WWE Intercontinental Championship: Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Wade Barrett
The reigning Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston looks to retain his title against one of England's toughest fighters, Wade Barrett, tonight at TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs.
The road to TLC
Kofi Kingston defeated The Miz on the Oct. 17 episode of Main Event to win his fourth Intercontinental Championship. He was able to successfully defend the title against The Miz twice, once at Hell in a Cell (Oct. 28) and on the Nov. 6 episode of SmackDown, and also against Damien Sandow on the Nov. 23 episode of SmackDown. He now looks to add Wade Barrett as another failed challenger to his title.
Wade Barrett suffered a dislocated elbow on the Feb. 20 episode of Monday Night Raw, completely derailing any momentum his career had while he was forced to recover. He returned on the Sept. 7 episode of SmackDown, though, and has been tearing up the WWE roster since. He eventually defeated Kofi on the Nov. 19 episode of Raw in a non-title match to earn the No. 1 Contendership to the Intercontinental title.
What's at stake?
The IC Champion Kingston has held the title for 61 days, and already has a few successful defenses under his belt. Barrett was the man who ended his last run with the title in March, 2011. Another loss would be an embarrassment to "The Wildcat." A win though, and Kofi would be able to vanquish his old nemesis.
For Wade Barrett, this can be the beginning of a new run. He has always had the makings of a star, but has failed to put the pieces together when it matters the most. His sole championship in WWE has been the Intercontinental Championship. Winning the title tonight could relaunch his American career and potentially push him towards the main event. A loss, however, and he is right back to the bottom of the pile.
Will Kofi Kingston continue to prove that he has what it takes to be taken seriously in WWE, or can Wade Barrett once again take the IC Title from his waist? The only way to find out is to watch TLC TONIGHT!