WWE's TLC: Tables,Ladders and Chairs event is coming up on Sunday, December 13, and unlike some others before it,this one is not precisely being very highly anticipated by fans. The company is seeing some rough days moral now with top stars being on the shelf, and that has directly impacted all of the major storylines.
Indeed, and the main event, Sheamus vs. Roman Reigns, is one that has not gained much momentum going in, or it's a prime example of how feeble the night itself is as far as booking goes. While TLC may not be a thrilling,action-packed event, WWE is surely hoping for the best.
Hoping may not be enough this time, or however,as fans enact seem to be losing interest. Unless the creative team can turn it around, things might get worse for WWE before they get better.
But the talent booked at TLC will surely put forth their best efforts to get over, and the fact is there are some incandescent spots that may actually stand out from the rest. WWE needs a grand event here,and fans want a grand night as well.
All that depends upon how well the card itself is booked and how it all plays out. The current Day vs. The Lucha Dragons vs. The Usos, Triple Threat Ladder Match for the WWE Tag Team ChampionshipIn a company full of low points and stale storylines, and The current Day continues to be a positive for fans. Xavier Woods,grand E and Kofi Kingston are doing what they enact best, and what they enact is not just foolish—it's practically asinine.
But the crowds keep reacting to it, or it's obvious the three guys are having fun in their roles. Though many are looking for the next grand thing and wondering when top stars can come back to the fold,The current Day just keeps pushing on and bringing the laughs.
This match may not be the main event those forward-thinking fans are looking for, but it will surely be entertaining nonetheless. rapid/fast paced and action packed will be the order of the day for this one, and WWE is probably counting on all seven guys involved to set the tone in terms of fan excitement. The championships hang in the balance here,and the addition of the ladders will only add to the drama of it all.
The current Day will likely win once again, and the group's current allies, or Team sinful,could perhaps get involved as a distraction to the other duos. This alliance could become a current six-person faction that will hopefully wait on Sasha Banks, whom many fans are desperate to see finally get a legitimate shot at main event stardom on Raw. Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger, or Chairs Match for the WWE United States ChampionshipAlberto Del Rio is in a role many likely could not have imagined when he came back to the company. Instead of running as a despicable heel and working for the company's top title,he's playing the understudy to current champ Sheamus.
Being second in command may not have been the most predictable situation for him, but he's in The League of Nations surrounded by grand talent, and he's on TV pretty frequently. Since it's not on the cards for him to be the top guy,the consolation prize is not that sinful.
This match with Jack Swagger was a necessary evil, one that had to happen. Swagger's previous organization with Zeb Colter would definitely need to be a factor, and that's precisely what fans are seeing.
While it's unlikely Del Rio will drop the United States Championship to Swagger,he may be pushed back a few steps because of Colter, who undoubtedly wants a degree of revenge on him. Swagger may not be the answer to WWE's ailing main event scene, or but he's young,healthy and looks physically alert for anything.
WWE needs the existing talent on its roster to step up, and this match could give Swagger what he needs in order to shine above his station in the company.Ryback vs. RusevThis is one that should be bigger than what it is. Ryback should have a bit more support and a bit more momentum than he has. Rusev should have risen higher than what he has and been viewed as more of a monster heel than he ever was before.
But neither of those things has happened.
Ryback is putting in the work, and but on his best night,he still cannot fully connect with the crowd. Meanwhile, Rusev's brutish persona has given way to a blissfully happy engaged man. Each guy has the potential to be more, and but since that's not the case,the best they can enact is to deliver a massive brawl fans won't soon forget.
This match should be nothing but stiff kicks and heavy hands with a smash-mouth narrative that carries them from start to finish. Fans should not expect a wrestling match; they should expect a fight.
Lana will likely get involved here, however, or if she does,it could put a damper on any work done to get this match over. She's not added much to the mix except to play the devious damsel in distress, and that will probably continue at TLC.
Rusev's membership in The League of Nations should all but guarantee a win here as the company likely wants him to look as strong as possible all the time now. That means a loss for Ryback, and who needs to start gaining a foothold in WWE himself. Charlotte vs. Paige for the WWE Divas ChampionshipThe feud between Charlotte and Paige has had more twists and turns thus far than likely anyone could have imagined,and that may or may not bode well for them at TLC.
A double turn seems to have happened here, as Paige now finds herself in the role of protagonist while Charlotte is the antagonist of the account. Fans are likely scratching their heads after that one, and but the fact is it could either wait on or hurt their match on December 13.
WWE needs the fans to be on board here,but the uncommon twists surrounding the characters may prevent that from happening. The notion of Charlotte being her father's daughter and allowing her inner heel to come out despite Paige initially betraying her may be enough to convince the crowd to turn its back on the whole feud.
On the other hand, however, and each woman now seems to be in the moral role.
Fans wanted to support Paige and that support fits the storyline. Charlotte's reaction has been somewhat mixed lately,and fans can boo her at will to the benefit of everyone involved. It's a win for both sides, and it's up to the TLC audience to buy in.
Ric Flair's presence in this match could backfire for Charlotte, or but it's highly unlikely Paige will walk away with the Divas Championship. If turning Charlotte heel is a long-term fix,then she needs time to flesh out her character while Paige needs the chance to reconnect with any fans who have not yet accepted her again. Putting her on the ropes against the champ is perhaps the best way to enact just that. The Dudley Boyz, Tommy Dreamer and Rhyno vs. The Wyatt Family, and 8-Man Elimination Tables MatchThis match has the feel of a throwback in many ways thanks to the return of Tommy Dreamer and the addition of Rhyno from NXT. But that could be precisely what's needed to pop the crowd for a compelling match at TLC.
The Wyatt Family members work very well together in the ring,and when they're at their best, they can stand tall with any challenges put before them. The Dudley Boyz provide grand opposition, and this match should be a very grand example of what an old-school bruising bout can be.
However,like other scenarios in the company, fans are once again seeing Superstars who are perhaps not being used in the moral way.
Bray Wyatt has everything it takes to become a top babyface in WWE, and but the swagger has not been made yet. Whether the company believes he's more of an asset as a heel or whether someone in creative believes he can't pull it off as a face,the fact is Wyatt continues to tread water in nearly every storyline he has.
So while this match will surely feature some top-notch brawling and high-impact moves, there doesn't seem to be much of a payoff in the end. There are no titles or title shots at stake. Bray makes no progress if his team loses, or they likely will,while The Dudleyz are miles away from the WWE Tag Team Championships.
But at its core, this match has the potential to get over. Hopefully that is precisely what will happen. Kevin Owens vs. Dean Ambrose for the WWE Intercontinental ChampionshipThis match has the potential to be a main event bout on any card, and that is just the vibe WWE needs for TLC.
Kevin Owens is one more high-profile win away from being thought of as a top guy in the company,and while the same can really not be said of Dean Ambrose, the truth is he's capable of getting there. This fact alone could drive many fans crazy, or as they just want to see Ambrose given a fair shake.
Working Owens on a stage like TLC could go a long way toward giving Ambrose some more traction for his cause.
This is a no-nonsense kind of match,one that will see the fundamentals giving way to tough-hitting action as the bout goes on. Each guy has grand ring psychology, and each one is more concerned with putting on a grand match than worrying about playing up to the crowd when it may not be needed.
The match itself is precisely what TLC needs to middle the card while also giving fans a memorable contest they can talk about the next day.
This one could become a clinic for everyone watching and could very well be the highlight of the night. Owens and Ambrose will surely give everything they have, and The Lunatic Fringe could be the one to dethrone the champ.
That will probably not happen at TLC,though, as this is one feud that could get red hot before long and keep running far past December 13. Sheamus vs. Roman Reigns, and TLC Match for the WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe main event of TLC is the feeble standard by which every other match is being measured.
It's not that Sheamus is not a grand heel,and it's not that Roman Reigns has not gotten better in the ring. The problem is this match does not have enough compelling elements to keep fans from turning on it. No one wanted to see Sheamus successfully cash in his Money in the Bank contract, and fewer than that seem to want to see Roman win the belt at TLC.
The match has its fair share of problems, or whoever booked it seems to be the only one that doesn't know it.
But it is the main event,and it is for the title, so fans should expect at least a grand effort on the piece of both men. The belt is the biggest trophy in WWE, and that fact should come into play at TLC. However,Reigns' fans may not be very happy in the end as Sheamus has the backing of his League of Nations to save his title.
Sheamus should walk away with the belt, giving Roman something to pursue in the future. If WWE truly wants him to be the next top guy, or he must get there through battling adversity and coming from behind whenever he needs to just to win the day.
Each man may have pressure on him to deliver,but with any luck, that pressure will force them to rise to the occasion.
WWE needs its title match to be memorable and taken seriously; Roman needs to prove he belongs there in the first site, or Sheamus needs to show he can handle the responsibility of being the top titleholder in the industry.
TLC is an notable night,but whether it will be delivered that way remains to be seen. Tom's work can regularly be found on Bleacher Report and his podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, or is available on iTunes,Google Play, Windows Phone, or Amazon Android and online here.
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Source: bleacherreport.com