WWE TLC 2013 Matches: Full Predictions for Entire Card Lineup

On the heels of a disappointing Survivor Series pay-per-view a few weeks ago, WWE officials were well aware that something big needed to be done at TLC. That mission has already been accomplished as the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships will finally be unified.

Randy Orton and John Cena will do battle in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs match to determine once and for all who is the true face of the company. Although the vast majority of the focus will be on that match come Dec. 15, the rest of the card is solid in its own right.

Both Daniel Bryan and CM Punk will be featured in matches of importance, while three additional titles will be on the line as well. WrestleMania season is on the horizon, and TLC should provide a great segue.

Here is a complete breakdown of every match on the TLC card, along with predictions on how each of them will play out.

John Cena vs. Randy Orton (Title Unification TLC Match)

It can be argued that the creative team should have spent months building toward a unification match rather than three weeks, but there is no question that fans are once again interested in the product after a lull in quality since SummerSlam. Many have been calling for WWE's top titles to be unified for quite some time due to the elimination of the brand split, and those fans will get what they desire in the form of a match between two of the biggest WWE stars over the past decade.

Cena and Orton have plenty of battles over the years, but their TLC encounter should top all of them because of how much is riding on it. There is a great deal of intrigue surrounding this match, especially after what happened on Raw. Triple H pedigreed Orton after he accidentally knocked down Stephanie McMahon, and the show closed with Cena standing next to The Authority, so one school of thought suggests that Cena could turn heel.

It's a nice thought, but it simply isn't going to happen. The ending of Raw was simply a tease in order to capture the attention of the fans, and it definitely succeeded in that regard. Cena would seem to be the more likely candidate to win this match since Orton has floundered a bit as WWE Champion, but don't count out a swerve ending.

Triple H is centralizing the titles for a reason, and it would seem as though he doesn't want either Orton or Cena as the face of the company. Triple H already has a ton of heel heat, but grabbing the titles and proclaiming himself to be Unified Champion would take things to another level. That could then set up a WrestleMania main event that sees Triple H put over either Bryan or Punk, so putting the title on Triple H for now is the best possible option.

Prediction: Triple H wins the Unified Championship

Daniel Bryan vs. The Wyatt Family

Although Daniel Bryan is no longer chasing the WWE Championship, that doesn't mean that he isn't a huge part of the product. Aside from the unification match, Bryan's bout with the Wyatt Family is probably the biggest contest on the card. Bryan has been dealing with the Wyatts for the past several weeks, and Bray Wyatt has even tried to convince Bryan to join him in recent weeks.

Bryan has refused, but the thought of Bryan turning heel is interesting to say the least. If that does happen, though, it will be a major shock. With Bryan being among the top contenders to win the Royal Rumble, he could potentially use a win at TLC, but the better route would be to have Wyatt, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan win.

If Bryan beats them, then the threat of joining the group will no longer be present. If Bryan loses, though, it will create some doubt with regard to whether or not Bryan should side with his tormentors. Expect the Wyatts to overwhelm Bryan and win the match on Sunday, but Bryan will ultimately get the last laugh down the line.

Prediction: The Wyatt Family wins

CM Punk vs. The Shield

Like Bryan, Punk will take part in a handicap match at TLC as well. The Shield randomly attacked Punk a few weeks ago, and they have been embroiled in a feud ever since. It would seem as though Punk is at a huge disadvantage, and The Shield certainly seems confident based on this tweet:

With that said, The Shield have shown chinks in the armor as of late. Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose in particular haven't seen eye-to-eye, so the possibility of a miscommunication is present. Reigns has been on the ascent since his dominant performance at Survivor Series, but Ambrose is still the United States Champion. Seth Rollins has been lost in the shuffle to some extent, but he'll play a role as well.

The Shield ought to dominate this match, but Punk is going to get some flurries in. What will ultimately cost The Shield is the desire of both Reigns and Ambrose to be the main man. Look for Reigns to accidentally spear Ambrose, which will allow Punk to pick up the upset victory and also accelerate the dissolution of The Shield.

Prediction: CM Punk wins

AJ Lee vs. Natalya (Divas Championship Match)

AJ Lee has done a fantastic job as Divas Champion, but it seems as though the creative team is unsure of how to handle the title scene. The past several months have been about AJ and Tamina waging war against the Total Divas cast, and that will continue at TLC as AJ defends her title against Natalya.

There really isn't much reason for AJ to lose the championship at this point, but the Total Divas factor could convince WWE to put the belt on Natalya. After all, Natalya has been featured quite often lately, particularly on WWE's Instagram page.

Even so, AJ is the better option. Even if Natalya were to win the title, she wouldn't have anyone to feud with anyway. The only issue with AJ is a lack of competition, so hopefully some is brought in after AJ wins on Sunday.

Prediction: AJ Lee retains

Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs. Big Show & Rey Mysterio vs. Real Americans vs. Rybaxel (Tag Team Championship Match)

Cody Rhodes and Goldust have taken WWE by storm since forming a tag team and defeating The Shield for the Tag Team Championships. They aren't currently involved in a defined feud, but they will have their work cut out for them at TLC when they defend the straps against the team of Big Show and Rey Mysterio, The Real Americans and Rybaxel in a Fatal 4-Way match.

Although this match was a late addition and it hasn't gotten much attention, it could potentially be one of the best bouts on the card. Rhodes and Goldust have been on fire as of late, and they are essentially incapable of having a bad match. Add in the pure power of Big Show and Ryback, the technical prowess of Jack Swagger, Antonio Cesaro and Curtis Axel and the high flying of Rey Mysterio, and this match has pretty much everything.

The team of Ryback and Axel has been getting a solid push lately as have The Real Americans, but there is no reason for Rhodes and Goldust to lose. They could potentially break up in the near future to set up a WrestleMania match, but they'll continue to roll at TLC.

Prediction: Rhodes & Goldust retain

Big E Langston vs. Damien Sandow (Intercontinental Championship Match)

Big E Langston has been on the rise since turning face, and that culminated when he defeated Axel for the Intercontinental Championship a few weeks ago. Damien Sandow has been moving in the opposite direction since failing to successfully cash in his Money in the Bank contract on Cena, but a win at TLC would change things. Sandow earned the No. 1 contender spot, and Langston congratulated him in jest on Twitter:

Since Big E is still settling in as Intercontinental Champion, common sense would seem to point toward him retaining the title. At the same time, the IC title would be a nice consolation prize for Sandow after what happened with Money in the Bank, especially since the belt figures to get a boost with the top two titles getting unified.

Even so, Big E is gaining traction with the crowd, and WWE probably wants to see how far he can go. Because of that, Langston will pick up a clean, impressive win and remain Intercontinental Champion.

Prediction: Big E Langston retains

Dolph Ziggler vs. Fandango (Kickoff Match)

Unfortunately for Dolph Ziggler, he has become a staple on pay-per-view pre-shows. He clearly isn't being utilized as well as he should be, but that hasn't stopped Ziggler from stealing the show every chance he gets. Even if Ziggler isn't feuding with Fandango, they could potentially put on a fantastic match.

Neither man has exactly been receiving a push, so this one is a bit of a tossup. Ziggler faced Sandow on Raw in random hardcore matches for several weeks in a row, while Fandango has been getting fed to top stars. 

Since it's more likely that Ziggler has something of importance on the horizon than Fandango, The Showoff should come away victorious in an entertaining encounter.

Prediction: Dolph Ziggler wins

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter