Tonight, SmackDown Live host its Pay-Per-View focusing on tender love and care tables, ladders, and chairs: TLC. Each weapon in the event’s name will have its own match, then the main event features AJ Styles defending the WWE World Championship against Dean Ambrose.
American Alpha, The Hype Bros, & Apollo Crews vs. The Vaudevillains, The Ascension, & Curt Hawkins
This match was unannounced and scheduled for the Kickoff Show as a way to get the fans in attendance ready for the main show. While we’ve seen the tag teams almost weekly, this is a good opportunity for Superstars like Curt Hawkins and Apollo Crews to remind the fans that they actually exist.
After 7 of the competitors are left outside of the ring (like a usual 10-man tag), American Alpha hit Grand Amplitude on Simon Gotch to end the match. Winners: Amercian Alpha, The Hype Bros, & Apollo Crews
Heath Slater & Rhyno (c) vs. Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton (w/Luke Harper) – SmackDown Tag Team Championships
Two weeks ago on SmackDown, American Alpha won Tag Team Turmoil against the rest of the SmackDown tag team division, or so they thought. Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton teamed up, and gave themselves a #1 Contender’s match against American Alpha last week, where they would end up winning thanks to the help of Luke Harper. If the Wyatts win this match, Bray Wyatt will have his first title in WWE, and Randy Orton will be a Tag Team Champion for the first time in about 10 years.
Randy Orton pushes Bray Wyatt out of the way of an attack, then Luke Harper sacrifices himself and takes a Gore for Randy Orton. Rhyno gets back in the ring, gets freaked out by Bray Wyatt’s spider walk, then an RKO “outta nowhere” puts the champs away. Winners, and NEW SmackDown Tag Team Champions: The Wyatt Family
After the match, Bray Wyatt puts his title on Luke Harper, hinting that they might being using the Freebird Rule like the New Day.
Predicted Winners: Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton (1/1)
Nikki Bella vs. Carmella – No Disqualification Match
This is a match that’s been a long time coming. Nikki Bella and Carmella have been feuding since SummerSlam, and their rivalry has been asking for a No Disqualification stipulation. While this definitely won’t be a mat classic, it is sure to be a good fight.
Carmella starts off strong, but Nikki Bella finds a fire extinguisher and disorients Carmella for the rest of the match. Bella then hits the Rack Attack 2.0 to put away the Princess of Staten Island. Winner: Nikki Bella
After the match, Carmella grabs a microphone and tells Nikki Bella that her Survivor Series attacker was not her, but Natalya.
Predicted Winner: Carmella (1/2)
The Miz (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler – Intercontinental Championship (Ladder Match)
No matter who wins this match, Daniel Bryan has said that this match will be the final chapter in the rivalry of The Miz and Dolph Ziggler. While both men are great performers, The Miz has the advantage because he can legally use all of his sneaky tactics (Maryse, The Spirit Squad, etc.).
Dolph Ziggler was climbing up two different ladders at the same time to get the belt, but The Miz hits Ziggler with two low blows, then proceeds to grabs the championship to end the feud. Winner, and STILL Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Predicted Winner: The Miz (2/3)
Baron Corbin vs. Kalisto – Chairs Match
Baron Corbin has been attacking Kalisto for weeks (with a space in the middle where Kalisto was injured), and the only reason imaginable is when Kalisto “cost” Corbin an Intercontinental Championship opportunity by also losing a triple threat match to Apollo Crews. After weeks of assault, Kalisto now has his chance for revenge. In a chairs match, winner is decided by pinfall or submission.
Kalisto puts on one of the best performances of his WWE career, but he is stopped in mid-air by a steel chair. After Corbin knocks him out with the first chair, he hits the End of Days on a bed of chairs to secure the win. Winner: Baron Corbin
Predicted Winner: Baron Corbin (3/4)
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Alexa Bliss – SmackDown Women’s Championship (Tables Match)
Becky Lynch defended the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss on November 8, but Bliss’s foot was on the rope while she tapped out to the Disarm-her outside of the referee’s vision. This led to a rematch contract signing last Tuesday, when things got out of hand (of course). Their brawl ended with Bliss sending Lynch through a table, which foreshadowed the match stipulation for tonight.
Lynch and Bliss jock for position on the apron, and Bliss rakes the champion’s eyes. Bliss drops down from the apron, then powerbombs Lynch through a table to become the second SmackDown Women’s Champion ever. Winner, and NEW SmackDown Women’s Champion: Alexa Bliss
Predicted Winner: Alexa Bliss (4/5)
AJ Styles (c) vs. Dean Ambrose – WWE World Championship (TLC Match)
We have finally reached the match that gave tonight’s event its name, and it’s only slightly different than a Ladder Match. This type of match is right up Ambrose’s alley, as seen with his Street Fight against Brock Lesnar, as well as his Asylum Match against Chris Jericho earlier this year.
AJ Styles starts climbing the ladder, when James Ellsworth slowly makes his way down to the ring. Styles tries for another Styles Clash off of the stairs, but Ambrose hits him with Dirty Deeds instead. Ambrose almost grabs the title, but James Ellsworth pushes the ladder and send Ambrose crashing through two tables. Styles gingerly climbs up the ladder for the last time while Ellsworth cheers on, and retains his title. Winner, and STILL WWE World Champion: AJ Styles
Predicted Winner: AJ Styles (5/6)
