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WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs is coming on October 22, and fans are excited. The card is still being built, and the top champ may not be on hand, but that does not matter because The Shield is back.
Once again, The Hounds of Justice have returned to the hunt.
Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose have come together in a reunion that was inevitable. It was only a matter of time until Monday Night Raw's top guys once again joined forces to take the WWE faithful on a much-needed nostalgia trip.
It's too soon to know whether that's what's happening here. It could be that the company has big plans for The Shield long after TLC is over.
But in the meantime, there are three other matches on the card that have fans talking.
Asuka will make her long-awaited main-roster debut when she takes on Emma. Kalisto will defend his newly won WWE Cruiserweight Championship against Enzo Amore. Mickie James will try to dethrone Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women's Championship.
For an event that's still in the making, TLC is looking very good indeed.
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Brock Lesnar has not yet been confirmed for TLC, and no one seems to be all that concerned about it.
But then again, why would they? The Beast Incarnate is a part-time Superstar and a nearly invisible Universal champion. He comes back for the occasional feud or one-off title defense, and then he's gone once again.
Fans are so accustomed to it that they expect it.
But considering TLC takes place in Minneapolis, the city from where Lesnar is billed, it's hard to imagine the universal champion not making an appearance. And if he does show up, then what would be the reason?
What would be his purpose for being at TLC? He's not feuding with anyone, and no one has laid down a challenge for him. Even if a challenge had been issued, why would it even it faze Lesnar or his advocate, Paul Heyman?
Lesnar has beaten them all; who's left?
The champ will probably not be in attendance. WWE seemingly doesn't have anyone for him to destroy, and even if someone were available, that match is likely not coming until the Survivor Series on November 19.
Raw's top championship will continue to stay out of the spotlight for a while longer.
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If Asuka is the women's equivalent of Goldberg, then Emma represents any of Goldberg's victims.
Though she's worked hard, and despite her efforts when she's in the ring, Emma is apparently being fed to the wolves at TLC. Asuka needs someone to work in her first main-roster match, and the Australian has been chosen to fill that spot.
The next stage of the Women's Revolution will begin on October 22.
Asuka was booked as unstoppable in NXT, and she's been portrayed as invincible. In the hands of any other talent, this type of gimmick may not work. But Asuka has proved she's more than capable of getting over. She's mysterious and dangerous. She's a smiling joker, but her expression cannot hide the evil inside.
Asuka is one part enigmatic and one part psychotic.
Her uniqueness makes her special, and her ability in the ring makes her great. She's exactly what women's wrestling needs in Vince McMahon's company, and she will get the win over Emma at TLC.
Many fans are wondering about whether Ronda Rousey will soon make the jump to WWE. But with a star like Asuka leading an extremely talented locker room to the forefront of the company, it's obvious the promotion already in good hands.
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Enzo Amore began his Monday Night Raw career in red-hot fashion. But then he slipped when Big Cass dumped him in favor of a possible main event run. However, Amore ended up in the main event while Cass sits on the sidelines with an injury.
Now the Realest Guy in the Room is hotter than ever.
Amore will try to regain his WWE Cruiserweight Championship from Kalisto at TLC. The two men didn't have a feud, but then again, they didn't have the time for one. Amore needed to be shut up fairly quickly, and Kalisto was the best man for the job.
Now the real rivalry can begin.
Amore claimed he put 205 Live on the map, and that does seem to be the case. Fans are talking about the cruiserweights more than ever before. But they are also talking about Amore more than ever before.
It seems Amore and the cruiserweight division were made for each other.
Kalisto has done a nice job of establishing himself in WWE and is a great addition to 205 Live. But there is no drama with the belt remaining around his waist when TLC is over.
It's Amore's show, and he's only just getting started.
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Despite her best efforts, Alexa Bliss remains a favorite for many WWE fans.
She fits the mold of the cool heel, which is something many traditional fans have grown extremely tired of. Rather than just allow her to be the manipulative villain she is, Bliss is often cheered by those who can't get enough of her antics.
But that may not be the case at TLC.
Mickie James is finally being treated with the respect she deserves, and her supporters are surely happy to see that. Instead of being used to enhance other talent, James is getting her due as a serious title contender.
That does not mean she will defeat Bliss on October 22.
Asuka is the wild card. She will debut at TLC, and it likely will not be long before she's in title contention. If WWE does move quickly with her, then Bliss should be the heel champion Asuka takes down.
James deserves at least one more title run, but Bliss should come out of TLC with the championship.
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There are no championships being defended in the TLC main event but no one seems to care.
That's because The Shield is back in business. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose have rejoined forces and are hotter than ever before.
They could be booked against any trio at TLC, and the outcome would be the same: The Shield group would win and look good doing it. But their opponents are some of the best on the red brand, which means this match will be hard fought from start to finish.
The Miz will be joined by Braun Strowman and The Bar. All four men have been workhorses for WWE, and all four have made Raw a must-watch pro wrestling program. But despite their efforts to slow down The Hounds of Justice, they will be unsuccessful.
The Shield will prevail at TLC.
It's unknown just how far WWE will go with the reunited faction. But there can be no denying that the group's arrival to the main roster in 2012 was just as timely as its reformation in 2017. With any luck, WWE will keep The Shield together and capitalize on the trio's popularity for as long as possible.
Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online at boinkstudios.com.
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