wrestling / Columns
4 Takeaways From TLC
– Welcome back to column time with Larry. Itās time for one last look back at the WWE TLC PPV. I hope that you enjoy, and feel free to share your takeaways/future booking plans or whatever from the PPV. The only rule is āhave a take, be respectful of otherās opinions and donāt be a dick.ā We all have opinions, weāre going to disagree, just be cool about it. As always thanks for reading.
The Women Are Clawing For Every Bit Of Attention They Can Get: The Smackdown Womanās division is faced with a huge uphill battle, and it constantly feels like they are fighting and clawing for every bit of attention that they can get. On Raw, Charlotte is the Queen and everything she and Sasha do āis historicā in some way. Charlotte and Sasha have been given the keys to the kingdom, and in their defense, they have delivered most of the time, especially in their big Raw matches. I take absolutely nothing away from them. But from the outside looking in, they have a much easier path, continuing on a division that was already established, and they are given every opportunity to shine. In their defense they are delivering, but it feels like if you dare compliment the Smackdown women then āyouāre against the Raw woman.ā As someone who has written a ton about womenās wrestling over the years, defending them as main eventers and possible draws if given a real chance, I am thrilled to see the chances that Charlotte and Sasha have received. But at the same time, I think we need to appreciate the hard work from the women on Smackdown. Sure, they havenāt delivered in the ring on the level of Charlotte vs. Sasha, but I do feel that TLC was a strong effort from the Smackdown ladies. The matches werenāt great, but I felt they had the right vibe about them and played to the stipulations well. But I think good feuds and overall strong efforts shouldnāt be overlooked, but I feel that they are all too often. They are building something new and are in the embryonic stage still. It shouldnāt be a Raw vs. Smackdown thing; they are two very different divisions, and both are providing things to enjoy. I am just thrilled that the women are getting these chances in WWE; there is room for tag teams, women, cruiserweights, hosses and many more to thrive and they should all get the chance if they have the talent if youāre really looking to draw in all kinds of different demographics.
I Love The New Wyatt Family: I have to say that I am a big fan of how they have booked the new Wyatt Family. Prior to the move I had no interest in Orton or Wyatt as singles or in the feud they were setting up. I wasnāt into the hocus pocus set up they did on TV either, and wasnāt sure what to think about Orton joining Wyatt. But so far I have really enjoyed the new family. First of all, the Luke Harper factor has been well played. He constantly has that look that he doesnāt trust Orton and is likely upset that heās no longer Wyattās top lieutenant. And then you mix in the various save sequences they have recently worked, adding to those sub layers of the story, and this is the most interesting the trio have been in ages. Itās been well done, and I am very interested to see how it plays out and how exactly it dissolves.
WWE Needs To Be Careful Teasing Miz vs. Bryan: Using Daniel Bryan as part of Mizās character arc has been good for Miz, he has a great chip on his shoulder and it all goes back to the Talking Smack segment with Bryan. But to me it feels as if WWE has relied too much on the heat between the two and as the weeks go on, it feels to me that they continue to tease a match that they will not and cannot deliver on. Again I can appreciate the company using their history as a story telling tool, but they are walking a fine line in how they use it. Unfortunately due to Bryanās health issues and WWEās fear of concussion-related lawsuits, they wonāt deliver on a Miz vs. Bryan match, and that is a shame because the heat feels so real and I think that they could deliver a hell of a program. Miz has had a great 2016, stepping up on the mic and in the ring. Itās such a shame that Bryanās career was cut short, because based on their interactions and Bryanās work on Talking Smack, I think Miz vs. Bryan would be the hottest feud in the company. I hope that WWE moves forward carefully and doesnāt abuse this great story telling tool that they have been gifted. Iā love to see the feud, but know it isnāt in the cards.
AJ Styles is a Gift To Dean Ambrose: Dean Ambrose run with the WWE title wasnāt bad, but to me it was lacking between the ropes. He wasnāt having bad matches, but gone was the intensity and creativity he exhibited during his Shield days. And then the draft happened, and he ended up on the same brand as AJ Styles, and that was a gift to Ambrose. Styles is one of the very best wrestlers in the business, he knows what works for him, he reads crowds well and most importantly, he has the ability to read his opponents, discovers their strengths and plans around them to accentuate every positive. And itās not just the way Styles works with him or the match layouts, itās also the fact that Ambrose feels extra motivated working with Styles. It comes as no surprise to me, because in watching the NJPW on AXS TV shows, you hear guys like Okada and Tanahashi rave about how good Styles is as a perfomer, his skill, his creativity; they have nothing but the highest compliments for Styles, noting that he brings out the best in his opponents. He did it in TNA, he did it in NJPW and he continues to do it in WWE and it came at just the right time for Ambrose. For better or worse, Ambrose is a guy that works to his opponentās skill level, and with a guy like Styles, Ambrose works upward and is motivated. While I feel that Ambrose uses a bit too much comedy outside the ring, in the ring heās stepped it up for the Styles feud.
āByyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia.ā
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