The final pay-per-view of 2014 is only a few hours away, and there should be enough tables, ladders, and chairs to fill a large dining hall. (I’m not entirely sure that I’ve seen a ladder in a college dining hall, but whatever.) The card will feature a total of nine matches, including a main event featuring Seth Rollins and John Cena. With that said, here are my predictions for this Sunday’s TLC pay-per-view.
The New Day vs. Gold and Stardust
The New Day hasn’t done much since returning from a brief hiatus, as they’ve been largely relegated to SmackDown and other programs that aren’t worth watching. However, they’ve looked impressive the few times they’ve been on Raw and all three are above average workers. The New Day has more to gain from a win here, so I’m expecting Big E finish off Stardust after hitting the Big Ending.
Winners: The New Day by pinfall
Ryback vs. Kane (Chairs Match)
Each December, fans can usually look forward to a Chairs Match at TLC. It’s like receiving a Christmas gift you didn’t request or care to receive. You put a smile on your face, do your best to enjoy it, but nine times out of ten, it ends in disappointment. This year’s edition should be no different. Nobody would want to see these guys square off in a singles contest, and throwing a few chairs into the mix will do little to save it. Ryback will win after a “brutal” match where the two exchange chair shots to the back for ten minutes.
Winner: Ryback by pinfall
The Miz and Damien Mizdow (Tag Team Champions) vs. The Usos
This contest should be an entertaining way to fill ten to fifteen minutes of the midcard. Mizdow is perhaps the hottest thing in WWE right now, so I expect he and the Miz to go over. However, it likely won’t be without some dissension. Overall, this should be an entertaining contest with a lot of back and forth action. If booked correctly, it should advance the tension between Miz and Mizdow, hopefully leading to a payoff at WrestleMania.
There continues to be a lot of buzz behind the scenes that AJ Lee could be on her way out of WWE. It was rumored last month that she would be leaving after Survivor Series. When she dropped the Divas title to Nikki Bella in under a minute at the show, it appeared there was something to the rumors.
AJ has remained on WWE television since then, picking up the Slammy Award for Diva of the Year on Monday night. There were a lot of people who thought her acceptance speech was a farewell to the WWE Universe, since she put over other Divas like Paige as potential winners of that award next year.
Especially with her husband CM Punk being on bad terms with WWE and signing with UFC this past weekend, it seems like AJ Lee leaving WWE is a matter of “when,” not “if.”
– Tessa Blanchard, daughter of WWE Hall of Famer Tully Blanchard, made her RAW debut last night as one of Adam Rose’s Rosebuds. Blanchard is a top indy prospect and was rumored to be getting a WWE tryout over the weekend.
Rusev vs. Jack Swagger for the WWE United States Championship and Nikki Bella vs. AJ Lee for the WWE Divas Championship are expected to be announced on tonight’s RAW for this coming Sunday’s WWE TLC pay-per-view.
As noted, tonight’s RAW is the “Slammy Awards” themed edition of the show hosted by actor Seth Green, but is also the “go-home” edition of the show for Sunday’s pay-per-view.
After defeating Emma on SmackDown, Divas Champion Nikki Bella cut a passionate promo on AJ Lee that was greatly edited on the Syfy broadcast. According to a live account from Tuesday’s taping in Fort Wayne, Indiana, she received some applause from the audience when she was done.
Both Bella and Cena reacted to the promo being edited via Twitter.
What could be heard is Bella venting about Lee telling her “sob story” over and over again when she herself has worked harder and is what a champion should look like. To Bella, Lee will “always be that pathetic manipulative little girl from New Jersey.”
The following are highlights of a new E! Online interview with WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella:
On the backstage reaction to her recent WWE Divas Championship victory: “I think everyone’s in shock. They were waiting outside when I came out and gave me hugs and kisses, and Nattie wrote me a nice, super long text. They’ve all been waiting for a change and they’ve seen how hard I’ve been working and I think they are very happy for me; they felt it was very deserving.”
On her new goals: “I definitely want to accomplish so much more. This Divas Championship I hold so close to my heart and I love the Divas division and WWE, and we’ve seen what the power of Total Divas does for our Divas, I want to make this title so much, I want to make every Diva mean something, I want to have a long title run; I know AJ had an insanely long title run and i want to beat it. My first goal is to hold onto this for as long as I can; I want to be challenged every week ; I want to know that my title is on the line and I have to fight to keep it. Those are definitely my new goals with this and just to be the best Nikki Bella that I can be.”
– He might be gone from WWE, but CM Punk has left a presence in the company. Nearly ten months after his last appearance for the sports-entertainment organization, fans continue to chant for the Chicago native at live events. This often occurs during matches featuring his wife, AJ Lee. While WWE has been able to censor signs acknowledging the former WWE Superstar, this may now extend to chants.
According to a fan who sat ringside at last night’s Survivor Series pay-per-view event at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri, WWE personnel directed security members for the venue to not allow fans to chant “CM Punk.”
wwe is telling security to not allow cm punk chants on the camera side. Yikes
– AJ Lee is once again a former Divas Champion after losing the title Sunday night at Survivor Series to Nikki Bella in 33 seconds. Brie Bella planted a kiss on Lee, leading Nikki to quickly pin the stunned Diva. As short as the match, it was actually supposed to be shorter. Plus, the participants weren’t notified of the creative direction for the match until the last minute.
“Do you know when these two were told they had 20 seconds?” Bryan Alvarez mentioned on today’s Bryan & Vinny Show on F4WOnline.com recapping Survivor Series. “They were told right as they were going over all of the spots in their match.”
Last night’s Survivor Series was full of surprises. From title changes to a devastating Scorpion Death Drop, the event pretty much had it all. However, it left many questions regarding the future of the storyline, especially now that the Authority is no longer in power. Here are five paths I believe the company will take in the coming weeks.
5. Ryback Fades to the Midcard
Let me start by saying that last night’s main event was impeccably booked. From Cena exiting early to Ziggler selling to hell out of his beating to Sting’s entertaining debut, they did pretty much everything right.
However, their one mistake was having Ryback eliminated minutes into the contest. He was the biggest story in the weeks leading up to the event, but played essentially no role in the actual match. Unfortunately for Ryback, it looks like he was simply being used as a crutch while the company waits for others to return. After Reigns, Lesnar, and Barrett return to television, the Big Guy will once again be an afterthought.
Although the late “smart money” has yet to come in, below are the current online betting odds for tonight’s WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view, which shows the current betting favorites and underdogs.
– Team Cena -505 vs. Team Authority +335
– Nikki Bella -300 vs. AJ Lee +220
– Dean Ambrose -170 vs. Bray Wyatt +130
– The Miz & Damien Sandow -190 vs. Goldust & Stardust +160 vs. The Usos +210 vs. Los Matadores +350
– Team Natalya -125 vs. Team Paige -115
Remember, a (-) indicuates a betting favorite, while a (+) indicates an underdog. For example, in the main event, with Team Cena being (-505), it would take a $505 bet to earn $100 in profits. With Team Authority at (+335), a $100 bet would earn you $335 profit.
Make sure to check out the website later tonight for the best WWE Survivor Series live pay-per-view results coverage on the web!
Survivor Series is mere hours away at this point. This baby is totally free, so anyone paying for this pay-per-view is doing it all wrong. In total, there are five matches on the main card, including a traditional Survivor Series tag team main event. Without further ado, here are my predictions for tonight’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.
Fandango (with Rosa Mendes) vs. TBA
Although Fandango’s opponent has yet to be announced, I’d put my money on Adam Rose serving as the punching bag. The match will likely be used to further tension between Adam Rose and the Bunny, while also allowing Fandango to pick up a victory in his return to action.
Winner: Fandango by pinfall
Alicia Fox, Emma, Naomi, and Natalya vs. Paige, Cameron, Layla, and Summer Rae (Divas Elimination Match)
This will be similar to last year’s Divas elimination match in that it will be total waste of ten minutes (and if we’re really lucky, we might get to see it again on Raw tomorrow!). This could go in many directions, but my guess is that Paige’s team wins after last eliminating Natalya.
Winners: Paige, Cameron, Layla, and Summer Rae by pinfall
– On this week’s edition of WWE Main Event, “The Bunny” was played by NXT star Sami Zayn. The Bunny teamed with Adam Rose to take on Tyson Kidd and Natalya.
– Regarding the rumors that WWE Diva AJ Lee is leaving WWE soon, according to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Lee is not scheduled to leave after the Survivor Series or TLC pay-per-views.
– Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline.com mentioned during Sunday’s edition of Wrestling Observer Live that there’s a rumor going around in WWE that AJ Lee could be parting ways with the organization shortly after Survivor Series on Sunday. Dave Meltzer, however, says in this week’s issue of Wrestling Observer Newsletter-published Wednesday on F4WOnline.com-that the rumor is not true.
“By the way, contrary to some rumors, she is not leaving,” Meltzer noted in his recap of Nikki Bella’s “exhibition” against Brie Bella on Raw-Brie was dressed as Lee.
– The official YouTube account of WWE released this video hyping the Team Cena vs. Team Authority Match at Survivor Series.
– Rusev and Lana were in attendance at Wednesday’s Orlando Magic vs. Los Angeles Clippers game at the Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida.
There’s been a rumor going around that WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee will be finishing up with the company after Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.
On Sunday’s Wrestling Observer Radio show, Bryan Alvarez was asked by a caller about the rumor and he noted that he’s been hearing the same thing. WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross also addressed the rumor on a recent episode of his Ross Report podcast.
AJ Lee has been on the road full time with WWE in recent weeks as Divas Champion. She defends against Nikki Bella this Sunday at Survivor Series.
She recently ‘rebranded’ herself online as AJ Brooks (and launched AJ-Brooks.com), the name she took when she married CM Punk 6 months ago.
It’s worth noting that AJ Lee is currently advertised for WWE live events through next month’s TLC pay-per-view, which takes place on December 14th. After that, she’s not advertised for any shows.
As you might have picked up on, the top priority for WWE television this past week was to elevate Ryback back to the top-tier status he enjoyed prior to his lost to CM Punk at Hell in a Cell 2013.
Speaking of Ryback, he’s official for “Team Cena” at the upcoming WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view on November 23rd, as he joins team captain John Cena and team members Dolph Ziggler, Big Show and Sheamus.
On the other end of the match, which is a traditional ten-man elimination style match with the big Authority stipulation, is Seth Rollins, Kane, Mark Henry, Rusev and Luke Harper.
Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt and Nikki Bella vs. AJ Lee for the WWE Divas Championship are the only other two matches official for the show thus far.
As noted, Adam Rose vs. The Bunny in a Kickoff Show match and a WWE Tag-Team Championship four-way with Goldust & Stardust vs. The Usos vs. Los Matadores vs. The Miz and Damien Mizdow is also expected.
Survivor Series is less than two weeks away, and while three matches on the card are essentially set, much of the program is still unannounced. So, will the WWE work to build a pay-per-view that is solid from top to bottom, or are they simply throwing in the towel because this is a “free” event? Here is the card is expect to see on November 23rd in St. Louis.
Adam Rose vs. The Bunny
After attacking the Bunny last week on Raw, it appears these two legends of the squared circle will square off sooner rather than later. This pairing has kickoff show written all over it, as the company tries to get the crowd going with a “humorous” contest.
Gold & Stardust (Tag Team Champions) vs. The Miz & Damien Mizdow vs. Los Matadores vs. The Usos
Los Matadores have picked up a few victories over Gold & Stardust over the past few weeks, and the Miz and his stunt double have also feuded with the champs. Throw in the Usos to make an even number of teams, and you’ve got yourself an elimination tag team match for the straps.
WWE has announced that Nikki Bella will challenge WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee for the title in a singles match at the upcoming WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view.
With that now known, below is the latest official lineup for the show:
Traditional Elimination Match: Authority’s Power On The Line
– Team Cena (John Cena, Dolph Ziggler & TBA) vs. Team Authority (Seth Rollins, Kane & TBA)
Divas Championship Match: – AJ Lee (c) vs. Nikki Bella
– As noted, WWE will be airing an “ECW Exposed” special with Joey Styles interviewing Paul Heyman on the WWE Network following tonight’s edition of RAW. Apparently the interview will be a live broadcast.
– WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee wrote the following on Twitter regarding the launch of her own official website:
“Facebook link on my profile is a WWE created and run AJ fan page. I have not, do not, & WILL NOT ever have a personal or public Instagram or Facebook. So let’s all agree to stop being fooled by fakes. However, my friend Alison has created my official website, http://AJ-Brooks.com . Auctions, prizes, Q&A & exclusive shoots- coming soon”
Ahead of her match against Paige at the Hell in a Cell this Sunday, Divas Champion AJ Lee appeared as a guest this week on Turnbuckle Weekly with Chuck Carroll.
Lee was asked about whether she would ever consider joining the cast of Total Divas and she was adamant that would never happen.
“It’s been well documented for the second season they tried to get me on board. I’m not interested in being famous. I’m interested in doing my job and doing it well and that’s wrestling and that’s what I love,” AJ said. “I could do it, but I wouldn’t do it. I’m just happy being who I am on TV two days a week and on live events and then going into my private life, and into my little hole in the middle of nowhere and having no one talk to me about my private life.”
She also said she was happy that Paige would be joining the cast next season.
They spoke a lot about her in-ring chemistry with Paige as well as their friendship outside of WWE.
She asked whether there was any animosity toward Paige from veterans after she won the Divas title in her debut. She said no, because her debut was perfectly timed because the AJ character had been talking crap for about a year and just defeated every Diva on the roster a night earlier in the inaugural Vickie Guerrero Battle Royal. So, new blood was definitely needed.
“We needed something to give the division a kick in the butt and Paige is perfect for that,” she said.
Here is a little more from the interview:
On whether she knew she would win Diva’s Title after taking two months off from WWE
I certainly didn’t know. That was a pleasant surprise. That’s the thing, every time I’ve put the title on the line against Paige she’s won it. So, I’m slightly nervous going into Sunday.
On teasing a same-sex crush between she and Paige
“Well, we are a PG program. But I think that’s the fun part. The thing is everyone said my character is unpredictable and you didn’t know where it was going. And then to have somebody that does the same thing, that’s also kind of kooky and crazy and you didn’t know what we were going to do for a while.”
During the full interview, they also covered:
– More on her in-ring chemistry with Paige
– More on their friendship and similar characters
– More on why she just said no to Total Divas
– Debunking rumors about Total Divas cast members not getting title shots
– Who she wants to be in the WWE Hall of Fame
– Whether she considers herself Hall of Fame worthy
To listen to the interview, click here. The Turnbuckle Weekly with Chuck Carroll is available online at CBS TV and radio station websites in 26 markets, including Washington, D.C.
The following are highlights of a DC 101 interview with WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee:
If we’ll ever see Divas in Hell In a Cell: “I can tell you for sure that women like myself and Paige are down for it, and I think more than capable of hanging with the guys in that kind of scenario, because we’re insane and we like to jump off of stuff!” “I think if anyone could do it we could, but if it’s not in my generation, it needs to happen someday, and I really think women could handle that.”
Possible contenders for the Divas Title after Paige: “I see so much potential in people who haven’t particularly gotten that opportunity yet, like Emma and Summer and even Lana. I think they are interesting characters and women who have a lot of potential and I would love to something that’s vastly different with one of those girls. Just someone we haven’t seen yet get a chance.”
What really made her love wrestling: “Anything with Eddie Guerrero, especially WrestleMania 20 because I was at that one. Just to see the confetti and him crying and holding the title. Anything that he was in I was drawn to. I liked having a character that wasn’t 100% good or 100% evil, he just rode that line.”
– Apparently the reason current WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee can’t be added to the cast of E!’s “Total Divas” reality show is because of the fact that she is married to former WWE Superstar CM Punk.
– Jim Ross has finally published his long-awaited editorial feature on the famous Undertaker vs. Mick Foley “Hell In A Cell” match from the WWE King Of The Ring 1998 on the FOX Sports website. You can check that out at FOXSports.com.
– CM Punk and his wife, WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee, were spotted at the Chicago Blackhawks NHL game on Wednesday.
– Responding to the “#MyLoveLifeIn3Words” hashtag-game trending on Twitter today, WWE Superstar John Cena tweeted the following, referencing his girlfriend — Nikki Bella.
WWE announced a second match for this coming Monday’s edition of RAW. In a Divas tag-team match, AJ Lee will get to team with a partner of her choosing to take on Paige and Alicia Fox.
The Divas tag match joins the aforementioned handicap street fight announced for the show, which features John Cena and Dean Ambrose teaming up to take on the trio of Seth Rollins, Randy Orton and Kane.
Also announced for Monday’s RAW, the Hell In A Cell cage will be hanging above the ring during the show, as revealed by Triple H in his latest WWE.com sit-down interview with Michael Cole.
– WWE Diva AJ Lee recently quipped on Twitter that she “doesn’t have friends.” This fact was played up on the WWE App during RAW, with Lee talking about how she’s a loner in the WWE locker room.
“That was a joke, but it’s funny ’cause it’s true,” Lee said to Tom Phillips. “Everyone knows that I don’t exactly have friends in the locker room and maybe that’s because I don’t like to [does mocking voice] talk about shoes, and clothes and boys! But sometimes, you gotta take what you can get.”
– In the following video that was recently added to WWE’s YouTube channel, Stephanie McMahon discusses WWE 2K15, Sting and more.
