WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs (2018) Predictions

Randy Orton has been doing great work being his classic maniacal heel self going after Rey Mysterio. Even to the point that he took Mysterio's mask. The beatdowns have been brutal and Rey has done well in this re-introductory rivalry. I don't see Rey being a mainstay for Smackdown, and neither men really have nothing to lose in this match. With that said, I see Rey Mysterio's heart and perseverance prevailing over Orton's bullying tactics from the past few weeks, including some cool moves involving a chair, before going to Raw to help push the Lucha House Party.

Winner: Rey Mysterio

At this point in the Mixed Match Challenge, it would be a good idea to get this done and over with and be long forgotten. The entire tournament was plagued with injuries and quick replacements taking any teamwork story lines away from the program. All to get number 30 in the Royal Rumble. If charity wasn't involved, this would be a total waste. We all know this pre-show booked match will be.

Winner: Doesn't really matter. Let's go with Truth. At least he will make his #30 spot entertaining.

This will be one of the best matches of the night that a lot of people will forget about, and that's really a sad thing because if you actually watch 205 Live (I have no shame, but not regularly), these guys put 100% into this show. WWE should have test marketed a name poll before settling on the 205 Live brand. Either way, expect this match to be a barn burner with every element that makes a great wrestling match. Then both talents will go back up the ramp into the sunset until Murphy and his next opponent face off at the Royal Rumble.

Winner: Buddy Murphy by pinfall

Elias and Lashley have been going at each other ever since Elias went babyface and turned on "Temporary Raw General Manager" Baron Corbin. To return the favor, Corbin sicced Lashley on Elias and the two have feuded the fast few weeks or so with the dis songs and other beatdown shenanigans. Come Sunday all the games stop as we will see these two square off. Don't expect much out of this. Elias has gotten a lot more refined since his debut, but not enough to make the 16-bit video game movements of Lashley look good. The way this looks, Elias will get his payback and nail Lashley with his guitar giving him the win (I think).

Winner: Elias

Winner: Lashley after screwball finish

Drew McIntyre and Finn Balor have been having a similar story line as Lashley and Elias. Drew pushes the "alpha male" promos while Finn is the usual millennial pandering underdog in his feuds. This match could go either way but I don't see this being a rivalry ender. Both guys are great workers and I think they will tell their story in the ring way better than the aforementioned talents. When all is said and done, it's still hard to say who will come out on top. I still expect some sort of shenanigans, but I'm putting my money on Drew McIntyre. Just for the simple fact that it's more believable and I dig McIntyre way more than I dig Balor at the moment. I actually want to believe this guy wants to put Finn Balor's head on a stick and make it part of his entrance gear.

Winner: Drew McIntyre

This match has only been a few weeks really, but they have been fierce rivals off and on since the Riott Squad debuted a little over a year ago. Natalya is okay in the ring, but Ruby Riott is an absolute pro in the ring. I would almost go as far as to say she is one of the most talented on the female roster. With that said, expect the Riott Squad to get involved somehow and maybe a babyface run in when these two won't stop beating the crap out of each other. Let's hope Ruby Riott is the next one on the women's roster to go all psycho in this match and try to kill everyone. At least with Ruby it would be the most believable. Also if Nikki Cross comes in the frey and joins the Riott Squad, it would do wonders for everyone involved.

Winner: No Contest

It's almost tiring to see these three in the top of Smackdown Live tag team division. I don't doubt that this will be a great match, but it's another great match with a combination of the three that's been going on for years. Ever since Fashion Police, it's like WWE is afraid of adding any new blood to the SDL tag title scene. New Day doesn't need the titles and another reign would just have a 2014 John Cena feel to it. The Bar aren't really doing much holding the belts. As much as I like The Bar, they have never gone over as champs. Especially during their current reign. The only marketable option left is The Usos which I would be fine with. They look like champs, they know how to move a crowd, and they also deserve to be on Raw since they have been at SDL since the brand split and have done everything there is to do there. Heck, take the SDL belts with them to Raw to assert dominance for a few weeks.

Much like the cruiserweight match, this will be good, but not memorable.

Winner: The Usos

With Becky Lynch returning after getting stiffed by Nia Jax, Charlotte Flair and her aggressive streak, and the x-factor of Asuka, this has the makings of what Jim Ross would call "a slobberknocker". As much as I can't stand Lynch as a sloppy in-ring worker, her character turn has done wonders. It took a little while, and I still cringe at Lynch sometimes, but I get it. Flair has also gotten a bit more sloppier lately, but Flair's problem is she gets carried away in the moment. Asuka, much like Ruby Riott, is one of the only women on the roster with the goods to be champion. If WWE wants to pull a swerve, this would be a match to do it as we see Asuka's happily aggressive side is going to come out which will do good for her character in the long run.

Winner: Asuka

I still don't get why we are having this rematch from Money In The Bank. In fact, there doesn't seem to be much momentum going into a Ronda Rousey match which says to me that the Rousey fanfare honeymoon may almost be done. I'm surprised it has lasted as long as it has. It would be outright insanity for Nia to win this one so expect Rousey to retain the belt after a hard fought win. I'm still waiting for a Rousey/Asuka or Rousey/Ruby Riott Last Man Standing match.

Winner: Ronda Rousey

While Bryan's "wrestling liberal hipster" gimmick is doing wonders for everything but the ratings, AJ Styles has been relaxing during the holiday season. Both guys are great in the ring. Both guys will tell their story the only way these elite athletes will know how. The thing is, with AJ's contract still up in the air as far as anyone knows, it seems like a safer bet to keep the belt on Bryan. While his gimmick isn't necessarily bringing in numbers, a month long reign seems like a waste as is putting the belt on Styles. Again. Personally, I think AJ needs to hitch a ride to Raw with the Usos since he also has done all there is to do on the blue brand. Hopefully when his contract becomes an issue again in a few weeks, WWE uses this to bring him to Raw. Then we will finally get Seth Rollins and AJ Styles in the ring and life will be complete.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

Dean Ambrose has been so good lately with his heel turn, and Seth Rollins is already talking trash about Universal Champion Brock Lesnar and going anti-hero against Baron Corbin. These two will be another "on again/off again" type of rivalries much like Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Seth has made his point as Intercontinental champion. Let Dean have a run with it for a while while Seth plays in the main event scene where he should be. No added stipulations for this match, but I still smell a screwjob ending somewhere. Maybe Renee Young will get involved somehow?

Winner: Dean Ambrose

With the "enter clique corporate title here" General Manager Baron Corbin and his current henchmen in Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley, have been an unstoppable force since taking out Braun Strowman a few weeks back. With the monster among men rumored to be scheduled to be at the event, there is no doubt Strowman will appear at least in some capacity. While this is the biggest story line on Raw because of the different ways this could turn out, (and given the ratings I have a sense with Vince McMahon appearing at Raw following TLC, this is going to get swept under the rug rather quickly).

I see Corbin appearing, a babyface mob beatdown. The other heels don't help him Braun comes out and makes the pin. Vince comes to Raw and introduces a superstar shakeup as well as appointing a new GM that isn't Kurt Angle. Corbin is once again just one of the boys and has to start in the back of the line where his new story line starts.

Winner: Braun Strowman