2016 Ongoing MOTY List: Ziggler/Miz Ladder

34. Dolph Ziggler v. The Miz WWE TLC 12/4

ER: This started nicely with a bunch of fast work, especially loved Ziggler trying to grab a ladder under the ring and getting blasted by a through the ropes dropkick. All of their stuff fighting around an upright ladder looked good too, and then Ziggler takes a great drop toehold into a ladder, and you knew this was good! 10 minutes in we don't have any silly climbing spots, which is refreshing. It was more ladders being used as weapons, and guys taking spills into ladders, which certainly comes off more painful. Setting up the propped ladder in the corner spots was a little wonky, but the Ziggler elbow off the top looked nice. Once they start climbing and falling I lost some interest, thought things were going way better during the first 10. But Miz heard my complaints and started slamming Ziggler's knee in the ladder a bunch, then locked on a vicious figure 4, probably the most effective use of it since Miz started using the F4. Ziggler got a little medodramatic on the superkick attempt but I appreciate what he was going for and liked how it lead right to the SCF on the ladder. Miz dangling from the belt and getting a ladder smacked into him was novel and Miz sold the hell out of that knee. Maryse as a second has been really fun and I love her selling Miz' knee injury not with a flip out, but more of a "awkwardly sucking in through teeth". And I love that horizontal ladder in the corner callback spot, with Dolph finally getting powerbombed into it. This was good for 10 minutes, lost its way a little bit, and then came rushing back to being really good. Miz limping up a ladder while Ziggler did pull ups up his ladder was suuuuuper overwrought but also kind of wonderful pro wrestling. This match was real good, and the postmatch was great too with Miz calling Maryse over to the apron to help him with his bad wheel, while the camera catches Dolph just fetal position crying on the ground in the background. Great stuff.

PAS: I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this, neither guy is know for their snug work, but all of the punches and kicks looked good here, and I especially enjoyed Ziggler's big headbutts. I am pretty tired of ladder matches, but the figure four around the ladder ripping up Dolph's knee was at least a pretty new approach to it. I also really enjoyed Miz's selling of a blown out knee, it was different from the traditional selling of damage, more the kind of freak accident which ends someones NBA season, and Miz had me buying that an awkward fall tore his MCL. Probably went a bit too long, but this was surprisingly violent and fun.

2016 MOTY MASTER LIST