Thursday, March 28, 2024
EditorialeWN's Round Table Preview of WWE TLC 2018

eWN’s Round Table Preview of WWE TLC 2018

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Welcome to another edition of eWN Round Table, where we gather some of the most active writers here on eWrestlingNews and share the platform to answer some questions surrounding a centralized topic, upcoming event, etc.

This is meant to showcase the potential for both a wide range of perspectives as well as how sometimes, there can be a group consensus no matter what your viewpoint is, so we also invite all of you to join in on the discussion by answering these questions yourself in the comments section below.

For this particular volume, we’ll be focusing on Tables, Ladders and Chairs 2018.

Participants for this round = Anthony Mango, Ethan Ablser, Richard Staple, Heel Heat and Chris Holden.

1) “If Baron Corbin loses control of Raw, who should take charge as the new general manager?”

MANGO: The easiest and laziest transition would be Alexa Bliss, and although I like her in the role (minus the awful Q&A segments), I want her back in the ring, more so than staying as an authority figure. If she can’t do that, give her the spot, but if she’s able to wrestle, I’d actually like Jason Jordan to fill the role. If HE is able to wrestle again, I’d say Big Show, JBL, or just ignore it for a while and have Triple H and Stephanie McMahon hold down the fort for a bit.

ABSLER: If Baron Corbin loses on Sunday, he loses control of RAW too. With that being said, this leaves a perfect void that the possibly returning Hulk Hogan could fill. More than likely, the GM will not be an active superstar, so I don’t see many options here.

STAPLE: It doesn’t matter who controls the show so long as the quality still remains poor. I wouldn’t mind Kurt coming back, but it’s not clicking for me anymore. The GM is ultimately just another part of the script, and I don’t think it relies so much on the actual character that gets the position so much as its the material they get to work with. No interesting names come to mind either.

HEAT: Honestly, I don’t mind Baron Corbin in an authority role, he’s good at garnering heat as a heel GM. But if I absolutely had to choose another person, I guess I’d just go with Kurt Angle again. I know, boring answer. But to be frank, I couldn’t care less about who’s “in charge,” just as long as they’re not in every segment or overshadowing the active talent.

HOLDEN: Of course, we’re assuming they’re going to keep the ridiculous GM position, since they don’t seem to know how to book a show without an authority figure of some sort. All signs point to Alexa Bliss being primed and readied for the GM role. She looks the part, plays a solid heel, and who knows how far away her in-ring return might be. Outside of Bliss, I don’t think there’s anyone on the Raw roster that ‘fits’ at the moment. If I had to pick a shock return, someone who could generate instant heat, and perhaps help Raw out of it’s current ratings slumber? Vince Russo. Then I’d chain him in the basement between his on-air segments, and wouldn’t let him within 100-ft of anyone in the Creative department.

2) “Agree or disagree: TLC matches shouldn’t be classified a separate gimmick as they’re just No DQ matches or ladder matches with a specific focus on two more foreign objects.”

MANGO: Of course this isn’t a distinct match! That’s like how a stupid Chairs Match is somehow supposed to also allow for disqualifications if they use anything other than chairs. It never happens, which means it’s No DQ, which means it’s a No DQ match that only features chairs because it’s scripted. That is what a TLC match is. If you allow for pinfalls, it’s just a No DQ match. If you have the winner declared by retrieving something from the ladder, it’s just a ladder match. There’s literally no difference.

ABSLER: TLC matches are just be ladder matches where tables and chairs are also encouraged and scattered around ringside, but WWE just classifies it as a separate gimmick to make more money. So yes I agree, TLC isn’t truly a separate type of match, but a gimmick to make extra cash.

STAPLE: Well, there is a distinction that has to be made, although a fault of this ambiguity is WWE’s fault. Most Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matches are just ladder matches where you need to grab something on top. However, there are also TLC matches like The Shield vs. Daniel Bryan/Kane/Ryback or Corbin vs. Strowman this Sunday in which it is just basically a one-fall match that just so happens to have tables, ladders and chairs matches. The entire concept of the match has gotten very confusing ever since The Dudleyz, The Hardyz and Edge/Christian introduced it nearly two decades ago. I believe if the match can only be won by obtaining something with a ladder, it should be called a ladder match and nothing more. Elias and Bobby Lashley have a Ladder match, but they aren’t fighting for a title or a briefcase. It’s a ladder match that permits you to use a single weapon when you can literally find other weapons under the ring or at ringside. Edge and Eddie Guererro’s legendary No DQ match in Smackdown of 2002 featured chairs and ladders, but it was called a No DQ match. Technically, Orton and Mysterio don’t have to use just chairs in their match. The whole concept is confusing. There goes my brain.

HEAT: I don’t really care about that subject.

HOLDEN: Agreed. The cachet of TLC matches was built in a different era by three teams who each ‘specialized’ with one of the weapons – the Hardy’s were the ladder match kings, the Dudley’s were famous for breaking tables, and Edge and Christian had their Con-Chair-To. The concept of the TLC match headed into the first one felt unique, and all six men used the appliances with innovation. As with many concepts in WWE, they’ve tried and tried again to recreate that magic, but the only thing today’s TLC matches have in common with the original is the name.

3) “Should Tables, Ladders, Chairs and Stairs ever be a thing again? Should any other weapons be added to the title lineup?”

MANGO: Absolutely not for Stairs, and no, no other weapons should be added. They should just change TLC to something like “WWE Demolition” since they refer to it as their version of a demolition derby. Or, better yet, go with Breaking Point, or No Mercy, and stop forcing gimmicks onto feuds that don’t need them.

ABSLER: I’m going to be a really harsh critic with this one and say that the TLC PPV as a whole should just be cancelled. Most PPV’s named after gimmicks are just another tactic to get money when in reality, a TLC match can be held at any event. For example, there was a TLC match on RAW this week… just 6 days before people are supposed to pay for that type of match. In my opinion, WWE should bring back a PPV that people really miss to put in its place.

STAPLE: Hell to the freaking no. It needs to remain a memory. That was one of the worst PPV’s I ever saw. The memory of Big Show and Erick Rowan fighting with stairs still haunts me to this day. The name is just so stupid too. Might as well add Kendo Sticks and Announce Tables.

HEAT: Aren’t stairs always out there? Aren’t stairs always available to use in gimmick, NO DQ matches? Absolutely, completely useless, so there’s really no need to add it to the title of a match nor an event – the Tables, Ladders & Chairs PPV name is already ridiculous enough, is it not?

HOLDEN: My brain had thankfully allowed me to forget that was ever a thing before. The event should be rebranded, something like, ‘Anything Goes’, so stipulation matches are expected, and all stips are covered. As for the TLC match, it should be shelved and saved for if and when an appropriate scenario ever pops up again.

4) “What would be the one thing WWE could do at this event that would piss you off the most that you think actually might happen?”

MANGO: Since the card is stacked with 12 matches, I wouldn’t be shocked if they rush every single match and this event dissolves into quick messes that exist only to push the story elements. IE, Strowman does one move and beats Corbin, McIntyre squashes Balor in 3 minutes to look strong, etc.

ABSLER: The one thing WWE could do to piss me, and a lot of people off for that matter, is have Nia Jax defeat Ronda Rousey for the RAW Women’s Championship. Ronda is really polarizing, but at this point in time, putting the title on Jax would be a mistake. There are rumors that WWE is planning Rousey’s first loss, so I hope it isn’t to Jax.

STAPLE: That’s kind of hard to say because WWE regularly pisses me off with their horrible weekly efforts, especially with RAW. It’s gotten to a point where I’ve become desensitized to anything they could do to me. I suppose the worst thing they could do is make Strowman and Corbin fight for 30 minutes in the main event of a card that will be at least 11 matches in length. Besides Strowman and Corbin’s TLC match, we have a separate tables match, a separate ladder match, a separate chairs match and ANOTHER TLC match with the Smackdown women. The worst thing WWE could do is subject fans to sit down and watch a needlessly long main event featuring more tables, more ladders and more chairs as if we didn’t have enough shovd down our throats throughout the night.

HEAT: They have been significantly pushing Nia Jax ever since she legitimately punched Becky Lynch in the face. It’s not that I particularly believe this outcome will become a reality, but it would piss me off a bit – Nia Jax defeating Ronda Rousey clean as a whistle. Ronda has both Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch on her tail, and they would be much better off defeating her than Nia Jax doing it. Although I’m not 100% on Nia winning the match, no way, however I wouldn’t be that surprised if she did, quite frankly.

HOLDEN: I’ll be most surprised if they don’t do two or three things that annoy me Sunday night. I see a world where they give Nia the win over Ronda, that would be awful. I half expect them to crush any of Elias’ remaining momentum with a Lashley win, that sucks. But, worst of all, I anticipate a shock return to wrestle by Braun Strowman, only for Baron Corbin to manage a win anyway. Drake Maverick coming out and literally pissing on the crowd would be worse, but I don’t actually think they’ll do that.

5) “On a 0-10 scale, what was your level of investment in Mixed Match Challenge before and after they announced the Royal Rumble prize for the winning team?”

MANGO: Before, it was a 4. After, it was a 6. I still think it’s going to be a mistake that they attached this prize to these two teams and I’m mostly interested in seeing how this bites WWE in the ass.

ABSLER: I was more interested in the first season of the MMC, however, the Royal Rumble announcement has forced me to at least pay attention to season two. With that being said, there is so much programming to watch, tuning into the MMC feels like a chore.

STAPLE: 0. I have yet to watch a full length match from the Mixed Match Challenge. There was no appeal to it in season 1. The #30 slot in the RR as a reward means nothing to me either because it’s highly likely either of those two will win anyways.

HEAT: I haven’t payed much attention to the Mixed Match Challenge. I checked out the first few episodes last year just to see what it was all about, and I got bored of it pretty fast. I will admit, though, regarding this years edition, giving the #30 spots to the winners is a nice touch, it gives the viewers more of a reason to tune in, I suppose. But all the valuable stars this season were replaced seemingly every week, so now we’re left with the duds, so I don’t care at this point.

HOLDEN: I’ve always felt programmed by the company to believe if it doesn’t happen on Raw, Smackdown or a PPV, it doesn’t matter. So it’s been hard for me from the beginning to get behind or into MMC. I didn’t care about or follow Season One, but I was intrigued by the announcement of the winning team getting the #30 slots. Now I know it’s Truth & ‘Mella vs Jinder and Fox, I’ve gone back to not caring too much. So ‘one’, to ‘five’, and back to ‘one’ again.

6) “Which superstar do you feel is the biggest omission from this card and how would you add them into the card if you had a chance?”

MANGO: I’d love to book Brock Lesnar to drop the title, but WWE would never allow that, so I’d say the next biggest omission is the United States Championship as Shinsuke Nakamura has been an afterthought for far too long, so I would have further developed that feud and put that Rusev match on the lineup.

ABSLER: Again, Shinsuke Nakamura is left off of the card. Not only is Nakamura the United States Champion, but he’s one of the best wrestlers on the planet. At this point, I want Nakamura to leave WWE for the sake of his career. Whether it was WWE’s plan to sign their biggest competitors and never use them for the sake of keeping them trapped under contract, Nakamura has been horrible misused since the summer and it seems like WWE doesn’t even care.

STAPLE: Once again, Shinsuke Nakamura, United States Champion, is not featured on the card. I’ve already accepted the fact WWE has nothing productive to do with Nakamura, which is pretty damn sad. I’m not adding more matches to a PPV as long as this, but if I could shorten it, I would obviously give Nakamura a match with Rusev on here. Although to be honest, Nakamura and Rusev’s “feud” is something that could be settled on Smackdown.

HEAT: Kevin Owens. Why? Because he’s Kevin Owens.

HOLDEN: Outside of the injured guys and Brock from Raw, Dolph Ziggler looks to be the biggest red name missing, and he’s probably on standby to replace Finn Balor if he can’t go. From Smackdown, and probably overall the biggest name missing, is Best in the World Shane McMahon. Sorry, brainwash moment, I mean Samoa Joe. And since Shinsuke Nakamura and his US title missing yet another PPV also stinks, I’d have stuck the two of them against each other for the belt. Maybe I’d have let Miz in there, too. He’s seemed too important on Smackdown this year to be missing from PPVs.

7) “Which match are you most excited to see on this pay-per-view?”

MANGO: My vote goes to the SmackDown Women’s Championship match.

ABSLER: I am most excited for Ambrose vs Rollins. Not only is the match for the IC title, but these two tear the house down every time they work. They have that special level of chemistry that only few duos have ever had, and I trust both men, especially Ambrose, to work a stunning TLC match.

STAPLE: Easily the triple threat Smackdown Women’s TLC match. Obviously, being that this will be another first-timer for the women, I have no doubt they will embrace the challenge and tear it up. I haven’t gotten emotionall invested into Rollins/Ambrose, and we’ve seen Bryan and AJ fight for the WWE Title twice within the past couple of months. This is also the only match where I’m heavily interested in the outcome. Everything else can do what they want.

HEAT: Definitely the SmackDown Women’s Championship TLC Match – Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte vs. Asuka. I think it’s going to be a stellar match, the show stealer, the match everyone will be talking about by the end of the night.

HOLDEN: The hype machine has done a fine job building Lynch vs Charlotte vs Asuka. There’s a major prize on the line, they’ve made it feel like it’s three of the very best all in there at the same time, and they’ve made it feel like any of them could win it. For me, those are the key ingredients. The Daniel Bryan vs AJ Styles rematch is definitely interesting, while I feel I have more of a morbid curiosity for the Raw results than excitement.

Big thanks to everyone who took part in this edition!

Those are our thoughts, but what do you have to say about these issues? Keep the discussion going by chiming in via the comments section below!

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