2011 has been one hectic year in the WWE. The Rock returned; CM Punk shook the foundation of the wrestling world; Christian and Mark Henry won their first World Titles; Alberto Del Rio and Daniel Bryan won Money in the Bank (with ADR successfully cashing in his); Zack Ryder became an internet sensation; Kharma debuted, only to leave shortly thereafter. The list goes on and on. For better or worse, the year 2011 has been good to the WWE.
Closing things out on the PPV front is Tables, Ladders and Chairs. Oh my! We’ve got a combination of all three in multiple matches, as well as a few regular contests (outside of the bonus tag title match, last year’s consisted of no regular matches). For the first time in awhile, John Cena isn’t on the card (yet). Kevin Nash, however, is having his first WWE PPV match since Summerslam 2003.
Enough small talk! Time to make my final PPV predictions of the year.
TLC Match for the WWE Championship
CM Punk vs. The Miz vs. Alberto Del Rio
I have got to say, I’m surprised they haven’t added John Cena to this match. I’m thinking maybe they don’t want to risk him getting a serious injury before his clash with The Rock at Wrestlemania XXVIII. That or they want to test Punk’s drawing ability. Whatever the case may be, I’m glad to see them taking this risk (though I wouldn’t be surprised to see him added in at the last minute).
On that note, I feel this match is pretty cut and dry. Not that this is a bad thing. Sometimes, it’s good to have a title match where the champion retaining is a clear solution. That’s not to say The Miz or Alberto Del Rio don’t stand a chance. WWE loves to throw curveballs into the title scene constantly. Both of ADR’s WWE title reigns are proof of that.
There is a slight possibility that either The Miz or Alberto Del Rio could win here, then lose the title back to Punk at either the Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber. I see Punk colliding with The Miz at the Rumble anyway, so that’d be a decent way to book it. As for ADR, it would simply help him coast until he finds his Wrestlemania feud (which I have a sinking feeling will be with Mysterio).
Even so, Punk winning is pretty inevitable. He can still feud with Miz and not lose the title in the process. It’s clear he’ll be the reigning champion at Wrestlemania (or at least in the title match). No use in playing a game of hot potato with the belt until then.
Winner: CM Punk
Chairs Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Mark Henry vs. The Big Show
This may be the first time a Chairs match actually makes sense in the context of the feud. Henry took out Show with a chair in July, which both men have used since then to gain the upper hand. It’s still a ridiculously dumb match idea, but at least it serves a purpose this time.
Just like the WWE title match, I feel this one is pretty cut and dry. There’s a slim chance that Big Show will win the title, but all signs point to Henry. I’m not sure yet if he’s going to hold the belt until Wrestlemania or not. At best, I see him losing it to Orton at Elimination Chamber, setting up a triple threat between those two and Bryan at Wrestlemania.
As for Big Show, I see three options. 1) Either teaming with or facing Kane. 2) Rekindling his feud with Wade Barrett. 3) Turning heel and feuding with Sheamus. Bonus option four would be that dream match the WWE has wanted to do with Shaq. That’s highly unlikely, though.
Winner: Mark Henry
Ladder Match (Sledgehammer Suspended Above the Ring)
Triple H vs. Kevin Nash
It’s sad that I knew this match was going to happen, right down to the sledgehammer stipulation. Right when Nash clobbered Hunter with sledgey on Raw back in October, I called it. I was hoping I would be proven wrong. That the WWE wouldn’t truly think a ladder match between Triple H and Kevin Nash in 2011 would be a good idea. Sadly, I was proven right.
I’ll try to avoid harping on the fact that both men have quad problems and that climbing a ladder is not a good idea. I’ll try to avoid harping on the fact that it’s 2011 and these two are feuding. I’ll try to avoid harping on the fact that this match is taking quality time away from other younger wrestlers getting some time in the spotlight. What do you know, I didn’t avoid any of those. Oh well!
Let’s cut to the chase. Triple H is winning this match. It makes sense storyline wise and booking wise. The only reason for him to lose is for this feud to continue. I’d like to think that they’d realize how inane that is, but they let Cole and Lawler take up three whole PPV’s earlier this year. Here’s hoping they don’t do that this time.
Winner: Triple H
Tables Match
Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett
I’m glad to see Wade Barrett getting back into the spotlight. I do wish the feud wasn’t plucked out of creative’s asshole randomly and that the tables stipulation actually made sense. Beggars can’t be choosers. I’m simply going to soak up Barrett’s second push for however long it lasts.
What is nice about the Tables stipulation is that it gives Wade the opportunity to beat Orton without Creative fearing it will hurt Orton’s image. Randy won’t be pinned or made to submit. He’ll just be put through a table. Gives Wade a victory while keeping Orton’s image intact. A true win/win situation.
I honestly can’t see John Cena Orton winning this match. There’s no reason for it. No damage will be done to him and they can continue this feud a tad bit longer. He can pick up a victory later on in a regular match. Let Wade have his moment.
Winner: Wade Barrett
Intercontinental Championship
Cody Rhodes vs. Booker T
As much as I’m loving Booker T on commentary (from an entertainment angle), I’m glad to see they’re letting him get in the ring again. He still has a lot left in the tank and can help teach the younger guys the ropes. He’s the perfect man to help propel the midcarders higher up in the rankings, as his status doesn’t need a stroke.
There’s no better wrestler for him to start out with than Cody Rhodes. The Intercontinental Champion has been showing signs all year of moving up in the ranks (even further). He held his own in feuds with Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton. Adding Booker T to the list will help him out even more.
It’s also nice to see the Intercontinental Championship will be on the line. The only negative I had with the Orton feud was that the IC title took a backseat. It also made it obvious Randy was winning, as the title not being on the line proved that they weren’t going to put a midcard title on him. Sure, putting it on the line here makes it obvious Cody is winning. But, it’s better for Cody’s career and the IC title’s prestige.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
United States Championship
Dolph Ziggler vs. Zack Ryder
There’s a part of me that wonders if they’re going to hold off on Ryder winning the United States Championship until Wrestlemania. This would not only give him a defining Wrestlemania moment, but help in building the prestige of the US title. The only downside to this theory is that fans may grow tired of waiting. That and these two having a match now will tarnish their Mania match a bit.
With that being said, it’s not a negative in any way if Ryder wins the title here. He still has a career defining moment and would most likely walk into Wrestlemania as the champion. With his immense popularity, that would also guarantee a title match (though he could be shoehorned into a tag team contest). The more I think about it, the time is now right to pull the trigger.
This could also benefit Ziggler in the long run. Around this time last year, he was losing the Intercontinental Championship, yet was moving into a World Heavyweight Championship feud. Losing the United States Championship now could give him leeway back into the main event scene (though most likely not until after Wrestlemania). It opens the doors for a variety of opportunities for him.
Winner: Zack Ryder