WWE TLC 2017 was overall a fun show that delivered fun matches despite the health scares that upended the booking. But not everything was perfect…
Hey! Didn’t you find WWE TLC 2017 was a better show than you expected? I sure did. It actually reminded me of Hell In A Cell a few weeks ago, where the build-up to the show wasn’t all that great, but the matches delivered. At least, most of them did.
So when I took the assignment to write up a Top 5 Worst Things About WWE TLC article, I found myself in trouble. I really liked the show, it was super entertaining, so when the end came along, I was scrambling to find things that I could consider the worst. The show wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t a rage-generating card, either.
5. Messy Main Event
In my Raw vs. SmackDown Live review, I briefly mentioned how I felt the Shield vs. Miz match main event was overbooked. The proof was in the execution of this match on TLC. It’s very likely that Roman Reigns being removed from the match didn’t help in its final form, but there were too many stories being told to keep proper focus and build to a satisfying finish.
The Shield being outnumbered, Kurt being taken out, Kane and Braun, the garbage truck… The focus was constantly shifting to specific micro-events making the wrestlers feel under-utilized. The action felt like set pieces rather than a flowing dynamic. It was all over the place and not in a fun way, it wasn’t a spot fest or a brawl, it was just stuff coming together. The ending was fanservice to make sure everyone went happy, but it was definitely not as strong a main event as it could have been.
“But Warren!” some of you will call out to your computer screen monitor as if I’m right there with you. “The match was supposed to be a cluster and it delivered as a cluster.” Right, I get that. I also know that WWE can do this type of match so much better than they did at TLC (see the SummerSlam fatal four-way main event).
Credit: WWE.com
4. What About Brand Split Kayfabe?
When the brand split happened last year, do you remember what Vince McMahon said? He said he really wanted both Raw and SmackDown Live to compete on TV ratings, social media, pay per views, merchandise and pretty much everything else.
Now Kurt Angle can just call up Daniel Bryan or Shane McMahon and ask to borrow SmackDown’s top star (who just happens to also currently on tour for the blue brand) to sub on a Raw PPV. How is that competition? Kayfabe truly is dead. Dead, I tell you!
Credit: WWE.com
3. Alicia Fox Taking A Loss
I am of the belief that Sasha Banks is going to be built as the next truly credible competitor for Asuka’s WWE Women’s championship. Asuka winning the title is just a question of time, I don’t think I’m getting ahead of myself here. So if you take a snapshot of the current Raw women’s division, there isn’t another lady on the Raw roster, aside from Alexa, who has the same kind of credible sheen that Sasha has. She’s over and she’s solid in the ring.
That said, I believe that the Raw women’s roster has been neglected and is in need of depth. Alicia Fox winning tonight would have been a huge step in putting her in a better position than she is now and giving a shot in the arm to the division. Sasha could have taken the loss; She’s in that zone where she doesn’t need wins to stay over. Fox losing, however, makes it a little more difficult for her.
Credit: WWE.com
2. Kalisto vs. Enzo
It wouldn’t call it a bad match, per se, but at this stage of the night, we had a series of entertaining, hard-hitting matches. As the rest of the card played out and we sit back and reflect on the show, Kalisto vs. Enzo was the only really plodding, slow-paced match of the evening. In fact, it was undoubtedly the weakest match of the night.
Kalisto has no heat. His presence is very tepid. Enzo has heat, but also needs someone to carry him. When teaming with Big Cass, his gimmick was to take a beating until he could hot tag Cass in. As a singles wrestler, he can’t count on that anymore. Considering his new role as a heel, he has to be the one doling out the beatings. He was never the greatest performer, but his heel work is exposing his skillset.
If the whole purpose of this feud was to firmly establish Enzo as a heel, mission accomplished. I feel they could have kept it off pay per view, though.
Credit: WWE.com
1. The Elias & Jason Jordan Stuff
Look at me straight in the eye, gentle reader, and tell me you weren’t completely and utterly puzzled, no baffled, after the produce-throwing segment. I dare you to tell me you weren’t shaking your head, your brow furrowed, trying to understand what this segment was all about. Sure one segment later we had a match and it kind of made sense, but I dare you to tell me that you were not confused from the get-go.
If these segments taught us anything is that Elias has heat. Good heat. Not Jinder-Get-Off-My-Screen heat. He has real, heel heat. People enjoy having the chance to jeer at him.
Jason Jordan doesn’t have heat. He’s not connecting with the audience. The smiling full-of-promise-and-talent babyface is not working. He’s lacking a little extra something that will make him cool in the eyes of the WWE Universe.
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And let me tell you: having him throw produce will not make him cool. It did not do Jason Jordan any favors. In fact, it didn’t help either guy. Does Elias have more heat? No. Is Jason Jordan more credible? Nope. Was the match good? Beh. Was the crowd into it? They were into Elias singing…
It wasn’t a good look for anyone.