WWE TLC Rumor Round-up: Big title match cancelled, Two more matches could be added

WWE TLC looks set to take place tomorrow night and we could still see a couple of matches added to the card. We take a look at the latest rumors ahead of the TLC PPV including two matches being called off due to injury. We also take a look at the reason why Daniel Bryan asked WWE to pull him from his match against Bray Wyatt at TLC.

#5 Original plans for Braun Strowman at TLC

Braun Strowman

WWE had big plans for Braun Strowman at TLC before the “Monster Among Men” got hurt. According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, Braun Strowman was set to challenge WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura this Sunday before plans had to be canceled.

WWE's official statement on Strowman's injury said that he was suffering from hip issues. Meltzer's report contradicted this, suggesting that the big man was suffering from back spasms. Here's what Dave Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio:

"The other one is Nakamura and Braun Strowman. Braun Strowman is hurt. Yeah, they were supposed to do the angle on Friday but Strowman got hurt and they couldn't do the angle. That was on the card a week ago and Braun got hurt. One person told me back spasms, but the official company line is that he's got a hip injury that's not serious and it's only a couple of days. But he missed all the weekend house shows. So you know, SmackDown main event, one night, what did they do? I'm trying to remember. So one night, they did Bray Wyatt against, it was supposed to be Wyatt against Strowman all weekend in cage matches, so the first night they did Bray Wyatt with Drew McIntyre because it was a Supershow.”

"So it's another night with RAW vs. SmackDown guys and then the second night, which was a pure SmackDown show, they did Champion vs. Champion, with Bray Wyatt beating Nakamura, with Bray Wyatt, in both matches by the way, as a complete babyface. I don't know what Strowman's status is, but I think if he is okay by Friday they may shoot that angle. Again, I'm just waiting for an upate on that."

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#4 The potential main event

Roman Reigns vs Baron Corbin could main event TLC

According to a report by Cageside Seats, it looks like the main event of WWE TLC will be Roman Reigns versus Baron Corbin, a match not many fans seem to be too excited about. The whole build to this match has been pretty strange, with Corbin starting things off by bringing out a guy in a big dog costume. Last week's episode of SmackDown saw Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin incapacitate Reigns before throwing dog food all over him.

#3 Cancelled WWE TLC plans for Seth Rollins

Former WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins has finally cemented his heel turn. Rollins was scheduled to face Cedric Alexander on RAW but had to pull out of the match after a broken finger at a Live Event. WWE were reportedly looking to add Kevin Owens vs Seth Rollins to the card at WWE TLC. Although Rollins' injury does not look serious, Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Rollins vs Owens was not planned for the TLC card as of last Tuesday.

With Rollins not competing on RAW earlier this week, he instead led his new henchmen, the Authors of Pain, in a vicious backstage attack on Kevin Owens. KO was taken away in an ambulance after the assault, making it unlikely that he “recovers” in six days to face Rollins at TLC. Meltzer also said that WWE could instead shoot an angle at WWE TLC or on the RAW after. At this point, it looks like we could see Rollins facing Owens at the Royal Rumble in January instead of at TLC.

#2 Two more matches could be added to the WWE TLC card

We could see a couple of more matches added to the WWE TLC card

Dave Meltzer said ahead of last night's episode of WWE SmackDown Live that he expected more matches to be added to the TLC card. Although no further matches were added, Meltzer is still maintaining that WWE could add more matches over the weekend ahead of TLC.

According to Meltzer, there were tentative plans for the New Day to face Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode at TLC but these plans had to be nixed after Roode's Wellness Policy violation. This led to WWE booking an angle on a recent episode of SmackDown where Roode was pummeled so hard by Roman Reigns, that it has temporarily written him off the television. There have been no further details revealed about Roode's suspension.

Another match that was planned, and we've already mentioned, was Seth Rollins versus Kevin Owens which looks like it has been delayed after Rollins broke a finger at a Live Event. Plans Strowman versus Nakamura also had to be nixed after Strowman's injury.

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#1 Reason why Daniel Bryan was removed from TLC match

Daniel Bryan asked WWE to delay his match with 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt

WWE's original TLC plans for 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt was for him to face Daniel Bryan. Dave Meltzer was the first one to report that Bryan would not be facing Bray Wyatt at TLC and could be replaced by The Miz which was what happened on SmackDown. Check out this video of the Firefly Fun House invading The Miz's home:

Meltzer reported that Bryan himself had asked to be pulled out of the match with 'The Fiend', feeling that it was too soon for them to face each other and that the storyline needed more buildup.

Here's what Dave Meltzer had to say regarding Daniel Bryan not wanting to face Wyatt at TLC:

"Originally it was going to be Bray Wyatt and Daniel Bryan, and Daniel Bryan himself was actually pushing to delay it, you know he didn’t want to as he thought this PPV would be too soon. And I guess he is pretty hands-on with his story, which, if I was him, I would be too because I won’t want these people messing with my stories."