The WWE is an interesting situation tonight: the main roster has to out-perform the development league.
On Thursday, NXT (r)Evolution was by far the best PPV by the WWE of the year. Part of it was no filler and all killer as all five matches delivered. The other reason was that they built the matches up well enough to make you care. Part of it was seeing several independent wrestling darlings all in one space like a major Ring of Honor card in the mid 2000s but the fact is that the talents delivered. It was everything you wanted to see by the WWE finally coming to fruition.
But it happened at Full Sail in front of maybe a thousand people for the WWE Network. NXT doesn’t draw quite like the main WWE brand. And the main brand plans to deliver a Pay Per View quality show called Tables, Ladders and Chairs… and Stairs.
Hoo boy. Stiff climb.
Even if TLC(and Stairs) delivers a great show, it’s always going to pale in comparison to what is being seen at NXT. Tonight’s show relies on gimmicks to make you enjoy the matches delivered. NXT relies on stories. The purity alone is going to get over in the eyes of the Internet (Reddit was so happy they sent HHH a fruit basket). For anyone tired with a stagnant main event and stagnant characters, they now have NXT to watch. WWE is not going to deliver a better show tonight than what they can deliver in their development league. It’s now all about whether or not Vince McMahon really cares. After all, for as much as HHH jokes about an empty box of brass rings, in the eyes of McMahon? There’s only one brass ring and John Cena has it.
Kick-Off is at 7PM EST on WWE Network.
WWE Kick-Off Match
The New Day (Big E and Kofi) vs. Gold and Star Dust
WINNERS:
James: Gold and Star Dust
Jeff, Ricky, Adam, Shawn, Phillipa and Aaron: The New Day
THOUGHTS by Jeff DeHaan: This is The New Day’s first pay-per-view match together, they by all rights should go over, And beating the former tag team champions will be a nice feather in their collective caps.
WWE Divas Championship
AJ Lee vs. Nikki Bella with Brie (c)
WINNER:
James, Jeff, Ricky, Phillipa and Aaron: Nikki Bella
Adam and Shawn: AJ Lee
IS THIS AJ LEE’S LAST WWE PPV MATCH:
Jeff, Ricky, Adam and Shawn: No
Aaron: Yes
THOUGHTS by Adam Contant: AJ Lee will evoke her rematch clause tonight and I assume will regain the WWE Divas Championship. Last month at Survivor Series, AJ was blindsided by the unexpected and illogical turn of Brie Bella, which costed her the championship. This time around she’s prepared for any twin magic the Bellas throw at her, so unless her character is dumb enough to be duped a second time, I have to side with logic on this one and choose AJ. I’m also not sure why there are so many people convinced AJ is leaving. Because she’s married to CM Punk? Take off your tin foil hats! Just because Punk had issues with WWE it doesn’t mean AJ hasn’t enjoyed her time there. AJ Lee is passionate about preforming at the highest level and WWE has shown that when it comes to their women’s division, the best is yet to come. Why would she leave when things are just starting to get good?
Chairs Match
The Ryback vs. Kane
WINNER:
James, Jeff, Ricky, Adam, Shawn, Phillipa and Aaron: The Ryback
WILL THE RYBACK INJURE KANE UNINTENTIONALLY:
Jeff, Shawn and Aaron: Yes
Ricky and Phillipa: No
Adam: This is a stupid question. No.
THOUGHTS by Ricky Rana: I am not quite where Kane’s character will lead to considering now the Authority have been removed from recent storylines. The same uncertainty comes to mind more I think about the possibility of Kane winning this match.
The Ryback has recently made his return to the WWE and it makes no sense for Kane to win this match. The Ryback has to win.
Steel Stairs Match
Erick Rowan vs. The Big Show
WINNER:
James, Jeff, Ricky, Adam, Shawn and Phillipa: Erick Rowan
Aaron: The Big Show
THOUGHTS by Aaron Wrotkowski: The WWE is going to get every last mile they can out of The Big Show, and his heel turn has to have some sort of pay off. In the eyes of the WWE Creative it’s a loose end if all he does is give up a win to Rowan after the turn. Rowan can be the guy who eliminates Big Show at the Rumble and get a pop out of it. I feel the end game is for Rowan and Harper to fight at Wrestlemania, either for the Intercontinental championship. Rowan can get his big win on Big Show later.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper (c)
WINNER:
James, Adam and Aaron: Luke Harper
Jeff, Ricky, Shawn and Phillipa: Dolph Ziggler
THOUGHTS by Jeff DeHaan: I’m sure I will get this wrong, but I have been a fan of Ziggler’s for quite some time now and would love to see him get the gold back. That being said, he probably won’t win it back, and it’s quite possible that his losing it was to set him up for bigger things, but I’m still going with my heart on this one.
WWE Tag Team Championship
The Usos vs. The Miz and Damien Mizdow (c)
WINNERS:
James, Jeff, Ricky, Adam, Shawn, Phillipa and Aaron: The Miz and Damien Mizdow
THOUGHTS by Ricky: As much as like the Usos and the recent developments with the recent storyline involving Naomi, Miz and Jimmy, my feeling is that it makes sense for Miz and Mizdow to take the victory. Miz and Mizdow have only recently won the titles, and (courtesy of Mizdow) they are really hot right now and don’t make sense for them to lose their titles so early on in their run.
I have a feeling Naomi will play a part in the Usos losing their match but whether she inadvertently or purposely costs them the match, remains to be seen.
WWE United States Championship
Jack Swagger vs. Rusev w/ Lana (c)
WINNER:
James, Jeff, Ricky, Adam and Aaron: Rusev
Shawn and Phillipa: Jack Swagger
WILL ZEB COLTER MAKE AN APPEARANCE:
Jeff, Ricky, Shawn and Aaron: Yes
Adam and Phillipa: No
THOUGHTS by Shawn Wilken: Now is the time to give Rusev his first loss, give Swagger the big win he’s so desperately needed to get his singles career off the ground and for the United States crowd to get their own victory in watching the Russian (Bulgarian, rather) get beaten. It’s the tell-tale story of non-American wrestler claiming to be vastly superior to all Americans, and US wrestlers trying to get in his way. Perhaps Heath Slater wasn’t the best bet but Jack Swagger can get the job done. If so, expect a large ovation from the crowd. It has the potential to garnering a similar reaction when Lex Luger flew in on a helicopter to bodyslam Yokozuna, lifting the American crowd to cheer and feel proud for their country after the Japanese (Samoan, I know) behemoth was defeated. It’s time to give America the win they have been waiting for. It will also give the potential to add another layer to Rusev’s character, which has become one-dimensional for some time now.
Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match
Bray Wyatt vs. Dean Ambrose
WINNER:
James, Jeff, Ricky, Phillipa and Aaron: Bray Wyatt
Adam and Shawn: Dean Ambrose
THOUGHTS by Adam Contant: This is the match to watch tonight. These guys have the best chance to steal the show and after Thursday’s incredible NXT R-Evolution, they’ll have to pull out all the stops to get the same recognition. Thankfully these two guys are young, hungry, and creative, meaning they have all the tools needed to pull it off. Much like their other encounters, it’s difficult to know what to expect, but you can imagine that it will likely be the best representation of the “car crash” description WWE is so fond of using when it comes to TLC matches. With the Royal Rumble a month away, I don’t see this feud going any further, and although a win for Bray here would be big for him, his character is strong enough to take the loss and still be interesting to fans. Ambrose however has had more than a few big losses this year, and if he continues that trend, it could hamper his growing momentum, which would be a bad move for WWE.
Tables Match for John Cena’s #1 Contendership
John Cena vs. Money in the Bank holder Seth Rollins
WINNER:
James and Jeff: Seth Rollins
Ricky, Adam, Shawn, Phillipa and Aaron: John Cena
WHO WILL INTERFERE IN THE MATCH IF ANYONE:
Jeff and Adam: Mercury and Noble
Ricky, Phillipa and Aaron: Randy Orton
Shawn: Brock Lesnar
THOUGHTS by Philippa Hopwood: This one is the hardest match to predict because everyone wants to see Randy Orton come back, but no one wants to see John Cena v Brock Lesnar again. That being said, with his number one contendership on the line, Cena should step up his game and hopefully this will be a match worthy of main eventing the final pay-per-view of 2014.
WWE Tables, Ladders, Chairs and Stairs kicks off at 7PM EST. See you there!
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