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As if to atone for some of its more questionable decisions this year, WWE gave us a mouthwatering Christmas present last night - a first time ever triple threat match between Asuka, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair. It gets better, though. It's going to be a TLC match! It's a bout that has "match of the year candidate" written all over it, but that's not the only thing that makes this so exciting. It still gets better!
WWE is about to turn onto the Road to WrestleMania, and this match has major implications for the card that we'll ultimately see in MetLife stadium in April.
With the way things are going, there are six possibilities for this match in terms of its ending and aftermath. Whatever winds up happening on December 16th is going to have a ripple effect that will last all the way until the snows start to thaw and the lights go on in New Jersey.
Possibility 1: Becky retains
If Becky Lynch retains on December 16th, the consequences will be fairly clear.
Charlotte Flair coming up short again, despite her "new attitude" (which Becky correctly described as a copy of her), would set her up perfectly as the winner of the women's Royal Rumble match the next month.
A date with Ronda Rousey would then await on April 7th, 2019.
Meanwhile, Becky and Asuka would be perfectly positioned to feud over the SmackDown Women's Championship until then.
This is probably the likeliest scenario at the moment. Charlotte vs. Ronda seemed set in stone the moment the former ended Asuka's streak, but it's not as set in stone now as it was a month ago. Becky Lynch has been the main roster's undisputed MVP in 2018, and her missing her Survivor Series match with Ronda Rousey suggests that something else may be in the works.
Possibility 2: Charlotte wins
A Charlotte Flair victory at TLC would also make things fairly clear. It would be the reverse scenario of a Becky win. The victory would make Becky Lynch the choice to win the women's Royal Rumble a month later and we would wind up getting the match that we didn't get at Survivor Series.
Charlotte and Asuka, in the meantime, would be in a position to renew their rivalry and have a second clash at WrestleMania. Few would likely object to such a clash, although most would want to see Asuka win this time around.
While it's hard to envision Charlotte Flair getting a record-breaking title win at a minor pay per view like TLC, this match is the very opposite of minor! The possibility is at least greater than it would have been had Becky's match with Ronda at Survivor Series not gotten canceled.
Possibility 3: Asuka wins
Many people would enjoy it if Asuka secures her first main roster title at TLC. However, what makes it even more exciting is that the prospects for WrestleMania would be thrown wide open. She's the wild card in this match for that reason.
An Asuka victory would make the Royal Rumble a lot more unpredictable. Three possibilities would then branch off from her title win.
Possibility 4: Asuka wins at TLC, Charlotte wins the Rumble, Asuka vs. Becky
With no title shot on her hands, Charlotte Flair would find herself in the Royal Rumble, but not as the odds-on favorite, because Becky Lynch would also be competing in the contest. Nevertheless, Charlotte Flair would still prevail to set up her WrestleMania match with Ronda Rousey. In the meantime, Asuka would take on Becky in an equally exciting first time ever (on TV) singles match.
Possibility 5: Asuka wins at TLC, Becky wins the Rumble, Asuka vs. Charlotte II
It's again the reverse of the previous possibility, but the Rumble would be far more unpredictable and open-ended. This would be the result that the fans would want, though. That much is for certain!
A Becky loss at TLC would give her her first significant defeat after such a hot streak that she might doubt herself. What better way to bounce back than winning the Royal Rumble match? The Survivor Series match that never happened would then await.
In the meantime, we'll get Asuka vs. Charlotte again at WrestleMania.
Possibility 6: Asuka wins at TLC, Becky and Charlotte both win the Rumble
This would be the wildest scenario of all. If Asuka wins at TLC, then Charlotte and Becky emerge as the two favorites for the Royal Rumble, but without a clear advantage over the other. What if no decision can be reached? What if they both eliminate each other at the same time and get declared co-winners?
Shades of 1994 and 2000 would be present as both can go on from there to challenge Ronda Rousey on April 7th in a triple threat match.
While that would be exciting on the Raw end of things, it would present some problems with SmackDown's title scene, though. The blue brand can afford to lose one of Charlotte or Becky, but not both. Who would go on to challenge Asuka? The current crop of SmackDown talent doesn't seem promising. Might Kairi Sane or Shayna Baszler get called up for the challenge? That would be ideal in this scenario, but it's unlikely to happen. Mandy Rose is the likeliest name to emerge at this juncture, unfortunately, but if there would be anyone to get a good match out of her, it would be the Empress of Tomorrow.
