WWE TLC Preview

This Sunday sees, quite possibly, the most important, intriguing and unpredictable pay-per-views of the year. This is the first time in a very long time. It also sees some new talent being showcased (some for the first time), and some opportunities that MUST be taken.

The undercard sees some opportunities to elevate some very talented individuals - Antonio Cesaro and Wade Barrett - both involved in mid-card title matches.

Cesaro will, again, defend his US Championship against R-Truth. I still don't understand why they are taking this onto another month. Cesaro defeated Truth cleanly last outing and that should've been the last of this. Truth is not good enough (IMO) to be competing for any title - apart from the tag titles - he's been doing the same thing for ten years now (apart from this stupid Little Jimmy crap). Is this really the American that's going to dethrone Cesaro? I think not.

Barrett will challenge Kofi Kingston for the Intercontinental Championship. These two have been thrown together due to outside circumstances - Barrett can't be entered into the World Title picture just yet as Show/Sheamus/Ziggler/Cena are probably going to be the main players there for the foreseeable future, and Kofi's feud with Miz, after defeating him for the strap, got cut off so that Miz could attempt to become a face...

I'm really hoping that this will steal the show as both guys need it. Barrett needs a good showing and will probably win the belt. This alone will keep his momentum going as he's doing well at the moment and can handle himself on the mic. Kofi, on the other hand, needs something special to come of this match. The newly titled 'Wildcat' has been in the same spot since his debut a few years ago. I'm not quite sure what this new tagline refers to - does it mean he's got a bit more of a wild side? If so, I haven't seen it yet; same old Kofi, if you ask me.

With the tag champions in the main event (I'm still assuming the main event is the 6-man tag?), there will be a number one contenders match between Team Rhodes Scholars and Rey/Sin Cara. Rhodes returned (#cody'smustache) on Raw this week and he and Sandow won a fatal four way, elimination match over Primo/Epico, The Prime Time Players and The Usos. It still baffles me as to why Rey and his apprentice were automatically inserted into this match? I think a better way to play this would've been a Tag Team Turmoil match with all the tag teams there are at the moment. Either that or have the fatal four way but have Rey/Sin Cara replace Primo/Epico - they job to everyone from Ryback to Khali so it would be no loss. I'm thinking the only outcome here is a Rhodes/Sandow win.

There are three decent looking main events on offer;

Big Show vs Sheamus could've taken over the main event spot with CM Punk out. It hasn't though, and seems as though this must be the last in their series of matches. In recent weeks Ziggler and Cena have been pushed further towards these two and the World Title, and this leads me to think that the two matches will be connected in some way - I think all things point towards a cash in - more on this later.

Ryback seems to have kept his main event spot on the card even though the match has changed. Instead of challenging for the WWE Title for a third PPV running, The Hungry One will team with Kane and Daniel Bryan to take on the troublesome Shield faction. This is an adequate replacement for the Championship match as it highlights the newcomers and gives the WWE Title a well-deserved break. The biggest problem to this match is who will win?

Ryback has lost the last two PPV main events and could really do with a win - without this there is a chance that this seemingly unstoppable force's credibility could be dented. On the other hand, The Shield could also do with the debut win. They have caused havoc in the last few weeks and have picked off such guys as Cena, Miz and Orton (as well as their three opponents at the PPV) and have some great potential going forward. A loss so soon could make the last month for nothing.

I think an easy way out would be for Kane or Bryan to take the fall. It wouldn't hurt the Tag Champs to lose as after this match they will go onto other ventures. This result would mean that The Shield have their debut win and Ryback hasn't taken the fall - hopefully keeping him strong. I suppose a Shield win could then result in Ryback destroying the three at the end of the PPV, thus getting his revenge.

The most important match of the night comes in the form of a Ladder match for the MITB briefcase between holder Dolph Ziggler and John Cena.

This match has come as a result of an awful angle in which Cena and AJ Lee were accused of having a scandalous affair. Shocking eh? Despite this, we have the match that we've hoped for. There is a real opportunity to get Ziggler to that next stage in his career. It's an opportunity that can't be missed.

The problem is there is a genuine threat, and possibility, that Cena could walk away with the briefcase - and possibly the World Title - if he were to cash in on the same night. This is a scenario that should not happen if they want to 'blood' a new star and make him (Ziggler) a genuine contender. Cena doesn't need the MITB briefcase - he's the first guy to win MITB (back in July) only to cash in and be the first to fail in his attempt. Only Cena could get away with doing so. Since then he has had at least two WWE Championship matches that I can think of - so clearly there is absolutely no need to have him take Ziggler's spotlight. It just doesn't seem to make sense at all. If they REALLY want Cena in the World Title picture at the moment, why not just give him a match for it? This is common practice for him to be apart of a championship match whenever it suits, so why not?

If they really have faith in Ziggler and want a new and genuine threat to the main event scene then they have to have him go over Cena - clean or not - and then possibly cash in on the winner of the World Title match (possibly Sheamus to set up a feud for the Rumble?).

Fantasy booking: With ultra-crazy AJ back in full force, I'm still going with AJ screwing Cena out of the win, but now with a little extra twist; maybe in the ladder match, AJ 'accidently' causes Cena to lose and then, if/when Ziggler cashes in, she comes out to ruin it for Ziggler (after messing the ladder match up) but then instead helps him to win the big one - revealing that she's been with Dolph all this time. Crazy maybe, but everyone seems to be throwing their predictions about, so there's mine.

Of course, this could all be crap and they could have the World Title match on before the Ladder match. Either way, we've got some unpredictability about this pay-per-view and that can only be a positive. We just don't know what's going to happen. Enjoy TLC on Sunday...