WWE is in a tricky spot as they present their final pay-per-view of the year on Sunday in Boston. TLC will close out 2015 for the company and January will begin the Road to WrestleMania, historically the most exciting, engaging and lucrative time of the year for WWE.
WWE TLC 2015: The full rundown and why you should care
Tables, ladders and chairs are in play in several matches. Mayhem will undoubtedly ensue.
Bill Hanstock is a writer, author and Emmy Award-winning producer. He began writing for SB Nation in 2011.
However, WWE’s flagship show, RAW, is experiencing record-low ratings. From a fan morale standpoint, Sunday’s TLC PPV comes on the heels of three straight weeks of some of the least well-received RAW episodes in recent memory. WWE has been decimated by key injuries and no one’s really sure how to right the ship.
With all that said, TLC has some matches that certainly look like they could deliver ... at least on paper. So let’s get you caught up on all the storylines and tell you why you should be looking forward to the event ... even if you happen to be dreading it.
TLC begins at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday night, with a live pre-show beginning at 7 p.m. ET. You can order the event on pay-per-view or watch via the WWE Network.
Ryback vs. Rusev
What am I looking at here? Rusev, a Bulgarian Brute, is one-fourth of the newly-formed heel faction the League of Nations. He’s also recently been reunited with the ravishing Russian, Lana, because they are the only one true pairing. Ryback, on the other hand, comes to the ring wearing every piece of brightly-colored merchandise he owns. He also humbly requests you give him more to eat.
Why you should care: You know that thing where two really strong and impressive-looking guys just decide to punch and kick each other for real a bunch? Yeah, that’s what this is going to be. While their short feud doesn’t have a lot of juice behind it, just try to relax and watch a couple of beef slabs whale on each other for a while. You’ve earned it.
8-Man Elimination Tables Match: The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan & Braun Strowman) vs. ECW Originals (Bubba Ray Dudley, D-Von Dudley, Tommy Dreamer & Rhyno)
What am I looking at here? The Wyatt Family are a group of backwoods hillbilly cultists who are trying to reclaim their spookiness after being summarily dispatched by the Undertaker and Kane a month ago. The other four men in the match first made their names in the original ECW. After the Dudleys ran afoul of the Wyatts, they enlisted the help of their friends Dreamer and Rhyno to help even the odds. It may not be enough.
Why you should care: Yes, the ECW Originals come into this match weighing a combined 171 years old, but they’re here to make some younger fellas look good. Dreamer, Rhyno and the Dudleys have made careers of causing mayhem and there’s a great chance the Wyatts are going to beat them at their own game -- and look impressive in the process.
To make a long story short, there’s going to be a bunch of nearly-seven-foot-tall guys putting other guys through tables. It’s going to be a glorious spectacle. Just try not to think about it too much.
WWE United States Championship Chairs Match: Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Jack Swagger
What am I looking at here? Alberto Del Rio is the current United States Champion and is another member of the League of Nations. He was previously affiliated with Zeb Colter, who was helping preach the message of MexAmerica, a country that consisted of Colter and Del Rio. (Its geographical location remains undisclosed.)
Swagger, a man with the entirety of Jonathan Taylor Thomas’ 1993 haircut, was previously in a jingoistic and xenophobic pairing with Colter, and he took exception to Colter changing his ways, so he’s here to stand up to Del Rio, and to stand up on behalf of AMERICA. (Swagger is supposed to be the good guy here. We think.)
Why you should care: Chairs matches are generally train wrecks. Although I like both Del Rio and Swagger, I don’t have high hopes for this match. I do, however, have hopes of this being the end of the feud. It’s the little things that keep you going sometimes.
WWE Divas Championship Match: Charlotte (c) vs. Paige
What am I looking at here? Charlotte is literally the daughter of Ric Flair. As the reigning Divas Champion, she’s taken exception to her former friend Paige’s claims that her success has only come as a result of nepotism. Paige may have a point, however, as Ric Flair himself will be in Charlotte’s corner during this title match.
Why you should care: Charlotte has been behaving awfully sketchily lately. She might be going over to the dark side and embracing her heel pedigree, starting with this match. Never put anything past a Flair, people. If Charlotte really does turn evil, this opens the door for some great challengers during the Road to WrestleMania. Like Becky Lynch, or Charlotte’s old arch-enemies Bayley and Sasha Banks.
WWE Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Ladder Match: The New Day (c) vs. Lucha Dragons (Kalisto & Sin Cara) vs. The Usos (Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso)
What am I looking at here? The New Day is the most exciting, transcendent and hilarious thing WWE has going for it right now. Although they’re the only team in this match with three members, the extra man advantage might not mean a lot when the objective is just to climb the ladder and snatch the belts before anyone else.
The Usos are Rikishi’s twin sons who are just getting back into the swing of things after Jey Uso was out of action with an injury for most of the year.
The Lucha Dragons are a pair of high-flying luchadors consisting of one of the most exciting wrestlers in the world and Sin Cara.
Why you should care: I fully expect this match to be wonderful. It’s going to be mayhem with a bunch of people jumping and falling off ladders onto a bunch of other people. And onto other ladders. Multi-team ladder matches are usually spectacular car crashes. With the talent involved in this match, it might be more spectacular than average.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Kevin Owens (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
What am I looking at here? Kevin Owens beats people up for money and personal pride and he hates everyone who isn’t Kevin Owens or his lovely family. Dean Ambrose is a damp maniac out to prove a point. No one’s sure what that point is, however. Not even him.
Why you should care: This match could very well steal the show. These men work well together and the (arguable) second-most-prestigious title in the company is on the line. Owens always delivers in spotlight matches and Ambrose usually does, too. With no gimmicks involved in this match, it should be the best straight-up wrestling of the entire evening.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match: Sheamus (c) vs. Roman Reigns
What am I looking at here? Sheamus, the leader of the League of Nations, is a mayonnaise-colored Irishman with a mohawk, pierced septum and dingleberry beard. He “stole” the world title from handsome prince Roman Reigns at Survivor Series by cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase and ending Reigns’ first WWE World Heavyweight Championship reign after Reigns had only held the belt for five minutes and fifteen seconds.
Why you should care: The setup for this world title match is one of the most despised in recent memory, but both of these men excel at very physical contests. Given that they’ll have free reign to hit each other with chairs and ladders and put each other through tables at their discretion, this should be a gloriously hard-hitting match. Prediction? PAIN.
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