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WWE TLC is officially in the books and it was a solid PPV to end the year. While it wasn't the best of the year, it had some solid matches and good storyline progression, with some matches delivering more than expected.
Plus, the Women's Tag Team title match main evening the show was a good decision as there was no better match to close the show (especially since the PPV is named TLC).
This was the final PPV of the decade and it ended interestingly. There are only two weeks of programming left in the year and following that, we begin the road to the Royal Rumble - which is the start of the road to WrestleMania.
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#7. Rusev and Bobby Lashley's future
The grudge match between Rusev and Bobby Lashley finally went to blows after two and a half months of build. WWE hardly invests that much time in a single storyline and this was one that got a lot of attention due to the controversial nature of the feud.
We have to give it to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, they mentioned that the tables stipulation was done to give Lashley a fluke win. Lashley would try to send Rusev through a table but it didn't break. He quickly rectified that, however, after he slammed Rusev through a table following interference by Lana.
The main implication that the feud isn't over. It won't be over until Rusev gets one over Lashley and Lana and expect it to continue following Lashley's win at TLC.
It was the co-main event and a better match than expected. Many felt it would be an in-ring disappointment, but it wasn't.
#6. The post-main event angle and big implications
The brawl went on for a long time in the show. Just to put you up to date, Roman Reigns and King Corbin had a TLC match where Corbin won with the help of three other men (we'll get to that in a while).
Afterward, during a backstage interview, a brawl began between Reigns, Corbin, the other men and some of Reigns' next alliances - The New Day, and Shorty Gable. The Street Profits were cutting a promo and were interrupted, they joined the brawl.
Post-main event, the show closed out with a huge brawl between superstars of both RAW and SmackDown. The final shot of the show was Reigns spearing Corbin from the stands onto everyone else, closing the final PPV of the decade chaotically.
We agree that it was a better way to end the show and it looks like it's going to lead to a huge angle in the coming weeks. Given the Interbrand nature of the brawl, it looks like we'll be getting an interesting build to the Royal Rumble, with the chaos likely spilling over in the next few weeks.
#5. Kofi Kingston's momentum is being rebuilt
As we had hoped and predicted, The New Day vs The Revival would be the opening match of TLC 2019 and as it turned out - it was the right call. Who knew that having a ladder match between two great teams would get the crowd hot?
Either way, there's no doubting that Kofi Kingston was the star of the match. While the other three were fantastic in their own right, the story was more of Kofi Kingston's resilience. On the last edition of WWE subtly told us we had mentioned that WWE could be signaling at Kofi Kingston being a singles star again.
After the first 10 months of 2019, there's no doubting Kingston's place as a main event talent and this match reaffirmed our belief. It all depends on when Xavier Woods is ready for a return and if he returns early next year, it's the perfect time to set Kofi Kingston up for another great singles WrestleMania feud.
The match was heavily-centered around Kingston and he was the best part of the match, indicating that WWE is rebuilding his momentum.
#4. The next RAW Tag Team title feud
We have a lot of mixed feelings about the RAW Tag Team title open challenge. As predicted, The OC answered The Viking Raiders' open challenge. Did we mention that there was a KFC desk to the side of the ring?
That's right. WWE had a dedicated table of "fans" sitting and "eating" KFC in what was a blatant advertisement. It wasn't good. The match itself wasn't bad by any means, but the finish was an underwhelming one.
Both teams were counted out and the crowd wasn't happy despite The Viking Raiders being over with the crowd. Then they made a heel move by swiping all the chicken off the table - which the crowd booed.
While the table spot was needed, the finish could have been better. Either way, the RAW Tag Team title feud will be The Viking Raiders vs The OC again and it's going to be one of those filler feuds until the end of the year or in early 2020.
Unfortunately, there won't be too much significance in this rivalry.
#3. Roman Reigns' upcoming alliances
Roman Reigns had to face tremendous odds against King Corbin in their TLC match. Firstly, it was a bit perplexing that WWE gave the TLC stipulation to a match that didn't have a title on the line - especially when they already had one that made sense (the Women's Tag Team Title match).
He had to face King Corbin, his security, Dolph Ziggler, and The Revival as well. As you would imagine, the numbers game would overcome him and he was on the bad end of a beatdown from all the men. He ate a Shatter Machine followed by The End of Days on a steel chair and lost to Corbin.
Given that it's 4-on-1, Reigns is going to seek an alliance and the obvious ones as of now seem to be Kofi Kingston, Big E, Shorty Gable, and potentially Ali.
It was implied when the backstage brawl began and that's the direction that we'll be ending the year with. Not that he wasn't in an alliance anyway, but now it's a program WWE has to drag on till Royal Rumble time.
#2. Royal Rumble plans confirmed for Becky Lynch?
Becky Lynch main evented her fourth PPV of the year in 2019 (WrestleMania, Extreme Rules, Survivor Series, and TLC) - a record for any woman in WWE. She's had an incredible year and will undoubtedly go down as one of the overall superstars of the year.
She main evented TLC for a second year in a row (along with Charlotte Flair and Asuka) and the match, while entertaining, suffered due to a few botches. However, we liked the match as a whole and felt it was deserving of the main event spot.
After all, the other TLC match didn't make much sense and there wasn't a better match on the card to close the show. At the end of it all, Asuka picked the titles after ascending the ladder and won it for The Kabuki Warriors - who retained the titles.
We admit that we wrongly predicted this but we don't think it's a bad decision by any means. What it does mean, however, is that Becky Lynch vs Asuka at Royal Rumble 2020 is likely to happen.
They faced each other in Royal Rumble 2019 in the opener, where Asuka retained the SmackDown Women's Championship.
#1. "The Old" Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan's character arc is one of the best in WWE of the last decade and he arguably even takes the #1 spot. His babyface run has taken a whole new turn after his return at TLC 2019.
To fill you in - Bray Wyatt and The Miz had a match that exceeded expectations. The Miz got most of the offense in, with Wyatt maniacally laughing when being assaulted. He picked up the win as anticipated in what turned out to be a match with good psychology and storytelling.
Post-match, the crowd chanted for Wyatt to "Let him in" and the Universal Champion took his mallet from under the ring. We hadn't seen the mallet in a few months since it was featured on the Firefly Fun House.
As he was about to slam it on The Miz, the lights went out and a man in a hoodie appeared - Daniel Bryan. He returned with his old look from 2011 and it looks like we're going to get "The Old" Daniel Bryan - a stark contrast from "The New" Daniel Bryan that we saw earlier this year.
Also read: 5 reasons why Daniel Bryan returned with his old look at TLC 2019
