WWE TLC 2011: Why Armageddon Should Be Premiere December PPV

From 1999 through 2008, Armageddon was a staple WWE December pay-per-view. However, it was a victim of the era of gimmick pay-per-views and has since been replaced by TLC.

With that said, now is the time to go back to Armageddon.

The main reason why the return of Armageddon over TLC would be refreshing is because gimmick pay-per-views in general have been a bit of a drain on the WWE. While Money in the Bank has proven successful as its own pay-per-view, TLC and others have been very hit and miss. The main issue is that having events tied to a certain type of match make that match scarce over the course of the year.

I'm not saying that there should be TLC or Hell in a Cell matches occurring constantly, but they were once a great tool to make a feud seem more meaningful. Now, the only reason they are ever used is because the calendar dictates it. I simply think that gimmick pay-per-views limit and constrict the creative team in a very profound way.

An event like Armageddon would allow the creative team to do whatever it pleases, but there would certainly be room for gimmick matches as the name is menacing enough to support them. When you look back, Armageddon actually had some of the most entertaining gimmick matches in recent memory. What's more, they were great because they made sense from a storyline perspective.

Two matches in particular come to mind immediately. The first is the six-man Hell in a Cell match for the WWE championship at Armageddon 2000. The bout featured Kurt Angle, who was defending his title against "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Triple H, The Undertaker, The Rock and Rikishi, which meant that every major star of the time was involved.

The match was absolutely fantastic. There were tons of near falls and all kinds of crazy use of weaponry. Every superstar used their respective signature moves and Angle was a bloody mess as he stood victorious at the end. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be possible at TLC, since the match doesn't have the words tables, ladders or chairs in it.

Another Armageddon match that was an absolute classic was the Three Stages of Hell match for the World Heavyweight Championship in 2002 between incumbent champion Shawn Michaels and Triple H. The match choice was a bit out there, but it worked because of how heated the feud was between the "former" friends at the time.

Much of the match featured Michaels getting beaten and battered by Triple H, but the fans got a street fight, a steel-cage match and a ladder match all for the price of one. There was a fantastic brutality to the match and a bunch of crazy spots, including Michaels being thrown from a ladder and through four stacked tables.

TLC simply limits itself in terms of what it can present to the fans, while a less-specific event like Armageddon can be unpredictable. That's what makes wrestling great. TLC looks to have a pretty good card this year, but Armageddon would have provided a much more diverse and exciting experience.