Tables, Ladders and Chairs…Oh My Gawd!! – TLC Prediction Post

WWE is back in Dallas to close out 2016s PPV calendar for the Blue Brand with Tables, Ladders and Chairs.  I miss the Hardyz and E&C every time someone says TLC, but we can’t have everything we want all the time (see Roman Reigns).

As it is a Smackdown Live PPV, I feel entirely comfortable shamelessly plugging for the Face that runs the Place, JOHN CENA, who is hosting Saturday Night Live next week.  I don’t ever watch SNL except the opening segments with Alec Baldwin, but I’ll be watching next Saturday night for sure.

But let’s get to predicting.

There aren’t any kickoff show matchups set just yet, but we expect there to be at least one, if not two, so let’s get to predicting what they’ll be.

Matt:  I’ll go ahead and just assume that we will see The Curt Hawkins against Apollo Crews again, as they seemingly have no direction for either of them.  But being in the kickoff show circuit has worked out ok for Baron Corbin, so who knows where it might lead.  Apollo will get the win in that one.  Then expect a tag team match.  Jeremy has this one covered though.

Jeremy:  Hype Bros squash the Spirit Squad.  The Vaudevillians enjoy catering.

Nikki Bella vs Carmella (No DQ)

Matt:  I’ve loved Carmella’s use since she got called up, with the exception of constantly feeling the need to bring up John Cena while you’re dating 1/2 of the Certified G Protection Agency, so I’m going to go slightly against my gut here and pick Carmella, even knowing the company likes to protect Nikki Bella.  Carmella with that head scissors submission move she does, attacking the surgically repaired neck of Nikki.

Jeremy:  Carmella has really impressed me here. Her smackdown debut was terrible. She’s turned a corner and is compelling. You have to give props to Nikki. She’s really proved she’s a diva that can hang around in Women’s wrestling. I think the Fearless one is going to pull this one off, but not without Carmella getting some major heat first. Either that or it’s going to be revealed that Nattie was the one that attacked Nikki and it becomes a triple threat. Maybe, because it’s a No DQ match, Carmella gets the win. I’m still sticking with Nikki here.

Beauty and the Man Beast (Slater & Rhyno) vs The Newest Wyatt Family (Orton & Wyatt) for the Tag Team Championship

Matt:  As high as Slater and Rhyno are flying right now, American Alpha is the next “it” team, and they’re not going to run the risk of giving either of those teams heat by pitting them against on another, so the logical progression is to work the belt to this new Wyatt Family incarnation so Alpha can take on the team of absolute monsters to show their physical dominance over the rest of the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Division.  However, this being the one match of the night without any sort of gimmick, I’m expecting Luke Harper to finally cost Orton a win and turn against his family out of petty jealousy.  Rhyno and Slater retain, will hold the belts longer than New Day.

Jeremy:  Months and months of Wyatt never winning a PPV, basically the anti-Charlotte, and Randy and Bray are the survivors for Smackdown in a huge win, and probably one of the best SS matches in a long time. I expect them to ride that newfound momentum to a victory at TLC. At first I didn’t love the Viper being in the Wyatt family, but I love it. It completely revived a dead character.  But there’s no denying Slater and Rhyno’s popularity. Although I think they are relinquishing here, I think they’ll stay in the title picture, even as American Alpha enters it.

Kalisto vs Baron Corbin (Chairs Match)

Matt:  If there’s one thing I’ve learned on Smackdown Live, it’s that if you pay enough attention to JBL’s commentary, he tells you exactly what the strategy for the company is.  If you’ve watched any time Corbin is on screen since the brand split, you’ve probably gotten the same impression that I have: Baron Corbin is the WWEs newest Roman Reigns, just a bad guy version.  He’s not anywhere near as pretty as Roman Reigns, but still.  Corbin is going to destroy Kalisto here in the ongoing efforts to make him look like a monster.  Kalisto will get some of the big spots in, probably a that Hurricanrana-DDT thing onto a chair, but Corbin is going to End of Days Kalisto through a damn chair.

Jeremy:  Finally a stipulation where I feel that kalisto has a realistic chance. I expect Corbin to win here, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Kalisto whipped out a Salida Del Sol onto a pile of chairs or something.

Dolph Ziggler vs The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship (Ladder Match)

Matt:  That title is going back to Ziggler.  The IC belt is Smackdown’s version of the Raw Women’s Championship.  Expect it to constantly change hands now that the Miz’s never ending title reign came to an end, and honestly I’m ok with it.  I would very much like to see them work Zack Ryder back into the fold for this belt.  Remember that Ladder Match at Wrestlemania?  Of course you do.  It was the match of the night (all 7 hours of the damn show).  Ziggler with the win.  

Jeremy:  I think that Dolph takes it back…maybe? I don’t know. I think this’ll be great though. Smackdown has really revitalized Ziggler and Miz’s careers. It’ll be an entertaining match for sure.

Becky Lynch vs Alexa Bliss for the WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship (Tables Match)

Matt:  I have a sneaking suspicion that this match has the potential to be the match of the night on any show that doesn’t have a TLC match between two completely fearless performers who are going to put their lives on the line to shine in the main event match.  The build and story here has been great.  Alexa is the one who’s always just been good at everything, Becky the scrappy fighter that overshadows the one that isn’t used to being second best.  It’s just been very well written and performed by both competitors.  Just look at Tuesday.  Yes, it was a contract signing, but do you remember how f***ing obnoxious that Mick Foley-Charlotte-Sasha segment was about the cage match being history in the making?  They didn’t even mention the fact they were having a tables match until an hour and a half later, and it was one of those quick backstage segments.  It was well done because there’s nothing that slows the progress these women have truly made in the industry more than constantly reminding us they are second rate or incapable of doing the things the Men can do.  Good on the Smackdown creative team for their impeccable work in getting this thing to this point.  I think Becky retains, because I think Becky will hold that title until the company forces her to retire.  And I’m completely ok with that.

Jeremy:  I think this can potentially steal the show. What was great about the opening segment on Tuesday was that it was just a segment. Not a women’s segment or about making history, it was just a segment. And it’s a much better contract signing segment than most of the men’s. I think Alexa is the women’s champion. And the guy saying this literally wakes up every day to Becky Lynch’s theme.

Dean Ambrose vs The Phenomenal AJ Styles for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (TLC Match)

Matt:  I could not be more excited for a match than I am for this one.  AJ Styles took a big bump against James Ellsworth, when he most definitely didn’t have to.  Dean Ambrose has been itching for someone to actually let him play up to the thing that got him where he is in the first place, a willingness to put himself on the line to be a professional wrestler.  Seriously, find his early days on YouTube, jumping off buildings through flaming tables and stuff.  He’s insane, and they keep trying to find him an opponent, and good on old ass Chris Jericho for giving it a shot, but AJ Styles is both willing to match his ability to take a bump and anyone who gets in the ring with Styles is automatically elevated to another level just because of how good AJ is.  He can cater himself to his opponent to make the match great (again, see Roman Reigns).  This match is not going to end this whole ordeal between these two, and I’m expecting some sort of Triple Threat Match or a Fatal Four Way at the Royal Rumble.  I’m projecting that John Cena will return tonight at the very least, and possibly the Undertaker as well.  Let’s throw Ellsworth’s title shot in the mix and do an Elimination Chamber match at Royal Rumble.  AJ Styles will retain, hopefully, because Dean Ambrose functions more fully as a character when he does not have the belt.  That few months was crap for his character and set him way, WAY back.  Styles Clash off the top of a ladder through a table.  The Champ that runs the Camp

Jeremy:  This match will be nuts. AJ is going to do crazier stuff than you’d expect a 39 year old to do. For Dean, I expect this to be on par with his title match at Roadblock vs HHH. AJ is so good at working a style that always makes the other guy look great. I expect AJ to retain and maybe the Undertaker to show up to make a claim to the WWE championship.

Well, that’s your show tonight from the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas.  Excited?  We sure as hell are.  We’ll bring you our recap tomorrow.