What a long and winding road it has been. Just 11 months ago, I was receiving an offer to write here on FanVsFan. Yes, 2010 was a good year for me, but always the optimist, I look to 2011 and am expecting bigger and better things. That said, 2010 is not over yet and we have to talk about the last Pay Per View of the year.
In just two days, WWE will put on TLC, Tables Ladders and Chairs, and a lot is at stake in this one. We have two title matches, an IC Ladder Match, a #1 contender's ladder match, and more! The gimmick match aspect often adds to the unpredictability of the outcome, but as usual, myself and SM Punk will try and decipher just which way the WWE will go. Let's see what we got:
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match- Dolph Ziggler(c) vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger
SM - I'm going with Jack Swagger in this one. The guy was World Champion earlier this year and it would be pretty bad if he couldn't win the belt below that. Ziggler has had his time, but now it's the All American American's turn.
MotSS - I'm not sure I buy that. It's definitely possible, but why switch the belt onto somebody with no build up. This isn't TNA. With the announcement that Ezekiel Jackson is coming to Smackdown, I say keep the belt on Ziggler and make him seem like the type of champion that you just can't take down. Then, use Jackson like the Ultimate Warrior and have him dominate Ziggler for the title. This will surely get Big Zeke some credibility, even moreso than he'd get by beating Swagger. I'm going with Ziggler to retain here.
Divas Tag Team Tables Match - Natalya and Beth Phoenix vs. Michelle McCool and Layla
SM - It's going to be the faces here. Can you honestly picture Michelle McCool or Layla powerbombing someone through a table? I can't. This match was taylor made for the stronger face team to defeat the hated LayCool. I predict Beth puts out of the two through a table for the win and her revenge.
MotSS - With all due respect, you are out of your mind! The set up to this match has been all faces, so you gotta go with the unlikely heels here. Plus, the buildup has little, if anything to do with Beth Phoenix's revenge. You don't get revenge in a tag team match, EVER. You also do not need to powerbomb someone through a table. Ask Sheamus from last year if he needed to win the WWE title that way. You don't and LayCool can find a way to win. Double suplex, putting the table sideways for an Irish whip, or a top rop maneuver. Any will work and LayCool gets some much needed momentum back.
Number 1 Contender's Ladder Match - Sheamus vs. John Morrison
MotSS - It's gotta be Morrison here. Everything has been leading up to Miz/Morrison for the WWE Title at the Royal Rumble and this will solidify it. Morrison has the advantage in quickneses for a ladder match, he will steal the show in a match like this, and he has a lot more to gain from a victory here than Sheamus. When you look back at this feud, you'll see that Sheamus got a huge victory in the middle to become King of the Ring, but it was Morrison who got the final laugh to become a main eventer. This is an important match for Morrison, so let's hope the WWE doesn't screw this one up.
SM - I agree, Morrison will win. However, it won't be easy to beat Sheamus in a match like this. Cue the return of THE GAME! Triple H has got to come back soon, why not at the PPV? This seems like the opportune time for a return as it would end the Morrison/Sheamus feud and reunite the Sheamus/Triple H feud. Then, Morrison moves to the title match and things are set up perfectly. A Sheamus win would really convolute things, so Morrison wins, Hunter returns, and all is right in the world.
World Heavyweight Championship TLC Match - Kane(c) vs. Edge. vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio
SM - I'm going with Alberto Del Rio here. The plan as I see it is to have ADR go over, then have Kane's rematch on the live edition of Smackdown. This gets it out of the way and sets up ADR vs. Rey Mysterio and the Royal Rumble. This allows Kane to be IN the rumble where he is always a threat and it allows a new champion a chance to show what he's got against his biggest enemy.
MotSS - SM, I want you to stop hanging out with Jeff Hardy. You are talking crazy tonight and are WAY WAY off. You are right in that the rematch should take place on Smackdown so as to open up Kane to reak havoc in the rumble, but that is all you are right about. For so many reasons, Alberto Del Rio will NOT go over in this match. You have a first time champion over on Raw, you have NO build for Alberto in this match as it was literally announced two hours ago that he would even be in it, and it's just an incredibly large risk. The right way to go here is with Edge. He has been champion before, he can fight Alberto at the rumble after beating Kane in the rematch, and he has an existing feud with the champion. He has been built up over 2 months to take this title. Simply inserting two other men at the last minute shouldn't stop that. If anything, it just helps to determine the next contender, not the next champion. Also, mustn't we forget that Edge is the master of the TLC match. His match leads to his title. Edge will get title reign #10.
Chairs Match - John Cena vs. Wade Barrett
MotSS - Man, these two guys have been going at it forever! The last time these two met in a singles match, Husky Harris and Michael McGillicutty debuted and cost Cena the match. This time, I predict the Nexus to be banned from ringside again, so what will be the surprise here. I can't imagine this to be a straight match with a clear winner. That just wouldn't be fun. The most likely man to find himself in the middle is R-Truth as he has had tie ins to this feud before. I'm going way out on a limb here and predicting that Truth, who hasn't been seen in 3 weeks, comes out seemingly to aide Cena and then BAM! Truth will cost his buddy this match. The seeds have been laid for this and I think the fact that Truth wasn't part of the face brigaide that beat up Gabriel speaks to this. Barrett comes away victorious here with the help of R-Truth.
SM - I don't know man. This feud has to end! It's been going on for so long, so why not end it now. Cena wins this one clean and let's move on. Both Cena and Barrett can focus on trying to win the rumble, with Barrett dealing with Nexus' internal issues as well as their "bigger picture". It's about time they did something else with these guys so I think Cena wins and we finally move on from this feud.
Tables Match for the WWE Title - The Miz(c) vs. Randy Orton
SM - Gotta be the Miz here. Whether it's a mistake, help from Alex Riley, or even help from Michael Cole, Miz will retain. He'll find a way to win, setting up the showdown with his former partner. Orton will then be left without a title and without a shot, so he'll look to the Royal Rumble as his salvation. The anger that will build in him and he will become a huge favorite to win the rumble. I can't imagine Orton winning here, it just wouldn't make sense.
MotSS - This one I agree with you on. Since Miz is being booked in the mold of Ric Flair, you don't expect him to win clean in literally any match. This match is perfect as there are a ton of ways for Miz to win without looking overly dominant. That's the goal and I think a clever way might be for Alex Riley to actually be the one to push Orton into a table. It could be Cole as well, or it could be a mistake. SM and I fully agree that Miz shouldn't exactly hit a powerbomb for the win. That said, I could envision a cool moment at the end of the show where Riley goes to get Miz's belt while Miz poses. Out comes Morrison to stare down Miz and when Miz turns around to get his belt, BAM! RKO! Orton gets that angry look on his face, showing that he will now stop at nothing to regain that belt. It might be a slap in the face to Miz to do that, since this is his first Pay Per View as champion, but it could be a really cool moment. Either way, Miz walks out of here as champion, because he's the Miz and he's AAWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEESOMMMMMEEEEEEEEE!!!!! (Sorry, I had to do it!)
As we close the book on this year, we look back at the fun we've had picking matches. However, it's about to get better. Starting with the Royal Rumble, the 2011 Big Mouth Cup standings will be unveiled. Essentially, we will actually keep track of our predictions, and at the end of 2011, we will unveil who it is that has backed up their big mouth predictions. I told you 2011 would be fun! Until then, let's get one more good Pay Per View!
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