Let’s face fact TLC has a lot to live up to after the NXT special earlier this week. A similar feeling was in the air prior to the Payback event earlier in the year. It was said at that time that the main roster felt insulted and challenged that people though the NXT crew could put on a better show than they could. Payback turned out to be one of the better events of 2014 that was headlined by a wild match with The Shield vs. Evolution. This time around, you wonder if the roster will step up again. Most of the roster seems fairly insulted by Vince McMahon’s comments on the Stone Cold Steve Austin podcast. Most are aware of his comments about this generation being afraid to fail and that no one was stepping up and grabbing that brass ring. Something even Triple H had fun with after the NXT event saying he was all out of brass rings.
This all being said this card does the roster no favors on putting on a quality show. The two top matches see Bray Wyatt going against Dean Ambrose in a TLC match, which should be good. Bray’s best matches have been in situations like this where you throw the rulebook out the window. It could be the main event but more likely, it will be Seth Rollins taking on John Cena in a tables match. If John loses, he is no longer the number one contender. Brock Lesnar is scheduled to return on Raw tomorrow and likely will start to set up Lesnar vs. Cena III for the Royal Rumble. It will be the third WWE Championship match between the two in the last 12 months.
Where this card suffers are matches underneath the two main event caliber matches. Kane vs. Ryback in a steel chairs match could and likely will be a train wreck. Eric Rowan in his first real singles feud takes on the Big Show in a stairs match. This also could stink out the joint. Dolph Ziggler against Luke Harper is the one match that could steal the show. Their ladder match for the I-C title in Dolph’s hometown should be quite the spectacle. Ziggler though after being booked strong at Survivor Series has found his way quickly back to the mid-card. WWE also has a terrible history of allowing the hometown hero to go over in matches. This also could be the last match of A.J Lee’s WWE career. Lots of evidence to suggest this including A.J on commentary slipping intentionally or unintentionally that Cole and JBL would miss her when she is gone. She tried to cover-up by saying after she was off commentary for the match they were calling, but it sure didn’t seem like that is what she meant.
So... what are the five things will expect coming out of this TLC event.
1. John Cena confirms himself as the number one contender for a returning Brock Lesnar on Monday. Seth Rollins is very good but I can’t see him getting a win in a high profile match over Cena. I also can’t see him cashing in on Brock Lesnar or attempting to on Raw the next night as been rumored for Monday. In the end, the WWE has proven repeatedly they only truly have faith in John Cena. Vince McMahon made the claim he is only guy in the last decade to grab the brass ring. You know those things C.M Punk called imaginary in his famous pipe bomb promo.
2. Good bye A.J Lee we will miss you. It seems pretty clear this time that A.J Lee is going to fail in her attempt to become a 4-time Divas Champion. It seems clear she in not long to remain in this company from a bunch of her recent on air comments when you read between the lines. The scariest thing of all is that leaves the Diva’s division in the hands of Nikki Bella. May the Lord help us all that like women’s wrestling with that being the case.
3. Dolph Ziggler goes back to the mid-card. I firmly believe that in terms of Dolph Ziggler pushes it has become a situation that is like that of the story of Lucy and Charlie Brown. The WWE is Lucy holding that football and we are Charlie Brown looking to kick that football. We foolishly believe she will not pull away that football this time. Even though she has for years now pulled that football away. I have lost faith in the WWE having faith in Dolph Ziggler to be anything of significance. Even in winning the I-C title that would put him back to where he was at prior to Survivor Series.
4. Roman Reigns is not on this card. Still will the booking of this card set him up to return with a bang? WWE logic would be to hold everyone else back so Roman can make his big run to a title match with Brock at Wrestemania 31. That is kind of a cynical way to look at things but honestly in the back of your head it kind of makes sense with how the WWE thinks.
5. Will Punk Fans be heard in Cleveland? WWE since the C.M Punk news have avoided traditionally smart crowds to this point. When you consider A.J Lee might be in her last match and Ryback could be in a stinker of a match will this lead to C.M Punk chants and silly stuff in Cleveland. Does Cleveland even care with Johnny Manzel making his debut as starter for the Browns? Will see what happens but this could be one of those nights where the crowd might inject itself into the show.
I can’t imagine this show has a snowball’s chance in hell of topping NXT R-Evolution. I just don’t see it as TLC traditional can lead to just some bad matches due to the restrictions of so many matches having silly unnecessary gimmicks. Raw actually looks to be the more interesting three hours of viewing with Brock and Roman Reigns both scheduled to appear on the show. Get use to seeing a lot of Roman Reigns he even made an appearance on the NXT show to do an interview that had little to do with the event itself.
TLC won’t be worth your 9.99 but NXT already gave you your value earlier in the week.
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