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Predicting the winners and losers of Sunday’s WWE TLC 2017 pay per view.
This Sunday, live from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the RAW brand brings forth the annual Tables, Ladders, and Chairs pay per view. For the ninth straight year, the WWE will host this show, which tends to be one of the more violent events of the year. As the PPV’s namesake, TLC is known for it’s hardcore style action as past renditions have seen a number of different style matches that push the limits of bodily safety.
The WWE TLC 2017 PPV, however, seems, on paper at least, as a tamer version of the program. With six matches scheduled for the main show, and only one having any type of Tables, Ladders, or Chairs stipulation, TLC 2017 seems like the diet version of the years past. However, with a couple of last minute changes to the lineup due to the illnesses of Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt, TLC has suddenly gone from low on potential to a can’t miss event. With Kurt Angle taking the place of Reigns and stepping back into a WWE ring for the first time in over 11 years and AJ Styles taking the place of Wyatt, the biggest two bouts of the card all of a sudden are now dream matches.
With all that being said, Sunday’s PPV will host two title matches, 3 grudge matches, and of course, the long awaited main roster debut of Asuka. Ahead we predict the winners and losers of TLC 2017.
credit: wwe.com
Tag Team Match: Rich Swann & Cedric Alexander vs Brian Kendrick and Jack Gallagher
It’s always nice to see the Cruiserweights well represented on a pay per view and that’s what’s happening Sunday night. Two matches from the 205 Live brand will be held at TLC, the first of which will be in tag team form as these four talented superstars will do battle in Minneapolis. With the 205 division in a bit of an upheaval after the departure of Neville, the emergence of Enzo Amore and his new heel stable, and the return of Kalisto, the four men in this match will have the opportunity to impress the WWE faithful and potentially push themselves into the the Cruiserweight title picture.
One thing that tends to hurt the 205 division is how sparingly they are used on Monday nights. This feud has been no exception to that as in the final two episodes of RAW leading up to Sunday has featured matches with these men that have lasted less than four minutes each. Hopefully that will change with this match and if these guys are given 12-15 minutes to work, with all of this talent, this could be a show-stealer. But with the way they’ve been booked lately, that potential amount of time is a giant “if”.
This one is really a toss-up. On one hand, Cedric pinned Gallagher on the “go-home” show, and if history serves us right, that usually means that another baby face win is unlikely. On the other hand, with the heels starting to take over 205 Live, they will need some strong baby faces to contend with could mean an Alexander/Swann win. I think the baby faces win but it’ll be Swann pinning Kendrick to keep the newly inspired heel, Gallagher, strong.
Winners: Rich Swann and Cedric Alexander
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RAW Women’s Championship: Alexa Bliss (c) vs Mickie James
More than 11 years ago, Mickie James snatched up her first WWE women’s championship when she defeated Trish Stratus at Wrestlemania 22. Over the course of the next four years, James would go on to capture five more championships while cementing herself as one of the top female wrestlers in the history of the company. So when she resurfaced in the company back in October of last year, the 38 year-old Virginian was a welcome sight. Now in her first legitimate crack at capturing her seventh championship, Mickie will go toe to toe with Bliss, the 26 year-old, two promotion champion.
It’s been an exciting couple of years for “Little Miss Bliss”. Since being drafted to main roster in July of last year, Bliss has been on a meteoric rise. She captured the Smackdown Women’s title at last years TLC and just four months later, after being drafted RAW, she claimed that title as well, besting Bayley at Payback. Making history as the first woman to ever hold both brands belts, “Five Feet of Fury” has now managed to do that twice on each show. Clearly the queen of RAW, Bliss has recently taken to harassing James by insulting her age, going as far as leaving a walker and adult diapers in her locker room. This has led to Sunday’s show down.
Believe it or not, this match has a lot more to do with a different match on the card than it does with itself. Asuka will make her debut at TLC against Emma, and with the resume that “The Empress of Tomorrow” brings with her to the red brand, she will be in the title picture very soon. So who makes more sense to defend the title against Asuka? The answer is Bliss. She’s the perfect heel fodder for Asuka who’s being brought in as a baby face, for now at least. Plus, Asuka has already defeated James at a major event, NXT TakeOver: Toronto, last November. No need to rehash that feud. James will come close, but Bliss will find a way.
Winner and still champion: Alexa Bliss
credit: wwe.com
Cruiserweight Championship: Kalisto (c) vs Enzo Amore
There’s no way around it, the Cruiserweight division is in trouble. With the best 205’er the company had in Neville walking out the door, and Enzo Amore right in the middle of the title picture, 205 Live better make some changes fast or that show might have a shorter shelf life than Shotgun Saturday Night (come on, you all remember the night clubs). With a roster full of talented cruisers, this really shouldn’t be happening but once again, WWE booking logic has taken over and because of that, the brand is hanging on by a string. And if they really believe Kalisto is the answer to their problems, they’re wrong.
Not to say that there’s anything wrong with Kalisto or that he’s not a worthy champion. But it’s clear that he was supplanted in the role of champion out of panic over the fan backlash over Enzo’s ridiculous title win against Neville. But as quickly as the fans were excited over “The King of Flight’s” return and title win, the air seems to already be letting out of that balloon. His terrific in-ring work is suddenly being overshadowed by his limitations on the microphone and in that category, taking on Enzo is a tough task.
The 205 division is now in a very strange state. And that is they now need Enzo to be champion again. In forming a heel stable in recent weeks comprised of Drew Gulak, Noam Dar, Tony Nese, and Ariya Daivari, “The Certified G’s” program is suddenly the only interesting thing on that brand. This 5-man heel group could be a lot of fun and as Enzo as their de facto leader, having the belt around his waist will only add fodder. Enzo’s getting the belt back.
Winner and new champion: Enzo Amore
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Singles Match: Asuka vs Emma
One of the highlights of Sunday’s TLC will be the long awaited main roster debut of Asuka. The run-away longest reigning NXT Women’s Champion and dominant force at Full Sail University, “The Empress of Tomorrow” comes to RAW with massive expectations. In over two years in NXT, Asuka has not once had her shoulders pinned to the mat for a 3-count and has held off challengers the likes of Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, Bayley, Nia Jax, Carmella, and both current main roster champions in Bliss and Natalya. Red brand women prepare. Asuka is here.
In Asuka’s first match she’ll draw familiar foe Emma. It was a breath of fresh air to see the 28 year-old Aussie emerge from the five-way elimination match victorious on the October 9th RAW, thus cementing her as Asuka’s first opponent. It’s been a long few years for Emma. As one of the more talented superstars on the roster, it seems like she can never catch a break. From creative issues, to poor booking, Emma finally has a chance to prove she belongs near the top of the pecking order in the RAW women’s division as she will get her first ever PPV singles match.
As exciting as it is to see Emma get the call here, we all know the outcome of this match already. Asuka was not brought in with her background and hype just to lose her debut. The only question is how much offense will Emma get in. Hopefully this isn’t just a squash match and Emma is made to look strong but the winner of this match was decided long before she became Asuka’s TLC opponent.
Winner: Asuka
Singles Match: AJ Styles vs Finn Balor
What originally was another match in the excruciatingly painful, never-ending, god-awful Finn Balor/Bray Wyatt feud, a match where both men were going to play their alter-egos, is now a match that has WWE fans mouths watering. Make no mistake, this a dream match and one that even though there is no background for, should still be absolutely amazing. Balor and Styles quite simply are two of the best pro wrestling talents on earth and have been so for a very long time. Two men who found a tremendous amount of success long before their WWE days, Balor and Styles have parlayed that success into becoming world champions as part of the WWE roster. Now they do battle in a WWE ring.
This pairing has only been in the ring together one other time. They competed in a six-man tag match at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom II back in 2008 with Styles side notching the victory. The idea that these two men have never wrestled each other can be explained through timing. Balor left NJPW in March of 2014 just two months before Styles left TNA for Japan. Had their paths crossed, this match would’ve been a no-brainer. Luckily the WWE now has the opportunity to produce this.
So who’s going to win? Well, for one, the fans. They get to see what is right now at least, a once in a lifetime type match, as opposed to two guys wrestling dressed in Halloween costumes like Balor and Wyatt were originally subjected to. Smart money is on Styles. He looks to be the next in line for Jinder Mahal after “The Maharaja’s” potential showdown with Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series. The right move would be to make him look strong. But on the other hand, a win for Balor would put the Universal title directly in his cross-hairs. This is another toss up, but I’m taking Styles in what should be an instant classic.
Winner: AJ Styles
Kurt Angle sucks, and so does this main event. In the best way possible, that is. Credit: WWE.com
5 On 3 TLC Match: Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Kurt Angle vs The Miz, Cesaro, Sheamus, Kane, & Braun Strowman
As if the last couple of weeks seeing The Shield reunite haven’t been enough fun, now with Roman Reigns out of TLC due to sickness, “The Olympic Hero” Kurt Angle steps back in a WWE ring for the first time in over 11 years. Does it make sense? Not really. Angle’s the GM of RAW and as such, should not be teaming up with Ambrose and Rollins. But you know what? Not everything has to make sense in the pro wrestling business. As long as the company is doing what they think is in the best interest of the fans, then there is nothing wrong not making sense sometimes. And yes, the long awaited return of a 5-time WWE champion and universally beloved superstar is clearly in the fans best interest.
Now, this isn’t going to be easy to pull off. When it was still Reigns penciled in for this match, it was easy to see how there was potential for a wild one. Now with Angle, the potential is still there, but we’re talking about a 48 year-old man with a long history of medical issues who hasn’t wrestled in a match in well over six months. These guys are going to have to get creative if they want this thing to come off strong. But with the talent of all eight men involved and the sight of Angle back in a WWE ring, this is going to be a blast no matter what.
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When this match was first scheduled, a Shield win was all but a lock. The company didn’t put the trio together just to have them lose their first match together, even if it was going to be against five opponents. And now with Angle in, the narrative remains. He’s not going to lose in his first match back after all this time. It’s going to be a lot of fun watching The Miz tap to the Ankle Lock.
Winners: Ambrose, Rollins, and Angle