10 Modern WWE PPV Matches Allocated Far Too Much Time

5. Triple H Vs. Kevin Nash - TLC 2011

John Cena Randy Orton Hell in a Hell 2014
WWE.com

Match length: 18:13

Why it was too long: Again, this is another match which shouldn't have made it beyond the writer's room, let alone have been allocated just twelve seconds less than the main event.

With the exception of the Punjabi Prison, has there ever been a stipulation appointed so inappropriately in terms of the wrestler expected to contest it? Nash's knees and quadriceps are so thoroughly shot that they've become as meme-worthy as his infamously poor grasp of the English language.

Conceptually, the match was hubristic to the extreme. WWE probably felt they had to shoehorn a ladder in there somehow, given the name of the Pay Per View itself, but there was barely any storyline need for it. Moreover, a ladder match is the domain of the young and the athletic, traditionally and fittingly contested by those just a few steps away from main event prominence. A geezer like Nash should be nowhere near it.

Consequently, the match was the slow procession of ladder spots everybody with even the slightest knowledge of Nash's medical history had spotted a mile away. Nash could barely achieve clearance from WWE doctors - why was he showcased so prominently in a violent match with Triple H at the expense of up and comers like Wade Barrett and Sheamus? The answer is in the question.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!