TLC Predictions

Hang on, it's another PPV? Already? This isn't me embellishing, were it not for me seeing a Tweet plugging the PPV tonight calling the Sheamus/Roman Reigns feud "personal" that caught my eye- these Predictions wouldn't have been happened. I genuinely just completely forgot that TLC was in fact tonight. That's always a good sign. The TLC PPV is always good for at least one good match, most of the time it being the one you don't necessarily expect as well. See the Dolph Ziggler/Luke Harper Ladder Match that was just brutal last year. I'm somewhat hopeful in-terms of match quality tonight, but at the same time I couldn't give less fucks about anything related to the stories heading into tonight. Again, that's only ever a good sign.

As was the case last month as well, there's no announced Pre-Show match. It's impossible to predict an Unannounced Match, and as we saw last month it can actually affect my other Predictions. With that said, if I had to have a guess at one it would either be Sasha Banks/Team Bella Member- although they may be saving that for when Nikki's returning now. Alternatively, having Neville either wrestle the Miz- or wrestle someone in-front of The Miz with Miz helping Neville without his consent. I do wonder when/if they're going to pull the trigger on the Neville/Miz pairing, because heading into Mania Season these two can easily get lost in the shuffle while they're still trying to build up some chemistry. Another option is Ziggler/Breeze, but really- what would be the point?

UPDATE
Pre-Show: Sasha Banks v Becky Lynch
Well, better late than never I suppose. The above paragraph isn't entirely irrelevant with regard to stuff like The Miz and Neville which is why I've left it in. I suppose I wasn't a million miles off suggesting a Sasha Banks match. This match is relatively straightforward to me, it at least appears as though they're angling for a Nikki Bella return as a Babyface against Sasha Banks with Team BAD playing up the numerical advantage at present. I may be wrong, but it definitely seems like they're angling for Team BAD/Team Bella and by proxy Nikki/Sasha with Nikki as the Babyface. That's going to go well. In the meantime I think it's a pretty safe bet to assume Sasha's winning with shenanigans.

The New Day v The Usos v The Lucha Dragons- Tag Team Title Ladder Match
This match has a lot of "steal the show" potential. Pretty much any time you put Kofi Kingston in a Ladder Match scenario shit is going to go down. Obviously it's impossible to say how a match will happen before it has, but at least on paper there seems to be a really good balance in the match- and the only proper limit for this match will be time. You've got the obvious high-flyers in The Lucha Dragons, The Usos will be good for a few spots and then Big E can be the "base" for quite a few spots while Kofi and Xavier just go for it.

I'm genuinely not sure what's going to happen outcome wise for this match. On the one hand I really want The New Day to retain, and I do think they will given the numerical advantage and the fact nobody has to be pinned. However, there's always the potential for The Usos to win the Tag Titles at any given time. I realise this isn't a new comparison, but they're literally Tag Team Cena- in that they're kid-friendly and get pushed quite a lot but just quite bland on the whole. I do expect New Day to retain, at least for tonight- but I wouldn't be at all surprised if The Usos are the Tag Team Champions before Mania.
Winner: The New Day

Charlotte v Paige- Divas Title
This is another one that's quite hard to call. If you read my Predictions regularly you'll know by how I lay them out that I do think Charlotte's winning tonight. However, as with New Day it's a long way off being a "sure thing". I stand by the statement I made last month that were it not for the Reid Flair stuff Charlotte was dropping the Title to Paige at Survivor Series. Now heading into TLC there's always the potential for them to pull the trigger on that, however with Charlotte's "new attitude" it may be enough to hold her over for now.

My whole thing with this match is-as I said in the RAW Review WHO IN THE ACTUAL FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO BE CHEERING FOR TONIGHT?! The two "Divas" feuding for the Title are pretty equal in their bitchiness. Both of them are equally unlikeable, it's like they WANT a completely flat crowd for this match. The reason I've positioned it here on the "card" is because they MUST know it's going to kill the crowd dead, and it'll need time to recover with some good matches to rope them back in.

One thing I have to say, it is really annoying that on a literal Stipulation PPV- that the Divas are just wrestling a normal match. I'm not suggesting there should be Divas Ladder Matches, because that's a death waiting to happen- but could they really not give Charlotte and Paige some Chairs? These two supposedly hate each other, and on a Stipulation PPV they're going to WRESTLE within the confines of a normal match.
Winner: Charlotte

Alberto Del Rio v Jack Swagger- US Title Chairs Match
Speaking of Chairs, we might as well talk about this one now. Depending on how much time this match is given, and how "creative" these two get with the Chairs- this match also has some steal the show potential. It is quite amazing how much Alberto Del Rio's star has fallen within the space of 3 PPVs, however as is the case with both Del Rio and Swagger- their ring-work can speak for itself most of the time. It's a no-brainer as to who's going to win this- and I do think that'll effect the match somewhat, but if Zeb shows up and causes trouble there might be some doubt creeping in.

If nothing else, before Zeb goes off TV- which may well have been Monday I want him to hit someone with his Mobility Scooter. Del Rio "firing" Zeb would be the perfect time to bring back Ricardo. Oh Well.
Winner: Albertoooooooooooooooooooo Deeeeelll Riiioooooooooooooo

Rusev v Ryback
I genuinely couldn't have less interest in this match. We've had this match twice already in the very recent past, and apart from Ryback doing a Corkscrew(ish) over the Top Rope- literally nothing of any significance happened in them. I'd genuinely argue this is the hardest match to call on the whole card. The reason being, they've already had Lana shenanigans resulting in Rusev getting the better of Ryback on RAW. Even for WWE, basically repeating a finish twice within the space of a week (and not on Smackdown) is too much.

With that in mind, I genuinely think Ryback has a chance tonight. I can see something happening along the lines of Lana getting "injured" again, Ryback calls bullshit because of what happened on RAW and then Rusev looks concerned and Ryback takes advantage. The pay-off would of course be that Lana is actually injured this time, and it's a "cried wolf" situation for both Rusev and Lana. That's making the best of a bad situation, but for some reason I don't think it will- and Rusev will just win.
Winner: Rusev

The Wyatt Family v Team ECW- Tables Elimination Match
This match could be quite fun, but it could also just be really slow and awkward. Especially with the Tables Stipulation, I wish RVD would have been in the ECW Team. There's only so many ways Bubba Ray, D-Von, Rhyno and Dreamer can put people through Tables- although as I'll discuss they may not even have to. Putting someone like RVD in Team ECW to fly around a bit, and generally be a counter-balance to the other guys in the team would have been better.

If it were entirely up to me, this would be an absolute massacre. This match would be 5 Minutes at most, and would literally consist of Braun Strowman killing bitches. This is also where I wish Spike would have been involved, because as I've said before Strowman and Spike together is money. I would literally have Strowman eliminate all 4 members of Team ECW on his own with Bray laughing in the corner. I'd have Harper and Rowan just doing "brawl" spots with the members of Team ECW not pairing with Strowman or already eliminated- and then have Strowman throw the ECW guys around to the best of his ability. That would be a "star making" performance for Strowman, and especially heading into Mania season- of which TLC is usually the bridge for it's needed.

I highly doubt this would actually happen though, so here's my predicted Elimination Order;
Erick Rowan (Eliminated by Rhyno- GORE! GORE!)
Tommy Dreamer (Eliminated by Braun Strowman)
Rhyno (Eliminated by Braun Strowman)
Luke Harper (Eliminated by a 3D)
D-Von (Eliminated by Braun Strowman)
Bubba Ray (Eliminated by Bray Wyatt)

I realise I haven't gone that far away from what I've said would be a "star making" performance for Strowman, but I think the match is going to be at least 10 Minutes and in my opinion it'll be too long for what it is.
Winner: The Wyatt Family

Dean Ambrose v Kevin Owens- IC Title Match
I'm not quite sure why, but I genuinely think Dean Ambrose is winning the IC Title tonight. In my Accumulator for the PPV tonight this is the only one that I've picked which isn't the favourite. I'm not even quite sure why I do in fact think Ambrose is winning, I just sort of "do". It might be because I have this deep lying idea to have Reigns and Ambrose butting heads and the idea that Ambrose is winning Titles on his own while Reigns is getting fucked over can potentially play into that. If I'm honest with myself, Ambrose isn't winning- but I've already done my Accumulator as of writing this so I'm sticking with it. How's that for being decisive.
Winner: Dean Ambrose

Sheamus v Roman Reigns- WWE Title TLC Match
Especially with how RAW went, I think it's a fairly safe bet to say that Sheamus is winning. Unless Vince suddenly freaks out with the RAW Ratings and decides Roman's the solution Sheamus is winning tonight. I'm in no way suggesting that Sheamus will win Clean, and I'm fully expecting The League of Nations to be involved at a minimum.

In fact, going back to my earlier Predictions- assuming The Usos and Ambrose (I know) aren't winning they could do "League of Nations ambushes" on them after the match. Alternatively, have The Usos get killed by a big Ladder/Table Spot and Kevin Owens Powerbomb Ambrose onto the Apron. The point being, I'm expecting them to try and play up the idea of Reigns having to fight off a load of people. That would be fine given the current angle, were it not for the fact Reigns beat all four in a Handicap Match on Smackdown. That's what I'm expecting, and for the end of the show I reckon Sheamus will still be the WWE Champion.
Winner: Sheamus

There's not any obvious candidates on the card where you look at the match and say "that match is going to be great". What there is, is a lot of "dark horse" matches in that they're not obvious "going to be great" matches- but at the same time if the stars align for those involved it very well can be. TLC is always a very "transitional" PPV, as I've already said once today it's truly the "bridging" PPV between the Autumn/Early-Winter period and Mania Season. This is of course the last PPV of the Year, so lets hope that it's at least worth spending 3 Hours of our miserable lives watching.

Thanks for reading as always, these next few weeks are quite busy for both sides of the Blog. There's of course the TLC Review coming up tomorrow and the RAW Review on Monday. Then we move onto the NXT Takeover: London Review, where I'm debating as to what day I'm going to put it up given the time of the event is a lot more agreeable to us English Folk. I'm also not sure if the Brock Live Event next Saturday is on the Network, so there might be another one there. All of that, plus The Sammy's are going to be written and posted somewhere along the way. So hopefully you'll be staying tuned for all of those. Thanks again for reading, hopefully you'll be tagging along on Twitter tonight as well, and let's just hope for the best eh?