doubt heading into the night that WWE had a stacked card, bottom to top this is the best of WWE yet managed to leave out some noteworthy bodies on the roster.
It goes to show how at the best of their game the company can rally around one of the purely best rosters they've had and delivering a banging Yuletide spirit-filled celebration.
Of course, as usual, some lulls came and an effective disappointment for many fans (though mine own thoughts are a bit clouded), yet WWE managed something it has failed to do across the board at PPV's this year and that is consistency. This show was consistent and on fire for the last hour or so.
That it ended with four of WWE's top women then comes as no surprise, simply because this has been the year of the women's evolution and hopefully much like the entirety of tonight WWE keeps evolving for the better in 2019. Till then let's enjoy this Tables! Ladders! and Chairs! Ride!
#1 Still the Best Kept Secret
For the WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Cedric Alexander vs. Buddy Murphy (c)
Not just Buddy Murphy, but the resurrection of 205 Live may well go down as the most underrated moment of 2018. It's no surprise that the kick off show started hot, or that it nearly stole the show especially with the talent involved.
It is however sad that one part of you really wants these guys to get the bigger stage especially since the reactions are gathering heat, yet the other part knows out of Vince McMahon's radar is how they will shine.
The slow breakdown of Cedric Alexander continues, as he fails to put away Murphy when it truly matters. At the same time, Buddy is simply untouchable, on a level undeniable he has taken to the division with a hammer.
These two are far from done, though hopefully, Murphy can move on to some other competition as well.
Meanwhile, it's time the next chapter of Alexander kicked into second gear, maybe the soul of 205 live needs to do some soul-searching and possibly go deeper into the abyss of crazy so many faces have this year. It could end up being a toxin to destroy 205 Live's heart (Mustafa Ali) as well.
Meanwhile, the juggernaut rolls on.
Result: Buddy Murphy invokes Murphy's Law to pin Cedric Alexander and retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship!
Rating:
#2 Nothing to Sing About
Ladder Match: Elias vs. Bobby Lashley/w Lio Rush
What is WWE doing? It's unfortunate that despite a much-needed heel turn, WWE has managed to make Lashley even worse than he was as a smiling babyface.
This is, in fact, a recurring issue with the company and the match suffered for it. The babyface love for Elias is still voluminous thankfully, adding a bit of fire to proceedings before it turned into a drag.
Worse of, the stipulation really had no weight neither did the result of seeing the Drifter pick up a big win.
Lashley and Rush's post-match beatdown is bound to result in a rematch. If we know WWE as well as we do, this one could end up the other way adding to the dull fifty-fifty booking within the already dead feud.
Result: Elias plucks the guitar to win but is smashed down by Lashley at the end.
Rating:
#3 Mixed Match Mania
Mixed Match Challenge Finals for the Royal Rumble No. 30 spot and A Holiday of choosing: Carmella and R-Truth vs. Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox/w the Singh Brothers
WWE's lack of planning backfired on them badly with this cursed sequel to the fun Mixed Match Challenge.
The MMC featured a round-robin tourney that eventually didn't matter because WWE upped the stakes and needed its winning teams early on to feature elsewhere on this PPV.
So instead we got the lucky couples of Mahalicia (Fox and Mahal) and Fab-Truth (Truth and Carmella).
Even then the foursome specifically the latter brought their A-Game to a typically fun and inconsequential match.
Truth and Carmella especially have found their niche in the division, with harmless comedy along with the always fun dance breaks.
A shout out to Alicia Fox who is also decent in her crazy role and acted as the perfect foil for 'Mella, keeping the Jinder involvement to a minimum.
Carmella's time at the top early this year has done her a world of good with the improvement showing in some smooth transitions.
Her final counter to get Fox into the Code of Silence was a stellar movement and a fine way to win the match.
As usual, R-Truth upped the hilarity, announcing that his team's holiday would take place at the WWE headquarters (way to cheap out WWE!).
Still, that number 30 spot is a cushy prize, though clearly a set up for some comedy shenanigans.
Result: Carmella locks the code of silence as Fox taps out to give Fab-Truth the win!
Rating:
#4 Like Clockwork
For the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championships: The Bar [Sheamus and Cesaro] (c) vs. Usos [Jimmy and Jey] vs. The New Day [Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods]/w Big E
At this point, it's silly to even think that three teams won't deliver. Once more in the intriguing three-way tag match with two teams in the ring while the other waits for an opening, these three put on a simple efficient clinic.
They neither stole the show nor dragged the viewers down, giving an easily executed show that put over the Bar while also keeping the Usos strong for their showing but lack of time in the match.
The same time New Day lose nothing, especially with the team weirdly opting to keep Big E at bay. The Smackdown tag team division surely needs a few more bodies but with the RAW version dragging its feet; this was a sure shot great thing to see.
A lot of the early fire came from the rivalry of the Bar and New Day, with the Usos getting much love by the WWE universe.
It's clear they are the prime challengers and the team of the division if what we've seen from the champions and Usos in the past two years their feud will be on fire.
Meanwhile, WWE can find New Day a space to resurrect the rest of the potential division. Tag team wrestling can mean something and this match showed it.
Result: The Bar sneaks away with the win on the New Day to retain the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championships!
Rating:
#5 A Satisfying Angle!
TLC Match, if Baron Wins he is Permanent GM/if Braun wins he gets a Universal Championship Match: Baron Corbin vs. Braun Strowman
The pun is absolutely intended with the title as WWE did right by the viewers having Baron Corbin pay for his crimes against the WWE roster.
The foolish General Manager elect got just desserts as an injured Strowman revealed he has brought some backup.
Though WWE's pretense that Braun's ill-timed heel turn in the summer didn't happen, it's for the best as the roar for the Monster among Men is still at a high.
Baron Corbin gloated of his definite win until Strowman made his return with one arm in a sling, he managed to gather backup in the form of Apollo Crews, Roode and Gable as well as Finn Balor.
The icing on the cake, a return for Kurt Angle who put a whooping on Baron before Heath Slater tore off his shirt and in a roof-raising scened decked Corbin.
Sometimes the simplest things work and letting the faces stand tall is one of them. Kudos on WWE delivering on a change of effect and hopefully Corey Graves overtly telegraphed belief that Vince McMahon will reinstate Corbin on Monday does not come true.
Even with the smaller jarring points brushed away with the tag team champions feeling overpowered by Corbin but also Drew McIntyre not making the save for his so-called friend.
Result: With one foot on his chest, Braun Strowman pinned Baron Corbin to win and punch his ticket for Royal Rumble!
Rating: N/A as this was more of an angle and not a match!
#6 A Hart runs Riott
Tables Match: Natalya vs. Ruby Riott/w Riott Squad (Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan)
For all its tastelessness and continuous need to insult the Harts at their lowest, WWE did the smart thing to not revert to type and give the veteran Natalya one hell of a showcase.
Though the use of Jim Neidhart (and his image on a table brought by the Riott Squad) is as horrible, the way the match pulled it off especially with Natalya using a Ruby Riott printed table is clever.
She also pulled off the quintessential Neidhart shades and coat for a boisterous crowd.
This has been a trying time for the Queen of Harts, also providing one of her best matches in a long time.
The credit cannot fall one way as Ruby Riott picked her spots with great heat generating for the crowd, she's a terrific worker who needs a push to the top.
At the same time, her band is just as ever improving with Liv really putting her body on the line for an epic spot while Sarah has shown the same. Some botches aside, these women deserve a bow.
It's hard to judge where Natalya goes next and WWE should wisen up and not have her turn on Rousey as rumored.
She should move on from the squad though, hopefully, a great moment at the Rumble is incoming not just for her but all four hard-working women.
A decent mid-card match such as this one is proof that the women's division on both shows is surely but slowly building into the best yet.
Result: Natalya pulls off a cathartic victory to smash Ruby through the table and win the match!
Rating:
#7 Luck of the Irish and the Zigglish!
Finn Balor vs. Drew McIntyre
There's a layer of smart booking to the way WWE has managed to give Finn Balor some babyface fire while protecting Drew McIntyre as we head along.
That his rivalry with Balor has the wrinkle of Dolph Ziggler to deal with and that Balor and Ziggler also have no love lost provides for an intriguing road to Wrestlemania for this trio.
Balor netted an upset win, especially since he didn't come out in Demon makeup and should take the fall for a Psychopath en route to a possible Rumble win.
Still, with Ziggler's interference and a chair shot, Drew loses nothing in defeat but instead adds a vulnerability to his armor especially with Corbin gone as well.
Drew though needs no one and the combustible elements of Ziggler and Balor (a possibly good tag team) need to get that into their skulls. Maybe a claymore will do the trick.
Coming to the match, these two put on a typically decent outing though nothing that would blow your mind.
It seems like they've left enough for later in the tank and while it's great to see Balor positioned as a fighting babyface, the heat spots with McIntyre in control and Balor's general lack of character needs definition. Hopefully, a stellar triple threat is down the line.
Result: Finn Balor kicks a chair-wielding Drew McIntyre to get an easy but questionable win!
Rating:
#8 Spiking the Venom
Chairs Match: Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio
It's understandable that with Rey Mysterio being the new shiny (or in this case returning shiny) toy for the WWE that they'd want to protect him, yet the ruthless Randy of this year needed the edge in this particular match especially if he's set for a blockbuster Wrestlemania against AJ Styles.
The common consensus was fans seeing Randy tear viciously into another babyface like Jeff Hardy and though he prepared for it; Rey got one up on him for a win.
The match itself featured some hard-hitting chair spots, yet nothing to write home about. This is a stipulation that requires innovation, yet none came of it.
It's methodical pace, a staple of Orton trappings in the second act and pretty much all round lethargy after a consistent high means that this is the only unworthy dud on the main card.
Still, it's fun to see Mysterio once again fly around the ring and hopefully, there's a lot more to come as the road to Wrestlemania heats up!
Result: Rey Mysterio smacks Randy Orton on his way to a win!
Rating:
#9 A Kiss Goodnight
For WWE RAW Women's Championship: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Nia Jax/w Tamina
Kudos to WWE, a heavy bit of vitriol directed towards Nia Jax was perfectly used for some mega heat and once done with they did the right thing by having Ronda Rousey go over strong to end the year.
Say what you will about the Rowdy one, but it has been a phenomenal rookie year in the division. Much like her counterparts later on in the night, she deserves the tag of a headliner.
Nia did her bit well, while Tamina smartly was kept to a minimum as the match fit perfectly in the mode of genre archetypes that have platformed Rousey for greatness.
Unlike their first bang up hoss fight, this got a wrinkle with Nia's dangerous punch as the two played a classic David versus Goliath story.
Showcasing shades of Muhammed Ali, Rousey glides across the ring keeping her distance from a wrecking machine like Nia Jax.
Jax playing to her type and well-established image of an unpolished (and undeserving) combatant just let loose.
It's interesting to note that these two might just have the best chemistry with one another and when Jax's hopefully really ready we can see a lengthier programme for the two.
So far, here we got a clash of fascinating styles and letting the underdog Rousey loose with more MMA skills to showcase meant something.
The end sequence highlights why Rousey is so intuitive with the working mechanics of pro wrestling, her eyes dead set on a scared Tamina while she kisses Nia's destructive hand goodbye with a painful armbar.
A tap out and cut to black later, WWE added a cherry to this delicious cake as Becky Lynch conked Nia backstage for payback.
Result: Ronda Rousey to a roaring approval smacks the armbar on Nia Jax to make her tap and win to retain the WWE RAW Women's Championship!
Rating:
#10 Classic Styles vs. Classic Danielson
For the WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Daniel Bryan (c) vs. AJ Styles
WWE can shout out all they want about this being the "new" Daniel Bryan all they want, but true wrestling fans know that the current rise of the former Yes Man is only because he's finally tapping into what made him such an independent wrestling legend.
The Daniel Bryan of old has given way for the ruthless Bryan Danielson from Ring of Honor/Dragon Gate and the world over.
His antics are priceless as he got a rise out of AJ Styles, finally bereft of the championship he has fought for through some psychological wars in the year.
Styles has fractured under them and like a jackal Bryan picked the pieces providing us this classic mat based matchup as the two men had every counter for the other.
That despite a clearly lengthy reign in his future, the story managed to convince that AJ Styles might win is a testament to their talents.
Tapping into the best and deepest of their past personas, these two men on a night they would be overshadowed have provided fans a dark horse match for the best of lists at the end of the year.
It's been a phenomenal year for both Styles and Bryan, hope is 2019 gives us more of them even till WrestleMania.
I'm sure the fans won't mind one bit and it'll happily pay off the somewhat sneaky ending here with Bryan's patented small package.
Result: Daniel Bryan rolls up Styles for a quick pin and win to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship!
Rating:
#11 A Christmas Anomaly
For the Intercontinental Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
Maybe it's the fact that it is the Christmas season, making me a bit generous. Or the fact that these two are the best storytellers in the roster, regardless of how their story goes.
Or maybe I'm just biased for the love of the SHIELD saga. But unlike many in attendance and at home, I didn't find as much wrong with what is a downer between the former SHIELD brothers.
Sure you don't start such a heated match with a grapple, sure the feed went out causing me to only see the fiery final sequence and sure these two have had better face-offs.
Yet this one, all things considered, had quality if unsubtle callbacks to their shared and individual pasts.
The commentary too felt on point with Renne forced to take a stand for Ambrose, as Cole smartly played mediator between her and a needling Corey Graves reminding him of his own bias towards Seth Rollins.
Yet they just as much distracted from the in-ring proceedings that had an awkward stop-start feel to it undoubtedly, still, it was good for the given material that has disappointed between the two.
WWE's clever insight sees Dean acting against type ever so slightly and heeling it up in a way unexpected for fans if he were to tap into the crazy Jon Moxley of old; fans might cheer and that's not what the company needs.
At the same time, Rollins really needs to put the brakes on emulating mentor Triple H's grand but dragging epic match style.
Same way Corey Graves should also know when to pull his punches on the heel schtick as it easily goes from riveting to irritating.
The fans deserve and expect better from these two no matter how decent this was.
Result: Dean Ambrose hits the Dirty Deeds on an emotional Seth Rollins to win and become the NEW WWE Intercontinental Champion!
Rating:
#12 A Queen, An Empress, and The Man Walk into Mayhem
TLC Triple Threat for the WWE Smackdown Women's Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka
Full metal mayhem!
WWE delivered in the main event that fit like a glove, that they kept the dogged historic spiel to a minimum for a truly deserving main event regardless of type or gender is a perfect microcosm of the year of women in WWE.
The championship and this roster, heck both rosters deserve the main event come Wrestlemania and this was just a taste of that.
Each of the women came out with an undefinable fire in their eyes; battering one another to the point of oblivion.
The fan's pride Becky Lynch got a terrific showcase and ovation in return, Asuka redeemed the highs and lows of her year while what can one say about Charlotte Flair.
If anyone is at a doubt about the Queen's credentials, this one proves that she is a big match player and worthy of the main event status.
Charlotte played the key anchor as the heel unhinged in this ballistic contest, she played smartly against foe Lynch; calling back to their maniacal Last Woman Standing contest from Evolution.
Asuka got a modicum of beating and comeuppance for the Wrestlemania streak breaker. While WWE smartly kept Lynch-Asuka interactions to a tantalizing minimum.
Ronda Rousey's much-approved interjection into the contest became a wonderful call back to her Royal Rumble debut as well as a perfect measure of revenge. She stormed in with swagger, tipping away at a ladder holding Charlotte and Lynch.
This giving Asuka the perfect in to define her year with a title she has been seeking since it began though once again Rousey did take away from her spotlight, leaving the door open for another fascinating future feud.
That Rousey has not one but two women with eyes on her and most likely her prize is a delight.
That Charlotte has found her mojo and a new groove as the Queen is a delight. That Becky Lynch is still the white-hot face of the company is a delight. That Asuka is champion is a delight!
It isn't the Tokyo Dome but Big Daddy Dave better bring out that five-star checkbook because this was a delight!
Result: Asuka takes advantage to scale the ladder heights and shatter the glass ceiling to win and become the NEW WWE Smackdown Women's Champion!
Rating:
Final Thoughts
The path is clearly paved for the company.
It's not about making history and it definitely isn't just because Ronda Rousey is a huge crossover mainstream star but WWE needs to make the main event of WrestleMania 35 between Charlotte, Lynch and Ronda Rousey because it just is.
These three women and even Asuka among others have lit a fire into a division dead at the start of this decade and it showcases the work they and the company have put into making it happen.
Elsewhere this was a Christmas bonus card with some intriguing tracks for the coming Wrestlemania, the road going in is a bumper ride.
Mr. McMahon joins this Monday's RAW to kick it off in style just as the year has ended in style. WWE goes out with one hell of a bang, hopefully, the momentum can keep going.
Final Rating:
