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TLC is the final live special of the year and the final stop before the road to the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania begin. There has been a lot of twists, turns and injuries in the lead up to TLC and even with less than a week until the event there are a few matches up in the air. I'm also surprised to see the RAW tag team championships not being defended on the card, especially seeing them change hands this past week. As always I will be speaking about the matches in no particular order and will make edits as the card changes.
1. Mixed Match Challenge Final: Alicia Fox and Jinder Mahal Vs. R Truth And Carmella: If you told me at the start of the Mixed Match Challenge tournament that these two teams would be in the final I probably would have called you a liar. This tournament, as with WWE in general, was plagued by injury throughout. The finals kind of make sense as the top talent in the tournament up until recently have matches already on the card. This match will be nothing if it isn't entertaining. I can't really see the benefit of either Carmella or Truth being number 30 in the Rumble but, Jinder could do with a little bit of a boost as his 2018 was a little bit of a damp squib compared to his 2017. Mahalicia will come out with the win.
2. WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Buddy Murphy (C) Vs. Cedric Alexander: I feel like a stuck record every month when I talk about how good 205 Live and the Cruiserweight division is. Buddy Murphy and Cedric Alexander are both shining examples of the talent on this roster and both have had an amazing year in 2018. Cedric Alexander spent most of the year on top as the champion remaining undefeated until losing the championship to Murphy in Australia in October. These two have had some great matches together and overall as of late and this should be a great attraction match. I fully expect hard hitting fast paced from two of the bigger athletes on the 205 Live show. I can't see Murphy losing his championship soon but, I can see Alexander of Mustafa Ali turning heel at the end of the match.
3. Ladder Match: Elias Vs. Bobby Lashley: I am so glad to see that Elias turned face a few months ago as it made so much sense. The audience has been behind him for a long while and the change has done him the world of good. On the flip side Bobby Lashley has become on of the top heels on RAW and really transformed him from generic big guy to a detestable bad guy by tweaking his character and adding Lio Rush to the mix. I understand that there have to be gimmicks followed on an event like this but, I can't see how the ladder element of this match is going to benefit either Elias or Lashley. This will be hard hitting and will feature more than a little interference in favour of Lashley. Expect Lashley to come out with the win.
4. Tables Match: Natalya Vs. Ruby Riott: This match has been built so well over a number of weeks but, if the reports are true it may be in jeopardy due to Nattie carrying an injury. Ruby Riott has gone from strength to strength since her return from injury, proving herself as not only a worthy leader of the Riott Squad but also one of the top talents in the WWE today. This match incorporated the personal life of Natalya incredibly well and extremely close to the bone which must be difficult. With that being said this should be a great match between two under rated talents. This should be a coming out party for The Riott Squad hopefully pushing them closer to the women's championship picture. I think due to the numbers advantage Ruby Riott will come out on top.
5. Smackdown Live Tag Team Championship: The Bar (C) Vs. The New Day Vs. The Usos: All three teams are more then deserving of holding the Smackdown Live tag team championships and are part of a fantastic roster of tag teams on the blue brand. There have been stellar matches between all of these teams over the past year or two and this may just top them all. It is a testament to these teams that there is no gimmick or stipulation involved in this match so that these teams can show off their abilities. I think there will be some amazing spots throughout the match but, I think it might be The Big Show that might prove to be the X factor in this match. I think The Usos will come out with the win thanks to a Big Show interference.
6. WWE Intercontinental Championship: Seth Rollins (C) Vs. Dean Ambrose: This match has been teased and hinted at from the minute Dean Ambrose came back from injury and I for one cannot wait to see this one. Like the Smackdown Live tag team match this has no gimmick or stipulation added and will simply show how great both men are. Dean Ambrose has slipped into the super heel character like it was made for him, if you have the time watch the Chronicle documentary on the WWE Network highlighting Ambrose it is fantastic and a great insight into his turn. Rollins is furthering his climb into the top face guy on RAW and I think it is a good fit for him. This could be the match of the night and one of the matches of the year if the stars align. I think Ambrose will come out with the win through under handed means.
7. Finn Balor Vs. Drew McIntyre: This is another match that may be in jeopardy as Finn Balor is reportedly dealing with an illness that led to him being sent home from the South American tour recently. It would be a shame if this match is cancelled for that reason. This match has been built rather hastily and weirdly with McIntyre being separated from Dolph Ziggler, despite the two having a good run as a team and with little to no warning. Finn Balor seems to be floating about at the top end of the mid card even though he has the talent to be in the main event that is being held hostage by big bad Bork the Destroyer. If Balor is indeed unable to compete I would love to see McIntrye Vs. Ziggler take each other on. If he is on the card I think he may win the match but, by DQ as McIntyre furthers the psychopath character.
8. Smackdown Live Women's Championship TLC Match: Becky Lynch (C) Vs. Charlotte Flair Vs. Asuka: If Smackdown Live needed another way to prove themselves the superior brand this match will prove how great not only the blue brand is but, also how great the women's division really has become. Becky Lynch has really come into her own in the past few months, showing how great an anti hero character she can be. Charlotte Flair is in a weird spot at the moment, the audience has turned on her a little and she is being pushed as a face character even though all of the signs point to her being heel. Then you have Asuka who has been lost in the shuffle since her first WWE loss at Wrestlemania, not that she hasn't been having great matches. This will be one of the highlights of the night and one of the hardest hitting women's matches in WWE history. Asuka is the X factor in this match as she has no real animosity with either Lynch or Flair but, has the most to gain from this match. I can't see her winning this match but, I can see her getting very close. Flair and Lynch will drive their careers to the next level. I think Lynch will win the match and set up a date with Ronda Rousey at the Royal Rumble.
9. TLC Match: Braun Strowman Vs. Baron Corbin: The final match in doubt for this Sunday as Braun Strowman has been forced to have elbow surgery. Will Strowman be there ? maybe, should he compete ? probably not. Even the most super human competitor takes a little time to heal and I just can't see how he can come back so soon without causing himself more harm. Baron Corbin is really coming into his own as the unlikable boss. As I said I can't see Strowman competing so therefore Corbin will come out with the win.
10. Chairs Match: Randy Orton Vs. Rey Mysterio: This match was announced on Smackdown Live this week and I'm actually surprised that it wasn't announced before now. Rey Mysterio has really come back in the best shape of his entire career after a great run on the independent scene. Randy Orton is at a weird point of his career, appearing sporadically having some pretty good matches and then disappearing again. This will be a decent enough match that will ramp up the brutality in a big way. I think Orton will dominate the match but, Mysterio will pull out his "biggest little guy" magic and come out with the win.
11. RAW Women's Championship: Ronda Rousey (C) Vs. Nia Jax: I am baffled at the way in which the WWE audience has turned on Ronda Rousey in the past few months. She continually improves on an almost weekly basis, doing things that not many other competitors, male or female, can do in the ring. Should she have been pushed so quickly ? probably not but, she is a great draw for the WWE and in the age of WWE appearing in mainstream sports media outlets she is a name to draw in an outside audience. This match has been built in a decent way but, is almost an after thought to the Smackdown Live women's match. Nia Jax is doing a great job pushing the right buttons on social media to further her heel character. This should be an OK match that will see the inevitable outside interference from Tamina. I can't see Rousey losing her championship before Wrestlemania so expect her to come out on top.
12. WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan (C) Vs. AJ Styles: I cannot be more thrilled with the heel turn of Daniel Bryan as it allows him to finally push himself up to the top of the blue brand. AJ Styles is coming off the year plus run as champion that cemented him as one of the greatest pro wrestlers/ sports entertainers of this generation. This match is a dream match up that is finally getting the attention it deserves, I know they have had a couple of matches previously but, this should be and will probably be the top of the card and in an age where the Universal Champion is nowhere to be seen these two often overlooked "little" guys will do more than any of the "bigger" guys have done recently. This will be a hard hitting slug fest that will round out 2018 with a bang. Daniel Bryan will retain.
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