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The TLC pay-per-view began with the main-roster debut of the undefeated Asuka and ended with a blockbuster 5-on-3 main event which saw Kurt Angle compete inside a WWE ring for the first time in 11 years.
Overall, it was a PPV that was hastily put together at the last minute and, due to that, the fans can’t have too many complaints. After all, Angle is wrestling again and we finally got to see Finn Balor and AJ Styles go one-on-one.
However, it can’t be denied that there were a few negatives to take away from the show. So, in this article, let's have a look at the five biggest mistakes that WWE made at the Raw-exclusive event.
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#1 Yet another Cruiserweight title change
The Cruiserweight division feels more important than ever right now, yet the title could not feel any less important. After Neville’s seven-month reign on top as "King of the Cruiserweights", the championship has now changed hands five times in two months.
The title loses meaning the more times it moves around and that’s exactly what’s happening at the moment, just like when it was introduced in 2016 and TJP, Brian Kendrick and Rich Swann all held the title within the space of 10 weeks.
From Neville to Akira Tozawa, back to Neville, to Enzo Amore, to Kalisto, and back to Enzo… how long until someone wins the title again? Judging by Enzo’s in-ring skills at TLC compared to the four guys in the cruiserweight tag match, don’t be surprised if there’s another change in the near future.
#2 A lack of tables, ladders and chairs
Earlier in 2016, WWE had the Raw-exclusive Extreme Rules PPV, where there was only one Extreme Rules match and two other matches with ‘extreme’ stipulations: a Steel Cage match and a Kendo Stick-on-a-Pole match.
It was the least ‘extreme’ Extreme Rules PPV of all time, and WWE would’ve had to go some way to miss the mark with another of their stipulation-specific events.
However, they managed to do just that at TLC, where six regular matches took place before tables, ladders and chairs were finally allowed to be used in the last match of the show.
Compare it to the 2016 event which featured a Tables match, a Ladder match, a Chairs match, a No DQ match, as well as a TLC main event, and it’s no wonder fans were chanting “we want tables!” during Alexa Bliss vs. Mickie James.
#3 No Minnesota homecoming
Almost one year ago to the day, Curtis Axel and Brock Lesnar both appeared in front of adoring fans in Minnesota. You may remember it for Paul Heyman’s awkward promo where he attempted to make the audience chant for Goldberg when all they wanted to do was cheer for The Beast.
Earlier in that episode of Raw, Axel received what was probably the best reaction he’s had in his entire career. Whether he’s being used frequently on TV or if he’s making a rare appearance, “The Axe Man” has always been given a great reception from his home fans.
Last Monday, The Miz made Axel believe he was going to be the fifth man in his team to take on The Shield, but instead he chose Kane. Surely TLC would’ve been a good opportunity for the Miztourage member to turn on Miz in front of the Minnesota crowd?
In the end, Axel didn’t even make an appearance on a PPV that, judging by recent storylines, he could well have main-evented.
#4 Asuka vs. Emma
After two destructive, record-setting years in NXT, Asuka finally made her WWE debut at TLC against Emma. The match was good, if not as good as their match at NXT TakeOver: London in 2015, and “The Empress of Tomorrow” won with the Asuka Lock.
However, the story of the match seemed all wrong. Asuka is on an undefeated run spanning two years, yet Emma — someone who has never had a singles PPV match until now and regularly loses on Raw — didn't seem fazed by the former NXT champion and was in control for a lot of the contest.
Instead, it surely would have been better to have Asuka make a major impact on her debut. Maybe she could’ve won inside 60 seconds, or picked Emma up after a two-count and continued the punishment before making her tap?
NXT fans will understand the fuss about Asuka but, for those who have only seen this match, they’ll wonder why Emma was able to last so long against a much-hyped Superstar when they're used to seeing her lose in two minutes to the likes of Sasha Banks and Nia Jax.
#5 Only two titles on the line
Even with the last-minute additions of Kurt Angle and AJ Styles, the TLC PPV arguably had the most underwhelming match card of the year so far, largely because only two titles were defended on the show.
The Alexa Bliss vs. Mickie James (Raw Women’s Championship) and Kalisto vs. Enzo Amore (Cruiserweight Championship) feuds both had strong builds on Raw but neither were featured matches at TLC.
Universal champion Brock Lesnar didn’t appear at the PPV, while Intercontinental champion The Miz and Raw Tag Team champions Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins featured in the non-title main event.
Instead of having a pinfall or submission TLC match, it would’ve been nice to see at least one title hanging from the top of the ladder in the main event.
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