It feels like it was just two weeks ago that we had a wrestling pay per view to watch.  And that's because it was only three weeks ago. I guess they don't like having shows over the holidays, so December 13th it is!  After the dissapointment that was Survivor Series, my expectations were pretty low. Were those expectations met? Found out with me, won't you?

As always, we're answering the three most important questions in wrestling today:

1. What happened?
2. What should have happened?
3. Why should you care?

The Setup: Much like Hell in the Cell, what was once a special match type has grown into it's own show. Tables, Ladders, and Chairs open the door for some more entertaining matches and spots than locking everyone in a big cage, so I'm a fan of this.  Especially going back to it's origins with the Dudley Boyz and the Hardyz doing crazy crap to each other.

Beer of Choice: Sam Adams White Christmas, a nice light beer with some good flavors.

(c)

(WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match)

1. Big E took a nap through most of the match, and then Xavier Woods threw a FUCKING TROMBONE and took out the last of the Lucha Dragons to allow Kofi to climb the ladder and retain the belts.
2. Anything I could have come up with would not have topped that. Hilariously awesome!
3. New Day is still one of the best things going and he THREW A FUCKING TROMBONE.  Great start to the show.

w/

1. Lana got fake injured again and Rusev "Crush" Rusev applied the Accolade to submit Ryback.
2. This is a tough one, because it kind of doesn't matter who won, but Rusev needed to be re-established as a force after his return, so beating the "Big Guy" made sense.  He and Lana being all mushy and such around the match got tiresome. I liked it better when Lana was just the angry lady that yelled "CRUSH".
3. This is the new status quo for Rusev and Lana. They're engaged in real life, so why not put them together on TV? I'll need some convincing that they can play those characters. Lana needs to get a good Stephanie McMahon type sneer going if they really want to push the heel angle.

(c) (US Championship Chairs Match)

1. Alberto Del Rio (formerly associated with former racist Zeb Colter) stomped Jack Swagger (formerly associated with former racist Zeb Colter) into a bunch of chairs to retain his title.
2. Jack Swagger cannot attain a title. And he still sounds kinda racist. So they kinda nailed it here.
3. I was never big on Alberto Del Rio, but I'm liking him in his return thus far. They'll need to give him some better opponents to make the US Title matter, but he puts on entertaining matches.

 (Table Elimination Match)

1. This match was pure chaos. And a giant eight man elimination match, sounds like that would have been great at Survivor Series. You know, the one last month that had hardly any elimination matches? What the hell? ANYWAY, this was a pretty one-sided affair. Let's run it down: Dubba Ray and D-Von eliminated Erick Rowan. Luke Harper eliminated Rhyno. (Rhyno was my pick for first elimination, he seemed the most out of shape). Bray Wyatt eliminted D-Von. Luke Harper eliminated Tommy Dreamer. Braun Strowman eliminated Bubba Ray.  
2. Very much this. The Wyatt family is supposed to be this terrifying group of nightmare people. And they've gone on to back up exactly ZERO of all their talk.  They could not lose this one to a bunch of old men.  Thankfully they didn't.
3. This finally puts a big "W" in the Wyatt Family win column. The more times they are able to be terrifying and then destroy their opponents, the better they work as a group. Plus, assuming this ECW things keeps going, it gives the Dudley Boyz something to do since they don't seem to have a part in the Tag Team debate anymore. Kind of a win-win.

(c) (Intercontinental Championship)

1. Dean reversed a "Pop-Up Powerbomb" into a kind of awkward and way too long rollup to win the Intercontinental Championship.
2. Either could have walked away with the title, but considering Ambrose beat Owens last month in the tournament, it makes sense for him to do it again. Crazy that it follows a kind of logic. Since when is wrestling logical?
3. They finally put a belt on Ambrose. That's some pretty cool shit. He has good matches with basically anyone he's put together with. I could watch this one a few more times before he moves on.

(c)(Divas Championship)

1. Charlotte and Ric Flair worked together (as heels) to expose the turnbuckle and smack Paige's head into it.
2. So wait, Paige was coming into this stuff as the bad guy talking mess about the Flair family, now Charlotte is being a dick to Becky Lynch and cheating to win. So now they're both heels? Are we supposed to be rooting for one of them? I just...both of them are trying to hard to be awful. Why did...I don't know.
3. They still put on good matches and keeping the belt on Charlotte is a good look. I just wish they'd get a true face/heel dynamic going here. It seems muddled.

(c) (WWE Championship TLC Match)

1. Alberto Del Rio and Rusev, partners in crime with Sheamus in the League of Nations, beat up Roman Reigns to allow Sheamus to retain the title. Reigns then went on to beat up Triple H a bunch.
2. Sheamus had to win to keep the belt out of Reigns' hands. At least for a little while longer.  The more Reigns gets screwed and beats up Triple H, the more people like him.  Good way to go about it.
3. People are starting to cheer for Reigns, so I think this is the right way to go. No one seems to like Sheamus, so he can lean into the heel persona and allow Reigns to pick up the "Stone Cold Anti-Authority" badge. When they finally do put the belt on Reigns, it'll feel like he's earned it.

The Verdict: WWE had a long way to go after the dissapointment that was Survivor Series, but they turned things around in a rather spectacular fashion.  This was a fun show almost entirely top to bottom and every time they break through a ladder I cringe in the worst way possible.  Good job WWE, you made me watch crazy people break through ladders. But also people THROWING A FUCKING TROMBONE OH MY GOD THAT WAS AWESOME!