WWE TLC: Dolph Ziggler Vs. The Miz (Ladder Match For The WWE Intercontinental Title)
The following is from our live coverage of WWE TLC. To access our full coverage, click here.
Dasha Fuentes is backstage with SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan. Bryan praises Ziggler and believes he's a better representative for the SmackDown brand. Bryan admits The Miz does bring a star quality to the title. Miz walks up and interrupts. Miz wishes it was Bryan he's going to push off a ladder tonight. Miz tells Bryan to enjoy watching him retain the title. Miz walks off.
Ladder Match for the WWE Intercontinental Title: Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz
We go to the ring and out comes Dolph Ziggler first. We get a look at some of the other international announce teams in the arena. WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz is out next with Maryse.
Mauro says this is the final battle between these two. The bell rings and they have words in the middle of the ring as we see the title hanging high. Ziggler with the first takedown. Ziggler pounds on Miz and takes him to the corner. Miz catches a superkick. Ziggler blocks the Skull Crushing Finale. More back and forth. Miz catapults Ziggler to the floor. Ziggler goes under the ring for a ladder but Miz nails a Wrecking Ball dropkick. Miz tries to run Ziggler into a ladder standing at ringside but it's blocked. Miz blocks a shot into a ladder on the ramp. More back and forth until Miz drops Ziggler with a big boot to the face.
Ziggler ends up sending Miz face first into the ladder. Miz turns it around and uses the ladder on Ziggler at ringside. Ziggler blocks a big shot and drops Miz on the floor. Ziggler runs Miz's face across the steel as fans do dueling chants. Ziggler keeps control until Miz drops him face first into the ladder on the floor. Miz regroups as the referee checks on Ziggler. Miz tries to bring a ladder in the ring but Ziggler knocks him in the face with it. Miz dropkicks the ladder into Ziggler. Ziggler falls back on the floor. Another tug-of-war for the ladder. Ziggler pulls Miz into the ring post and he goes down. Miz stops Ziggler from pushing a ladder in the ring. Ziggler kicks him. Ziggler goes for a Fame-asser into the ladder. Miz blocks it and goes for a powerbomb. Ziggler blocks it and drops Miz into the ladder with a big DDT. Both are back down now.
They come back in and Miz stops Ziggler from climbing a ladder. Miz rams a ladder into Ziggler in the corner. A ladder is bridged in the corner. They fight up top and Ziggler drops Miz face first into the ladder. Miz hits the mat on his back. Ziggler jumps over the bridged ladder and hits a big elbow drop for a 2 count. Ziggler sends Miz face first into the bridged ladder. Ziggler climbs up for the title but Miz fights him. Ziggler kicks him away. Miz comes back and pulls Ziggler to the mat but Ziggler hits a running clothesline. Ziggler goes back up but Miz pushes the ladder over. Ziggler crashes. Miz with more ladder shots in the corner. Miz mocks Daniel Bryan and nails a running dropkick into the ladder. Miz with another corner dropkick into the ladder and more mocking Bryan. Miz goes for another dropkick but Ziggler shoves the ladder in his face.
Ziggler stands the ladder up while Miz is still down. Miz climbs up and they meet at the top of the ladder, trading shots. Ziggler knocks Miz to the mat. Ziggler reaches for the title but Miz grabs his foot and wraps it around the ladder. Miz ties Ziggler's leg up on the ladder and he comes down as the ladder goes over. Miz blocks a superkick and drops Ziggler's knee over the steel. Miz with another knee shot into the steel. Miz puts Ziggler's leg in between the ladder legs and continues the attack. Miz ends up going for a Skull Crushing Finale on the ladder but Ziggler fights him off. Ziggler goes for a superkick but his leg goes out. Miz with a SCF into the ladder.
Miz stands the ladder up and looks to climb for the title as Maryse looks on. Miz grabs the title but Ziggler pushes the ladder over. Miz is hanging by the title now. Ziggler pushes the ladder up and knocks Miz down. He falls but doesn't have the title in his hand. It appears Miz may have suffered an injury. The referee checks on him on the floor. Ziggler climbs up for the title but is slow to get there. Miz comes back in and stops him. Miz limps around but manages to slingshot powerbomb Ziggler from the ladder to the top rope onto the bridged ladder in the corner. Some fans chant for The Miz now.
Miz looks to be hurting as he stands two ladders up. He climbs one. Ziggler comes in and climbs the other. They fight at the top of the ladders. They both get fingers on the title but the fight continues. Ziggler unloads with right hands and a headbutt, and another headbutt. Ziggler knocks Miz to the floor with a headbutt. Ziggler falls a few steps but climbs back up for the title. Miz runs back up the ladder and hits two low blows. Ziggler hangs from the ladder now. Miz sends him to the mat. Miz climbs up and grabs the title to retain.
Winner: The Miz
After the match, Miz hobbles down the ladder with the title as Maryse checks on him. Ziggler rolls to the floor. Miz raises the title as Maryse calls for a mic. Miz dedicates the win to SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan. Miz raises the title and says, "Hey Daniel, we did it!" Miz says Bryan's hate and always giving Ziggler a chance motivated him to become the greatest Intercontinental Champion ever. Miz calls for someone to give Ziggler a participation award. He knocks Dallas and calls everyone losers. He and Maryse are winners. Maryse goes on and drops the mic before kissing his wife. Miz hobbles away as his music hits.