10 Best WWE TLC Matches of All-Time

Tables, ladders, and chairs have followed in the tradition of all great gimmick matches by earning its own PPV, and whilst that means fans have to endure at least one chairs match a year, it also means we get treated to at least one TLC match.

A stipulation that has provided some of WWE’s most iconic moments is beloved by fans and has gone as far as to actually help create future Hall of Fame talent with its originators (who of course feature in this list).

Whether there is a title on the line or it is simply being used as a stipulation to cause carnage and settle feuds, TLC matches have produced some truly unique and innovative moments and with TLC right around the corner, there is no better time to look at the 10 greatest TLC matches of all time. If you haven’t seen these classic bouts, head to the WWE Network and treat yourselves as they are not to be missed.

 

10. CM Punk vs The Miz vs Alberto Del Rio (TLC, 2012)

This match had everything you want in a TLC match: great storytelling, fantastic wrestling, some big spots, and wrestlers who the fans are firmly invested in. CM Punk was just at the start of his journey to truly cementing himself as the best in the world and as the sole babyface in the match, he certainly had a large part to play in making this a success.

However, that doesn’t mean that The Miz and Alberto Del Rio didn’t pull their weight because they certainly did, helping to get Punk over whilst also being legitimate threats that could have easily won the match.

Creating unique moments in TLC matches is never easy, but this match managed to do that with a pair of handcuffs. Granted, handcuffs in a wrestling match usually spells for major trouble, but in this case, it was extremely well executed. With Punk cuffed to the middle rope, it looked like he would be forced to watch his WWE Championship be captured by one of his opponents until he pulled out the turnbuckle to ascend the ladder himself to win the match; highlighting just how much the belt meant to him.

 

9. Kane vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Jeff Hardy & Rob Van Dam vs. Christian & Chris Jericho (Monday Night Raw October 7, 2002)

TLC matches tend to be at their best when they have had significant build and there is a reason for the brutality to be taking place, hence why this ranks as low on the list as it does. Thrown together on an episode of Raw Roulette, this match caught fans out of nowhere but was stacked with starpower and these future Hall of Fame stars put together a fantastic match.

The Big Red Monster had just returned from injury and was originally set to team with The Hurricane until an injury angle ruled him out of the match, meaning Kane had to go it alone. Despite the odds being against him it would be Kane himself who actually won the match, putting a surprising finish to an eventful TLC.

 

8. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho (Smackdown! May 24, 2001)

Much like the previous entry, not all great TLC matches have taken place on PPV and perhaps that is why this match has been dubbed the ‘forgotten TLC’ by Edge himself in his book, with the fact it wasn’t on PPV perhaps taking away from how good this match actually was.

Adding Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho into the mix with the three tag teams that helped make TLC matches what they were, this match offered something a little different from those that took place beforehand.

Firstly, adding two men of that caliber is never going to hurt a match, in fact, they would actually go on to win it, but the bout was just as fast-paced and exciting as the previous TLC’s. Because it took place on SmackDown without any real build or reasoning behind the stipulation people forget that it even exists, although a lot of that also goes down to WWE’s blacklisting of Benoit.

Regardless of the fact it isn’t often spoke of, it is a fantastic match that any fans of the stipulation should dig out and enjoy.

 

7. The Undertaker vs Edge (One Night Stand, 2008)

Heading into this match with Undertaker’s career on the line, nobody actually expected the Deadman to take the loss, despite the fact he was taking on the master of the TLC in Edge. That added stipulation certainly created a brilliant tension to this match which was already one fans were desperate to see due to how good this feud was in general.

The two men clicked every time they stepped into a ring together, whether it was at WrestleMania, inside Hell in a Cell, or here, in a match that was certainly out of Undertaker’s comfort zone. Yet the Phenom proved exactly why he is one of the all-time greats by adapting to the stipulation and putting on a brilliant back and forth match that was stacked with the high spots fans have come to know and love from a TLC match.

This match also provided one of the best finishes to a TLC in history, with Undertaker crashing through a pile of tables outside of the ring from the top of a ladder in a jaw-dropping moment that sent the Deadman away for a brief period.

 

6. CM Punk vs Jeff Hardy (SummerSlam, 2009)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3Ou8mlxUtc

This match was terrific. From start to finish, both men had the WWE Universe gripped with their fantastic storytelling and the fact that the men didn’t like each other in real life only added more fuel to the fire in this one, creating some serious intensity.

Whenever you get Jeff Hardy in a match like this you know it is going to be stacked with risky, daredevil like moves, as that is what Hardy does best. Whilst that did take place in this match, the story told was that CM Punk was simply too smart and managed to avoid nearly all of them, which is how he ended up winning the match.

With Hardy as WWE’s biggest face at the time and Punk becoming a rising star, this really was the feud of the summer and both men took full advantage of their moment in the spotlight.

 

5. John Cena vs Edge (Unforgiven, 2006)

Here he is again, and certainly not for the last time. It is fair to say Edge is the master of tables ladders and chairs and this is a prime example of how he understood exactly how to get the most out of a TLC match, whether it be a singles or a tag bout.

This match came at a crucial point in both men’s careers as they were looking to prove they deserved to be in the main event scene full-time, their feud lit the wrestling world on fire and was and still is regarded as one of the very best in modern wrestling.

Because of the stipulation being that Cena would leave Raw if he lost, something that was never going to happen, the unpredictability was slightly lost with this one, hurting the match a little. But that didn’t stop them from pulling out all the stops, with some major high spots including an AA from the top of a ladder through several tables, a visual that is still used to this day.

 

4. Ryback & Team Hell No vs The Shield (TLC, 2012)

When people think about The Shield they often point to their classic matches with the Wyatt Family, their battles with Cody Rhodes and Goldust or their encounters with Evolution as the group’s greatest ever moments. Yet it was the recently reformed stable’s very first official match that instantly put them on the map as an incredible team and certainly belongs in the conversation as their best ever outing as a trio.

Going up against two highly experienced and popular wrestlers in the form of Kane and Daniel Bryan, as well as Ryback -who was in the midst of his monster push and also performed very well here, despite what his critics will tell you- all six men put on a clinic.

This is the perfect example of a TLC match that didn’t need a championship hanging from the middle of the ring with the weapons instead, being used to help the Hounds of Justice earn their first victory and instantly become one of the most dominant forces in WWE history.

 

3. TLC 1 (SummerSlam, 2000)

Following the incredible Triangle Ladder Match at WrestleMania 2000, an official TLC was always going to happen and WWE didn’t wait long, putting the match on at the next Big Four event possible and once again, it stole the show.

This match changed the business for the better and was a surefire five star battle with all three teams showcasing exactly why they work so well together. While it is difficult to ever top the first, it still takes a place in history with the sport’s great matches.

The bumps and risks that each man took in this match highlighted exactly how much they wanted to steal the show and establish themselves as top stars in the company and it paid off for them, starting six Hall of Fame careers.

 

2. Triangle Ladder Match (WrestleMania 2000)

The one that started it all, whilst it was dubbed as the Triangle Ladder Match and not a TLC, this was unofficially the first TLC match as it involved all three weapons throughout. Stealing the show at WrestleMania is no small feat and it is something that the Hardy Boys, Edge and Christian and the Dudleyz all managed to achieve, and not for the last time in their careers.

For as good as previous ladder matches had been, this took the gimmick match to a totally new level, with innovation that fans couldn’t have even dreamed of. From start to finish the pace was electric with all of them putting their bodies on the line, crashing through tables and jumping from ladders to put themselves on the map and it was absolutely worth it, creating a moment in wrestling that will never be forgotten.

 

1. TLC II (WrestleMania X-7)

Not just the greatest TLC match of all time, but in my opinion one of the greatest matches of all time, this is simply a classic that will stand the test of time and will be looked at in 50 years with the same level of respect and praise that it gets now.

With one TLC already under their belts, fans knew what to expect the second time around and the pressure was certainly on and boy did they deliver. The fact it took place on a WrestleMania card that a large percentage of the WWE Universe consider to be the greatest of all time certainly helps, but the quality of the match was simply stunning.

The visual of Edge spearing Jeff Hardy, who was dangling from the titles, will be one that is replayed forever and with the addition of each team’s third members, Lita, Rhyno and Spike Dudley, they pulled out all the stops and created a match that can be re-watched so many times with the magic never fading away.