TLC 2014

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 183 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 23 2015

The final card of 2014, TLC already feels like a distant memory. Since the show took place, we've had the somewhat unwanted return of The Authority, Daniel Bryan coming back and Roman Reigns receiving a ton of abuse which calls into question his status as WWE's next top star. Mind you, that's not to say that TLC 2014 isn't up to scratch, because there are some enjoyable matches on show at this, erm, show.

The event peaks early with the Luke Harper-Dolph Ziggler Ladder match: whilst not one of the all-time classic matches of this genre, it's very exciting and surprisingly brutal, and is one of the better Ladder matches in WWE from the last few years (it also benefits from Ziggler's hometown crowd in Cleveland, Ohio providing a great atmosphere during this bout). Next, The Miz and Damien Mizdow battle The Usos in a match which isn't as must-see as Miz' gimmick would have you believe, but features another hilarious performance from his stunt double Mizdow.

After the first ever Stairs match (hence the slightly modified name of the PPV), which sees Big Show beat Erick Rowan in a slow, occasionally sluggish brawl, John Cena takes on Seth Rollins in a Tables match which is fun to watch, but still has little reason to exist besides bridging the gap between this show and the WWE Title match at Royal Rumble (which was much better than the Tables match held here to help set it up), although it does feature an intriguing conclusion. Nikki Bella vs. AJ Lee isn't exactly a classic bout either, but at least they have a proper match here, unlike their previous collision at Survivor Series.

The next two matches do little to justify the purchase of this DVD: Ryback vs. Kane under Chairs rules is another slow battle that sees the announcers actually laughing during some of the more physical spots, and Rusev vs. Jack Swagger is a rushed and unnecessary recycling of their summer feud. Finally, Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt is an exciting TLC match, but the bizarre finish makes Ambrose look a bit idiotic (to put it mildly), and to claim the victory, Wyatt essentially no-sells the high level of punishment he took prior to - well, I'll let you watch and find out. The New Day vs. Goldust and Stardust is the bonus match here, and is joined by a few additional backstage promos (one of which is with The Bellas, even though they also receive interview time on the main card).

Whilst an improvement on TLC 2013 as an all-round show, as well as the previous month's Survivor Series (Sting debut aside), the 2014 instalment of TLC isn't really a DVD that you should rush out to purchase. Mind you, there are several entertaining matches which deliver some pretty dramatic and occasionally violent spots, so whilst by no means a five-star event, TLC is one of the better shows held on Pay-Per-View in 2014, and so this DVD is a decent way to close out an unforgettable year in the wacky world of WWE.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay