TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2009)

TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2009)
Promotional poster featuring Edge and The Undertaker
Theme song(s)	"Bullet Soul" by Switchfoot[1]
Information
Promotion	World Wrestling Entertainment
Brand(s)	Raw SmackDown ECW
Sponsor(s)	WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010
Date	December 13, 2009
Attendance	15,226[2]
Venue	AT&T Center
City	San Antonio, Texas
Pay-per-view chronology
Survivor Series (2009) TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2009) Royal Rumble (2010)
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs chronology
First TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2009) TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2010)

TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2009) was the first annual TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It took place on December 13, 2009, at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.^[3] Wrestlers from the Raw, SmackDown, and ECW brands^[4] faced each other in seven matches.

The concept of the show is based around the primary matches of the card each utilizing tables, ladders, and chairs as legal weapons.^[5] The primary matches included Christian defeating Shelton Benjamin in a Ladder match for the ECW Championship, Sheamus defeating John Cena in a Tables match to become the new WWE Champion, the reigning World Heavyweight Champion, The Undertaker, defeating Batista in a Chairs match to retain his title and the main event, where D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) defeated Chris Jericho and Big Show in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match for the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship. Other matches in the card included John Morrison versus Drew McIntyre for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, Michelle McCool versus Mickie James for the WWE Women's Championship and Randy Orton versus Kofi Kingston. Presented by THQ's WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010, the pay-per-view drew 228,000 buys.^[6]

Background

The professional wrestling matches at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs featured professional wrestlers performing as characters in scripted events pre-determined by the hosting promotion, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).^[7][8] Storylines between the characters were produced on WWE's weekly television shows Raw, SmackDown, and ECW with the Raw, SmackDown, and ECW brands—storyline divisions in which WWE assigned its employees to different programs.^[9]

On the November 23 episode of Raw, guest host and storyline matchmaker Jesse Ventura arranged an interpromotional "Breakthrough Battle Royal," where the winner gained a shot at their brand's world championship at TLC. Qualifying matches were also held that night with each wrestler having the distinction of having held neither the WWE Championship nor the World Heavyweight Championship. In qualifiers, Kofi Kingston defeated Dolph Ziggler, Sheamus defeated Finlay, the team of Mark Henry, Montel Vontavious Porter and R-Truth defeated the team of Jack Swagger, Chris Masters and Chavo Guerrero in a six-man tag team match. Disagreeing with the battle royal concept, former world champion Randy Orton attacked Primo and defeated Primo's intended opponent, Evan Bourne, to qualify. In the last qualifying match, the team of The Legacy (Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase) defeated the team of Cryme Tyme (Shad Gaspard and JTG) to qualify. In the main event, Sheamus won the battle royal, last eliminating Kofi Kingston and earning him the chance to face WWE Champion John Cena at TLC. A contract signing was immediately held when Sheamus attacked Cena, slamming him through a table. Declaring his preference of Sheamus over Cena, Ventura made the prospective match a Tables match.^[10]

During his night as guest host, Ventura also booked a tag team match for the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship at the TLC event, where the champions Chris Jericho and The Big Show will defend their titles against the team of Triple H and Shawn Michaels (collectively known as D-Generation X) in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match.^[10]

On the November 24 episode of ECW, Shelton Benjamin defeated Zack Ryder to become the number one contender to the ECW Championship. ECW Champion Christian stated that the ECW Championship has been overlooked on recent pay-per-views and challenged Benjamin to a Ladder match.^[11]

After defeating Rey Mysterio at Survivor Series, Batista challenged World Heavyweight Champion, The Undertaker. Batista was interrupted by Kane who challenged him to a physical confrontation, which Batista refused.^[10] On the November 27 episode of SmackDown, the two were pitted in a match, with the winner receiving a title match against The Undertaker at TLC. When outside of the referee's sight, Batista attacked Kane's knee with a steel chair and won the match by countout.^[12] A few days later, it was announced that the title match would be a Chair match.^[13]

On the December 4 episode of SmackDown, WWE Intercontinental Champion John Morrison faced Drew McIntyre in an exhibition contest, which saw the latter win. Later in the evening, McIntyre was awarded another match against Morrison for his title.^[14]

Since Bragging Rights, Randy Orton and Kofi Kingston had been in constant conflict ever since Kingston prevented Orton's teammates Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase from interfering in Orton's Iron Man match against John Cena for the WWE Championship.^[15] The rivalry led to the two each captaining teams for a five-on-five Survivor Series elimination match at Survivor Series, in which Kingston's team won.^[16] On the November 30 episode of Raw, Kingston was scheduled to wrestle Orton in a singles match but was ambushed by Rhodes and DiBiase before the match began and hence was too weak to offer a fair match with Orton.^[17] The following week, Raw guest host Mark Cuban booked Kingston into another match with Orton, with Cuban serving as guest referee. Still bitter from the events at the 2003 Survivor Series, where Orton performed an RKO on him, Cuban gave a fast count for Kingston's pin and gave him the win. Cuban then said that the two were now tied with one victory apiece and the match that would settle the score would take place at the TLC event.^[18]

On the December 11 episode of SmackDown, WWE Women's Champion Michelle McCool was scheduled to defend her title against Mickie James at the TLC event. The two became close rivals when in November the two were made respective captains for opposing teams in a five-on-five Survivor Series elimination match at Survivor Series. Three days before Survivor Series, James was shown a video package featuring McCool performing a parody of "Old McDonald Had a Farm," calling her rival "Piggy James" and sending James into tears.^[19] At Survivor Series, James and Melina won the elimination match for their team, last eliminating McCool.^[20] On the December 4 episode of SmackDown, James defeated Beth Phoenix and Natalya in a Triple Threat match to become the number one contender for the WWE Women's Championship.^[21]

Event

Prior to the show airing live on pay-per-view, R-Truth defeated CM Punk in a dark match.

Preliminary matches

The opening match was the ladder match for the ECW Championship between Christian and Shelton Benjamin. As the match went underway, both men retrieved a ladder. As Christian tried to retrieve the belt, Benjamin pulled him down; Christian later reciprocated, but as he made another attempt to climb, Benjamin forced the ladder on top of him. Benjamin climbed a ladder at ringside and dove onto Christian. As the action returned to the ring, the two countered the other's attempts at climbing the ladder. As Christian climed, Benjamin threw him off the ladder with a powerslam. As both men recovered, Christian propped a ladder up in the corner but Benjamin executed a Stinger Splash on him against the ladder. As the match progressed, Christian climbed the ladder, and grabbed the belt but Benjamin pulled the ladder out from underneath him and executed a powerbomb into a ladder. In the end, Christian executed a Frog Splash on Benjamin, who was lay on a ladder bridged between the apron and the broadcast table, causing the ladder to break in half. Christian retrieved the belt to retain the tite.

Next, John Morrison defended the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Drew McIntyre. McIntyre gained control by applying various submission holds. Morrison gained the advantage by executing a Tilt-A-Whirl DDT. Outside the ring, Morrison executed a Flying Chuck. Morrison attempted Starship Pain but McIntyre dodged the attempt, raked Morrisons eyes and executed a Future Shock to win the title.

After that, Michelle McCool defended the WWE Divas Championship against Mickie James. The match started with both competitors holding the advantage until the match ended up outside the ring. With Layla distracting James, McCool threw her into the barricade. McCool executed a Big Boot to retain the title.

Later, Kofi Kingston faced Randy Orton. During the match, the two used many submission holds. While Orton was outside the ring, Kingston attempted a Diving Crossbody but Orton countered with a Dropkick and targeted his abdomen. Kingston executed Trouble in Paradise but Orton touched the ropes, voiding the pin. Orton executed an RKO on Kingston to win the match.

Main event matches

The next match was a Tables match for the WWE Championship between John Cena and Sheamus. After countering attempts to put each other through a table, Cena fought with Sheamus in the ring until Sheamus executed the Brogue Kick. Sheamus tried to put Cena through a table in the corner but Cena countered. Cena attempted an Attitude Adjustment from the top rope but Sheamus countered and the two fought on the top rope. The match ended when Sheamus fell off the top rope to the outside but Cena fell through the table, meaning Sheamus won the title.

The next match was a Chairs match for the World Heavyweight Championship between The Undertaker and Batista. Batista retrieved a chair and The Undertaker attempted a Big Boot but missed and Batista attacked Undertaker with a chair. After multiple chair shots, Undertaker executed a Leg Drop on Batista, who was hung on the apron. Back in the ring, Batista executed a superplex on the Undertaker. Batista attempted a Batista Bomb but Undertaker countered with a Back Body Drop onto a chair. Undertaker executed Snake Eyes and Old School on Batista. Batista executed a spear, a spinebuster on a chair and threw Undertaker into a chair wedged between the middle and top turnbuckles. Batista pushed Undertaker into the referee, executed a low blow and a chair shot to win the match. As Batista celebrated his win, Theodore Long walked out and restarted the match. Undertaker hit Batista with a chair and executed a Tombstone Piledriver to retain the title.

The last match was the Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match for the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship, between JeriShow (Chris Jericho and Big Show) and D-Generation X (Shawn Michaels and Triple H). Jericho fought with Michaels while Triple H fought Big Show. While Show and Triple H fought near the stage, Michaels dominated Jericho in the ring until Jericho countered. Jericho helped Show attack Triple H but Michaels attacked Jericho with a chair. Show executed a Chokeslam on Michaels onto Triple H through a table positioned against the barricade. Show destroyed all the ladders and Jericho climbed on Show's shoulders in an attempt to retrieve the belts but Michaels executed Sweet Chin Music on Show, knocking Jericho into a table outside the ring. Triple H held half a ladder as Michaels retrieved the belts to win the titles.

Reception

The event received positive reviews from critics with praise being put on the shock endings and title changes and on the quality of the matches. In the review from The Sun, the Intercontinental, Women's and ECW Championship matches were praised, as was the Tag Title main event. The two World Title matches were praised for high quality and good storytelling, due mainly to the gimmick stipulations, and Sheamus' shock win over John Cena was praised as surprising.^[24]

Results

See also

• List of WWE pay-per-view events

References

External links

• The official TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs website
• WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs at In Demand.com