World News – USA – 2020 WWE TLC Results, Recap, Grades: The bizarre Firefly Inferno Match concludes the final PPV event of 2020

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WWE fans who thought insane pay-per-view stunts peaked in 2020 when Rey Mysterio removed the eye in a match with Seth Rollins clearly weren’t counting on the final PPV of the year Randy Orton, the « The Fiend » Bray lit Wyatt burns. The Fiend’s flaming « body » was the last picture when WWE TLC ended Sunday night from Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay.

While the wild stunt will be the lasting memory of TLC for most fans, the card also featured two exciting TLC matches for the top promotional titles and a few title-team title changes. In one of these tag matches, Charlotte Flair returned to the ring for the first time since June, helping Asuka, Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler to become the women’s tag team champion.

It was a wild night at TLC and CBS Sports stayed with you throughout the event, providing highlights, recaps and grades of all the promotions.

Big E, Daniel Bryan and Otis & Chad Gable vs.. . Sami Zayn, King Corbin, Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura: Perfectly Acceptable Kickoff Show fight with interesting pairings that don’t have enough time to click in a way that fulfills the potential. Zayn actively avoided any lengthy work in the match, but he was especially avoided by Big E.. They returned home from SmackDown and Gable asked Otis for the day and then lost the match – unless Otis managed to save this time. That resulted in the standard sprint running through big points at the end of the game before Zayn snuck in hoping to steal the win with everyone else, but Big E got the hot day, Zayn eventually got one on one and ended fast with a big ending to nail down the intercontinental champion. Big E, Daniel Bryan, Otis & Chad Gable def. Sami Zayn, King Corbin, Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura on Pinfall. Note: B-

The action collapsed and CHAOS took over this 8-man tag team match during the #WWETLC kickoff show! picture. Twitter. com / vLJKmTpY1a

WWE Championship – Drew McIntyre (c) vs.. . AJ Styles (TLC Match): Styles tried a hot start, but McIntyre’s brute strength and aggression quickly took over. McIntyre seemed headed for a quick win after brutalizing Styles, but when the Champion climbed the ladder to retrieve his belt, Styles attacked with a chair. Styles’ attack affected McIntyre’s knee, a part of the body that the challenger would continue to aim at throughout the game, including locking McIntyre in a calf using the ladder for extra leverage and another with a chair. From this point on, Styles dominated the match and used all available weapons to continue the attack on McIntyre. A belly to belly of McIntyre on a ladder on the turnbuckle swung back the momentum. He also interrupted a Styles attempt to climb the ladder to win the championship by taking him off the ladder and pushing him through a table set up by the ring. When McIntyre appeared to have won the match, The Miz ran in and put McIntyre at a table while he officially tried to cash out his money in the bank contract and join the match. Miz was climbing the ladder for an easy victory when Omos entered the ring and pulled him off the ladder. He carried it like a baby before tossing it over the ropes and through a table by the ring. Styles and McIntyre were battling on a ladder, trying to reach the belt, when Miz entered with his own ladder and almost won before McIntyre knocked Styles to the ground, followed by Miz. Styles then jumped back to the ladder and threw McIntyre onto the screen. McIntyre returned to his feet, however, and used a second ladder to shove up a ladder with Miz and Styles, hit Miz with a claymore, and get the belt for victory. This was a high quality TLC match that kept Styles strong, built the Omos myth a bit more, and ultimately got rid of the contract with Money in the Bank for the gimmick in a very bad year. Not the most memorable of all TLC games, and maybe a step below expectations with extracurricular involvement, but there’s not much to complain about here just yet. Drew McIntyre def. AJ Styles to keep the title. Note: B

. @DMcIntyreWWE just started @AJStylesOrg over the top rope and through a table !!! WW 😱 😱 # WWETLC #WWETitle pic. Twitter. com / eiofRXk0Ql

SmackDown Women’s Championship – Sasha Banks (c) vs. . Carmella: Banks, still angry after two weeks of champagne bottles slapped on her back, immediately went on the offensive, pegging Carmella a few strikes as an easy repayment. Carmella took the lead after Reginald, the sommelier, helped her. Reginald caught Carmella as she was kicked out of the ring and then helped her hit a Rana on Banks. The banks’ initial big comeback resulted in a near-fall of a frog squirt. Carmella then came back with an X-Factor that resulted in her own series of near-falls. After a spate of pinning combinations from both women, Carmella included the Code of Silence, followed by a double chicken wing that caught Banks’ head for a couple of near-submissions while the tide of false results continued. The banks then blocked the bank statement, but Reginald rescued again before taking a Meteora from the banks. Shortly afterwards, the banks locked the bank statement again to secure the tap and keep the belt. Carmella isn’t on par with Banks, Asuka, Bayley and the other all-active top women on the WWE roster, but she has done a career-best here, with the validity of the long teasing of her return and the instant top spot in Balance. Of course, Banks did more than just hold his own in the ring. Sasha Banks def. Carmella by filing to keep the title. Note: B

Raw Tag Team Championship – The New Day (c) vs.. . The Hurt Business: Cedric Alexander tried a quick start but was immediately dismantled by the champions until he could give Shelton Benjamin a day. Alexander spent a stretch outside the ring where he was repeatedly taken out by New Day to keep him from re-engaging in the match. The momentum continued to swing with great insult to both teams, including a Kofi Kingston SOS against Alexander for one near miss and a Brainbuster from Alexander for another. Xavier Woods was out of the game for most of the second half, even when Alexander blindly interfered when Benjamin appeared to have won the match and hit a lumbar check for the win, winning the titles in the process. Alexander’s me-first attitude is going to be an issue at some point, but there are new tag champions out now, although they may be in a less spectacular match than these two teams can deliver. The Hurt Business def. The new day over pinfall to win the title. Note: B-

Women’s Tag Team Championship – Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler (c) vs.. . Asuka & Charlotte Flair: Flair was Asuka’s surprising reveal as her day partner. « The Queen » got work early on before Asuka wanted to play Babyface-in-Peril. Baszler tried to cut off the hot label by pulling Flair off the apron, but Flair dropped it, took the label and brought the fight straight to Jax and Baszler before putting a big shoe on Jax just before the fall. Flair also knocked the top rope moonsault to the ground to take out Jax and Baszler. Flair was caught in the eight against Baszler, but Jax broke his grip. Baszler tried to lock in the Kirifuda clutch, but Flair rolled through just before the crash before hitting Natural Selection to victory. Flair was supposed to give the Raw women’s division a big boost on their return, and it seemed to hit all the cylinders on their return. The match itself falls firmly into the area of ​​ »good, not great ». Asuka & Charlotte Flair def. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler on pinfall to win the title. Note: B

Universal Championship – Roman Reigns (c) vs.. . Kevin Owens (TLC Match): Jey Uso tried to save Reigns early, only to be taken out immediately by Owens, who overworked him with a chair before using the same weapon on Reigns. Owens returned to Uso and attacked his leg with a chair before « pilmanizing » it on the chair. Owens’ focus on Uso was enough distraction to allow Reigns to re-enter the fight and dominate with chair and ladder shots. Owens continued to struggle even after Reigns dropped him on a pair of chairs and came back on a chair with his own series of chair shots at the champion and a fisherman duplex. Owens almost won the match when Uso hobbled back to the ring on a good leg and pulled Owens off the ladder, opening up an opportunity for Reigns to score a Superman punch. Owens even struggled against the doubles team, hitting Uso with a super kick and then reigning with a stunner before trying again to climb the ladder and claim the championship only to be attacked by Uso again. Owens buried Uso under rubble on the ring and tried to grab the ladder to be cut off again, this time by Reigns.

Rules Powerebombed Owens on a ladder and places him through several tables on the outside of the ring. Owens refused to stay downstairs, further angering the champion, who then punched a spear through a table. Owens told Reigns he had to kill him, which would result in Reigns missing a second spear, this time through the barricade by the ring. Owens put Reigns by a table with a pop-up power bomb to be cut off again from climbing by Uso. After Owens took Uso back out, he almost got the title back, only to meet Reigns on top of the ladder, punch him deeply, and choke him to death with a guillotine before retrieving the belt. That was very good and Owens looked like an absolute force fighting two men all the time and clearly winning the match multiple times. If anything, it was a little hard to go back to the places where « Owens almost got the belt but now the other one came in ». But that’s the deal with Reigns, nothing is fair when it comes to fighting him. Roman Reigns def. Kevin Owens to keep the title. Note: A-

Randy Orton vs.. . « The Fiend » Bray Wyatt (Firefly Inferno Match): The Fiend laughed at Orton’s first blows, stopped in the middle of the ring and struck before shutting off an RKO attempt and putting on Orton’s boots. Oddly enough, in a match where the objective was to set your opponent on fire, there was initially no fire surrounding the ring, like in a traditional inferno match. The fiend struck Sister Abigail early, at which point he roared and fire eventually surrounded the ring. The fiend whipped Orton with a belt before setting him on fire and attempting to hit Orton with it, but Orton avoided it, as he did shortly afterwards when the fiend grew tired of murdering him with a pickaxe. The fiend then doused gasoline on a rocking chair and tried to set it on fire after setting Orton in it, but Orton moved again, this time with shots from an ax handle and the ring steps. The two continued to fight for the ring with various attempts to set the other man on fire until Orton encountered a hanging DDT from the ring apron and looked for an RKO only to lock The Fiend in the mandibular claw. Orton was able to lead The Fiend back into the fire and set The Fiend’s clothes on fire. The fiend, still on fire, went into the ring and tried to attack, but Orton hit an RKO. Orton then stepped out of the ring, grabbed a can of gasoline, and doused the unconscious fiend before setting it on fire to end the show. In a year with a match won just by popping your opponent’s eyeball out, WWE somehow found a way to outdo itself by simulating murder. It’s hard not to laugh, but it’s also hard to have an inferno match that isn’t bad when you tease the flaming surfaces. Randy Orton def. « The Fiend » Bray Wyatt. Note: C

Randy Orton vs.. . « The Fiend » Bray Wyatt (Firefly Inferno Match): The Fiend laughed at Orton’s first blows, stopped in the middle of the ring and struck before shutting off an RKO attempt and putting on Orton’s boots. Oddly enough, in a match where the objective was to set your opponent on fire, there was initially no fire surrounding the ring, like in a traditional inferno match. The fiend struck Sister Abigail early, at which point he roared and fire eventually surrounded the ring. The fiend whipped Orton with a belt before setting him on fire and attempting to hit Orton with it, but Orton avoided it, as he did shortly afterwards when the fiend grew tired of murdering him with a pickaxe. The fiend then doused gasoline on a rocking chair and tried to set it on fire after setting Orton in it, but Orton moved again, this time with shots from an ax handle and the ring steps. The two continued to fight for the ring with various attempts to set the other man on fire until Orton encountered a hanging DDT from the ring apron and looked for an RKO only to lock The Fiend in the mandibular claw. Orton was able to lead The Fiend back into the fire and set The Fiend’s clothes on fire. The fiend, still on fire, went into the ring and tried to attack, but Orton hit an RKO. Orton then stepped out of the ring, grabbed a can of gasoline, and doused the unconscious fiend before setting it on fire to end the show. In a year with a match won just by popping your opponent’s eyeball out, WWE somehow found a way to outdo itself by simulating murder. It’s hard not to laugh, but it’s also hard to have an inferno match that isn’t bad when you tease the flaming surfaces. Randy Orton def. « The Fiend » Bray Wyatt. Note: C

Who will be the first to feel the flames? #WWETLC #FireflyInferno @WWEBrayWyatt @RandyOrton pic. Twitter. com / P8zqiTtFuM

Universal Championship – Roman Reigns (c) vs.. . Kevin Owens: Jey Uso tried to save Reigns early, only to be taken down immediately by Owens, who overhauled him with a chair before using the same weapon on Reigns. Owens returned to Uso and attacked his leg with a chair before « pilmanizing » it on the chair. Owens’ focus on Uso was enough distraction to allow Reigns to re-enter the fight and dominate with chair and ladder shots. Owens continued to struggle even after Reigns dropped him on a pair of chairs and came back on a chair with his own series of chair shots at the champion and a fisherman duplex. Owens almost won the match when Uso hobbled back to the ring on a good leg and pulled Owens off the ladder, opening up an opportunity for Reigns to score a Superman punch. Owens even struggled against the doubles team, hitting Uso with a super kick and then reigning with a stunner before trying again to climb the ladder and claim the championship only to be attacked by Uso again. Owens buried Uso under rubble on the ring and tried to grab the ladder to be cut off again, this time by Reigns.

Rules Powerebombed Owens on a ladder and places him through several tables on the outside of the ring. Owens refused to stay downstairs, further angering the champion, who then punched a spear through a table. Owens told Reigns he had to kill him, which would result in Reigns missing a second spear, this time through the barricade by the ring. Owens put Reigns by a table with a pop-up power bomb to be cut off again from climbing by Uso. After Owens took Uso back out, he almost got the title back, only to meet Reigns on top of the ladder, punch him deeply, and choke him to death with a guillotine before retrieving the belt. That was very good and Owens looked like an absolute force fighting two men all the time and clearly winning the match multiple times. If anything, it was a little hard to go back to the places where « Owens almost got the belt but now the other one came in ». But that’s the deal with Reigns, nothing is fair when it comes to fighting him. Roman Reigns def. Kevin Owens to keep the title. Note: A-

Tonight at #WWETLC @WWEAsuka was the first woman superstar to hold tag team gold with two different partners since Velvet McIntyre in 1984. For the current version of the #WWE Women’s Day title, Asuka is the FIRST to hold it with two different partners.

UP NEXT: @WWERomanReigns puts his #UniversalChampionship in a #TLCMatch against @FightOwensFight on the line! #WWETLC image. Twitter. com / HTBCHHtjxx

Women’s Tag Team Championship – Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler (c) vs.. . Asuka & Charlotte Flair: Flair was Asuka’s surprising reveal as her day partner. « The Queen » got work early on before Asuka wanted to play Babyface-in-Peril. Baszler tried to cut off the hot label by pulling Flair off the apron, but Flair dropped it, took the label and brought the fight straight to Jax and Baszler before putting a big shoe on Jax just before the fall. Flair also knocked the top rope moonsault to the ground to take out Jax and Baszler. Flair was caught in the eight against Baszler, but Jax broke his grip. Baszler tried to lock in the Kirifuda clutch, but Flair rolled through just before the crash before hitting Natural Selection to victory. Flair was supposed to give the Raw women’s division a big boost on their return, and it seemed to hit all the cylinders on their return. The match itself falls firmly into the area of ​​ »good, not great ». Asuka & Charlotte Flair def. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler on pinfall to win the title. Note: B

With @RicFlairNatrBoy, #TheQueen looks like a one-woman wreck crew on #WWETLC! @WWEAsuka @QoSBaszler @NiaJaxWWE pic. Twitter. com / x4dQHiYZZz

UP NEXT: #WWERaw #WomensChampion @WWEAsuka brings a mysterious partner into the fight against the #TagTeamChampions @NiaJaxWWE & @QoSBaszler of the WWE women! #WWETLC image. Twitter. com / 6Hjn04BFXi

Chief Hurt Officer Approved. @ Sheltyb803 & @CedricAlexander just brought more gold to The #HurtBusiness! #WWETLC @fightbobby @ The305MVP pic. Twitter. com / 9Lj8lHB4Mm

. @TrueKofi accelerates the pace as BIG MATCH #NewDay Battle To win the #HurtBusiness with the #WWERaw Tag Team title at #WWETLC! @AustinCreedWins @ Sheltyb803 @CedricAlexander @ The305MVP picture. Twitter. com / alPKlH2CXF

Raw Tag Team Championship – The New Day (c) vs.. . The Hurt Business: Cedric Alexander tried a quick start but was immediately dismantled by the champions until he could give Shelton Benjamin a day. Alexander spent a stretch outside the ring where he was repeatedly taken out by New Day to keep him from re-engaging in the match. The momentum continued to swing with great insult to both teams, including a Kofi Kingston SOS against Alexander for one near miss and a Brainbuster from Alexander for another. Xavier Woods was out of the game for most of the second half, even when Alexander blindly interfered when Benjamin appeared to have won the match and hit a lumbar check for the win, winning the titles in the process. Alexander’s me-first attitude is going to be an issue at some point, but there are new tag champions out now, although they may be in a less spectacular match than these two teams can deliver. The Hurt Business def. The new day over pinfall to win the title. Note: B-

Get excited because The #HurtBusiness @ Sheltyb803 & @CedricAlexander has another chance to dethrone #TheNewDay at #WWETLC NOW! ▶ ️ https: // t. co / OZApDRovhU image. Twitter. com / 7i5hLAxoty

SmackDown Women’s Championship – Sasha Banks (c) vs. . Carmella: Banks, who was still angry after slapping champagne bottles on her back for two weeks, immediately went on the offensive, giving Carmella a few blows on the back as an easy return. Carmella took the lead after Reginald, the sommelier, helped her. Reginald caught Carmella as she was kicked out of the ring and then helped her hit a Rana on Banks. The banks’ initial big comeback resulted in a near-fall of a frog squirt. Carmella then came back with an X-Factor that resulted in her own series of near-falls. After a spate of pinning combinations from both women, Carmella included the Code of Silence, followed by a double chicken wing that caught Banks’ head for a couple of near-submissions while the tide of false results continued. The banks then blocked the bank statement, but Reginald rescued again before taking a Meteora from the banks. Shortly afterwards, the banks locked the bank statement again to secure the tap and keep the belt. Carmella isn’t on par with Banks, Asuka, Bayley and the other all-active top women on the WWE roster, but she has done a career-best here, with the validity of the long teasing of her return and the instant top spot in Balance. Of course, Banks did more than just hold his own in the ring. Sasha Banks def. Carmella by filing to keep the title. Note: B

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WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders, & Chairs, Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton, WWE Raw