WWE TLC

San Jose

BUDDY MURPHY vs. CEDRIC ALEXANDER (10:35): 205Live seems to be on its death bed. It was moved to being a taped show aired on Wednesdays ever since the Facebook show, Mixed Match Challenge, started earlier this year. And it seems like it's even less relevant than before, if that's possible. The shocking thing about all of this is that Buddy Murphy is a great, exciting wrestler and the 205Live matches on the PPV's are usually the best matches on the show. Murphy would be a super star if he was in any other promotion, so maybe it's just that WWE in general is on its death bed. Either way, this wasn't a particularly great match. When Murphy beat Alexander in Australia to win the title they had a stellar match. This re-match was too early on the show and too been-there-done-that to matter much. **1/2

ELIAS vs. BOBBY LASHLEY "GUITAR ON A POLE MATCH" (6:20): Vince Russo is apparently back writing these shows. Elias was amusing when he was a heel, now even his songs are boring to go along with his wrestling. Lashley is unconsciously awful. Sadly, they're still feuding after this. Why has God cursed us as a human race to have this feud exist? 1/2*

CARMELLA & R-TRUTH vs. JINDER MAHAL & ALICIA FOX (5:50): The show finally officially started with this match, the finals of the Mixed Match Challenge that literally no one watches or cares about. Just look at who's in the final to figure out why no cared about that show. The winner gets to be the #30 entrant in the Royal Rumble, making next year's Royal Rumble even worse now. Thanks. 1/2*

SHEAMUS & CESARO vs. THE USO'S vs. THE NEW DAY (12:15): This is the feud that will never end. Ever. Really, haven't these three teams been facing each other on every show for, like, three years or something ridiculous? They used to have really good matches but now I'm just bored of them and they're not as good. *1/2

BRAUN STROWMAN vs. BARON CORBIN "TLC MATCH" (16:00): Strowman had surgery so couldn't wrestle, so he brought out a bunch of losers to beat up Corbin and help him win. The losers he brought out were Chad Gable and Bobby Roode and Finn Balor and eventually Kurt Angle. Corbin lost so he's out as GM of RAW. Yet, surprisingly, he's still been wrestling on RAW in his suit. *1/2

NATALYA vs. RUBY RIOT "TABLES MATCH" (12:40): Riot had one of the tables plastered with Natalya's dead father, Jim Neidhart. He literally just died a few months ago. I guess it's to get heat on Riot or this match or this feud but it didn't work, it was just bottom of the barrel stuff that nobody cared about because the WWE always does stupid, sick stuff like this. -No Stars-

FINN BALOR vs. DREW MCINTYRE (12:20): They're supposedly going to give Balor a push soon. They should, as he's a great wrestler. Sadly, they've also been pushing the hell out of Mcintyre who is boring and sucks. This match was so-so and totally forgettable. *

RANDY ORTON vs. REY MYSTERIO "CHAIRS MATCH" (11:30): Most of this match was just guys setting up chairs, hence it was boring. Mysterio did do one cool spot where he held a chair and slid on it out of the ring and onto Orton who was laying on the ground out of the ring. That was about it for entertainment. *

RONDA ROUSEY vs. NIA JAX (10:50): Not bad. It's funny that Rousey was the big, new women's star this year and already she's been overshadowed by Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair who are the two hot, feuding superstar women. Rousey retained her title in an okay match. **

DANIEL BRYAN vs. AJ STYLES (23:55): Good match, alas not great, although it was one of the best matches on the show. Bryan won when AJ tapped out. These two probably would have had a better match five or so years ago but, hell, that's life. This definitely felt different than a typical, WWE match. It felt like they both just went out and did what they wanted to do without any bullshit or comedy or antics. **1/2

DEAN AMBROSE vs. SETH ROLLINS (23:00): The crowd eventually chanted, "This is boring," late in the match because, let's face it, it was. Ambrose is only good in gimmick matches so they probably should have made this a ladder match. No. This "blood feud" was just a boring, typical, wrestling match. Yawn. *

ASUKA vs. BECKY LYNCH vs. CHARLOTTE FLAIR "TLC MATCH" (21:45): Good match. It was not as good as Lynch vs. Flair from Evolution, but still very entertaining and very brutal. Lynch jumped off of the top of the ladder onto Charlotte on the announce table and landed ass first right onto her chest. It was hard to watch and Charlotte moaned in pain like her ribs had snapped apart. Asuka eventually won the title for no good reason...but, c'mon, the Lynch/Flair stuff is fucking great, one of the best WWE feuds in the last few years. Rousey came out to tip the ladder over to help Asuka win for some reason. I assume they're setting up a Rousey/Flair/Lynch WrestleMania match. Bring it on. ***