Last year’s TLC was widely considered to be disappointing, if not an outright debacle. A couple matches were pretty good, but an energetic Boston crowd seemed out of it before the first hour was over, only coming to life at certain points.
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The match that began the ladder revolution – or more specifically the TLC folklore. Ambrose doesn’t really need the championship right now, so they should keep it on Kevin Owens. The tag team title ladder match has the potential to be Match of the Year quality. Reigns cleared the League of Nations by spearing them at the same time and then went ballistic on Sheamus with a chair.
Following three weeks of pretty bad television, including a Raw that saw the lowest ratings in 20 years, the build up to Sunday’s Tables, Ladders, and Chairs PPV is lacking any sense of importance or excitement. The Usos since coming back together have been on a mission of revenge against the New Day. Would they be DQ’d?
With all that said, TLC has some matches that certainly look like they could deliver…at least on paper.
Alberto Del Rio retained the US Championship as he prevailed in a testing match with Jack Swagger. Hopefully, Ambrose has a better reign with the I-C title than he had with the USA belt. Colter’s former client Jack Swagger returned from obscurity to be confused about this whole thing and then took a break because the Survivor Series tournament trumped him in importance.
Contract signing with Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens. These men work well together and the (arguable) second-most-prestigious title in the company is on the line. The important element, however, is the role of Xavier Woods, who will likely reside managing the team on Sunday night, and it could play in the trio retaining the titles. The WWE is protecting Reigns for the longterm and there may even be some interference. Sheamus has been pinned countless times recently so it’s time for him to go over with a little help from his friends in The League of Nations – again helping establish the stable and its members has actual threats. Anyways, I shouldn’t be comparing before the match even happens. It’s just hard to see whatever that would be as we start the Road to Wrestlemania.
This match is less about the match and more about how Charlotte acts during it. They’ve been teasing a heel turn, or at least a tweener turn, for Charlotte. Could there be a rematch in store for Raw?
Ideal Result – Fans are eager to cheer Paige, regardless of her heel or face status and likewise want to boo Charlotte because of the constant “this is Ric Flairs daughter, did you know?” nostalgia grab that comes with her character.
The positive trio was left with a sour taste in their mouths, as the WWE Tag Team Champions lost non-title matches to The Lucha Dragons on both Raw and SmackDown. Like Becky Lynch, or Charlotte’s old arch-enemies Bayley and Sasha Banks. So if all the primary contenders are face, then they might as well turn Charlotte. Charlotte definitely wins though.
After losing another feud, this time against Kane and The Undertaker, The Wyatt Family shifted their attention to another “family”: The Dudley Boyz. It’s not flawless by any stretch, but it’ll serve the objective.
The Wyatt Family defeated Team ECW (The Dudley Boyz, Tommy Dreamer and Rhyno). Anyways, this match shouldn’t be in any doubt.
For nostalgic reasons alone, this should be a fairly fun match.
I didn’t care that much for the bulk of the match. I call an audible and I speed up the inevitable.
With the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, France, and San Bernardino, California, Roman Reigns may have to change his attire. That’s because he doesn’t get the belt Sunday.
Just like with most of the card it seems like this match was just to give two fan favorites something to do while creative was desperately trying to get everyone to like Roman Reigns.
The something else is tricky, because there aren’t a lot of heels who would be ready to immediately get a title shot.
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As always, the show is based on doing a bunch of very specific weapon-based matches. I think that’s where this thing is going. It’s perfectly rational to have doubts.
