Does MOP have any connection to TBC or WOTLK lore?

[stresskiller]

the link is so easy there is still horde and those other smelly people including gnomes and dwarfs

[Rhlor]

the connection is in the characters

[Deleted]

Absolutely yes, whoever says otherwise doesnt pay any attention to the lore.

[Granyala]

Where do you even get the idea this is a brief pause in the main story line? This mists being lifted made a new land available to harvest resources for the war between the Horde and Alliance. Fortunately they find the island inhabited by many creatures many of then intelligent especially the Pandarens. The Pandarens through the course of this expansion will help the leaders of each faction to work together for the betterment of this world moving forward and possibly end the war between the two.

This is no pause, this is a major stepping stone in pushing the story and lore forward for bigger things. I understand people may hate MoP for numerous reasons, but this is major plot point for lore.

Simple:
Main story arc: We all (alli and horde) vs. the burning legion.
Side story arc: Bickering between alli and Horde.

MoP focuses on a side story, which is exactly what Metzen said during Blizzcon. Once the immediate Alli-Horde bickering is dealt with, we can go back to kicking demon butt saving the universe again.