WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders, Chairs... and Stairs 2014 DVD Review

WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders, Chairs... and Stairs 2014 is out on DVD and Blu-Ray on 23rd March, available from www.wwedvd.co.uk. Broadcast live on Pay-per-View (and the WWE Network) from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, USA on 14th December 2014, the show features Bray Wyatt taking on Dean Ambrose in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match, John Cena battling Seth Rollins in a Tables match, Luke Harper defending the Intercontinental Championship against Dolph Ziggler in a Ladder match and five other matches. The special features include one other match, and two post-match interviews. The main feature goes 2 hours, 46 minutes, with 17 minutes of special features taking the disc to just over 3 hours long. 

Main Feature

The show kicks off with the customary video package, mentioning a point that will be burned into your brain by the end of the show, this is WWE's version of the Demolition Derby. With some pyro and ballyhoo, and the introduction of the Spanish commentary team it's time for our first match. A spirited effort from Dolph Ziggler and Luke Harper, in what is a very watchable ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship. Some good spots are bolstered by a strong underdog from hometown story and a crowd that is completely wrapped up in the action. 

The Usos challenging The Miz and Damien Mizdow for the Tag Titles is a poor effort, helped only by how over Mizdow is in Cleveland. In an interview with Byron Saxton, Seth Rollins is on top form pulling out a strong heel promo, dedicating his match later on to Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. Big Show and Erick Rowan chuck big bits of metal at each other in the first ever Stairs match. 

Seth Rollins continues to repay the faith put in him by WWE with a strong performance opposite John Cena in a Tables match. The bout tell a sound story, with J&J Security providing shenanigans a plenty throughout the match, although the finish is a bit of a let down. Renee Young, Booker T and Alex Riley of the Kick-Off panel, provide some interesting insight into some of the previous matches, whilst also looking ahead to John Cena's clash with Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble. Byron Saxton's house of fun continues as he interviews The Bella Twins, in which Nikki talks about her breasts for a bit.

Nikki's Diva's Championship defense against AJ Lee has some good work put in, but it's never fully capitalised on, and the crowd couldn't give a shit anyway. Tom Phillips gets a run out to interview the returning Roman Reigns, who produces a truly awful promo. A chair match between Ryback and Kane is probably better than you'd imagine it to be, but the crowd is again utterly, utterly indifferent. A United States title confrontation between Rusev (accompanied by Lana) and Jack Swagger fails to reach the heights of their contest from SummerSlam earlier in the year. 

A TLC match between Bray Wyatt and Dean Ambrose closes the show, and doesn't feel like we quite see the best out of either man. Whilst their is a number of big spots, they are quite repetitive and don't quite stand out as better than the Ladder match that opened the show. The finish is weak also, with a silly deus ex machina that does very little for anyone. By no means a bad match and still watchable, but not as good as it could of, or should of been. 

Special Features

A tag bout featuring Big E & Kofi Kingston (accompanied by Xavier Woods) against Goldust and Stardust is passable fair from the Kick Off show, despite no one being over with the crowd. Byron Saxton interviews Dolph Ziggler after his match, with Ziggler a lot more reserved than we are used to. Surprisingly Nikki Bella's effort is actually much better, getting over what needed to be said well.

Finally...

The three big matches on the show are all good matches, with Cena and Rollins' effort probably being the better of the three, even if Wyatt and Ambrose fails to deliver on everything it promised to be. The undercard suffers from the crowds utter indifference towards anyone but Damien Mizdow, but no performer really looks to stand out and grab their attention either. Some questionable booking in places and a handful of dodgy finish mean this is a poor PPV overall, although the Best PPV Matches of 2014 DVD stopping at just October, means that this is currently your only way to own Ziggler vs. Harper, Cena vs. Rollins and Wyatt vs. Ambrose. 

We'll be hosting a 24 hour blog-o-than on 30th March in order to raise money for the mental health charity MIND. You can sponsor us at the following link