Pages

Saturday, December 18, 2010

No TLC for TLC

From WWE
I've mentioned it before, I'm not a huge fan of gimmick pay per views and gimmick title matches.  Although some from history have provided some great matches, including the Ladder match between Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 10 and the original TLC match with Edge & Christian against the Dudleys and the Hardys.

But those are the exceptions.  I think overall they're an easy way to take the title off the champion without them having to actually put someone over.  John Cena falling through a table last year and losing the title to Sheamus did nothing to make Sheamus look good or a legitimate champion.

That may also have to do with the booking of him as champion.  If you don't win the title or at least defend it by PINNING some solid opponents, you're going to look weak.  I worry about that with the Miz now.

So on to my predictions for Sunday's big event.


The Miz vs. Randy Orton (Tables Match):  The Miz just won the title.  My hope is he stays the champion, and for a while.  This match isn't one that Randy Orton can be pinned in and made to look "weak".  So far, the Miz has beat a 62 year old Hall of Famer (Jerry Lawler) in a ladder match and a pinfall over Rey Mysterio, thanks to outside interference.  I hope that if the Miz does retain, they actually let him get an actual pinfall win or two over guys like Cena and Orton in future title defenses, but I'm not holding my breath.

My pick: The Miz


Kane vs. Edge vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio (Tables, Ladders, Chairs Match): Up until Friday, this was just supposed to be a one on one contest with Edge and Kane.  I'm not sure why they added Mysterio and Del Rio at the last minute.  Lazy booking?  Or was this the plan all along?  Did someone figure out that Rey and Del Rio weren't in a match earlier this week and throw them into the fold knowing that Kane might have trouble doing a TLC on his own with Edge?  I expect lots of interesting spots through this one, and really am not sure who to pick to win now that the other two have been thrown into the mix.  My gut tells me to go with Kane.  My hope is that it's Kane.  End the year with a dominant champion on Smackdown!  My only concern with a Kane win is that we get the fourth version of Kane and the Undertaker at Wrestlemania 27.

My Pick: Kane


John Cena vs. Wade Barrett (Chairs Match): So Cena has destroyed everyone in the Nexus, except for Wade.  Can he go 6 for 6 tomorrow night?  I think if Cena wins it makes Nexus look weaker than it already does.  But Cena lost that big one to Barrett at Hell in a Cell, so I'm not sure where they're going with this.  I can see Barrett winning with help from fellow Nexus members, perhaps even the returning Skip Sheffield. If Barrett wins, it wouldn't make Cena look weak, but a Cena win could make or break the first NXT winner's future.

My Pick: Wade Barrett


Swagger wins at MITB, can he win another ladder match?
Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger (Ladder Match): This one is for the Intercontinental title.  I could see any one of these guys winning and not being disappointed.  And I feel like Kofi could actually be bumped into the main event picture and not held back on the mid card.  That being said, I can see him winning the title again and launching into an actual push to the upper card.  He had some great spots from Money in the Bank at Wrestlemania and I expect the same tomorrow night.  Though Swagger did win MITB at Mania, perhaps he'll be the ladder match master.

My Pick: Kofi Kingston


John Morrison vs. Sheamus (Ladder Match): This one is for the #1 contender to the WWE.  Traditionally the WWE has a throw away title match at the Royal Rumble, so I could see Morrison winning this match and going on to face the Miz in January.  There's a history there too, so it could be booked right.  Sheamus losing here wouldn't take much away from him either, as he is the King of the Ring now, and it's just a matter of time before Triple H returns and resumes that feud.  I'd prefer that one be contested WITHOUT the title.  Nothing against HHH, but I'd rather see some guys who aren't usually in the title picture getting pushed to the top.  Regardless of the outcome, I suspect Morrison will impress.  I just hope he doesn't get himself hurt in there.

My Pick: John Morrison


LayCool vs. Natalya and Beth Phoenix (Tables Match):   Not sure that I like a tables match involving the Divas.  That's not sexist or at least it's not supposed to sound that way.  I just don't think this is going to go well.  Not because of Natalya or Beth, I think they'd be better opponents for each other actually.  And I think that's where we're headed with this program.  Natalya has basically taken care of LayCool.  I believe a Phoenix heel turn is coming.  Maybe even tonight.  Perhaps she helps put Natalya through the table and declares the Glamazon wants the gold and not friendship.

My Pick: LayCool with the assist from Beth Phoenix.


By my count, that's only 6 matches.  Sounds like a pretty short night.  I'm wondering if they'll add any more matches "exclusively" on WWE.com.  I am disappointed that Daniel Bryan isn't on the card and we're not getting a tag team title match of any kind.  No matter what happens Sunday night it will put us one step closer to that Road to Wrestlemania.  Hopefully creative doesn't run us off course with the decisions they make.

No comments:

Post a Comment