WWE TLC 2013: Smart Potential Finishes for Title vs. Title Clash
As the last pay per-view of the year, WWE’s TLC has the daunting task of ending 2013 with a major bang.
And by pitting WWE champion Randy Orton against World Heavyweight champion John Cena, the company has made it clear that it intends to end the year in a huge way.
The two have fought many times in the past, but never before has so much been on the line. Whichever Superstar comes away with the victory will be crowned as the unified world champion, the most impressive performer in the largest professional wrestling company on earth.
Both champions have their advantages, Cena’s being his strength. Conversely, Orton’s cunning nature and constant tactical prowess make him incredibly dangerous at all times.
And though Cena appears nearly unbeatable most of the time, Orton certainly possesses the ability to come out on top.
Whatever the finish of the match, it stands to reason that it will be incredibly hot seeing that it will be the basis for carrying the weight of the main championship of the company into the new year and beyond.
Orton Defeats Cena, Turns Face
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This seems to be a long shot, but it would certainly be a shocking finish to a historic bout.
Orton has always seemed to toe the line between good and evil, and of late, he seems to have a huge issue with his benefactors, the Authority.
Though defeating Cena in a clean manner will be incredibly difficult, even impossible given Cena’s near superhuman capabilities at times, Orton has the skill and intelligence to do so. Then, as he stands in the middle of the ring with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, he can hit one of them with an RKO, likely resulting in dropped jaws and then wild cheers.
After all, the Viper has never had a true allegiance other than to himself.
Cena Wins, to the Surprise of No One
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This is probably the most likely of all outcomes, and though it is repetitive, it is actually a smart booking decision.
Cena is the true face of the WWE, no matter what the Authority says. He does the most PR work, spends a great deal of time doing work with various charitable organizations, most notably the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and is beloved by most of the younger audiences of professional wrestling.
Even though the loud cheers that can be heard when he makes in entrance are tempered by a chorus of boos, Cena is still incredibly hardworking and will make an excellent inaugural unified champion, and there are few that can disagree based upon his merits. True, he is not the best ring technician, but neither was Hulk Hogan.
And Hogan is arguably the most recognizable name in professional wrestling history due to his ability to rev up a crowd, something Cena is excellent at as well.
The Finish Sets the Stage for Further Storylines
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Of late, it seems as if most of the major storylines never have a satisfying finish.
Orton’s feud with Daniel Bryan just ended out of nowhere; meanwhile, Cena’s encounters with Alberto Del Rio were halted quickly as well.
Though completely overmatched, Del Rio proved a decent villain to foil Cena’s heroics. But he never actually succeeded.
Meanwhile, Orton and Bryan put on some of the most high-quality encounters the company had seen in months. And then, in a flash, it was all over.
There should be a definitive winner when the dust settles at TLC, but how many other Superstars will be involved in that finish? The members of The Shield, acting as cronies, could factor into the ending in the blink of an eye, but at the same time, they could be prevented from helping Orton by someone along the lines of Bryan. Or CM Punk. Or even the Tag Team champions, Cody Rhodes and Goldust.
Orton and Cena work well together, but by diluting the two of them into separate storylines, the company stands a better chance of spreading the wealth. A singles match between the two is good, but if known associates of the two were to get involved, it sets the stage for other matches that the two could branch out into. Imagine a matchup between Orton and Intercontinental champion Big E Langston. Or Cena defending the titles against Dean Ambrose or Roman Reigns.
The more interesting the finish of this match, the better it ultimately could be for business.
The Authority Cheat Orton out of a Win
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There seems to be some dissension between the Authority and Orton of late, and just as Triple H helped him win the WWE title at SummerSlam, he could just as easily try to cheat him out of it at TLC.
Imagine, if you will, Orton about to pounce on Cena to hit him with an RKO for the one-two-three, when out of nowhere, Triple H hits him with a pedigree. Or maybe The Shield can strike and cheat Orton out of the titles at the behest of company brass.
This would not necessarily result in a heel turn for Cena, or even a face turn for Orton. Merely, it would place a great deal of power back in the hands of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, who, despite the ridiculous odds that they place in front of people, oftentimes end up with egg on their faces at the end of the day.
Orton has come across as a sniveling child in recent weeks, whining about how he doesn’t need help or that he alone is the face of the company.
He might be that, but only as long as he remains an obedient lapdog. The argument could be made that the Authority made him and can break him just as easily.
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