Sunday December 13th will mark the World Wrestling Entertainment's seventh production of the TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs pay-per-view event. Although this may be the most gimmicky PPV of the year, all of the "WWE Universe" is hoping the number seven will come through as lucky for the audience giving us an event to remember and an event to help forget the past few weeks of Raw and Smackdown.
Lately the WWE product has been frustrating and bland, but the potential for a memorable build up to the biggest Wrestlemania of all-time is definitely possible. There are multiple creative routes that can be taken at TLC and I am here to give you my predictions for the event! And as a true Smark that believes to be a superb arm-chair booker, I will also give some swerves that I believe would work and eventually look forward to January's Royal Rumble!
Ryback vs. Rusev
Thursday night Smackdown's build up of this rivalry consisted of Ryback beating the Ascencion on his own and Rusev cowering behind Lana and the announce table. Although I am a huge fan of the Bulgarian Brute, the likelihood is low that he will be built back up to the dominating force he was at this time last year. I believe this match will go back and forth and ultimately end with Lana taking a bump off the ropes edge, Rusev getting distracted, and Ryback using the Shellshock to get the clean pin. I doubt this feud will continue past this match, especially with the new League of Nations, but hopefully it will be a good match and get both of these guys over for whatever may come next.
Diva's Championship Match
Charlotte (c) vs. Paige
The past few weeks have left me perplexed of what to think of this match. Paige brings up Charlotte's deceased brother, Ric Flair breaks kayfabe on his podcast, the angle is forgotten, Charlotte teases a heel turn against Becky Lynch, Ric is back on Raw, a cheesy cat-fight on Miz TV, and no sign of Sasha Banks in the title picture. I can see them revisiting the fact that Charlotte "didn't win" because her arm was under the rope when she made Paige tap at Survivor Series by ending in some schmozz with multiple finishes. My prediction is that Paige uses her cradle-DDT and goes for the "Paige-Tap-Out" but Ric then climbs up on the rings edge to distract the referee from noticing Charlotte tapping out. Paige will eventually release the hold to confront Ric which will give Charlotte enough time to catch Paige with the Figure-Eight making her tap out and retain as Diva's Champion.
Swerve: In the midst of Charlotte's heel tease, the commentary has continuously pointed out that Ric Flair used to be the Dirtiest Player in the Game. In true Rolex-wearing, Nature Boy style, I could see Ric turning on his daughter, helping her rival win the Championship, and expose a creepy, age-defying intimate relationship between himself and Paige
Eight-Man Elimination Tables Match
The Dudley Boyz, Tommy Dreamer, Rhyno vs. The Wyatt Family
The Dudley Boyz were out-manned by the Wyatt Family until they recruited their fellow ECW almuni Tommy Dreamer and NXT rookie call-up Rhyno. Although I would love for the Wyatt Family to dominate this match and have all four members left standing once Team ECW is eliminated, the recent booking of the Wyatt Family and their lack of explosive finishing moves to put the Dudley's through tables will prove my hopes to be unlikely. This match will be filled with huge spots at each elimination and will go back and forth eventually leading to The Dudley Boyz, Bray Wyatt, and Luke Harper as the last four remaining. Harper will go for a power bomb to eliminate Devon Dudley, Bubba Ray will break it up and counter in to a 3D through a table. Bray will scurry for a little but will eventually receive a 3D through another table giving the Dudley Boyz the win.
Swerve: Going back to my prediction and Luke Harper's elimination: in the midst of Bray Wyatt scurrying I could see a surprise return by Jeff and Matt Hardy to intervene in the match and help in the elimination of the Dudley Boyz. I don't think this is the Hardy Boyz initiation in to the Wyatt Family but more of a rekindling of a feud that will likely go on to Wrestlemania.
United States Championship Match: Chairs Match
Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Jack Swagger
Alberto Del Rio may have had one of the most impressive returns at Hell in a Cell by beating John Cena convincingly and clean. Ever since, ADR has eroded and eventually cemented his case as a mid-carder by joining the League of Nations as one of Sheamus' goons. This match will go back and forth with a few near submissions but will eventually lead to Zeb Colter scooting down to the ring with a metal chair in his scooter's basket, distracting Jack Swagger who will be begging him to give him the chair, and allow ADR to catch him with a back breaker and pin Jack clean to retain the Championship.
Swerve: Going back to my prediction where Zeb scoots down to ringside: Zeb ditches the scooter, goes in to the ring with the chair, tags ADR in the head and allows Swagger to get the pin and win the Championship.
WWE Tag Team Championship: Triple-Threat Ladder Match
The New Day (c) vs. Lucha Dragons vs. The Usos
The New Day have been getting a ridiculous amount of air time and it has been well deserved. Unfortunately for anyone over the age of twelve, the Usos, as Roman Reigns' cousins, have also been getting a lot of air time. I believe there will be a lot of huge spots in this match because of the incredible athleticism from each team, including Big E whom we've seen dive through ropes to the outside barricade on multiple occasions. I think this match will end with a back and forth at the top of the ladder between an Uso and a Dragon allowing Xavier Woods to interfere in the match, push the ladder over, set up a ladder for Kofi Kingston to climb and retain their Championship.
Swerve: Nothing too specific to this swerve except for the story line that the Usos win the titles which would give Championship belts to Team Roman allowing for a more meaningful feud with the League of Nations. The one good thing about the New Day losing the championships would be a more real chance of one of the three winning the Royal Rumble and earning a main event spot at Wrestlemania. As long as the team still holds the Tag Team Championship, the Royal Rumble would be nothing more than a tease. I don't think the WWE would ever follow through with the New Day winning the Royal Rumble, especially with Brock Lesnar and John Cena sure to return, but it would be make the Rumble more interesting.
Intercontinental Championship Match
Kevin Owens (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
Despite the fact that there is no TLC gimmick and that this story line has been pigeonholed by Dean's involvement in Team Roman, this match has the potential to be a showstopper. The build up of this match has been one of the more frustrating things on WWE television as of late and I believe there has been a lot of money lost because Owens and Ambrose are two of the best that the main roster has to offer. Because of the build-up of Team Roman vs. the League of Nations, I don't see this feud going much further than this match and Kevin Owens wins clean via pin from a Pop-Up Powerbomb.
Swerve: Piggy-backing my prediction from the Tag Team Championship match, I could see Ambrose winning the title and giving more fuel to the Team Roman vs. League of Nations build up. Although this would mean Kevin Owens would be likely written off from the upper card, I could see The Usos getting in a micro-feud with Rusev and Wade Barrett and Dean Ambrose feuding with ADR if he lost the United States Championship. Although I am not for this happening, the recent push of both factions seems to be a lot more long term than just this month and could drag on to Royal Rumble but hopefully not all the way to Wrestlemania.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match
Sheamus (c) vs. Roman Reigns
The internet has been filled with grief about this match but I will try to stay positive and suppress my inner Smark. Compared to almost 11 months ago when he was boo'ed out of the 2015 Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns is being received a lot better by the fans which may be a reflection of how hated Sheamus is. Groans from the Celtic Warrior winning the Money in the Bank contract this summer were ceased when he cashed in at Survivor Series, but were then superseded by agonizing moans as he won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Despite my angst with both of these characters, I can't deny that this will be an entertaining match. Both Reigns and Sheamus have proven they are able to take serious beatings and will have to do so if they want the crowd to stay awake after the Intercontinental Title Match that I believe to be a show-stealer. Both men will go back and forth inflicting damage to the other and we will see multiple spears, Superman punches, Brogue Kicks, and kick outs at two-and-a-half before this one is decided.
Once both men have been beaten to a pulp,the League of Nations will come to ringside with the remaining members of Team Roman not too far behind. Although I believe much of their role will be fighting each other, there will be a point where Roman will take it upon himself to take out the entire League of Nations which will give Sheamus an opportunity to pin Roman with a handful of cargo-pant-trunks and retain his title.
Swerve: The biggest swerve here would be Roman Reigns winning the title. It's obvious the WWE creative team wants Reigns to chase the Championship and with the push this Team Roman vs. League of Nations feud has been getting, I doubt the chase will come to an end on Sunday. As I said before, I doubt it will go past the Royal Rumble - mainly because I don't think these teams as a collective group have enough gas to go anywhere near the Road to Wrestlmania.
By the end of the 2016 Royal Rumble, we will have a much clearer and interesting picture for what will happen with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania. I don't know whether that means the return of Brock Lesnar, John Cena, The Rock, or Daniel Bryan to win the Rumble and main event Wrestlemania, but I know it won't include Sheamus holding the most important title in the WWE going in to the biggest and most important pay-per-view in the history of the promotion.
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So there are my predictions! Let me know what you think and join in on the discussion!
