The Chaos of TLC Matches: A Wild WWE FAvorite
WWE Veteran verbally assaulted Vince McMahon with insults backstage following an in-ring injury resulting from a botched maneuver
Hold onto your seats! TLC matches, a WWE spectacle born during the Attitude Era in the late '90s, are as destructive as the infamous Hell in a Cell matches. The acronym stands for tables, ladders, and chairs, where wrestlers use these objects as weapons to claim title belts.
Take the 2000 WrestleMania, where a history-making triangle ladder match between Edge and Christian, The Dudley Boyz, and The Hardy Boyz took place. The chaos that ensued during this match paved the way for TLC matches to be officially introduced later that year.
However, TLC matches are not always a walk in the park. Due to the frequent falls, chair shots, and table smashes, the risk of injury is omnipresent. It wasn't any different in 2002, when two teams - Christian and Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam, and Jeff Hardy, and Bubba Ray and Spike Dudley - were pitted against the reigning tag champs, Kane, and Hurricane.
The Infamous Match Between Jericho and Dudley
Recalling the 2002 TLC match on his Talk is Jericho podcast, Bubba Ray Dudley shed light on a memorable (and not in a good way) moment during the match. Jericho described executing a bulldog from the top of a ladder on Bubba Ray, but things went sour when Bubba Ray's head collided with the mat. A severe concussion was the unfortunate outcome.
Despite his state, Bubba Ray soldiered on, thanks in part to some help from his colleagues. Jericho, aware of Bubba's condition, was taken aback when Bubba seemed lost, asking how to climb a ladder. The match continued, with Bubba Ray pushing through the pain and confusion.
Post-Match Abuse and Hospital Ordeals
After 25 minutes of chaos in Las Vegas, Kane managed to keep his team's championship reign alive. However, the ordeal didn't end there. Backstage, a confused and injured Bubba Ray let loose, hurling abuse at Vince McMahon and whoever else happened to be in earshot.
Bubba's confusion, brain trauma, and anger didn't stop at the backstage drama. At the hospital, he was forced to confront the death of his mother, who had passed away the previous year. Due to his head injury, he couldn't remember his loss, leading to a harrowing hospital experience of re-living his grief over and over again.
Fortunately, Bubba Ray recovered and returned to the ring within two weeks of his devastating concussion. His wrestling career continued to shine, with him even being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018 as part of The Dudley Boyz.
Sources
- [1] WWE's TLC matches explained: A brief history and fascinating evolution
- [2] The Dudley Boyz: Trailblazers of Hardcore Wrestling
- [3] WWE's Hardcore Championship History
- [4] Chris Jericho and Bubba Ray Dudley's TLC Match: A Unique Story of Pain and Confusion
- [5] Bubba Ray Dudley's Hospital Ordeal: A Night to Remember - or Forget
- [6] WWE: The Trials and Tribulations of TLC Matches - An In-Depth Analysis
- Bubba Ray Dudley revealed on his podcast, Talk is Jericho, a terrifying moment during the 2002 TLC match when he collided with the mat after a bulldog from a ladder, resulting in a severe concussion.
- Despite his condition, Bubba Ray continued the match with the help of his colleagues, but his confusion was evident when he asked how to climb a ladder.
- After the match, an enraged and injured Bubba Ray abused Vince McMahon and others backstage, and his hospital stay was made worse by the re-emergence of his grief over his mother's death, as he couldn't remember her passing.
- In the realm of sports, TLC matches in WWE are known for their dangerous elements and the risks they involve, much like transfers in MMA sport or football's Premier League, where participants may face sickening injuries.
- Post-recovery, Bubba Ray returned to the ring within two weeks and went on to achieve great success, including induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018 as part of The Dudley Boyz, comparable to an instrument that, despite its risky playing, creates beautiful music.
