5 possible reasons why Roman Reigns is out of WWE TLC 2017

#2 A Ratings Ploy

Even as a member of the newly-reformed Shield, Reigns is a magnet for 'go-away/X-Pac heat'

The fall season is normally the one during which WWE’s creative success and popularity on television takes a nosedive. Competition from other sports, new reality TV show line-ups, and other entertainment media all hit WWE hard. In fact, many of the lowest-rated WWE of the past decade or more have taken place between September and December.

So it stands to reason that WWE would, out of desperation, make a random last-minute switch on their card to make it more attractive to potential buyers.

Many reports as of late have indicated that many WWE shows – both televised and not – have failed to sell out, and when the Young Bucks had fans tell them that they didn’t have to pay for their tickets to RAW, it was an indication that WWE’s business isn’t doing well at all.

Thus, to try and ‘shake things up’, as Vince McMahon is wont to do, he decided to switch Reigns (a wildly controversial wrestler) and Bray Wyatt (a gimmick wrestler who has suffered abysmal booking) with Kurt Angle and A.J. Styles, respectively.

Those two wrestlers have greater name appeal, which might help WWE attract more viewers. Angle wrestling is a major announcement in itself, and a lengthy Styles vs. Balor match could steal the show and lead to a major boost in fan interest for the company.