WWE TLC: Match Card and Predictions
There won't be any tender, loving care at Smackdown's brand-exclusive PPV TLC. The event will take place on Sunday, December 4 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. All four of Smackdown's championship belts will be defended in a variety of matches involving tables, ladders, and chairs. Apparently, stairs weren't good enough to make the cut this year. Here are the matches for the PPV and our predictions for who will come out on top.
Heath Slater & Rhyno (c) vs. Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton
(For the Smackdown Tag Team Championships)
Heath Slater--who has kids--and Rhyno defend their titles against the strange duo of Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton. However, if we went back in time six months, we'd be calling Slater and Rhyno an odd duo as well. The Wyatt Family (we're considering Orton a part of the Family now) won the right to challenge the tag champs after beating American Alpha on the Nov. 29 episode of Smackdown.
Wyatt loses a lot, but it seems like he's on an upturn. While Slater and Rhyno have been great champions, we think The Wyatt Family will come out on top thanks to a bit of interference from Luke Harper. We just want to see The Wyatt's on top again, which means he has to win.
Our Prediction: The Wyatt Family wins dirty via Luke Harper interference.
Kalisto vs. Baron Corbin (Chairs Match)
If you've been keeping up with Smackdown, then you know Baron Corbin hates cruiserweights. More specifically, he hates Kalisto. Now, the two will fight each other at TLC in a Chairs Match. We're assuming that's a match where there are folding chairs everywhere. We're hoping they still take a chair from the timeskeeper.
Having chairs a part of this match all works in favor for Kalisto. Without the weapon, Baron Corbin should just plow through his opponent in no time at all. However, with the added addition of chairs, we think this is going to lean towards Kalisto, with Corbin demanding a rematch.
Our Prediction: Kalisto wins.
The Miz (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler (Ladder Match)
(For the Intercontinental Championship)
The back-and-forth battle between The Miz and Dolph Ziggler continues. They've both held the Intercontinental Championship in the past couple of months, and this rivalry is white hot. This time around, they're battling for the belt in a Ladder Match, and if The Miz wins, Ziggler can never challenge him for the title again.
As much as we want to root for the underdog (Ziggler), we're giving this to The Miz. Aside from the fact that Maryse is more than likely going to interfere, we're loving The Miz as champ, and as fun as this rivalry is (mainly because of promos and The Miz on Talking Smack), we're ready for it to be over.
Our Prediction: The Miz wins after Maryse interference.
Nikki Bella vs. Carmella (No Disqualification Match)
It's a battle of the longtime pro against the rookie as Nikki Bella takes Carmella on in a No Disqualification match. This rivalry hit its tipping point at the last PPV, when Carmella allegedly took Nikki out of action prior to the Women's Survivor Series match. It was never proven Carmella did it, but that was what we were led to believe. Now, Nikki wants revenge, and there will be no rules holding them back.
We're thinking there is more to this match than meets the eye. Carmella has an accomplice. We are leaning towards Natalya being the one who helped Carmella, but we are hoping it's more of a surprise. Regardless of who it was, that person will interfere and help give Carmella the win, which should continue the rivalry.
Our Prediction: Carmella wins after interference from secret accomplice.
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Alexa Bliss (Tables Match)
(For the Smackdown Women's Championship)
After seeing Sasha Banks and Charlotte's Hell in a Cell match, a Tables Match doesn't seem like the best idea for the Smackdown Women's Championship. This is another white hot rivalry, so we're thinking this is going to be an incredibly intense match. In addition, making this a Tables Match (regardless of the table spot during the Banks/Charlotte match) is an interesting way to go.
We could see this going either way, but we are pulling for the babyface. We see Lynch as the stronger and tougher competitor and putting Bliss through a table shouldn't be hard. We're barely giving Lynch the win. It's going to be a barn-burner, at least we hope so.
Our Prediction: Becky Lynch wins clean.
AJ Styles (c) vs. Dean Ambrose (Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match)
(For the WWE World Championship)
Finally, AJ Styles defends his title against Dean Ambrose in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match. There is one question on everyone's mind who has been following this rivalry: How will James Ellsworth going to play into this? Smackdown's mascot and Ambrose's number one fan has been both helpful and hurtful to the Ambrose Asylum. Can he help Ambrose beat the "Face that Runs the Place?"
This is going to be a crazy match. Both of these guys are going to put on one hell of a show, and it's hard to gauge who is going to win. We like Ambrose, but we're a bigger fan of Styles and believe it or not, we see Styles squeaking out a victory. Ellsworth will most likely be a part of this match, but we don't think it will affect who wins.
Our Prediction: Styles wins.
