WWE Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Preview and Predictions

WWE has to be relieved that TLC is finally here.

After a tumultuous week of Superstars quitting, taking leave, and enduring a locker room plague, WWE finally can just put on a wrestling show.

The unidentified viral outbreak forced WWE into making some drastic changes on tonight’s card, most notably swapping Roman Reigns for RAW GM Kurt Angle. But not to be forgotten is the emergency insertion of AJ Styles to face Finn Balor instead of the sure-to-have-been embarrassing Sister Abigail showdown.

To the optimists, TLC actually improved thanks to the ailing Superstars. However, some believe that the show is already ruined as it hinged upon the Shield’s homecoming.

Regardless, WWE is putting on a pay-per-view tonight and at minimum, it will be interesting. So let’s break down all of the pending action. Here are your TLC Preview and Predictions:

Will Team Angle/Rollins/Ambrose Get a 4th Member?

Jack: WWE would have liked us to believe that with Roman Reigns, the Shield had their backs against the wall. However, we all know that the Shield’s victory was a formality.

But with Angle, WWE can truthfully tell us that the good guys really are in a tough spot. This is actually a fantastic development because if Angle/Rollins/Ambrose do indeed win tonight, it will have to take not just grit, but creativity. On that alone, I hope and predict that it stays 3-on-5.

Ryan: I could see them pulling a swerve and adding Jason Jordan to the match to even things out a little bit. I could also see him replacing Angle in the match with Jordan after a backstage attack, which would save Angle’s return for the future when they can adequately build it up but also piss off the crowd in the process. I’m going to say they keep it 3-on-5, however. 

What’s One Good Thing About Reigns Missing TLC?

Jack: Roman’s biggest enemy in his run at WWE’s top has been the predictability surrounding his matches. WWE’s formulaic approach to his push has given fans no choice but to reject him as Cena 2.0. A real-life swerve like this forces WWE to change the way they book Reigns, even if it’s minimal. So my one thing is this: Parody has been added to the Big Dog’s paint-by-numbers rise. 

Ryan: It makes the anticipation for the next Shield match even bigger and saves it for a show that is worthy of a Shield match: Survivor Series. There’s no better place to have the Shield in action together than in an elimination Survivor Series match. 

1-10: What Should Our Expectations Be for Finn Balor vs. AJ Styles

Jack: 11. Rumors have WWE giving these 2 “a lot of time,” meaning we may be in store for a classic. As the resident, Finn Balor Skeptic here at Pop Culture I’d like to happily underline that he’s done almost nothing since being in WWE. However, fate just intervened in his career and spared him from embarrassing himself in a Sister Abigail match. Now he’ll go toe-to-toe with the best wrestler on the planet. If Finn Balor has any star power, it comes out tonight. 

Ryan: Doesn’t being the first Universal champion qualify as a pretty big achievement as part of WWE? Though since that time he has certainly been used in an underwhelming way and hasn’t done much of note. This is the kind of match that will really put him on the radar again, as I’m expecting an out of this world performance. Our expectations should be really high (10), though I wish a match like this would have had more time to be built up given their past as former leaders of the Bullet Club but having never wrestled each other. 

Pick an Upset

Jack: I’m going with Alicia Fox over Sasha Banks. Relegated to the pre-show, this match already possesses waning significance. So why not give Alicia Fox the rub, here? Banks has been on a slide for months now, so WWE might as well make it part of her story. The more she gets pushed away from the main event, the closer her heel turn becomes. So in the name of bringing back the real Boss character and building Fox as a legitimate crazy person, WWE should give us a surprise to open TLC.

Ryan: The show as a whole is a pretty paint by numbers card when it comes to winners and losers, so given that fact, it’s pretty hard to pick an upset anywhere. I like Jack’s idea with Banks/Fox, and that probably is the best chance of an upset tonight. 

Who’s More Important to WWE’s Future: Enzo Amore or Asuka?

Jack: I can say with confidence that Enzo is and will continue to be the more valuable piece to WWE. Asuka may be great, but given WWE’s track record with NXT call-ups, her becoming a can’t miss attraction on RAW seems idealistic. Enzo though, may have lighting in a bottle, granted it’s a small bottle with limited voltage, but lightning nonetheless. Plus Enzo is a great promo, where Asuka may never have one. 

Ryan: The only answer here is Asuka. Amore is also an NXT call-up, and he’s been an underwhelming presence for most of his tenure on the main roster. Using him on the Cruiserweight roster has been a breath of fresh air, but his actual wrestling ability is still pretty suspect despite his microphone ability (which also sometimes tip-toes the line of great and nonsensical). No matter what he does on 205 Live and RAW, Amore is never going to be a money draw in WWE.

On the other hand, Asuka doesn’t need to cut promos and she shouldn’t. Her ability to portray emotion with her facial reactions is all that is needed. Asuka, on the other hand, could be a main eventer in the women’s division for years to come and I believe garners a lot more genuine fan interest. With a growing women’s audience due to projects like Total Divas and Total Bellas, there is big time money in Asuka if she is presented in the right way. The ceiling is far higher on her end than Enzo Amore. 

Has TLC Become a Disaster or an Opportunity?

Jack: 100% opportunity. The Fake News Shield may feel like a bummer, but WWE could have a lot of fun with Angle’s emergency appearance. And Anyone who is acting like AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor is a downgrade from the Sister Abigail match needs to be clinically evaluated. At first, a biblical plague in the locker room may feel like a disaster, but WWE does well when its back is against the wall. 

Ryan: Absolutely an opportunity. A week ago this card was underwhelming. All the sudden we have Angle’s return and a dream match between Balor and Styles, plus Asuka’s main roster debut. How could you not be pumped for this show? If you’re not excited for this event, you qualify as an insufferable wrestling fan who will never be pleased.