Retro Rowe: WWE TLC 2009 Review

WWE Tables, Ladders, and Chairs
December 13, 2009by Samoa Rowe
-From San Antonio, TX. Our hosts are Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, and Matt Striker.

ECW Championship (Ladder match):
Christian (c) vs. Shelton Benjamin

They have a basic back and forth match in the early going. They battle for control of a ladder at ringside. Christian nails a top rope dive to earn control of the ladder. Christian climbs but Benjamin cuts him off. Benjamin (almost) lands on his feet on a sunset flip and sprints up but ends up getting tossed to ringside. Christian lifts the ladder but gets tripped up and gets smashed in the forehead. Benjamin stalls for time while a medic attends to Christian's open wound. For some reason they battle on a ringside ladder and Benjamin hits a scary somersault senton to the floor. Shelton props a ladder up on the announce table and apron and they fight around it. They trade ladder attacks in the ring. Christian gets knocked off the ladder and eats a spinning heel kick. Benjamin climbs but Christian nails an inverted DDT. Christian tries to ram Shelton off the turnbuckles with the ladder, but Shelton counters and leans the ladder into a winning position! Christian tips it, but Shelton lands on the turnbuckles gracefully! Shelton leans the ladder on purpose to come crashing down on Christian! That exchange was awesome! The fight continues with Benjamin power slamming Christian off the ladder. Shelton grabs the belt but gets the ladder pulled out from under him. Shelton is hanging for a while before Christian climbs up and knocks him off. Benjamin returns the favor, leaving Christian hanging. Christian falls into a power bomb into a ladder! Christian counters a sunset flip power bomb! Shelton attempts a German suplex onto the propped ladder, but it's blocked. Christian frog splashes Shelton on the ladder! Benjamin is dead so Christian easily climbs and grabs his title at 18:02! This started out as a basic ladder match, but then they started taking risks that really paid off, ***¼.
Winner and still ECW Champion: Christian

WWE Pay-per-view Posters 2013

WWE Pay-per-view Posters - 2010

Lots and lots of title changes.

So I was sitting around last night thinking about random wrestling related things when it hit me. In the past two months (June and July) every single championship in both WWE and TNA changed hands. Some of them multiple times.

Batista won the WWE Championship at Extreme Rules, but would vacate the title days later due to injury. Randy Orton would then claim the belt on the following Raw.

Jeff Hardy won the World Heavyweight Championship at Extreme Rules. He promptly dropped the title to Mr. Money in the Bank himself, CM Punk. In July, at Night of Champions, Jeff Hardy would regain the belt.

Kurt Angle claimed the TNA Heavyweight title at Slammiversary.

Tommy Dreamer picked up the ECW Championship at Extreme Rules in June, and Christian regained the title from him at Night of Champions in July.

Kofi Kingston claimed the United States Championship on June 1st on Raw.

Kevin Nash won the TNA Legends Championship at Victory Road. On last night's Impact, he lost the belt to Mick Foley.

Chris Jericho won the Intercontinental Championship for the 9th time at Extreme Rules. Rey Mysterio would take the title back from him at The Bash.

Beer Money Inc. took back the TNA Tag Team Championship at Slammiversary but came up short at Victory Road, and Scott Steiner and Booker T are the new champions.

Chris Jericho and Edge ended the Primo and Carlito's Unified Tag Team Championship reign at The Bash. At Night of Champions, Big Show became the official replacement for the injured Edge.

Homicide claimed the X Division title from Suicide on an episode of Impact on June 26th (aired July 16th).

Tara (formerly Victoria) won the Knockouts belt on Impact, but quickly dropped the gold back to Angelina Love at July's Victory Road.

Mickie James won the Divas Championship from longtime champion Maryse at Night of Champions.

Michelle McCool picked up the Women's Championship from Melina at The Bash.


I can only imagine that all these title changes are intended to boost ratings and pay-per-view buys. I suppose people are going to be more likely to order a show if they think that the belts could very well change hands but if they keep going doing this at the rate they are, these changes are going to lose all their meaning and impacts. Some moderation would be wise.