TLC (2014) Predictions

[Marter]

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It's time for yet another PPV, one whose feuds have had little of interest in their builds and one whose matches don't intrigue even in the slightest. So, basically, your standard late-year WWE PPV. I kid. Kind of. Whatever. With the WWE Network, the company doesn't have to put on A+ PPVs in order to get people to watch; they're subscribing anyway and therefore will watch.

The New Day (Big E and Kofi Kingston, with Xavier Woods) vs. Stardust and Goldust
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Prediction: Our first match whose feud is completely uninteresting, the new tag team The New Day goes up against Stardust and Goldust. Given that The New Day is, well, new, they'll be winning this match. Goldust and Stardust don't win unless the Tag Team Championships are on the line, anyway. Or, at least, that's how it feels. This feud has been one-sided so far, but it wouldn't make any sense for the heels to win it.

Random Thoughts: So, if The New Day wins, are they next going straight for the tag team gold? I mean, regardless of who wins that match later on in the night, what are they going to do next?

<color=red>Steel Stairs Match: Erick Rowan vs. Big Show
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Prediction: Unless we really want to establish Big Show as a threat again, Erick Rowan seems the clear favorite in this match. He's the up-and-comer who needs the victory, while Big Show can lose all he wants and maintain credibility just because of his size and history. I see Rowan winning this one.

Random Thoughts: A "steel stairs" match? Really? Couldn't we just, you know, not?

WWE Tag Team Championship Match: The Miz and Damien Sandow vs. The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso)
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Prediction: Miz and Sandow are hilarious right now, and beating the "best" tag team in the division would give their reign some credibility. Besides, they're not exactly fracturing yet, so I expect them to go over The Usos. I also really, really, really hope that's what happens. We don't need another Uso reign right now.

Random Thoughts: The Ascension is still probably a few weeks away from debuting, so I'm thinking Miz/Sandow retain and feud with The New Day for a bit before that happens. Maybe The New Day wins the titles and they'll be the champs by the time The Ascension is ready to challenge for the titles.

<color=red>TLC Match: Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt
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Prediction: Ambrose can take a loss at this point, while Wyatt is in desperate need of a victory. He's not even wrestling much these days, instead favoring random promos. We need a reminder that Wyatt is dangerous in the ring, and there's nobody better right now to put him over than Dean Ambrose.

Random Thoughts: I should care much more about this feud than I should, but it's been so lackluster. I get the feeling the match will be good -- maybe just in a "big spot" way, but still good -- but it feels like filler for both men.

WWE United States Championship Match: Rusev (with Lana) vs. Jack Swagger
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Prediction: We're not really supposed to believe that Swagger, even with his new-found intensity, can beat Rusev, right? That's just not something that should happen. Rusev's still got his unpinned, unsubmitted steak going for him, and I really doubt they're going to let someone like Jack Swagger be the one to put an end to it. Rusev wins this one.

Random Thoughts: I could see this one ending in a DQ or countount, giving Swagger the win, but I think it's less likely than a relatively clean win for the Bulgarian Brute. Swagger isn't the one to put an end to Rusev's "undefeated" streak, although at this point I'm kind of doubting who is. Maybe a face Randy Orton?

WWE Divas Championship Match: Nikki Bella (with Brie Bella) vs. AJ Lee
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Prediction: The dirtsheet rumors about AJ Lee leaving WWE are circulating again, and while I still don't believe them, I don't think AJ gets the title back here. We're building, I hope, to a Bella/Bella match at WrestleMania, and we're not going to care about it if there's no championship attached. AJ winning the title here doesn't make sense, regardless of if she's sticking around or leaving.

Random Thoughts: We should've gotten this match for real a few weeks ago, and if something winds up causing it to be ruined like what happened last time, I'll be disappointed. This could wind up being one of the best Divas matches of the year.

<color=red>WWE Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Luke Harper vs. Dolph Ziggler
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Prediction: With a heel-dominated card (or so I'm predicting) and a Dolph Ziggler who's on quite the hot streak, it seems foolish to bet against him here. Sure, he's kind of in a weird spot where he's not quite in the main event but he also doesn't really need the title, but having him lose here just feels wrong. I'm thinking Ziggler climbs the ladder and once again becomes the Intercontinental champion.

Random Thoughts: Anyone else want to see Luke Harper do a spot from the top of the ladder? I mean, we know he's athletic, but ... I just really want to see him dive off the ladder.

<color=red>Chairs Match: Ryback vs. Kane
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Prediction: Kane doesn't win singles matches. I think he's got two singles victories all year or something silly like that. Ryback is being rebuilt and is very over. He'll likely be the victor here.

Random Thoughts: I'd definitely put this match in as a breather before the main event. It's likely going to be the worst match on the card -- and I'm saying that even though Ryback and Kane had a good match on ... Smackdown, I think it was, several weeks ago.

<color=red>Tables Match: John Cena vs. Seth Rollins
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Prediction: It's really, really, really, really, really, really hard to bet against John Cena, because far more times than not, you look foolish in doing so. But, given the stipulation, which has Cena forfeit his number one contender status if he loses, I feel like this might be WWE's way of making up for a mistake, which was promising us Cena/Lesnar again. We don't need it, and Seth Rollins could really use the victory, so I'm going to predict that Rollins wins this match.

Random Thoughts: If Rollins wins, that means we can get a new number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. I want to see Lesnar/Orton. An F-5 countered into an RKO is something I need to see before Lesnar leaves the company again.

There are my predictions for 2014's TLC. Hopefully, with all of these stipulation and championship matches, the show will be good.

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[sXeth]

If they're smart, Roman Reigns will defeat Rusev at Wrestlemania, to get the title and some credibility (and work with the excellent midcard guys) to build him up. They probably aren't and he'll win the Rumble and go for the WWEWHC instead, and keep floundering at the main event level like he was before his surgery.

In the secondary case, it'll probably be Ryback.

 

[Rozalia1]

The Ascension destroying the New Day and Dusts to send a message seems like something that could happen... otherwise who knows or cares really. Dusts have lost every single match with New Day, but on the other hand they seem to win on PPVs.
Regardless I predict New day will win.

Yeah I'm going with Rowan too as "building" up Big Show while something stupid they've done many times I don't think is something they'll do here. All the faces who helped Cena seem to be booked really strong right now.

Ambrose since the shield hasn't won a single match on PPV, but he is one of those guys who people still take as credible regardless.
Still I honestly don't see what this'll matter for Wyatt if it all carries on as it has. He attacks random guy, than blabs on and on about how they could have ruled the world if only they'd listened or some crap. It makes no sense and I'll gladly take the dancing over that nonsense any day.

DQ I assume will be the result for the Rusev match. They might well have Lana interfere or something like that to push the angle that Swagger had it won.

Big Bella beating AJ is what should happen and what I'll predict... but the odds are against Nikki.

Harper will likely DQ... wait no he can't... than... unsure what the result could be than. I'll predict Ziggler will get screwed in some way.

Big Guy going over.

I'll predict Rollins too, but with it being Cena it really could go either way. I still remember the Orton match where people thought perhaps WWE was doing that match to change direction... and than nope Cena wins.

If they're smart, Roman Reigns will defeat Rusev at Wrestlemania, to get the title and some credibility (and work with the excellent midcard guys) to build him up. They probably aren't and he'll win the Rumble and go for the WWEWHC instead, and keep floundering at the main event level like he was before his surgery.

In the secondary case, it'll probably be Ryback.

I've heard people say that, but honestly that doesn't sound right. Roman doesn't need nor will they think of giving him the rub from Rusev I think.

In all honesty anyone but Swagger defeating Rusev will feel wrong, and it really ain't hard to get that big Wrestlemania win right. Rumble can easily be skipped, Fast Lane can be skipped too by having Rusev injure Swagger before it (due to being scared of losing).
Promos involving Zeb, Slaughter, and Hogan can hype this match up we have seen so many times as something special and than the two men just need to deliver in the ring. I'd have that match end with an Atomic Legdrop to Rusev from Swagger myself, but that is just me.

 

[sXeth]

I've heard people say that, but honestly that doesn't sound right. Roman doesn't need nor will they think of giving him the rub from Rusev I think.

In all honesty anyone but Swagger defeating Rusev will feel wrong, and it really ain't hard to get that big Wrestlemania win right. Rumble can easily be skipped, Fast Lane can be skipped too by having Rusev injure Swagger before it (due to being scared of losing).
Promos involving Zeb, Slaughter, and Hogan can hype this match up we have seen so many times as something special and than the two men just need to deliver in the ring. I'd have that match end with an Atomic Legdrop to Rusev from Swagger myself, but that is just me.

Swagger being mentored by a legend (and I've heard this more or less suggested with Angle before he apparently resigned with TNA, though Hogan would be more likely now) would work, but its kind of dubious if they'll put their weight behind him after his depush out of the main event when he got pot busted.

Personally, I'm also kind of skeptical how well Swagger could stay afloat as a face without an evil foreign heel to face off with, which there's a limited supply of and would start to get stale fairly quickly.

 

[Rozalia1]

Swagger being mentored by a legend (and I've heard this more or less suggested with Angle before he apparently resigned with TNA, though Hogan would be more likely now) would work, but its kind of dubious if they'll put their weight behind him after his depush out of the main event when he got pot busted.

Personally, I'm also kind of skeptical how well Swagger could stay afloat as a face without an evil foreign heel to face off with, which there's a limited supply of and would start to get stale fairly quickly.

Rusev
Cesaro
Tyson Kidd (He could do the Bret Hart thing)
Bad News Barrett
Sylvester Lefort (NXT guy who can't win clean I know)
Heel Sheamus (if they ever do it)

The problem isn't so much the limited amount of guys (though the number isn't exactly huge), but will Swagger get cheered over them?
Barrett for one if he is still as over as he was before the injury (come to think of it you pretty much have a ready built feud between the two) would likely get cheered over Swagger.
The rest would work fine though.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

I'ma have to disagree with you on Nikki/AJ being considered "one of the best divas matches". I'm not sold on Nikki being all that great in the ring. She's good enough to be carried by a better opponent, not good enough to put on a "best of" match. AJ is good in ring, but the main stage divas roster is shallow as hell in regards to talent.
NXT, however... you want best of the year? Just take the 4 NXT Takeover Divas matches and call it a day. Hell I'm kind of hungover from R Evolution as it is and I'm not sure TLC can match the energy or level the "rookies" brought out on Thursday.
I'm still going to watch but I don't see any of these matches being great despite how much I like guys like Ambrose, Wyatt, Rowan, Harper and Ziggler. I still blame booking for mucking up the storylines so much I don't even care about this PPV beyond spot watching.
I hope though that the NXT "PPV" smacked some life into the main stage talent so that they try to one up the rooks. Otherwise the low men on the totem pole will have put the entire main roster locker room on notice that their jobs may be tenuous, well not the entire roster but at least the mid-carders.
BTW I can't stop talking NXT even though this is about TLC but... well... Finn Balor. DAMN what an entrance. Also Baron Corbin taking a moveset piece from Undertaker? Nice. I'm hot on those two to be huge in the next few years.

 

[Rozalia1]

I'ma have to disagree with you on Nikki/AJ being considered "one of the best divas matches". I'm not sold on Nikki being all that great in the ring. She's good enough to be carried by a better opponent, not good enough to put on a "best of" match. AJ is good in ring, but the main stage divas roster is shallow as hell in regards to talent.
NXT, however... you want best of the year? Just take the 4 NXT Takeover Divas matches and call it a day. Hell I'm kind of hungover from

If you think its Nikki who needs to be carried than you've not seen AJ matches. She can sell quite well due to you know, weighing about as much as a wet tissue paper... and that is all AJ has.
Her offence looks like a joke most of the time, and you can bring up as many NXT ladies as you like but even they aren't going to be able to sell AJs sloppy weak looking offence.

Let us not forget that AJ vs Paige matches were all horrible and the best of the lot happened to involve Nikki.

Why does Seth Rollins care about a match where he can't win anything, only the other guy can lose something, and that something doesn't have any effect on Rollins even if he didn't lose it? Also, how is Cena still the number one contender, despite eating shit twice already?

And my boy Dolph, the IC title keeps coming back to him like a boomerang. Guess with SS come and gone they're gonna put that ball and chain back on Ziggler. Fitting, seeing as anyone who has that thing is worse off than before, showing how much they don't care about actual titles. Atleast Luke might get a chance at not being a jobber.

Despite the PPV looking like complete filler, most of the matches should be decent. I expect Ambrose/Wyatt to be the standout and Big Show's and Kane's respective matches will tie for worst. Hope the divas match is a bit longer this time, so the people at home have a proper piss break.

He is a heel who hates Cena, why wouldn't he want to screw him over? Cena is always the number 1 contender. Remember how when he came back from injury he was immediately number 1 contender? For Cena its as simple as stating "I'm John Cena" apparently.

Maybe you haven't noticed but Harper has been losing constantly since winning the title. DQing himself so at least he isn't getting pinned, but still picking up those Ls.

Kane and Ryback will be the cooldown match.

 

[Marter]

I'ma have to disagree with you on Nikki/AJ being considered "one of the best divas matches".

I should've clarified that I meant it could be one of the best main roster Divas matches of the year. Because, well, I feel like it can.