This Sunday, the WWE presents its fifth annual TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs pay-per-view live from the Toyota Center in Houston, TX and the event is headlined by a title unification match between World Heavyweight Champion John Cena and WWE Champion Randy Orton in a TLC match. Below are some predictions and a preview for Sunday night's show:
Pre-Show Match-Dolph Ziggler vs. Fandango:
Before the event airs live on pay-per-view, the WWE gives us the TLC kick-off show that includes a pre-show match between Fandango and Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler appears to be in the dog house as he continues to slip down the WWE totem pole and doesn't even get a spot on the actual pay-per-view, but it still seems as though Ziggler will get the win to start the show off on a positive note for those in attendance.
The Pick: Dolph Ziggler gets the win.
Dolph Ziggler has fallen hard from the card as he won a ladder match against John Cena in the main event at TLC 2012:
WWE Tag Team Championships Fatal Four-Way-Goldust and Cody Rhodes (c) vs. The Big Show and Rey Mysterio vs. The Real Americans (Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro) w/ Zeb Colter vs. Ryback and Curtis Axel:
This match was sort of thrown together on SmackDown, but should nonetheless be entertaining. Rhodes and Goldust have gotten a lot of popularity in recent months and will probably overcome the odds to retain the gold, while its conceivable that they could drop the tag titles. BIg Show and Mysterio could continue to be a tandem; due to Mysterio's injury problems he may be better off in a tag team situation, however they likely won't end up with the gold when the night is over.
The Pick: Goldust and Cody Rhodes retain.
Cody Rhodes defended the IC Title against Booker T in 2011:
3-on-1 Handicap Match-CM Punk vs. The Shield (Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins):
The WWE has been pushing Roman Reigns as evidenced by his dominance at the Survivor Series in November, and though the odds are against Punk and the WWE would like to push Rollins, he'll probably shine in a loss for his team.
The WWE has been hinting at cracks in The Shield's foundation and that should continue here after more miscommunication leads to a CM Punk victory. Whether the WWE continues to hint at the break up or the group actually splits by the end of the match is anyone's guess, but WWE loves to draw out storylines.
It seems like the WWE will pull the trigger on the Rollins push once and for all by having more dissension in The Shield, which could make this a perfect opener to get a hot crowd behind Punk and enjoy the breakup of The Shield over a year after their debut if the WWE decides to open up with it.
The Pick: CM Punk.
CM Punk retained the WWE Championship in a triple threat TLC match against The Miz and Alberto Del Rio in 2011:
Intercontinental Championship Match-Big E Langston (c) vs. Damien Sandow:
It would seem that Sandow has a legitimate chance of winning the match due to the fact that he was cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase for a world title shot less than two months ago, but with the way WWE--and notably John Cena--is high on Big E Langston the smart money is on Langston retaining.
Add in the fact that Langston just won the gold recently from Curtis Axel, it doesn't seem like the big man will be dropping the belt anytime soon. Sandow could win the title to springboard into the main event scene, but with the WWE already setting its plans for WrestleMania XXX in April, it doesn't seem like Sandow will be in the title picture and he'll probably suffer a loss here.
The Pick: Big E Langston retains.
Damien Sandow teamed up with Cody Rhodes against Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara at last year's event in a tables match:
3-on-1 Handicap Match-Daniel Bryan vs. The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan):
It's a bit of an odd booking move to have two 3-on-1 matches on one card, but both have potential to be really good. I picked against Bryan and Punk when they took on Rowan and Harper at Survivor Series due to the thought that the WWE would give the Wyatt's extreme heat by having Bray Wyatt help his partners beat two of the most popular stars in the company, but Punk and Bryan ended up winning.
This time around, it would be hard to pick Bryan to single handedly beat all three of The Wyatts. A clean Bryan win against all three would just kill any credibility the team would have going forward as a legitimate threat to the WWE.
While Punk beating The Shield 3-on-1 is viable because the group is built up to implode, the Wyatts are supposed to be strong and will probably use strength in numbers--and perhaps a surprise fourth member--to beat Bryan and gain some heat back after Survivor Series.
The Pick: The Wyatts stand tall.
Daniel Bryan cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and defeated The Big Show for the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011:
WWE Divas Championship-A.J. Lee (c) vs. Natalya:
A.J. Lee has become a very popular champion with the crowd, but it was only a matter of time until the Total Divas show completely took over the Divas division by having one of the women featured on the show win the gold, and it seems like the time has come for that to happen this Sunday at TLC.
With the camera most likely rolling for a future season while the match is going on, the E! Network cameras will capture Natalya winning the Divas Championship and it will undoubtedly be featured on a future episode while A.J. will look strong in a loss but ultimately lose to the sharpshooter.
The Pick: Natalya wins the Divas Title.
In 2011, Natalya teamed up with Beth Phoenix and took on LayCool in a tag team tables match:
Tables, Ladders and Chairs Title Unification Match: John Cena (World Heavyweight Champion) vs. Randy Orton (WWE Champion):
Triple H and The Authority have "guaranteed" there will be one champion which in WWE language likely means the match will end in controversy and there will still be two champions at the end of the show. Rumors of a "screwy ending" have surrounded this match with one backstage report indicating that Cena may leave with Orton's title and vice versa.
The reports of a possible swerve to keep both titles alive could lead to the ultimate payoff by continuing the program all the way to WrestleMania XXX and having a high-profile title-for-title match at the biggest show of the year as was rumored before the TLC match was made.
However, with rumors of Cena tagging with a returning Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania possibly in the works, it may be resolved either Sunday at TLC or at the Royal Rumble in January.
The WWE threw another theory out there by having Cena appear at the Tribute to the Troops event set to air almost two weeks after Sunday's show without his belt. The appearance fueled speculation that he may be on the losing end, though that may have been blown out of proportion by the internet.
While the Cena/Orton feud has been done to death over the last 10 years and the title unification should have been built up more than for just three weeks since it's supposed to be an important match, it should still be fun to see Orton and Cena go at it with tables, ladders and chairs.
While a swerve could definitely be in the works, if a winner actually is crowned it will most likely be the WWE poster boy and biggest merchandise mover in Cena so that he can come onto RAW the next night and say, "The undisputed champ is here" as he always does. I'm not ruling out a screwy finish or Orton and Cena each leaving with each other's belt, but for the sake of picking a winner the smart money is on Cena.
The Pick: John Cena.
Cena took on Sheamus at the first TLC event in 2009 in a tables match:
WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs takes place live this Sunday from the Toyota Center in Houston, and it will be interesting to see if anyone actually walks out as the undisputed WWE Unified Champion.
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