WWE TLC 2018: Top 5 performances

The most exciting weekend for wrestling fans all over the world has just gone by, with the Tables, Ladders, and Chairs PPV ending on a high note. TLC featured some great wrestling matches from top to bottom, along with some great surprises.

This final WWE event of the year might go down as the best main roster show of the year, after a loaded card which delivered according to expectations, and a main event which exceeded lofty hopes.

With two titles changing hands, and a shocking finish to the final match of the event, the road to WrestleMania looks more intriguing than ever. The twisting events the fallout from the PPV will bring is another matter.

Lets take a look at the event's 5 best performances.

#5 Cedric Alexander vs Buddy Murphy

The cruiserweights staring each other down!

Both superstars already showed what they were capable of when they went one-on-one against each other at WWE Super Show-Down in Australia. Their respective skills have never been called into question.

These two put on a noteworthy performance that was a mix of smart counters, fierce striking, and jaw-dropping high-flying spots throughout this enjoyable rematch. But it soon came to an end after a snappy series of moves were delivered to Alexander from a revived Murphy.

The ending of the match saw Buddy Murphy giving a running knee to Cedric Alexander, before hitting Murphy’s Law to retain the cruiserweight championship.

My only gripe with this match is that the kind of performance these two put should be on the main card, rather than putting it on a pre-show.

Where does this leave Alexander? Will this serve as fuel for Cedric to turn on Ali due to jealousy? Not sure what really happens here, but I'll be looking forward to it.

#4 Ronda Rousey vs Nia Jax

A very strong performance by Ronda Rousey, as her streak of having great matches continues!

It’s quite surprising that not only is Rousey capable of having a good match with any woman on the roster, but she’s also the only one who got a great match out of Nia Jax. Jax played her role perfectly here as the bully heel trying to overwhelm Rousey with her power.

Though the pace of the match was slower when Nia was on offence, once Rousey got going, the bout’s brutality factor kicked in.

In the ending sequence of the match, both women hammered each other with big strikes, with the crowd reacting to everything in a big way, but it was Rousey who got the win by locking Jax in a vicious armbar.

Nia Jax actually looked strong in defeat. The finish was never in doubt, considering who her dance opponent was.

#3 The Bar vs The Usos vs New Day

TLC featured a match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Sheamus and Cesaro defended their belts against the New Day and The Usos.

It's no surprise that putting these three teams together will always give us a good match, and it was clearly evident here.

This match featured fast pace, hot tags, super-kicks, and clever tandem offence. The Usos did not get as much of an offence as they should have, but it's better to not create confusion by having too many men in the ring. Although they still made the most of it via some exciting dives and a plethora of super-kicks.

This match was another testament to why SmackDown’s tag team division is one of the premier acts of SmackDown Live.

The match was eventually won by Sheamus and Cesaro, meaning they are still our SmackDown tag team champions.

#2 Daniel Bryan vs AJ Styles

A terrific performance by two of the best wrestlers in the world. The WWE made one of the smartest decisions in setting up the match.

It got a lot of time to adjust, as it started off at a methodical pace, with both guys putting their technical work on display. The pace picked up in the second half of the match, with Bryan and AJ exchanging submissions and pinfall attempts, such as Bryan's counter to the reverse DDT, or the Phenomenal Forearm spot on the outside, which was cool and effective.

Bryan has masterfully played his heel persona so far, and it was on full display here. Styles also brought his A-game, and thanks to a long runtime, great character work, and astounding in-ring action, this match not only met the expectations, but exceeded it.

They seemed to bring the best out of each other. Just like the last match, these two have great chemistry, and I for one will not complain if this feud continues a bit longer.

#1 Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair vs Asuka

Of all the matches on the card, this was the most anticipated one. Were the women able to meet the hype and expectations?

Absolutely!

The top three women of SD Live followed a disappointing match in Rollins vs Ambrose, and gave the crowd something to remember for a long time to come.

The match started out hot, and maintained that pace throughout. There were a lot of moments that stood out, such as Lynch dropping a leg on Charlotte through the announce table, and Asuka Powerbombing Charlotte into a table set up near the ring corner.

All three women were terrific in their job, and worked really hard. Special props to Charlotte Flair for the standout performance, she took some big moves and performed some big spots, but kept on going, and never looked tired.

The finish to the match was very shocking. Everyone in the arena probably expected someone (mostly Nia Jax) to cost Becky the match, but nobody expected that woman to be Ronda Rousey.

That was very well done, and the kind of ending that makes people talk. Rousey's vengeful actions were obviously justified, but what's next?

Will they do a triple threat at WrestleMania? Or will Becky Lynch and Charlotte fight it out in the Royal Rumble match to get their hands on Ronda Rousey? Lets find out on the next episode of Raw.