WWE TLC 2016: Biggest Unanswered Questions Going into Event

A number of wild cards stand ready to shake up WWE TLC 2016.

Fans know that Sunday's SmackDown-exclusive pay-per-view will bring breathtaking spots and car-crash-like moments, but what's less clear is how X-factors like James Ellsworth and Undertaker will impact the event. Surprises from those Superstars could well be on the way.

Dean Ambrose's pursuit of AJ Styles is likely to include The Lunatic Fringe's turtle-esque sidekick. So will Ellsworth cost his friend a chance at victory? Will Undertaker step into the spotlight at TLC, too?

The headline bout at the PPV in Dallas has all the makings to be a wild one thanks to those possibilities.

Randy Orton's loyalty and how far Nikki Bella and Carmella will go to settle their differences are among the other unanswered questions floating around ahead of TLC. Read on for a look at the PPV's biggest unknowns, from Ellsworth's involvement to Undertaker's arrival.

How Will James Ellsworth Factor into the Main Event?

Ellsworth has been a constant in the Styles vs. Ambrose story for a long stretch. 

He cost Ambrose a shot at the No. 1 contender spot. He has flustered Styles by beating him in major upsets. And The Phenomenal One responded by attacking the lovable loser, which enraged Ambrose.

It's hard to imagine Ellsworth's part in this drama being over.

But just how will WWE use him on Sunday? He could again inadvertently get in Ambrose's way. He may provide The Lunatic Fringe with a surprise assist. Or he could turn on his buddy.

Ellsworth's involvement has made this rivalry a difficult one to predict. Who would have foreseen him besting Styles three times? 

The chinless warrior remains the X-factor in TLC's main event, and the audience will be watching closely how he impacts the bout.

How Much Brutality Can We Expect from Nikki Bella vs. Carmella?

Normally, a No Disqualification match equals stinging chair shots, broken tables and full usage of an assortment of weapons hiding under the ring. Will WWE hold back that violence for Nikki Bella and Carmella, though?

Women have historically been asked to deliver less brutal action. 

However, 2016 has been a year of firsts, a year where WWE has allowed its women more freedom to be savage. Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair left behind plenty of bent steel during their Hell in a Cell match in October.

That could be a precedent WWE continues when Bella clashes with The Princess of Staten Island. But that's no guarantee.

All eyes will be on what these rivals grab hold of and swing at each other. The intensity of their rivalry lends itself to all-out hardcore action, but until we see that from the women's division more, there will be reason to be skeptical of it happening.

Is Randy Orton Set to Turn on The Wyatt Family?

You don't have to watch much wrestling to realize that alliances don't last. 

The brotherhood that is the new-look Wyatt Family feels especially tenuous. Orton and Wyatt were mortal enemies moments before The Viper decided to join the backwoods crew. And Orton has a history of turning on his partners, from Legacy to Edge.

So is this recent Wyatt-Orton connection for real? Is Orton actually committed to following The Eater of Worlds?

The walls could cave in on that partnership at any moment, mirroring Daniel Bryan's dramatic exit from The Wyatt Family in 2014.

But WWE would be smarter to keep this group together longer. There is so much to explore character-wise with both men. The powerful pair would be right at home at the top of the SmackDown tag team division.

Will the company realize that? Or is Wyatt's quest for championship gold set to be derailed by a betrayal so many saw coming?

Will Undertaker Get Involved?

Undertaker's emergence just before Survivor Series hasn't led to anything. That's despite The Deadman announcing that he was back, that WrestleMania would no longer define him.

Will WWE wait until the build to Royal Rumble begins in earnest to welcome Undertaker back to SmackDown again? Will he make his mark in Dallas?

A feud between Styles and Undertaker makes a ton of sense. It's a fresh matchup, one that would help elevate WWE's newest top star. And The Phenomenal One's athleticism would allow him to lead the way for the slowing veteran.

If that's the route WWE plans on taking, Undertaker is likely to appear at TLC to make it clear that he wants to clash with Styles. That would be a hell of a cliffhanger.

But that's far from a safe bet. It's not clear what Undertaker's schedule will be or if his hip is even healthy enough for him to compete.

As Styles and Ambrose battle, though, many in the audience will be waiting to hear Undertaker's signature gong, antsy for the return of The Deadman.