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MR. TITO STRIKES BACK - *REVISED* WWE TLC 2017 Predictions with Potential Implications of Kurt Angle Now Wrestling
By Mr. Tito
Oct 20, 2017 - 9:53:23 PM

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****10/20/2017 UPDATE****

Well, WWE TLC 2017 has been revised. Thanks to Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt falling ill and are now removed from the TLC card. WWE made some MAJOR revisions to their matches including the in-ring WWE return of a Hall of Famer:

(a) AJ Styles makes an appearance on the RAW roster to now wrestle Finn Balor

(b) Kurt Angle makes his WWE in-ring wrestling return to take Roman Reigns place. The TLC match will now be Kurt Angle/Dean Ambrose/Seth Rollins vs. Miz/Sheamus/Cesaro/Braun Strowman/Kane.

Let's discuss AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor. Just move AJ to the RAW roster FULL TIME, please. Stop wasting him on Smackdown with that thin roster. FINE, if you want AJ Styles to be in the midcarder, at least let him feud with the Miz over the Intercontinental Title. I'm OK with that. This match should be high impact and fast paced... Plus, no more "Sports Entertainment" crap with Bray Wyatt. Been a bad year for Mr. Wyatt.

Kurt Angle added to this match is FASCINATING and could present the WWE with major storyline possibilities. The Shield need HEELS badly... Sure, you have the Miz, Braun, and Cesaro/Sheamus as a tag team... But that's not a consistent stable. What's needed for the Shield is something that repeatedly puts walls or roadblocks in their way to smash. And I believe Angle's insertion into this match isn't just to "save" TLC but the WWE might moving up a planned storyline angle.

In other words, you have the babyface trio of the Shield and a babyface General Manager of RAW... Does that match? Should that match?

It wouldn't surprise me whatsoever that Kurt Angle turns HEEL at WWE TLC 2017 on Ambrose & Rollins and becomes a HEEL authority figure on RAW to screw the Shield at every turn. Then, he could convert Jason Jordan into a heel as well and thus the stupid "son" storyline turn into heat. Angle could get Braun Strowman and the returning Samoa Joe... And BOOM, that's a real threat against the Shield.

As happy as I am to see Kurt Angle back with the WWE, he's kinda LAME as a babyface authority figure or a babyface in general. HEEL Angle is one of the best WWE characters of all time and one of Vince McMahon's finest character creations/suggestons. Angle is at his best when he's on the microphone and as a bad guy. It's so natural for him and it puts a real threat against the Shield. Then, it naturally feeds Survivor Series 2017 with "Team Angle" versus the Shield.

Makes sense.

With the Pay Per View being 3 days away, the WWE making the call now could be precautionary... But I think in some ways, they are covering a poorly booked Pay Per View.

****END 10/20/2017 Update****

The EXCELLENCE IN COLUMN WRITING is upon you exclusively here at LordsofPain.net / WrestlingHeadlines.com. I'm LAUGHING at the declarations that WWE TLC 2017 is the "worst" booked Pay Per View of all time. Huh? It might not be the worst Pay Per View booked THIS MONTH. Did you not see the WWE Hell in a Cell 2017 where a glorified boy scout and non-wrestler had to jump off of a cage to "save" a lackluster Pay Per View? Did all of you miss that?

Folks, I would be willing to watch WWE TLC 2017 10 times straight without any bathroom breaks and refusing to eat or drink before I take any more from the Smackdown roster. How on earth did we go from a brand extension that showed such promise just 1 year ago to a complete dumpster fire right now? The ONLY saving grace of this show is the decent Kevin Owens push right now but even that is questionable with the recent booking.

Seriously, Sami Zayn was turned heel? Really? The same guy that Kevin Owens attacked repeatedly and violently for the past few years in the WWE. But then the delivery of Sami's promos... Why don't you read off of cue cards, Sami? He is just spitting out scripted lines and none of this heel turn is showing any passion or heart. Completely phony and fake. ESPECIALLY that promo on Daniel Bryan how he didn't want to end up like Bryan.

And then the reaction from Daniel Bryan. Like the several YouTube videos out there, Daniel Bryan doesn't give two f**ks about being in the WWE right now. That's the REAL underlying story in the wrestling world. I believe that he has FULL regrets by accepting WWE's request to "retire". I believe that he has been pondering what "might have been" had WWE not screwed with his booking during 2013-2014 or if he could stay healthy during 2014 and 2015. He's upset for being THAT CLOSE to being a mega superstar of epic proportions and it is the fault of the awful WWE Creative Team for ruining it in favor of yet another Randy Orton push or thinking that Randy Orton vs. Batista would draw at Wrestlemania 30. Then, once WWE repairs Wrestlemania 30's booking to make Daniel Bryan become WWE Champion, they put him with Kane to feud.

KANE... Didn't that guy just climb through the ring to attack Roman Reigns this week on RAW? I'm willing to bet that Kane's involvement in this match is just to give a quick feud for Braun Strowman in the upcoming weeks.

Point being, Daniel Bryan doesn't care and is just mailing in his efforts as an on-screen authority figure. That doesn't help Sami Zayn, but being an unnatural or forced heel doesn't either.

And then we have Jinder Mahal... Ha. Ha. Ha!

Give WWE credit... Jinder Mahal vs. Brock Lesnar creates a reaction from you and it will force you to tune into WWE Survivor Series 2017 to see what happens. After all, it is the WWE Universal Champion versus the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Should be Title vs. Title, in my opinion, and I wouldn't be surprised if it transforms into such. Even if it's non-title, the strong odds would be in favor of Brock Lesnar winning. WWE would rather make a definitive World Title for Roman Reigns to win at Wrestlemania 34 than have the WWE Title lineage on Smackdown. Lesnar should CRUSH Jinder but I guess an International tour in India late this year might cause Jinder to somehow look strong. Then again, you can keep Jinder as WWE Champion if the match is non-title...

I seriously did NOT care that AJ Styles somehow declared himself the #1 contender, despite losing the US Title, and went on to challenge Jinder. I don't care.

I'll take the table scraps of the RAW roster these days versus tolerating the Smackdown roster who needs Shane McMahon to be a stuntman and who has a JOKE of a WWE Champion in Jinder Mahal.

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WWE TLC 2017 Pay Per View Predictions

Alicia Fox vs. Sasha Banks
Meh... WWE has never been serious about pushing Alicia.

WHO SHOULD WIN / WHO WILL WIN: Sasha Banks

****

Women's Title: Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Mickie James

This feud has fallen flat... Mickie James just seems out of place and it's not because of age. It's because she's trying to portray the same character of the 2000s during 2017. She's a married woman and a mom... She also tried to be a country music singer. It can be subtle much like Shawn Michaels changed his look and actions from the 2000s versus the 1990s. WWE should embrace her longevity, not mock it... The same could be said about Tamina Snuka. Why doesn't the WWE embrace actual moms who are still trying to make a living by still wrestling. I really like Alexa Bliss as a performer, but she just doesn't have much depth on the RAW women's roster. Then again, Asuka is coming...

WHO SHOULD WIN / WHO WILL WIN: Alexa Bliss

****

Cruiserweight Title: Kalisto (c) vs. Enzo Amore
I believe that Kalisto only won this title to "stick it" to the upset Neville who was upset that he was going to lose to Enzo 2 weeks ago. Enzo is the modern day Honky Tonk Man and that's a compliment. Keep the title on him and let him talk so much smack only to let him escape loss for a long, long time. 205 Live just needs to stop being "live" and airing after Smackdown.

WHO SHOULD WIN / WHO WILL WIN: Enzo Amore

****

Asuka vs. Emma
If you watch their NXT Takeover encounter, you'll be amazed... Emma, who was being pushed seriously by NXT at the time, gave Asuka her BEST match to date. Emma sold moves perfectly yet was aggressive in going after Asuka offensively. However, this is Asuka's first WWE match and it will likely be a squash. Therefore, the selling part of Emma will come in handy and that's why she gets the first Asuka match. After this match, I'd move Emma back to NXT and return the older theme music back to her. Hell, send Dana Brooke there too and both can continue their teaming as if the WWE call-ups never happened.

WHO SHOULD WIN / WHO WILL WIN: Asuka

****

Brian Kendrick/Jack Gallagher vs. Rich Swann/Cedric Alexander

Don't care about Cruiserweights... But since Enzo is winning his match...

WHO SHOULD WIN / WHO WILL WIN: Rich Swann & Cedrix Alexander

****

Finn Balor vs. Sister Abigail

I have no idea?


*REVISED PREDICTION* Finn Balor vs. AJ Styles
THANK GOD... Two high risk veterans collide! The thing is that a Smackdown wrestler is going against RAW wrestler with a decent push. After all, the reports suggest that Finn Balor will wrestle Brock Lesnar... Unless AJ Styles gets in on that action to make a 3 Way Dance, Finn Balor has to go over someone strong. AJ Styles is coming off bad losses for the US Title although he somewhat challenged Jinder Mahal for a WWE Title shot. Well, that could happen on a random episode of Smackdown.

WHO SHOULD WIN: THE FACE THAT RUNS THE PLACE, AJ Styles, and then move him to RAW full time to continue this feud.

WHO WILL WIN: Finn Balor to build him up for his Lesnar match at Royal Rumble.

****

TLC Match: The Shield (Reigns, Rollins, Ambrose) vs. Miz/Sheamus/Cesaro/Braun Strowman/Kane
I believe this is just a match that features Tables, Chairs, and Ladders and won't have any thing in the sky to collect for the win. First pinfall with weapons... And that's fine. Go watch most matches where the full Shield teams up. Typically, it's a car crash and a fun ride from start to finish. I figure that Kane's involvement is just to put another warm body in the match to beat on but to also set up Braun vs. Kane in the near future. I wouldn't doubt that Kane and Braun turn on each other early in the match and then it becomes a "true" 6 man match between Shield vs. Miz/Sheamus/Cesaro and the Miz will "get his". Then, Survivor Series can continue that feud in some way or even the December WWE Pay Per View.

WHO SHOULD WIN / WHO WILL WIN: The Shield


*REVISED PREDICTION* TLC Match: Kurt Angle/Dean Ambrose/Seth Rollins vs. Miz/Cesaro/Sheamus/Braun Strowman/Kane
Kurt Angle being added to his match is suspicious to me... Why rush Kurt Angle's first ever WWE wrestling match in over 11 years to "save" a lower level Pay Per View? Something is up, folks... First and foremost, I can sense that Kane and Braun Strowman will clash. I wouldn't doubt that sometime during the match, Kane and Strowman accidentally bump into each other and exit the match by brawling to the back or something. That leaves Shield/Angle vs. Miz/Cesaro/Sheamus... Then, Angle makes his heel turn... Just feels like it COULD happen. The Shield need an authority figure to challenge them and Angle has to turn.

WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN / WHAT WILL HAPPEN: Without Roman Reigns and a possible Angle turn (man, I'll look bad if I'm wrong)... The 5 person team of Miz, Cesaro, Sheamus, Braun Strowman, and Kane will now win.

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THE LAST WORD

I never believed for a second that Nia Jax "quit" the company. Taking a leave of absence, yes... Quitting, hell no. She has been pushed strong throughout 2017 and she's related to the Rock as a cousin. I don't understand what could go wrong backstage.

Be careful of the information sources out there... WWE only allows backstage access to a few sources out there, like your Scherers, Meltzers, or Kellers of the world. Basically, by allowing a few reporters to have insider access, it puts up a roadblock against others obtaining any WWE information. During the late 2000s, the WWE tightened their internet policies likely due to the rise of Smartphones and other devices that make communication faster. During the mid 2000s, I had a few wrestlers and road agents emailing me but that dried up quickly. WWE is very controlling of websites, podcasts, and even social media of wrestlers. There are a few WWE employees who try to sneak stuff through social media but with time, WWE squashes those bugs.

Unless it comes from those sources, I am very skeptical.

My guess is that Nia Jax has a family issue to tend to or something in her personal life happened that would require not wrestling... Regardless, I wish her the best.

Many of you tried to mock me when I gave Nia Jax props in my "Positive things about the WWE" column, but I stand by it 100%. At No Mercy 2017, you could just hear the crowd heighten for her moments but so much with the other wrestlers. She is physically imposing on the other females and that makes for good television. Sometimes, you need a really strong champion or person on top to dominate. It forces the other opponents to step up their game to catch up.

What else are you going to push on the RAW Women's Division? You ruined both Charlotte (now on Smackdown) and Sasha Banks for winning many Women's Titles. Bayley is completely ruined by poorly booking her and making her lose often. Emma was great in NXT but lousy in WWE. I like Alexa but she's wrestling in the same division too. There's just no heat.

Asuka is the key to "saving" the RAW Women's Division... If she can't catch on, who could even challenge Nia? Good chance that Charlotte moves back to RAW instead.

Honestly, the RAW Women's Division has been a weakness of this brand since the "Superstar Shake-up" following Wrestlemania 33.

SO JUST CHILL... 'TIL THE NEXT EPISODE!

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