WWE TLC ends in violent fashion as women's triple threat explodes with intensity
Monday 17 December 2018 12:42, UK
The WWE TLC triple threat match between Asuka, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch ended in an explosion of violence with the SmackDown women's title on the line.
Japanese star Asuka emerged from the carnage as the new champion after Raw's title-holder Ronda Rousey had knocked both Flair and Lynch off a ladder in the event's final moment.
The match featured levels of extremity unprecedented in the women's division and is a contender for the best match WWE has produced in 2018.
Among the most eye-catching moments were a moonsault by Flair off the top rope through Lynch on a table, a legdrop off a ladder from Lynch to Flair on a commentary desk and a spear by Flair to Asuka through the barricade and into the timekeeper's area.
When the dust had settled, SmackDown was left with a new women's champion and Lynch and Flair were left with a legitimate beef with Rousey, especially Lynch, whose 91-day reign is now over.
The title change was one of two to take place at TLC, with Seth Rollins dropped the Intercontinental title to Dean Ambrose in the semi-main event.
A contest which struggled to capture the imagination of the San Jose crowd came to an end when Ambrose hit a Dirty Deeds after 23 minutes of action.
Daniel Bryan retained the WWE title after countering an AJ Styles small package into one of his own, and Rousey kept her Raw women's crown by forcing Nia Jax to tap out to the armbar after a superb back-and-forth match between the two.
Baron Corbin is no longer the acting general manager of Raw after losing to Braun Strowman, who earned the right to face Brock Lesnar for the Universal title at the Royal Rumble as a result.
Strowman came out for the match with his arm in a sling but Chad Gable, Bobby Roode, Apollo Crews, Finn Balor and finally Kurt Angle all attacked Corbin, enabling the Monster Among Men to pin him easily.
Natalya defeated Ruby Riott in a tables match which saw her put all three Riott Squad members through tables and Rey Mysterio beat Randy Orton in a chairs match.
The Bar kept the SmackDown tag titles after beating The New Day and The Usos in a triple threat match and R Truth and Carmella were crowned Mixed Match Challenge winners - and Royal Rumble #30 entrants - with a win over Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox.
