WWE TLC 2016: 10 Awesome Moments

2. AJ & Dean Throw Caution To The Wind

AJ Styles Dean Ambrose
WWE.com

WWE’s PG rating has greatly hampered the company’s ability to produce exciting gimmick matches. Hell In A Cell has suffered the most, but TLC is right there beside it, and you have to go back several years for WWE’s last truly great TLC match.

Fortunately, Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles blew the roof off last night. This was the best TLC match since The Shield wrestled Team Hell No & Ryback at the 2012 event, and Dean and AJ left nothing in the tank. It was easily the night’s most spot-filled match, and while such matches often suffer from a lack of substance, there were no such problems here.

This match was filled with a number of awesome moments. Styles took a huge bump after being suplexed onto a pile of chairs at one point, and Ambrose set-up a ladder on-top of an announce table before hitting a diving elbow through the other one. The real highlight came later on, however.

Styles’ reverse Moonsault DDT to the outside was crazy enough, but the World Champion went one better. He set Ambrose up on the table then launched himself with a ridiculous springboard 450 splash back to the outside, ensuring that for all TLC 2016’s big moments, no match would be more memorable than the main event.

Hats off to both men for almost killing themselves for our entertainment, and to AJ for producing one of the year’s best spots.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.