10 WWE TLC 2017 Impulse Reactions

1. Number One With A Bullet

Finn Balor AJ Styles
WWE.com

Let's hope these two lads don't cease and desist wrestling each other, eh? Eh?! EH?!

So WWE responded to Bray Wyatt's absence in a way that not only wildly satisfied their core audience, but drew the attention of fans away from the company's rather petty turf war with Hot Topic's favourite wrestling stable.

Following the rather ugly legal threats after a Raw 'invasion' that then led to the sacking of Christopher 'Jimmy Jacobs' Scoville, 'Biz Cliz' !*$% probably wasn't the most popular talking point in the halls of Titan Tower until the company elected to steer into the controversy by booking AJ Styles Vs Finn Bálor for the first time on pay-per-view with just two days notice.

The announcement electrified the internet as hordes of fans mocked up dream match posters featuring the two first leaders of a group that still went unnamed by Michael Cole on the broadcast despite referencing those very rulerships as the pair locked up.

What followed was an encounter that stole the conversation away from their separate pasts and made it all about their collective present. A glorious battle that seemed to use the last-minute aspect of the arrangement as part of the story, Finn and AJ assembled a minor classic from the embers of what could have been the worst pay-per-view match of the year.

Does Bray Wyatt have a viral infection, or is he one? Finn Bálor exorcised a number of demons here, and looked every bit ready for that Brock Lesnar match we've already been asked to forget.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett