WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2010 review (DVD) ★★★★

The final pay-per-view event of the calendar year for the WWE was TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, the one night of the year where all three of the apparatus featured in the title act as the instruments of destruction available to the WWE Superstars and Divas. Titles were defended, a new champion crowned, and rivalries ended in what turned out to be a show that not only exceeded expectations in some respects, but was one of the best pay-per-views of 2010.

Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat Ladder Match ??
The first of the evening's two Ladder matches saw Dolph Ziggler successfully defend his Intercontinental Championship against the innovative Kofi Kingston and the All-American American, Jack Swagger. It was a relatively short bout for such a stipulation at only eight minutes long, but was decent enough for the time it was given, despite the botched finish where Ziggler was out of position to catch the title as it dropped from the clutches of Swagger and Kingston as they battled atop a ladder, and instead had to quickly pounce on it and take possession. I'm not sure if that would really be a legal way to win the match, but never mind. This was a little disappointing as I expected great things from this three-way opener given the participants involved, but it made perfect sense not to go all-out as not to desensitise the fans, as it were, to the ladder-based action as the night rolled on.

Divas Tag Team Tables Match: Laycool vs. Beth Phoenix & Natalya ??
Rather surprisingly, this match actually went longer than the opener. In fact, this literally had to be the longest Divas bout in years, and for once it was actually enjoyable. Billed as the first-ever Divas Tables match in WWE history, this no-holds-barred contest was hick-up free and had a good finish with both members of Laycool being forced onto Natalya and Phoenix's specially-designed pink table, before the Hart family's own drove herself through her adversaries with a top-rope splash. The crowd were actually on their feet for this.

WWE Tag Team Championship: Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (c) vs. Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater ?
This match was flowing well enough but did little to impress when it solely came off like your average free TV match on RAW, rather than a pay-per-view attraction. The disqualification finish in this bout, the only run-of-the-mill contest of the show rules-wise, with Michael McGillicutty's interference certainly didn't do anything to elevate its quality, and the post-match assault with a steel chair on the champions by Wade Barrett to garner some last minute heat proved that the WWE clearly didn't have faith in the Nexus leader as a believable opponent, who could topple John Cena in the main event.

WWE Championship #1 Contendership Ladder Match: John Morrison vs. Sheamus ????
This clash of the titans just about stole the show. A truly spectacular Ladder match, Morrison pulled out the surprise victory in a terrific performance from both Superstars. This was everything a match of its kind should be: innovative, risky, exciting and unpredictable. You just didn't know what the high-flying Morrison was going to pull out of his hat next in order to take down the Irish big man. His shock win was by far the biggest and best of his career and really moved him on to a new chapter, while unfortunately Sheamus' King of the Ring title had set him on a losing streak and a step away from the spotlight.

WWE Championship Tables Match: The Miz (c) vs. Randy Orton ???
The Miz's very first title defense on pay-per-view after winning the gold from Orton a month prior thanks to his Money in the Bank privilege was very sweet indeed for the “awesome one”. The event's one and only Tables match saw two of the apparatus implode as both Randy Orton and The Miz's apprentice Alex Riley tasted wood. This was a solid outing with somewhat of a swerve finish that I really enjoyed. The champion unleashed his spare-of-the-moment deviousness after hitting the Skull Crushing Finale on the challenger following a Powerbomb through a table on Riley. Miz then moved Orton's devastated body over to the wreckage just in time for referee Mike Chioda to be revived after taking a bump and award the champ the win. Moments later however, after seeing the replay, Chioda restarted the match much to the relief of the fans, but it would only take a moment for Orton to fly off the ring apron and through a table to lose the bout on unquestionable terms.

World Heavyweight Championship TLC Match: Kane (c) vs. Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Rey Mysterio ????
Instead of the match that did close the show, it should have been this. The first-ever Fatal Four Way TLC match in WWE history was terrific, and one that saw a brand new World Heavyweight Champion crowned in Edge, making it his tenth reign. We were treated to a number of table spots, from Kane taking a Spear from the ring apron, to Alberto Del Rio falling 20 feet from the inside of the ring to the outside through just one table. This absolute war was reminiscent of the classic Dudley Boyz/Hardy Boyz/Edge & Christian matches from a decade ago, and that can only be a good thing. Pure chaos, but brilliant, enthralling chaos.

WWE Championship Chairs Match: Wade Barrett vs. John Cena ???
As I mentioned just above, I'm not quite sure why this non-title contest was chosen to end the show over a match with a much grander stipulation, but it did. That's not to take anything away from this bout itself as it was good, just not as good. The long rivalry between Cena and Barrett that essentially got started in June during the first Nexus invasion finally came to an end at TLC, with the event acting as the final chapter in a storied feud.

I was worried that this was going to stink the show up given its position, but it was actually very good. Cena's match-winning Attitude Adjustment onto a number of steel chairs looked great, whereas his post-bout antics that involved dropping 20 or so chairs down on Barrett from the staging didn't make a lot of sense seeing as the Nexus leader was underneath some kind of wooden structure. Of course, for his safety this was vital, but it just made the spot look a bit off. Nevertheless, the show ended on a positive note when it very easily couldn't have, and that's a plus in my book.

EXTRAS ? In a home video exclusive, Josh Mathews interviews John Cena backstage after his match.