Kurt Angle Replaces Roman Reigns, AJ Styles Replaces Bray Wyatt at WWE TLC 2017

WWE announced a huge shakeup to Sunday's TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs card on Friday, with Raw general manager Kurt Angle replacing Roman Reigns and AJ Styles replacing Bray Wyatt.

The announcement noted that Reigns and Wyatt are dealing with "medical issues," which prompted the changes just two days before the pay-per-view.

Angle will compete in his first match in a WWE ring since 2006, teaming with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose in a TLC match against The Miz, Cesaro, Sheamus, Braun Strowman and Kane.

Meanwhile, Styles will make a one-night move from SmackDown to Raw in order to face off against Finn Balor.

While WWE has not offered specifics on the issues hindering Reigns and Wyatt, it is notable that Wyatt hasn't been on WWE programming in two weeks.

After breaking the news of Neville walking out on WWE and Nia Jax taking a leave of absence, Pro Wrestling Votes tweeted Wednesday that Wyatt, his real-life brother Bo Dallas and his real-life girlfriend JoJo are all dealing with an illness.

Pro Wrestling Votes added that other Superstars may be suffering from the same illness as well.

The sudden addition of Angle to the card is significant since there was some question whether the 1996 Olympic gold medalist would ever wrestle for WWE again due to his advanced age (48) and lengthy injury history.

While Reigns' medical issue puts a damper on the reunion of The Shield, replacing him with a WWE Hall of Famer is perhaps the best possible move WWE can make.

Meanwhile, Wyatt's absence from the card means the debut of his Sister Abigail persona against a new and improved Demon will not take place at TLC.

Instead, Balor and Styles could potentially deliver a match of the year candidate in its place.

Balor and Styles have long been linked due to the fact that they were both once leaders of the Bullet Club in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

They have never faced off in a singles bout, and Sunday's encounter has the makings of a true dream match with the potential to outshine the main event Tables, Ladders and Chairs match.

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