The final WWE PPV of the year is almost upon us. Tables, Ladders, and Chairs, and it features a bumper 12 matches. A lot to get through but give WWE a break, it has been more than a month since they gave us a big show. Considering how the company operates, that's showing some tremendous self-restraint on their part. TLC takes place at 7 PM ET this Sunday (December 16, 2018) on the WWE Network, and here is everything you need to know about the 12-match card.
Daniel Bryan vs AJ Styles for the WWE Championship
This match is currently at the top of the bill on WWE.com. We're hoping that's indicative of where it will be come Sunday. It has been too long since a WWE Championship match closed a show, and if any match is going to, it should be this one. Two of the greatest in-ring performers of this generation going at it for the company's biggest prize. Plus, Daniel Bryan has somehow made the entire fanbase boo and hate him. This one is unmissable, but who will leave TLC with the gold?
Seth Rollins vs Dean Ambrose for the Intercontinental Championship
WWE rivalries don't get much more personal than this. Dean Ambrose turning on Seth Rollins not only right after they won the Raw Tag Titles, but just hours after Roman Reigns revealed to the world that he had leukemia. That real-life issue has been continually worked into the angle between these two. Whether you like it or not, it has made the animosity feel extremely real. This match may very well steal the show on Sunday. Probably why WWE feels like it doesn't need any sort of stipulation.
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Braun Strowman vs Baron Corbin in a TLC Match
Baron Corbin is banking on Braun Strowman not making it to TLC on Sunday. However, busted up elbow or not, we are fairly certain The Monster Among Men is going to be there. We'd also bet a lot of money on it being a short affair. Strowman rolls in, decimates Corbin, and with that, he will no longer be Monday's General Manager Elect. Hopefully, Kurt Angle will return. Anyone but Corbin right now considering the shape of Raw.
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Ronda Rousey vs Nia Jax for the Raw Women's Championship
At Survivor Series we got a dream match between Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair. Some time between Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 35 we'll likely get Rousey versus Becky Lynch. On Sunday, we'll have to settle for The Rowdy One taking on Nia Jax. To be fair, there aren't currently many options for Rousey opponents on Raw. There are rumors that the champ herself has requested this feud end sooner rather than later. We're right there with you Ronda, just because we know what massive matches your future holds.
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Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair vs Asuka in a TLC Match for the SmackDown Women's Championship
Of all the firsts WWE's women have accomplished over the last few years, it seems crazy that they still haven't competed in a TLC match. That all changes this Sunday, and we can't think of three Superstars more suited to the job. What better way to make things between Flair and Lynch even more interesting than adding the incredibly talented Asuka to the mix? It'll be The Man's first match in over a month and it has got instant classic written all over it.
The Bar vs The Usos vs The New Day for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships
We're tempted to call this one TLC's sleeper match, but is it really a secret any more that SmackDown's tag team division is incredible? At this point, the only person who doesn't seem to agree with that premise is Vince McMahon. The Usos are currently the hottest of these three teams right now, so seeing them win the titles this weekend would be a great moment. Plus, The Bar really has been turned into a joke during the build to this so could do with dropping those titles.
RELATED: WWE RUMORED TO BE CROWNING MULTIPLE NEW CHAMPIONS AT TLC
Natalya vs Ruby Riott in a Tables Match
The grudge match between Ambrose and Rollins isn't the only one on the TLC card that has gotten extremely personal. Ruby Riott has continually been goading Natalya about her recently deceased father, Jim Neidhart. Another storyline that has really had fans split in the build to this match. One of the tables will have an image of Neidhart on it at TLC. WWE wouldn't be so callous to have Nattie be slammed through it, right?
Finn Balor vs Drew McIntyre
A couple of the matches on the TLC card are in jeopardy due to illness and injury, and this is one of them. Finn Balor was missing from this week's Raw due to some sort of illness. Luckily, due to the beating he suffered from Drew McIntyre a week prior, there was an easy way to cover it up via storyline. We hope this match goes ahead as planned as we would very much like to see it, especially if Balor plans on cracking out his Demon paint as he did for last year's TLC.
Elias vs Bobby Lashley in a Ladder Match
Honestly, this one has left us a little confused. That's because until we went to WWE.com for the full match card, we didn't realize this was a ladder match. We also don't understand how it can be a ladder match. Neither Superstar has a title so what will they need to climb a ladder for? Will Elias's guitar be hanging above the ring? Or maybe it'll be Lio Rush? WWE often forces stipulations on matches, especially at TLC, and no match on this card has a more forced stipulation than this one.
Buddy Murphy vs Cedric Alexander for the Cruiserweight Championship
Okay, THIS is TLC's sleeper match. If you tuned in to Super Show-Down a couple of months ago to witness Buddy Murphy win the Cruiserweight Title, you'll have seen these two Superstars put on an absolute clinic. Unfortunately, the rematch will not be taking place in front of 60,000 manic Australian fans. It'll still be a great match though, and it deserves the attention of everyone tuning in to TLC.
R-Truth and Carmella vs Alicia Fox and Jinder Mahal in the final of the Mixed Match Challenge
Making the final of the Mixed Match Challenge a bigger deal by having it on a PPV was a nice idea, but there's one problem. It was relatively easy to predict who would make the final judging by which Superstars already had matches on the TLC card. No matter, and even though not many fans will care who wins this one, there is actually a lot on the line. The winning pair will be entrant number 30 in their respective Royal Rumble matches next month.
Rey Mysterio vs Randy Orton
What was it we were saying earlier about matches having forced stipulations? Chairs matches are even worse, but at least there has been a little bit of related build to this one. Randy Orton has done some significant damage to Rey Mysterio with a steel chair on two different occasions. The luchador used a chair to get some revenge on this week's SmackDown Live and will get an even bigger chance to do more chair related damage at TLC.