‘WWE TLC 2013’ Preview
So, this coming Sunday is the annual TLC pay per view event, the night of the year where tables, ladders and chairs (oh, my) are promoted as not just weapons, but as stepladders (metaphorically and literally) to the top for WWE Superstars.
This event is being given a boost of legitimate pay per view importance this year, with the main event between the WWE Champion Randy Orton, and the World Champion John Cena, in a TLC match in which the winner will become the new, undisputed and unified champion of WWE. It’s been done before (just ask Chris Jericho) and I am surprised that they didn’t hold off on this until WrestleMania XXX, but we don’t know what is going to happen, so until the night is over, I will reserve judgement of the booking of this angle.
So, here are the matches that have been made, so far, for the final pay per view event of 2013, TLC.
The Matches
TLC Kick-off/Pre-show Match – Dolph Zigger vs. Fandango
How the almost-mighty have fallen. Dolph Ziggler, this time last year, was in a much better position and actually only a short three or four months away from cashing in his MITB briefcase and winning the World Heavyweight Title on RAW. Here, the “show-off” will tangle with the dancing buffoon character, Fandango, a gimmick loved by Vince McMahon but not many others, that has failed to generate the heat that it was intended to generate upon the debut in March of this year. Ziggler should go over clean here, but WWE and Dolph Ziggler have a rich history of not quite agreeing on that, with the stop and start pushes that Ziggy has been through over the years. Still, Fandango has no reason to win this, whereas it would benefit Ziggler to not lose, again.
Who Will Win? Dolph Ziggler
4 Way Tag Team Championship Match – Cody Rhodes and Goldust (c) vs. The Real Americans vs. Ryback and Axel vs. Rey Mysterio and Big Show
Why The Uso’s are not in this match, yet the thrown together team of Show and Rey are, is yet further proof that talent, crowd reaction, energy and working hard doesn’t always get you places in the WWE bubble. This could be decent if The Real Americans and Cody-dust do most of the work. I am disappointed that more regular teams have been left off the card yet “RybAxel” and “MysteriShow” are here, without really working many matches together. I hope that either TRA or Cody-dust win here, because the other teams just plain suck.
Who Will Win? Cody & Goldie
WWE Divas Championship Match – AJ Lee (c) vs. Natalya
AJ Lee has been the Divas Champion for quite some time now, and it is obvious that they need to bring some development women up to the main roster now, with the lack of opponents that can put on decent matches with her. AJ and Paige or AJ and Emma would work well. Nattie is the workhorse of the women’s division though and this might be a good little match. Hopefully we will see something fresh and interesting happen so it isn’t just another quick AJ win before she goes onto yet another rematch with the Bella twins.
Who Will Win? AJ Lee
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match – Big E Langston (c) vs. Damien Sandow
Langston defeated Curtis Axel a month or so ago, and after defeating Dolph Ziggler in a number-one contenders match a couple of week’s ago, Sandow earned a shot at Big E’s title, here at TLC. The match might be okay, so long as Langston doesn’t get too excited and allows Sandow to call much of the match. The feud though, on television, has been almost non-existent, and it’s fairly obvious that Langston is going to retain here.
Who Will Win? Big E Langston
Handicap Match – CM Punk vs. The Shield
Punk has been going through some problems with the faction known as The Shield in recent weeks, and Kane, the lackey of The Authority, made this match for TLC. The interactions should be fun, and I think we might see a big blow-up between The Shield here, though I don’t think they will split just yet. If Punk wins because of an error from Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns then its fine, but if he wins cleanly without an error, I think it will make The Shield look weak. Either way, I personally see CM Punk coming out of this one as the victor, and the beginning of the split-up of the best ground WWE has seen in years, The Shield. Should be interesting, this one.
Who Will Win? CM Punk
Handicap Match – Daniel Bryan vs. The Wyatt Family
The Wyatt Family abducted Daniel Bryan a few weeks ago and since then we’ve heard Bray Wyatt talk about wanting Bryan to join his cause. Bryan has made no moves to say that he will join them, and it would be strange booking if he did, so this match, in my view, will be a basic refusal to comply against a group of rebels. Bryan will be over, as always, and it should have some good exchanges with Harper, Rowan and Bray, like we’ve seen over the last few weeks on television. It could go either way, and I am leaning towards The Wyatt Family coming out on top, with the assistance of someone else, perhaps.
Who Will Win? The Wyatt Family
TLC Match for the Unified World & WWE Championship – Randy Orton vs. John Cena
John Cena, World Champion. Randy Orton, WWE Champion. Both belts hanging above the ring. Tables, ladders and chairs, scattered around ringside for the combatants to use at their discretion. This would have seemed more epic, even for a non Cena fan like myself, had it been booked over the space of a few months, with the match finally happening, perhaps just as a one-on-one encounter, at the main event of WrestleMania XXX. The fact that they aren’t holding off until ‘Mania for the match makes me think that they have other plans for these two men come April 2014. The match will probably be okay, and I imagine the fans will be into it, but the booking has been bizarre and the fact that is unclear as to who The Authority want to come out on top means we could see some interesting developments as the show goes off the air on Sunday. It could go either way, and I have no real idea who will win, but I will choose one of them, just because my fantasy booking makes more sense if this man is victorious.
Who Will Win? Randy Orton
