Vincent Michaels
My weapon of choice? A green onion.
WWE Champion The Miz vs. Randy Orton (Tables Match)
The Miz shocked the WWE Universe when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on a vulnerable Randy Orton on Raw to capture the WWE Championship, but the Age of Awesome could very well end in a shower of splinters at WWE TLC when the brash new WWE Champion defends his title against the vengeful Viper in a Tables Match. The only way to win a Tables Match is to put your opponent through a table by any means necessary. There are no count-outs, submissions or pinfalls. One week after The Mizs successful first title defense against WWE Hall of Famer Jerry The King Lawler in a harrowing Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match on Raw, The Awesome One wasnt interested in just telling Orton about the precarious stipulation for their anticipated rematch at WWE TLC; he wanted to show him firsthand. But since Orton is known for turning the tables on his enemies especially when actual tables are involved WWEs Apex Predator sent a powerful retaliatory message to The Miz by driving his apprentice, Alex Riley, through a table. Ever since he defeated seven other Superstars including Orton for a WWE Championship opportunity at Money in the Bank in July, The Miz flaunted his bright red briefcase to remind his opposition that it was only a matter of time before the most coveted prize in sports-entertainment would be fastened securely around his awesome waist. Because, as he boldly proclaimed to the WWE Universe the night he captured the Raw Money in the Bank briefcase, Youre all living in my moment. As The Miz was biding his time in possession of a guaranteed WWE Title Match wherever and whenever he wanted it, WWE Champion Orton was facing a serious threat from Nexus leader Wade Barrett. One night turning back the calculating Nexus mastermind at Survivor Series, WWEs Apex Predator overcame a vicious assault at the hands of The Nexus and went on to defeat Barrett in a grueling WWE Title rematch. Wincing in pain from the pre-match attack and his hard-fought title defense, The Viper was visibly shaken when The Mizs entrance music suddenly began blaring out of the arena speakers: The Miz had chosen his time to strike. Orton refused to go down without a fight, but the battered and bruised WWE Champion could not turn back The Mizs vicious offense for long, ultimately succumbing to a Skull-Crushing Finale that earned The Awesome One his first WWE Title victory. But at WWE TLC, The Viper will be out to make The Miz taste timber. Will Orton humble The Miz and earn his seventh WWE Title? Or will the Age of Awesome continue into 2011?
World Heavyweight Champion Kane vs. Edge vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio (Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match)
Although Edge himself admitted his abduction of Paul Bearer featured some "bizarre" moments, it could turn out to be The Master Manipulator's grandest scheme yet. After weeks of Edge messing with The Big Red Monsters head, SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long took notice. So much so that the GM was concerned that the champion might not even show up for WWE TLC. To ensure a World Title match would take place, Long declared there would either be a Triple Threat Match (Edge vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio) or a Fatal 4-Way featuring all of the contestants and Kane. But when Kane emerged on SmackDown just two nights before WWE TLC, Longs concerns were quelled about whether the champion was ready for battle. The first ever Fatal 4-Way Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match would indeed take place. No longer going one-on-one with The Big Red Monster as originally planned, Edge would share the ring with two other challengers. The change certainly means the odds of a new champion have increased. But, could Edges mind games against Kane eventually backfire? Originally scheduled to square off in a Chairs Match, Mysterio and Del Rio now have a chance at the World Title. Will the opportunity light a fire within them? On the flip side, with such short notice, are they prepared for such a huge match? Finally, is Kane mentally prepared to defend his title? After weeks of torment and Paul Bearers health in question after taking a brutal fall to a concrete floor, the champion must find a way to focus on the task at hand. Which Superstar will climb the ladder and grasp championship glory?
John Cena vs. Wade Barrett (Chairs Match)
[COLOR="[COLOR="SlateGray"]One month after Wade Barrett nearly permanently ended the career of one of the most beloved Superstars in WWE history, the Nexus mastermind will again battle a returning John Cena in a Chairs Match this Sunday at WWE TLC. As its name suggests, use of a steel chair as a weapon in a Chairs Match is completely legal. Judging by the storied animosity between these two combative Superstars, retribution in this harrowing encounter will indeed accompany the bending of steel and the bruising of flesh. Tasked to serve as special guest referee in a WWE Championship bout between Barrett and then-titleholder Randy Orton at Survivor Series, Cena faced a unique stipulation that tested his signature virtues of hustle, loyalty and respect. If Barrett were to become WWE Champion, Cena would be freed of his forced allegiance to The Nexus. However, if The Viper retained, Cena would be fired from WWE. Even though it meant giving up the thing he loves the most, the Legendary star did the right thing that fateful night, raising a deserving Ortons hand in victory. The very next night on Raw, Cena gave a heartfelt farewell speech to the WWE Universe before walking up the entrance ramp one final time or so we thought. Attending Raw each week as a paying ticketholder, Cena continued to torment Barrett and his arm-banded entourage, making good on his vow to systematically dismantle The Nexus and rid WWE of its treachery. As Cenation cheered him on, Cena ambushed members of The Nexus in the locker room area, hopped the barricade to interfere in their matches and even cost Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater the WWE Tag Team Championships. In addition to the physical anguish Cena has caused The Nexus, the nine-time World Champions persistent attacks widened growing rifts between the group and its leader. In fact, a frustrated David Otunga, blaming Barrett for Cenas aggression toward them, led the rest of The Nexus in turning their back on the calculating Brit and issuing an ultimatum: Either Cena is reinstated as a WWE Superstar, or Barrett is exiled from The Nexus. On a special Slammy Awards edition of Raw, Barrett decreed that Cena would indeed be rehired under the condition that he battle the Nexus mastermind at WWE TLC in a Chairs Match among the most barbaric contests in WWE history. Will the 2010 Superstar of the Year make Barrett eat cold steel in this anticipated encounter? Or will The Nexus leader make Cena regret having his job back?[/COLOR]
Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger (Triple Threat Ladder Match)
At WWE: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler will put his title on the line against Kofi Kingston and Jack Swagger in a Triple Threat Ladder Match. With the golden prize glistening overhead, the three Superstars will climb to new heights amidst the ultra-hazardous rungs of ruin. In the Ladder Match, Ziggler, Kingston and Swagger will fight tooth-and-nail, struggling to ascend a ladder before their opponents in order to snatch victory and the coveted gold. In addition to the anticipated turmoil that accompanies a normal Triple Threat Match, the true X-factor will be to what extent the simple climbing device will be transformed into a weapon of mat" destruction. Although none of the three Superstars has even competed in a regular Ladder Match in WWE, they have all wielded the ladder while competing in intense Money in the Bank Ladder Matches. Dolph Ziggler has become an extremely dangerous competitor since capturing the illustrious title from Kingston on the Aug. 6 edition of SmackDown. Aligning himself with his powerful girlfriend SmackDown Official Consultant Vickie Guerrero and through his expert utilization of both the sleeper hold and the Zig Zag, the bleach blond champion has truly become a force to be reckoned with. And after polishing his aggressive style in two Money in the Bank Ladder Match showdowns, Ziggler looks more than ready to rise to the extreme challenge. The always-electrifying Kofi Kingston repositioned himself to reclaim the prestigious title from Ziggler, capturing the No. 1 contender opportunity with a hard-fought win over former World Heavyweight Champion Jack Swagger on SmackDown. However, feeling cheated out of an Intercontinental Title opportunity against Kofi, Swagger interfered with the Ziggler-Kofi title bout one week later. Kingstons explosive high-flying style is tailor-made for the high altitude insanity of the Ladder Match, something he has demonstrated in three ladder jousts in which he scaled the rungs for the Money in the Bank briefcase. Speaking of the destiny changing ladder bout to bank on, Swagger has not only competed in the WrestleMania XXVI Money in the Bank Ladder Match, he triumphed cashing in his prize to capture the World Heavyweight Championship. Simply put, Swagger knows how to use the ladder to attain championship gold. And with his infamous ankle lock and an arsenal of technically superior maneuvers at his disposal, Swagger could quite possibly walk out of WWE TLC with the title. Which of the three Superstars will climb to glory?
John Morrison vs. Sheamus (Ladder Match)
Newly crowned 2010 King of the Ring Sheamus has been terrorizing the Raw roster for more than a year now. Lately, however, John Morrison has called the alabaster bully on his shameful shenanigans. Now, the two are poised to settle their differences not by scrapping behind the lockers after school but at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs in a Ladder Match with the winner receiving an opportunity to compete for the WWE Championship. For weeks, Morrison stood up to Sheamus on behalf of not only himself but also one of the Irishmans favorite targets of late, Santino Marella. The efforts appeared to frustrate The Celtic Warrior so much so that, despite a considerable size and strength advantage, he lost to The Shaman of Sexy in a stunning upset at Survivor Series. Regaining the focus that has made him such a formidable force, Sheamus redeemed himself during the 2010 King of the Ring Tournament. In the competitions climactic contest, The Celtic Warrior snuffed out the hopes of The Monday Night Delight to emerge victorious. When the two square off for an opportunity at the WWE Championship a prize Morrison has never held and Sheamus has held twice can the WWE Universe look forward to a royal beatdown, or will the Irishman recast Morrison as The Shaman of Shattered?
Divas Champion Natalya & Beth Phoenix vs. Team Lay-Cool (Divas Tag Team Tables Match)
Divas Champion Natalya & Beth Phoenix would like nothing better than to teach Michelle McCool & Layla some manners. And at WWE TLC, they will try and set the table, against Team Lay-Cool in the first-ever Divas Tag Team Tables Match. The reign of self-professed Co-Divas Champions Michele & Layla came to a sudden halt at Survivor Series, when third-generation Diva Natalya captured the Butterfly Title in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match, making Michelle tap-out with the Sharpshooter. When the flawless duo attacked the new champion after the match, Beth Phoenix surprised the WWE Universe, reemerging from an injury that Lay-Cool caused several months ago to clean house. The Glamazon exploded onto the scene, taking out both members of Team Lay-Cool before helping Natalya celebrate her history-making new title reign. For the next few weeks Beth Phoenix continued to be a thorn in the side of the former champions on SmackDown, taking them out as they were mocking Hornswoggle and stopping Michelles interference as Layla took on Natalya. But business was about to pick up for Lay-Cool just days before WWE TLC. One-half of SmackDown's resident "Mean Girls," the ornery Michelle McCool, eliminated Natalya in the Diva Battle Royal netting she and her conceited cohort Layla not only the Slammy for Diva of the Year, but also the opportunity to inflict damage on the blonde beauties in the first-ever table encounter of its kind. Will Divas Champion Natalya and her best friend The Glamazon leave splinters in Team Flawless, or will the Michelle McCool & Layla have the last laugh?
Find out at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs, Sunday, Dec. 19 at 8/7 CT, only on pay-per-view.
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Last week on Raw and SmackDown!:
Dave & BustednnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnSunday Prelude?nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnThe winners Are...
For the second straight week, Randy Orton turned the tables on WWE Champion The Miz, plunging one of The Awesome One's comrades through a table. The latest victim: Film star and former WCW Champion David Arquette, who felt The Viper's pre-Tables Match wrath.
When World Heavyweight Champion Kane interfered in the main event, he wound up getting Speared from Edge. Is it a sign of things to come when The Big Red Monster defends his World Title in a Fatal 4-Way Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match at WWE TLC?
The biggest award show in entertainment took over Monday Night Raw, as all of WWE celebrated the 2010 Slammy Awards. Who took home the golden grapplers for the greatest achievements and moments of the year?
