WWE TLC 2018 preview: Live stream, start time, match card, predictions

WWE TLC match card

Elias vs. Bobby Lashley (Ladder Match)

Elias has been over with the WWE Universe for quite some time and this feud with Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush (be sure to mute this match) has fully established him in a babyface role on Monday Night RAW. I’m not sure Lashley’s new character is working for me but it is something different for him and he doesn’t have to waste time attempting to cut promos with Rush by his side. Lio actually got himself a win over Elias this past Monday as new referee Heath Slater wouldn’t disqualify Lashley for getting involved, which resulted in Elias taking a shot with the guitar. It seemed pointless but what it did was later add a stipulation that Sunday’s match will now be somewhat of a Ladder Match as the guitar will be above the ring and the first person to climb up and get it can use it as a weapon. Why not?

Prediction: This could be a decent match if they’re given enough time and while a few people have been out, Elias has been one of the biggest babyfaces on Monday nights as of late. It’s said that Vince is pretty high on him so a big win to close out the year could be in the cards. Throwing in the guitar as a weapon could also be a way for him to get a win without Lashley looking too weak in a loss.

Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio (Chairs Match)

The two future WWE Hall of Famers have been at it for a while and this past Tuesday, this Chairs Match between Randy Orton and Rey Mysterio was added to the card. I know they’re trying to make me care about this feud but I just can’t get into it. Don’t get me wrong, this version of Randy Orton is better than the babyface version but all it’s been since the turn is him taking out guys who have been around for 20 years. So we’ll see how this goes.

Prediction: This match would seem to favor somebody like Orton so that probably means that Mysterio could sneak off with a win. I honestly don’t care that much and a win or loss for either really means nothing moving forward.

Finn Balor vs. Drew McIntyre

Like the above match, this match came to be as part of Baron Corbin’s plan to punish those who seem to be against him becoming the permanent General Manager of Monday Night RAW. Finn Balor has been very vocal on this and Drew McIntyre has been thrown in to essentially shut him up. This has the chance to be a very good matchup, but only if Balor can get healthy. Word is that he’s not injured but is suffering from an illness and is expected to go on Sunday.

Prediction: I think Balor puts up a good fight but McIntyre has so much momentum right now and I don’t think he takes a loss here unless the newly-turned Dolph Ziggler (he’s beginning to enter Big Show territory with all of his switching) gets involved. But those two have battled on RAW for the past couple of weeks so there may be no need to go further down that path. No matter what, I think McIntyre gets the victory here.

Natalya vs. Ruby Riott (Tables Match)

This feud has been pretty intense for more than a month after things got rolling with Ruby Riott breaking a pair of sunglasses that belonged to Natalya’s father, the late, great Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart. Already emotionally spent, Nattie took some physical pain as well when The Riott Squad slammed her through a table recently on RAW, which led to this stipulation being added to this match. The emotional torture continued this past Monday as Riott revealed a table with a full-size picture of “The Anvil” on it, telling Nattie that after Sunday, she’ll be closer to her father than ever before. Damn.

Prediction: The numbers game isn’t in Natalya’s favor but with a few women not being on the card, I think a few friends come down to even the score and assist Nattie in getting the win here to close this program out while also setting up some new feuds along the way.

Braun Strowman vs. Baron Corbin (Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match)

This is a match that gets a TLC stipulation added to it? Seems like a mistake to me given the other matches that could easily be better than this with that format but here we are. So if Braun Strowman wins, he gets his match for the WWE Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble against Brock Lesnar. If Corbin wins, he becomes the permanent General Manager of RAW. Another problem? Braun might not even be able to go. Following recent elbow surgery, which looked pretty nasty given that pic that made its way around the internet earlier this week, what happens if he’s unable to go? Does Corbin just win and we’re out a TLC match?

Prediction: I do think that Strowman does make it to this match, even if I was thinking that Bray Wyatt could come in as a replacement to shake things up. But I think Strowman just comes in and destroys Corbin with one arm and gets his match with Lesnar. I do have to give props to Corbin for that TLC match on RAW with Seth Rollins though. At least there he had a chance to show off his TLC skills a bit.

R-Truth & Carmella vs. Jinder Mahal & Alicia Fox (Finals of Mixed Match Challenge Season 2)

It’s been really hard to keep track of what’s been happening in this second season of Mixed Match Challenge with all the injuries and partner substitutions and such but the finals are finally set after what seems like forever. The big stipulation here is that the winners get the coveted No. 30 slots in the Royal Rumble matches next month.

Prediction: The entertainment value for the No. 30 spots seems to be with R-Truth and Carmella so I’ll go with them here, especially seeing as they’ve really been the only duo that’s been consistent throughout this tournament.