WWE TLC Preview: 10 Things to Know About Ziggler/Kofi/Swagger Match

On Sunday at the second-ever TLC pay-per-view, the Intercontinental Championship will be on the line in a triple threat match. The champion, Dolph Ziggler, will defend his title against Kofi Kingston and Jack Swagger.

While it is overshadowed by Orton vs Miz in a Tables Match, the Fatal 4-Way TLC Match for the World Heavyweight Championship, and Cena vs Barrett in a Chairs Match (seriously, what the hell is the point of a Chairs Match?), there should be more buzz about this match.

Here are 10 things to remember going into this match that may get you excited about it.

1) Three Young Guys In a PPV Title Match

These are three of the best young superstars in WWE. At 28, Jack Swagger is the youngest of the three. Kofi Kingston is right behind him at 29.

Dolph Ziggler goes into the match as the oldest of the trio at the elderly age of 30. Also, none of these men were signed with WWE before 2006.

2) Swagger Has Never Had A Mid-Card Title

Jack Swagger has never had a championship in professional wrestling that was not a world championship. Seriously.

In FCW, he was the last Southern Heavyweight Champion before it dissolved and Swagger became the first-ever Florida Heavyweight Champion.

He then went to ECW and became ECW World Champion (yes, it is a world championship... sort of...) before becoming World Heavyweight Champion earlier this year.

The Intercontinental Championship would add variety to Swagger's resume, as well as helping to rebuild Swagger's credibility that was destroyed after losing the World Heavyweight Championship.

3) The End of Great Years For Swagger, Ziggler

The year 2010 was a great year for a few men, including The Miz and Sheamus. However, the Smackdown equivalents to those great years were Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger.

Swagger went from jobbing in over-the-top-rope challenges to Santino Marella to Money In The Bank winner to shocking World Heavyweight Champion. An Intercontinental Championship would cement his breakout year.

Ziggler also broke out this year, claiming his first gold in WWE. I will speak on his reign, but this title defense would have Ziggler end 2010 with the greatest win of his career.

4) Ziggler Having Historical Reign

At the ring of the bell on Sunday, Dolph Ziggler will have been Intercontinental Champion for 144 days. Only Drew McIntyre's reign from earlier this year was longer in the last three years.

Ironically, McIntyre captured that title at last year's inaugural TLC PPV.

Also, in terms of the title changing hands in Houston, it has changed twice, most recently when Rey Mysterio retired JBL at WrestleMania XXV.

5) Potential Momentum Toward Royal Rumble

The Royal Rumble will be on Jan. 30, 2011, and a good showing here would be great to possible Royal Rumble chances. Last year, all three men entered the Rumble match only to be eliminated within three minutes of entering.

Kofi's face on the poster not withstanding, the three young stars could be due for a good showing at the Rumble. TLC is the launching point.

6) It Is a Ladder Match

Let's not forget the stipulation. Swagger won a Money In the Bank ladder match this year, while we all know how skilled Kofi can be with a ladder.

However, will this be similar to the image we see on Sunday?

7) Sleeper Match Of The Night

Like the play on words? (Poor Shelton Benjamin...)

This match is definitely flying under the radar, not just because it is for a mid-card title. This match, with the participants and their capabilities, has a potential to steal the show as a whole.

While people will care who are the new world champions, this match has the potential to be talked about with the preface of "did you see what happened in that match?"

8) Likely Opening Contest

Mid-card championships are likely candidates for the opening contest of a pay-per-view. What better way to warm up a crowd than with a triple threat ladder match?

If these three tear the house down like I believe they may, this match may set the tempo for the rest of the night.

9) Swagger's Ladder Match Experience

As we stated before, it is a ladder match. Let's not forget what Jack Swagger accomplished nine months ago.

This was the sight as Swagger's career changed forever. Could a ladder be what Swagger needs to avoid that decline in his young career?

10) Little Build-Up to Match

This match seemed to kind of come out of nowhere. Kofi and Swagger faced each other at seemingly random times. Suddenly, they faced each other in a King of the Ring qualifying match, won by Kofi. They then faced in a number one contender's match for Ziggler's title.

Kofi won that as well, but when they had their match, Swagger interfered. This led to the match which, compared to other storylines, seems thrown together.

However, there are times that the random pay-per-view match can be the greatest ones, mainly because they don't need to address specific things.

There's usually a specific spot that need to happen in their match. With this match, however, nothing is predictable.