WWE TLC 2015: How to Fix Least-Promising Storylines so Far

WWE was firing on all cylinders en route to Survivor Series, but after fans deemed the ending to the event a flop, the quality of Raw has been suffering as a result. The current card for Tables, Ladder & Chairs on Sunday, December 13 certainly has potential, but the build so far has left a lot to be desired.

The matches are sure to deliver, but the stories surrounding the feuds have been less than stellar, to say the least. From making Sheamus a credible WWE world heavyweight champion to rebuilding the Divas division, WWE will have its work cut out for it over the next week.

Not all hope for TLC is lost, however, and there are various ways Creative can fix the least-promising programs.

Sheamus vs. Roman Reigns

Credit: WWE.com

Sheamus cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase at the conclusion of Survivor Series to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship was the most predictable path WWE could have taken.

Not only could we see it coming from a mile away, but Sheamus is the wrong choice for champion at the moment. He's been booked in horrid fashion since returning as a heel and has virtually no credibility.

Consequently, his feud with Roman Reigns has been beyond boring. Reigns isn't riding a wave of momentum, and Sheamus simply isn't drawing the attention or excitement of fans.

No matter how good their TLC match will be from an in-ring standpoint, fans don't care to see either of them come out on top. The formation of The League of Nations is a step in the right direction, but they need to be built strongly going into the pay-per-view.

Reigns should get the upper hand over The Celtic Warrior at some point, but by and large, Sheamus should be demolishing everyone who steps in his path of destruction, not cowering away. That might have worked for Seth Rollins, but it's not fitting of Sheamus' current character.

Handicap matches aren't the answer to the lack of interest in this main event program. Rather, WWE should look to put legitimate heat on Sheamus in the next week while also giving viewers the impression that Reigns has a shot at regaining the gold. 

Divas Championship Match

Credit: WWE.com

The talent is undoubtedly there in the Divas division, but the storytelling is not. This has been the case for seemingly ages, but the Divas Revolution has failed miserably and must be abandoned as soon as possible.

Again, it's not a reflection of the women or what they can accomplish in the ring but rather how WWE has handled them in recent months. The faction wars are long gone, and that isn't what the Divas Championship should be contested over anyway.

As of this writing, no Divas Championship match has been made official for TLC, but based on what happened on the Nov. 30 edition of Raw, Charlotte will defend against Paige and potentially Becky Lynch as well. It would make sense from a storyline standpoint to put all three Team PCB members against one another given their respective issues as of late.

Granted, Lynch has lost the last two weeks and doesn't deserve a title shot, which is why she should score a meaningful win of some kind on the go-home episode of Raw before the show. Likewise, Paige has a reason to go back after the belt since her last championship match ended in a double count-out.

Putting those three women in the ring together will equate to excellence, but WWE must make it clear Monday night what side of the fence Charlotte is on. She's been the perennial babyface for a majority of her career, yet she teased turning heel in her latest match versus Lynch.

As for Paige, she makes for a brilliant heel because it's the role that comes most naturally to her, but WWE should stay away from having her take shots at Charlotte's deceased brother, Reid. It put more heat on the company than the match itself at Survivor Series, but making her universally hated some other way will only work to her benefit in the long run.

Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger

Credit: WWE.com

Take a second to realize that Del Rio, the same man who beat John Cena for the United States Championship in a record-setting seven-minute match at Hell in a Cell, is now afraid of Swagger, who hasn't been relevant in close to three years.

Yes, it's completely illogical, but it's the first feud WWE wants Del Rio to have as champion because of Zeb Colter's past ties with Swagger. It will presumably give Del Rio a quick and easy win at TLC, but how much will it mean when Swagger has called WWE Superstars home for years on end?

There's no question the two will work a solid matchup, but the feud has been anything but exciting. The MexAmerica shtick hasn't clicked with viewers, and Swagger has yet to be built back up to a level where fans can take him seriously.

It will be difficult to making Swagger credible in one week's time, but winning a No. 1 contender's match of some sort would go a long way in at least making it look like he deserves to contend for the star-spangled prize.

Furthermore, Del Rio should be kept as far away from The League of Nations as possible for the foreseeable future. He should focus on his feud with Swagger right now and not be involved with Roman Reigns, Sheamus or anyone else.

Similarly, WWE must aim to get Swagger over with the audience and not rely solely on his "We the People" chant. The match will disappoint if it's centered on the tired USA vs. evil foreigner narrative, whereas in reality it should be about two former foes who are rekindling their rivalry for the same goal: to possess the prestigious United States title.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.

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