WWE TLC 2011 Results: Booker T's Return Will Propel Cody Rhodes to Stardom

In one of the more underrated matchups on TLC, Booker T is making his triumphant return to the ring against Cody Rhodes for the Intercontinental Championship. While it would be customary for a star making his first appearance back after a prolonged period away to win, Booker has no reason to go over in this match. 

And that is a good thing for him and Rhodes. This is the second time since October that Rhodes has been put in a high-profile match—the first one came against Randy Orton at Vengeance—and he has to run with the ball sooner or later. 

The best thing that has happened to Rhodes was getting rid of that ridiculous mask and paper bag gimmick, but he still has to do more in the ring to prove that he can be the star that WWE thinks he can be. 

It will take a lot of work on Rhodes' part because Booker hasn't wrestled since June and he is no spring chicken at 46 years old. 

Rhodes has to be the one that dictates the pace and tempo of this match, otherwise it can get sloppy in a hurry and he can't afford to have that happen. I am putting a lot of stock into this one match, but WWE doesn't have patience with its stable of talent. 

The only thing that Vince McMahon realizes is what you did today, and if Rhodes struggles in another big match again, he is not going to have any faith in him to deliver again. While there are a lot of problems with that kind of booking philosophy, it is not going to change. 

Booker T is a smart enough wrestler to know the things that he can and can't do in a ring anymore, and he will guide Rhodes through this match to make sure that it is as strong as it possibly can be. 

While I would have preferred there be a little more build for this match to give the fans something to really get behind, seeing Booker back in the ring against a young star who has the potential to get over in a big way, I won't complain too much about how poor everything leading up to the event was. 

Rhodes is going to come out of this show looking like a major player and future main-eventer, and a lot of the credit for that will go to Booker T's understanding of what works and what doesn't. 

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