Sunday’s WWE TLC 2019 card is still being finalized, but here are three more matches we would like to see at the final Pay Per View of the year.
The WWE TLC 2019 match card is already loaded up with amazing matches, such as Aleister Black vs. Buddy Murphy and a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match for the Women’s Tag Team Titles that pits the Kabuki Warriors against Charlynch.
TLC is shaping up to be a memorable night of wrestling on Sunday, Dec. 15, at the Target Center in Minneapolis, but the full card isn’t final yet. There should still be some more matches, such as a SmackDown Women’s Title bout, announced between Friday morning and Sunday night.
Here are three more matches we’d love to see on the final TLC card.
Bayley vs. Lacey Evans
The SmackDown Women’s Championship main evented last year’s TLC when Asuka defeated Becky Lynch (the champion at the time) and Charlotte Flair in an amazing Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match.
This year, the SmackDown Women’s Title won’t close the show, but it could steal it. Bayley and Lacey Evans are rumored to be on the card, and “The Hugger” could close her MVP-caliber 2019 with an excellent match against the woman who was Becky’s first feud as Raw Women’s Champion earlier this year.
Evans has been one of WWE’s rising stars in 2019, steadily improving in the finer areas of her game since being called up from NXT. Ever since the first Mae Young Classic, Evans has been tabbed as a future star in WWE, and TLC could be her chance to have a truly special match against a champion who wants to prove she is the company’s best singles champion heading into 2020.
Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens
This match might be a bit of a longshot to happen, since Seth Rollins has been dealing with a pinky injury. In fact, Dave Meltzer reported, via WrestlingInc.com’s Marc Middleton, a Raw match between Rollins and Cedric Alexander had to be scrapped due to this injury.
However, Meltzer has since reported WWE officials have cleared Rollins to compete ahead of TLC, as relayed by Cageside Seats’ Rumor Roundup.
This means Rollins could compete in a match at TLC. Ideally, Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins would have been announced on Raw immediately after Owens was attacked by the Authors of Pain with Rollins revealing his true alignment in the back of the van. However, WWE didn’t know Rollins would be healthy enough to compete, so a “surprise” announcement on the weekend could work out even better.
Fans absolutely loved Rollins’ heel turn, as they’ve been itching to boo The Architect for months now. Rollins is an effective babyface, but he’s an elite heel. Meanwhile, Owens has become one of the company’s top babyfaces, so a feud between them heading into Royal Rumble season has series WrestleMania potential.
It may be too early to see them in the ring together, but even a brawl or a match with a DQ finish that features some wild brawling would be great. It could build up more momentum for their coming matches and show fans that WWE intends to make this one of its marquee programs.
Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio successfully retained the United States Championship in the main event of Raw this week, despite being hit by the Styles Clash in the final moments of the match. Of course, Mysterio’s retention was due to anticipated interference from Randy Orton, who RKO’d Styles to close the previous week’s Raw to make a statement on The Phenomenal One. Styles and The O.C. had just defeated Mysterio, Ricochet, and the incomparable Humberto Carrillo in a great trios match.
With Brock Lesnar away from television as Raw’s absentee WWE Champion (story is the same for a third straight WrestleMania season, the belt’s just different), the United States Title is now Raw’s marquee title. And while that’s not really ideal for viewers, it is great for the United States Championship, which has needed a “push” for a long time.
Mysterio doesn’t have an announced opponent for TLC, but he’s been feuding with Styles, who has been feuding with an old rival in Orton. Is Orton a babyface? I don’t think so. Is he a heel? Not really. He’s just the weird, antisocial Orton character we all know, but he clearly has an axe to grind with the “very heel” Styles.
The dynamic among the three competitors should make for an amazing Triple Threat match at TLC, with Mysterio likely retaining to continue what should be a memorable reign as champion. If announced, this match could be one of the top three on the card. Orton is at his best in multi-man matches with comparably gifted in-ring talents.