9. Edge vs. Ric Flair (Monday Night Raw January 16, 2006)
We have Edge to thank for making Tables, Ladders, and Chairs a main-event gimmick, pulling each of the pieces of TLC out of their long-term place in the mid-card and moving them up the card. Of course, it was Edge who helped pioneer the stunt brawl in WWE, combining with Christian to form the duo that may not have gotten all the glory from the fans during the TLC tag team era, but did receive the majority of the kayfabe victories in the matches. Edge and Flair had been feuding for awhile when the Rated R Superstar won the WWE Championship at New Year's Revolution, pioneering the Money in the Bank concept, as well. Flair was a natural first title defense for him, but the TLC stipulation was a surprise from a Raleigh (Flair Country) edition of Raw. Many wondered if Flair could do a Ladder-style match given his age. They had an amazing match. Flair's age was part of the reason why it was so memorable. An old man had no business being in that sort of match. To see him excel in that environment - with a big assist from Edge - was thrilling to watch, particularly for fans that had seen him do it all before (with the exception of the Ladder match). If you watch it back, notice a young Charlotte sitting ringside during her senior year at North Carolina State (in Raleigh).
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
