Sunday, December 20th, 2020 – New Orleans, LA
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2020
Pre-Show:
Eight Man Tag Team Match
Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn, Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura vs Big E, Daniel Bryan, Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis)
Main Show:
TLC Match for World Heavyweight Championship
The Miz vs Drew McIntyre (c)
SmackDown Women's Championship
Carmella vs Sasha Banks (c)
Tag Team Match for Raw Tag Team Championship
The Hurt Business vs The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) (c)
WWE Championship #1 Contenders Ladder Match
Ced vs Seth Rollins
Tag Team Match for WWE Women's Tag Team Championship
Asuka and Charlotte Flair vs Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler (c)
TLC Match for WWE Championship
Kevin Owens vs Roman Reigns (c)
Firefly Inferno Match
Randy Orton vs The Fiend
Tonight, was the final Pay-Per-View of 2020. And what has been an electrifying year for the WWE and for the WWE Universe. The past year was filled with some many great moments that many wrestling fans and wrestlers alike will never forget. Some of those moments included The Undertaker's last match and his retirement at Survivor Series. And some would even say that they would never forget the bloody, brutal street fight between Ced and Jaden Sennoa at WrestleMania. Before that match, WWE fans hadn't really had a match of that pace or style since the Ruthless Aggression Era in WWE.
It felt nice being able to provide WWE fans with an experience like that. During the year 2020, Ced had held so many championships ranging from the SmackDown Tag Team titles to the Intercontinental title twice and even becoming a King of the Ring winner for the first time in his illustrious career. But that wasn't it for the year, he had one more final mission and that was eliminating Seth Rollins and winning the opportunity to become the #1 Contender for the WWE Championship and hopefully put himself in the same breath as the other main eventers.
Currently Cedric was in undisclosed area in the back, sitting on a crate facetiming his fiancée and his child. It was only 5 days till Christmas and they were very excited to celebrate Christmas this year. From a business standpoint, things couldn't be any better. The nightclubs were doing great, endorsements were great, he had recently bought land and so many more things were doing good. From a personal standpoint, things couldn't have been better. He was engaged to the love of his life, his child was healthy, his parents and siblings were all healthy.
"Baby, I need you promise me that you'll be safe out there."
"Honey, it's a ladder match there's not really much of a chance of me not coming out with some type of bruise or cut."
"Why'd you have to agree to a ladder match?"
"Baby, the more dangerous the match, the more fans tune in and remember the match."
"At least, you'll cross something off your career bucket list."
"Yeah, and hopefully, it'll lead to crossing another goal off that list: becoming WWE Champion."
"You will, baby and when you do, you'll make me and your son proud."
"I hope so, that's all I ever wanted. Just to live up to the expectations and give CJ something to look up to."
"And you have and he already knows it. When he grow's up, he's gonna know almost exactly what I know. And that is that you are one of the best fathers out there."
"Thanks babe. Wel, I gotta go. I gotta get ready for this match in the next couple of minutes. Love you. Kiss my lil man-man for me."
"Love you too." Kala said before she hung up the call. Cedric sat his phone down and grabbed his white wrist tape that was sitting beside him and quickly started taping both his fist and wrist. This was the last thing he needed before his match. He was already dressed in his black boots and knee pads. His trunks were black with wolf grey designs.
There was a lot of nervousness and anxiety for this match. This was the realization that he was close to being able to have a World title match.
"Hey Ced, they're ready for you." A stage crew member said as he walked towards Cedric, giving him the signal. Cedric quickly finished wrapped his fist and made his way over to guerilla for one of the marquee matches of the night.
(!)-(!)-(!)-(!)
"Icon" Hits
The music of the former Intercontinental Champion rang out on the PA System getting pop from the crowd as they rose up to their feet. The cheers only got louder as Ced walked out onto the stage with a frown on his face.
"The following contest is a ladder match and the it is for the #1 Contender for the WWE Championship. Introducing first, making his way to the ring, from Charlotte, North Carolina. Weighing in at 252 Pounds. Ced!" Greg Hamilton announced as Ced spit out his water in a mist and began to make his way down the ramp.
With every step he took, Ced kept his gaze on the contract that hung above the ring. He was determined to climb up the ladder and get the contract but he was also hellbent on making Seth Rollins pay for attempting to end his career. Once he reached the ringside area, he looked around the arena at the WWE Universe once more before walking over to the steel steps. He ran up the steps and onto the ring apron, entering the ring and making a beeline to the corner. "Young Simba" jumped onto the turnbuckle and hit his pose as the crowd cheered.
He jumped down and turned around locking eyes with the stage, awaiting the arrival of Seth Rollins.
"The Rising" by Def Rebel Hits
The WWE Universe immediately started to boo as the music of "The Visionary" Seth Rollins hit the PA System. Rollins walked out onto the stage in his same black and silver gear that he wore at Survivor Series with a white leather fur jacket. Seth looked around the arena as he held his arms wide soaking up all the boos from the WWE Universe as he started to make his descent down the ramp.
"And his opponent, making his way to the ring, from Davenport, Iowa. Weighing in at 217 Pounds. "The Visionary" Seth Rollins.
Seth had a smirk as he stared into the eyes of Ced. Seth walked around to the steel steps and walked up the steps, onto the apron. He entered the ring and stood in the center of the ring holding his arms soaking up the boos as the referee was in the ring, holding back Ced.
Rollins took off his jacket and threw it off on the outside. The referee checked with Ced making sure that he was good to go and did the same with Rollins before calling for the bell.
Ding-Ding-Ding!
Ced and Seth Rollins both stood across the ring staring daggers into each other's soul. They both only wanted one thing and that was the WWE Championship held by Roman Reigns. That desire led to this very moment. Ced vs Seth Rollins in ladder match to determine the number 1 contender to the title. Seth looked at Ced talking trash while Ced simply looked on with a frown.
The crowd joined in on the mind games and started to boo Seth causing him to look around with a frown on his face. He muttered something inaudible and charged at Ced only to be knocked down with a right hook by "Young Simba". Seth popped right back and was sent crashing to the canvas once more with a right hand. Seth up once again ran towards Ced looking for a clothesline but Ced rather ducked it and made his way towards the ropes. As both Ced and Rollins bounced off the ropes with momentum, Ced was able to mount some offense and clock Rollins with a clothesline that nearly knocked him out of his boots.
"The Visionary" Seth Rollins rolled under the ropes, falling down to the outside. Ced looked up at the contract with a frown on his face before he turned his gaze back onto his opponent. The former Intercontinental Champion walked towards the ropes and stepped out onto the ring apron before jumping down onto the outside. Ced took a look at Seth before running towards him at full speed looking for some form of offense but Rollins was able to counter and hit Ced with a drop toe hold making his face clash with the steel steps!
Ced's head hit the steel steps with a loud thud while the crowd booed Seth. Rollins rose up to a vertical base as he looked at his adversary with a smirk. Rollins quickly made his way over to Ced and began to stomp furiously on the midsection. Rollins grabbed Ced by the head and neck and whipped him into the barricade. Ced grunted as his back collided with the barricade.
Seth ran towards Ced looking for a clothesline over the barricade but Ced had other plans and lifted Rollins, sending Seth Rollins crashing on the hard concrete. Seth groaned in pain as he felt his back in an intense feeling of pain. The former Intercontinental Champion hopped over the barricade and grabbed Seth by his hair, using it to pull him up to a vertical base. Seth was clocked with a headbutt making him stumble a bit.
This heated ladder match was for the #1 Contender spot for the WWE Championship. Both men wanted Roman Reigns' coveted title but only one man can face him at the Royal Rumble. Ced ,a man who had never won the WWE Championship, wanted so desperately to capture the championship that had eluded him thus far in his career. And for Seth he wanted to become "The Man" once again.
Ced managed to clock Rollins in the face with a right as Seth stumbled through the crowd. Several members of the crowd cheered and patted Ced on the back as he passed by them brawling with Seth. Ced and Seth's brawl had managed to take them closest to the stage. Ced grabbed Seth looking to whip into the barricade but Rollins reversed it and sent Ced over the barricade back onto the set. Rollins raised his arms as he laughed at the crowd booing him while Ced managed to crawl over to the LED stage and managed to rise up to a knee.
Seth, being the prima donna that he was, was too occupied with the crowd to even notice Ced recovering on the stage. Seth made his way through the crowd and walked towards Ced on the LED stage grabbing him by the head and neck. Ced caught Seth by surprise rising up to his feet, kicking Seth in the gut before dropping him with a DDT on the LED Stage!
The brains of "The Visionary" were just scrambled as his head collided with the steel steps. Ced grunted as he felt his back crash onto the LED Stage. Ced cursed as he looked up at the arena lights as he felt the pain in his back from that DDT. Ced slowly started to rise up to his feet still feeling the pain a bit. Both men had only been wrestling now for about 8 minutes but those 8 minutes have been grueling. Ced walked down the ramp with one thing on his mind. He kneeled down reaching under the ring to grabbed a 10 feet high ladder from down under the ring.
Ced was sliding the ladder under the bottom rope when Seth came out of nowhere and grabbed Ced's head slamming it into the top of the ladder nearly taking Ced out of consciousness. The former Intercontinental Champion stared up at the lights dazed while Seth rolled into the ring and grabbed the steel ladder, setting it up for him to climb up and grab the contract.
Seth slowly climbed up the ladder, rubbing it in with the fans as he cackled while the fans booed. He made it up to the top and started to showboat with the fans, rubbing in his apparent win over Ced. Ced's taunting would prove to be his downfall as Ced managed to get back into the mix and rolled into the ring. He pushed the ladder with Seth Rollins on it, causing Seth to fall off and collide throat first with the ropes knocking him flat on his back while Ced leaned up against the ropes still feeling the damage that's been committed throughout the match.
Ced grabbed the ladder, collapsing it back into the form it was found under the ring. He picked it up standing behind Seth waiting for him to reach a vertical base. Seth crawled towards the ropes and used the middle and top rope to pull himself up to a vertical base. He stumbled around before being clocked in the face with a ladder! The crowd were in awe watching the brutal action going on between these two gladiators. Ced stood over Seth and repeatedly drove the ladder into the chest of Seth Rollins before dropping the ladder down onto his body!
The former Intercontinental Champion looked up at the contract hanging above before turning his gaze back onto "The Messiah" Seth Rollins. He shook his head and dropped down, rolling under the bottom rope. He reached down under the ring grabbing a steel chair and another ladder, sliding them both under the bottom rope into the squared circle. Ced was on a mission, not just to win the match but also punish Seth Rollins for the comments and the mind games played weeks prior to their 1 on 1 match here tonight.
Seth was still down and looked to be in pain but this didn't stop Ced from picking up the steel chair and looking down at his opponent. The crowd cheered as Ced seemed to have evil thoughts in his head.
Ced raised the chair above his head and slammed the chair into the ladder draped across Seth Rollins' body. Seth screamed out in pain as Ced continued to slam the chair into the ladder on top of the body of Seth Rollins. Ced finally threw the chair down onto the outside as Seth managed to push the ladder off of his body slowly and roll out to the outside getting some separation while Ced leaned up against the ropes panting his breath as he looked down at the canvas.
"Young Simba '' was going into a dark, dark place. His mind was beginning to go down that dark road. That road that hadn't been since WrestleMania in his match with Jaden Sennoa. He was determined to win the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble and to get there, he had to go through Seth first.
Ced grabbed the ladder that he had previously placed inside the ring and began to set it up but didn't notice Rollins beginning to recover on the outside. Seth quickly pulled himself together and got onto the ring apron before jumping up onto the top rope, using it to clock Ced in the back with a springboard dropkick making his face collide with one of the ladder rungs. The 2020 King of the Ring winner fell to the canvas as he stared up at the ceiling feeling the effects of his face colliding with the ladder.
Seth looked down at Ced with a smirk right before he began stomping a mudhole into the chest of Ced before going over to the ladder and knocking it over to the side. Seth was more focused on inflicting pain right now than winning the match and it showed in his demeanor. "Young Simba" started to stir, crawling up to a single knee. Seth looked as a sadistic smile snaked its way onto his face.
Seth set Ced and clocked him right in the jaw with a superkick knocking him flat on his back. The crowd booed as Seth seemed to have the advantage at the moment. Seth turned his back to Ced and looked out into the crowd. The WWE Universe booed Seth causing him to chuckle as he looked on. Rollins didn't see Ced starting to move as he crawled towards the ladder. Rollins turned his back and started to chuckle as the thoughts started to swirl around in his head.
"The Messiah" ran towards the ropes looking for a curb stomp into the ladder but when he rebounded off the ropes, Ced had already made it up to his feet and caught him slamming him onto his back on the ladder as the crowd cheered. Ced stumbled, falling back into the corner as he looked on and panted for his breath. The former Intercontinental Champion exited the ring and looked out around the crowd.
He walked towards the announce table, ripping the table cover off the announce table. The crowd cheered as Ced looked around the arena with a smirk on his face. He threw the cover off to the side and turned around, just to get hit with a suicide dive from Rollins. Ced stumbled back into the announce table, leaning up against the table. Rollins rose up to his feet and clocked Ced with a series of right hands before placing him onto the table.
Seth clocked Ced once more with a right hand before making his way over to the steel steps. He slowly walked up the steps and started to climb the turnbuckles. Rollins looked around the arena as the fans cheered before setting his gaze upon Ced once more. He ran a hand through his air before launching himself in the air looking to put Ced through the table with an elbow drop but Ced moved out of the way ALLOWING SETH ROLLINS TO GO THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE!
"Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!" The crowd chanted as Ced just saved himself from what would've been the end. Ced looked down at Rollins with a look of shock before his gaze set up on the contract above the ring. Ced towards the ring, sliding under the bottom rope. He grabbed a hold of the ladder, to set it up in the ring under the contract. He looked on the outside once more, looking at Seth who started to crawl.
Ced climbed the ladder, feeling the pain in every part of his body as he climbed up the rungs. He reached up above to grab the contract but got distracted as he saw Rollins gripping the ring skirt using it to pick himself up. Seth rolled into the ring feeling the pain in his body. Seth rose up to his feet, slowly and stumbled towards the ladder and slowly started to climb the rungs to the top.
Ced and Seth were both on top of the ladder. Both men were groggily trading blows as the contract hung above the head. Left and Rights from both men. They both had sustained a lot of punishment throughout the match. Seth went for right hand but Ced ducked it and countered with a headbutt making Seth grunt as he was hanging off the top of the leader by a single hand. Ced gripped his hair using it to pull him up above his shoulders.
The fans were cheering as Ced looked out among them, fired up before jumping off the ladder and HITTING SETH WITH A DEATH BOMB FROM THE TOP OF THE LADDER! The fans were going in a frenzy as both men's body looked as if they had been in a high-speed car crash.
"Holy Shit! Holy Shit! Holy Shit!" The WWE Universe chanted as both men stared up at the lights stunned after the move that took them both out.
Ced was the first to stir and started to slowly crawl towards the ropes. He grabbed a hold of the bottom and middle rope, using them to pull himself up to his feet before he groggily made his way to the ladder. He slowly but surely climbed up to the top of the ladder, rung by rung. Once he reached the top of the ladder, he reached up and grabbed the contract pulling it down off its hook as the fans cheered while the bell rang.
Ding-Ding-Ding!
"Icon" Hits
"Here is your winner: Ced!"
The WWE fans cheered as Ced still stood up top of the ladder panting for his breath as he looked around the arena. He raised his arm, feeling the pain shoot up his body as his did so. Ced turned his head looking down at Seth Rollins, who rolled out on the outside and leaned up against the barricade looking on.
"Young Simba" turned his gaze down at his hands looking at the contract that was in his hands and nodded his head and raised it up high with a smile.
Impressive performance by the two superstars, but Ced and the rest of the WWE Universe felt it wasn't over between him and Rollins. But for now, it was and Ced's focus was now firmly on the WWE Champion, Roman Reigns.
Results:
Pre-Show:
Eight Man Tag Team Match Winner: Alpha Academy, Big E and Daniel Bryan
Main Show:
World Heavyweight Championship TLC Match Winner: AJ Styles*
SmackDown Women's Championship Winner: Sasha Banks
Raw Tag Team Championship Winner: The Hurt Business (Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin)
#1 Contenders Ladder Match Winner: Ced
WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Winner: Asuka and Charlotte Flair
WWE Championship TLC Match Winner: Roman Reigns
Firefly Inferno Match Winner: Randy Orton
*AJ Styles cashed in his Money in the Bank to make the match a Triple-Threat Match and won via climbing the ladder
