WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2016: B/R Expert Match Predictions, Analysis

The SmackDown LIVE pay-per-view year ends on Sunday with WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2016, but the event is sure to set the stage for what will happen on the Road to WrestleMania 33 in 2017. 

Following Survivor Series, where SmackDown came up short in a number of matches against its brand foe, Raw, tension among Superstars is running high. Feuds have been established throughout each division, and it's going to be interesting to see whether Creative extends those feuds or lets them come to natural conclusions. 

As of Friday morning, here is the match card for WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2016:

• AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose (TLC match for WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
• The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler (ladder match for Intercontinental Championship)
• Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss (tables match for SmackDown LIVE Women’s Championship)
• Nikki Bella vs. Carmella (No disqualification match)
• Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton (SmackDown LIVE Tag Team Championships)
• Kalisto vs. Baron Corbin (chairs match)

As always, the Bleacher Report team is here to break down the big questions heading into TLC. Who will prevail as WWE gets ready to flip the calendar and prepare for the official kickoff to WrestleMania season, the Royal Rumble. 

Let's meet the team.

B/R Expert Panel Lineup

Credit: WWE.com

Just another day discussing WWE TLC 2016 in the Bleacher Report WWE meeting

Bleacher Report's lineup answers the tough questions about the WWE landscape and provides predictions for each match on the WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2016 card.

This team features the following:

• Anthony Mango (@ToeKneeManGo), founder of SmarkOutMoment.com and host of the podcast Smack Talk.
• Erik Beaston (@ErikBeaston).
• Graham "GSM" Matthews, founder of Next Era Wrestling and host of WrestleRant Radio.
• The Doctor Chris Mueller (@BR_Doctor).
• Ryan Dilbert (@ryandilbert), lead writer for @BR_WWE.
• Kevin Berge (@TheBerge_).
• Yours truly, James Moffat (@jamesmoffat).

It's time to tie up those laces and get ready to rumble. The predictions start now.

Kalisto vs. Baron Corbin (Chairs Match)

Q: WWE Superstar Futures Stock Watch: Buy or sell Baron Corbin as a legitimate contender for the WWE World Championship in 2017.

Erik Beaston (EB): Buy. Baron Corbin is a talented big man with the attitude of a badass main event big man. He has a presence about him when he enters the arena that screams "star." In a day and age when that quality is a rarity, he absolutely should be a legitimate contender to the WWE World Championship in 2017. A loss to Kalisto here, though, would hurt that perception significantly.

Match Prediction: Baron Corbin.

Graham GSM Matthews (GSM): I'm buying all the way. I've been a big proponent of Corbin's since he arrived on the main roster at WrestleMania and maintain that he can be a top heel on SmackDown. He's suffered few defeats since coming to the blue brand, and with some more credible wins, he could be in contention for the world title after WrestleMania.

Match Prediction: Baron Corbin wins.

Kevin Berge (KB): I’m 100 percent buying it. SmackDown is in need of fresh top contenders, as the brand has already exhausted many of its highest-profile pairings, and Corbin seems to improve with every appearance. He’s the kind of fast-moving striker who makes sense near the top and would pair well with the collection of main eventers on SmackDown.

Match Prediction: Baron Corbin ends this feud with a vicious victory.

Anthony Mango (AM): I'd buy it if WWE would ever commit to pushing the guy for more than one week at a time. For some reason, it perpetually takes any momentum away from him as soon as he starts building any. Every time he starts doing something noteworthy, the company keeps him off television for a few weeks and then moves him on to a new feud. It's as if his Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal win never happened, so it will take a long time in the midcard in 2017 before he gets to main event status.

Match Prediction: Unfortunately, Kalisto will win, keeping that trend going.

Ryan Dilbert (RD): Buy. Corbin is teeming with potential. He's big, explosive and has fully harnessed his cocky character. He's one strong upper-midcard feud away from being right at home in the world title mix.

Match Prediction: Corbin in dominant fashion.

Chris Mueller (CM): Sell. Corbin is a great midcard talent, and one day he might be ready for the main event scene, but I don’t think he has enough variety in his moveset or the mic skills to stand up to someone like Kevin Owens yet.

Match Prediction: Corbin wins.

James Moffat (JM): Sell. One day Corbin will be challenging for the brand's top prize, but 2017 should be his chance to run with the Intercontinental Championship. Once The Miz and Dolph Ziggler finish their feud, Corbin should be there waiting to challenge the champion. The prospect of another Ziggler-Corbin feud isn't promising, but maybe with more meaning, the story would work itself out. 

Match Prediction: Baron Corbin.

Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton (Tag Team Championships)

Q: Do you think Randy Orton is believable as a member of The Wyatt Family?

EB: No. Nor do I think he is supposed to be. Luke Harper’s concerns that Randy Orton is an untrustworthy snake is well founded considering the look on The Viper’s face this past Tuesday on SmackDown. It is only a matter of time before an RKO greets Wyatt and the feud between the two resumes. That time is not now. Not yet.

Match Prediction: Wyatt and Orton.

GSM: I don't know how good of a fit Orton is for The Wyatt Family, but I can't complain because it has spared us the awful segments and matches they were having while they were feuding. I am much more in favor of them aligning, and I see them taking the titles at TLC.

Match Prediction: Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.

KB: The pairing still feels off, but I think that is intentional. The most likely payoff in this story is for Orton to cause Wyatt to break off with Luke Harper, only to have Orton turn on him once he is alone again. For now, we get an interesting pairing of styles that is fun to watch. Once The Viper turns on Wyatt, it will make it easier to suspend disbelief throughout the rivalry.

Match Prediction: Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton take the victory and run with the tag team championships all the way to WrestleMania.

AM: Not at all. From the moment he turned, I've been waiting for him to reveal that it was all a means to take them down from the inside. The longer they tease tension with Luke Harper, the more likely that seems to be set for the future.

Match Prediction: The Wyatt Family win the belts unless Luke Harper unintentionally causes a disqualification, building even more ill will between him and Bray Wyatt

RD: He wasn't at first. Orton's predatory rhetoric of late, though, has felt very Wyatt-esque. It would help if he began to change his gear and overall look. But for now, I'm tentatively convinced.

Match Prediction: Wyatt and Orton dethrone Beauty and The Man Beast.

CM: No, but I don’t think he is supposed to be believable. At this point in his career, if Orton were going to be part of a stable, he would be the leader. It feels like he is just aligning with Wyatt so he can destroy the group from the inside. WWE has already shown some animosity between Orton and Luke Harper, and I could see him costing the team the tag titles to reignite their feud, but that will likely come later.

Match Prediction: Orton and Wyatt win the tag titles.

JM: I haven't been a fan of this angle since its unusual swerve a few weeks back. Orton vs. Wyatt could have been an entertaining feud, but WWE shifted course inexplicably. I could have even jumped on board with Orton being lured into the Wyatt Family without the match hype between the two. Instead, it seems like a rushed and ill-conceived story that will end with Orton betraying Wyatt a la his time with The Authority. 

Match Prediction: Wyatt and Orton win the tag team titles.

Nikki Bella vs. Carmella (No Disqualification Match)

Q: True or False: Carmella should be moved back to NXT to find a new identity.

EB: False to Part 1. Moving her back to NXT would hurt the progression she has made to this point. What she needs, though, is a new identity. Clearly, saddling her with same gimmick she had as part of Enzo Amore and Big Cass’ time with the brand has not worked. She needs a new persona, but a trip back to NXT would only set her back rather than help catapult her forward.

Match Prediction: Nikki Bella.

GSM: While I will say Carmella is in desperate need of new entrance music, I don't think she needs to be moved back down to NXT. Sure, she would have benefited from a longer stay there, but she has come into her own as a heel, and I have thoroughly enjoyed her feud with Nikki Bella. A win here could cement her as an eventual threat in the title picture.

Match Prediction: Carmella wins.

KB: False. Carmella has been one of the breakout stars of SmackDown’s women’s division. She has gotten better on the mic with every appearance and dived into a character that makes it easy for her to play the crowd. Her feud with Nikki has been a bit better than its Women’s Championship conuterpart. I wouldn’t change a thing for Carmella.

Match Prediction: Nikki Bella finally gets her lasting revenge.

AM: False. Carmella's identity is fine. She's just in need of some more time to hone her skills. She's better now than she was before, and that will continue as time progresses, just like with everybody else over the years. Going down to NXT would be viewed as too drastic of a demotion, and she'd be unable to compensate for that.

Match Prediction: Natalya interferes and costs Nikki Bella the win.

RD: False. Carmella has grown during her feud with Nikki Bella and will continue to do so against talents like Becky Lynch and Natalya. She was drafted too early but is learning on the job well.

Match Prediction: Carmella.

CM: False. She should be moved to Raw and put back with Enzo and Cass. They are great without her, but as a trio, they were so much better. She has tons of charisma, but she needs someone else to play off of on the mic.

Match Prediction: Nikki Bella wins.

JM: True. Carmella is learning on the job on the main roster, and she's been good in the ring for the most part. The problem is that she has no connection whatsoever with WWE fans, who only knew her as the sidekick to Enzo Amore and Big Cass. Heading back down to NXT would accomplish two things: she could re-establish an identity, much like Emma did when she returned to Full Sail University, and second, it would give the NXT women's division another veteran to lean on, which the new class of women's wrestlers could use. 

Match Prediction: Nikki Bella.

Bonus Question No. 1

Credit: WWE.com

Q: John Cena’s return to WWE is slated for the December 26 WWE live event at Madison Square Garden in New York City (h/t Daily DDT). What is the best booking option for the 15-time champion upon his return?

EB: A dream match with The Undertaker. This is, perhaps, the last time the company could present that match at WrestleMania and still have it be the huge money-maker it should have been three or four years ago. Produce that match and leave his championship record be, especially if he continues to take hiatus after hiatus to work on well-deserved mainstream projects.

GSM: Obviously, chasing his 16th world championship upon his return makes the most storyline sense, but I would love that long-desired feud with The Undertaker to finally take form. How they get to that point, I'm not sure, but perhaps they interact in what should be a stacked Royal Rumble match.

KB: The 2017 Royal Rumble already has two huge stars announced for it in Goldberg and Brock Lesnar, so John Cena should be the third man to declare his participation to keep up that high spotlight. Cena can call the Rumble his chance to match Ric Flair’s world title record.

AM: Unless there's a chance Finn Balor can come back in time, I'm 100 percent convinced John Cena is winning the Royal Rumble to challenge and defeat either AJ Styles or The Undertaker at WrestleMania to win his 16th world championship. When he returns, WWE can play it simple and safe and just have him want to enter the Royal Rumble match for that opportunity, possibly feuding with Baron Corbin in the meantime to get him away from Kalisto.

RD: WWE should plant the seeds for a Cena-Undertaker WrestleMania match. Cena could come back to announce his intention to go after the world title again but cross paths with The Deadman. Cena could then engage in a series of battles to get him ready for that big one, facing tough tests from the likes of Dean Ambrose and Baron Corbin.

CM: He needs to start chasing a title again, as long as he has a long stretch in which he can wrestle full time without any other commitments getting in the way. The main event scene is lacking veteran talents, and Cena could help pass the torch to the guys who will be headlining WrestleMania in a few years.

JM: Cena is coming up on the twilight of his WWE career. If the company plans to honor him and give him the ceremonial 16th title reign, it needs to happen sooner rather than later. But there's also a potential WrestleMania moment with The Undertaker, should this be The Deadman's final go. I'd say WWE needs to build to that first, then allow Cena to pick up the WWE World Championship at SummerSlam. 

Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss (Tables Match for the Women’s Championship)

Q: Will SmackDown LIVE’s women’s division ever measure up to Raw's?

EB: It certainly could, but it needs help. Raw’s division is viewed so favorably because Sasha Banks and Charlotte have been presented as strong, believable characters. Becky Lynch is a great champion but lacks believable competition. Alexa Bliss is getting there but needs a signature win to be presented as a credible foe. That could come Sunday, but do not expect it. Yes, the division will rival Raw’s, but not immediately.

Match Prediction: Becky Lynch.

GSM: I would argue it already has. Sasha Banks and Charlotte have been making history of late by headlining episodes of Raw and a pay-per-view, but the rest of the division lacks depth. SmackDown, on the other hand, has a well-rounded women's roster with two feuds I'm heavily invested in.

Match Prediction: Becky Lynch retains the SmackDown Women's Championship.

KB: I don’t think SmackDown needs to outshine Raw. Each brand has a unique way of presenting its women. SmackDown is far better than Raw at using the entire roster and keeping competitors relevant, while Raw is more about one huge focused story. It gives each brand a unique feel and means neither suffers. That said, SmackDown could take the next step if Asuka moves up to the brand soon.

Match Prediction: Becky Lynch retains in clean fashion to move on to a new competitor.

AM: For my money, I think despite Raw's division having more attention given to it, SmackDown has more potential. I've seen enough of Dana Brooke and Charlotte (who is good but overrated) against Sasha Banks and Bayley. Who else do they have? Paige and Summer Rae have been gone forever, Emmalina has been teased to return for months with nothing panning out yet, Nia Jax is bad and Alicia Fox is an afterthought. SmackDown is only lacking attention because WWE is so intensely focused on Charlotte above all others, meaning everyone else gets lost in the shuffle if they aren't involved in a feud against her.

Match Prediction: I'd love to see Alexa Bliss win, and that's certainly a possibility. But when in doubt, go with the champion retaining.

RD: It won't have the star power on top that the red brand does, but it's a deeper division overall. Alexa Bliss and Carmella continue to develop. And Naomi could be a fun presence if WWE made more of an effort to spotlight her skills.

Match Prediction: Lynch outlasts Bliss in a show-stealer.

CM: Only if the women on SmackDown are booked properly. Establishing new talents like Bliss and Carmella is important, but it should not be done at the expense of established talents like Natalya and Naomi. If Becky comes out on top in her feud with Bliss, she should feud with one of the veterans on the roster thereafter.

Match Prediction: Becky Lynch retains.

JM: The short answer is no, but the bigger question is, does it have to? SmackDown LIVE's women's division cannot match the star power of Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Bayley, but it can continue to produce quality storytelling and entertaining in-ring action. Raw will always be the focus so long as three-quarters of the Four Horsewomen dominate that show.

Match Prediction: Becky Lynch retains.

The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler (Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship)

Q: True or False: The Miz is WWE’s Superstar of the Year.

EB: False, but not through any fault of his own. Miz has been spectacular, one of the company’s most valuable stars. He exploded into relevance around WrestleMania and has been hell-bent on preventing a slip back into the deep, dark abyss that is the mangled mess of undercard competitors. With that said, AJ Styles is the undisputed Superstar of the Year. To deny him that privilege would be to ignore everything he has done, every classic he has worked and every accomplishment he has attained. The Phenomenal One has lived up to his nickname in 2016, leaving Miz to take solace in a second-place finish.

Match Prediction: Dolph Ziggler.

GSM: I wouldn't go so far as to say The Miz is WWE's Superstar of the Year (I'd give the honor to AJ Styles), but he has certainly has to be in the conversation. For a guy who was doing next to nothing last year to have held the Intercontinental Championship for the better part of the last seven months, how could he not be?

Match Prediction: The Miz retains the Intercontinental Championship.

KB: False, but he is a close second. Particularly in the last few months, The Miz has been on another level, and he deserves serious credit for that. He cannot quite match up to the consistent match quality and mic work of AJ Styles, who has only grown more comfortable with each month in a heel role in WWE.

Match Prediction: The Miz ends his rivalry with Dolph Ziggler thanks to help from the Spirit Squad.

AM: Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho would be alternate options, but The Miz has certainly had a better year than he's had in a long while. He's been this talented for many years, and nothing has changed, but WWE finally gave him the ball, and he's ran with it, proving just how great he is. A case can definitely be made for him being one of the standout stars of the year.

Match Prediction: The Miz will retain through some sort of shenanigans.

RD: He's in the top five. Top three, even. AJ Styles has been better in the ring and more of a marquee star, but The Miz is in the midst of a career year. The IC champ has been a top-flight heel and delivered some of 2016's best promos.

Match Prediction: The Miz.

CM: This is a tough one. He has been doing some of the best work of his entire career in recent months, but it’s hard to say he has been better than Chris Jericho. Y2J can do no wrong, especially when he is on the mic. I would be happy if Miz won the Slammy for Superstar of the Year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it went to Jericho or Kevin Owens.

Match Prediction: The Miz retains the IC title.

JM: I say yes. The other leading candidate for this honor, AJ Styles, came into WWE as a bona fide main event Superstar. Big things were expected from Day 1, and he has absolutely delivered. However, no one saw what was coming from The Miz. All he has done is elevate his game, delivering countless great matches (including against the aforementioned Styles) and become the greatest heel in the company. 

Match Prediction: Dolph Ziggler wins and becomes the new IC champion.

AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose (TLC Match for the WWE World Championship)

Q: Has Dean Ambrose’s time as a legitimate world title contender come and gone?

EB: No. Ambrose is still a legitimate contender, but his time as a contender should be wrapping up. He has been in the championship picture since June, when he won the title via a Money in the Bank cash-in. That he never had that classic match or definitive title defense hurt. He needs to step back, refresh his on-screen persona and return to being entertaining because the babyface fans have witnessed every Tuesday night is a shell of The Lunatic Fringe who earned such immense popularity in the first place. The smattering of boos that greet him now is indicative of that.

Match Prediction: AJ Styles.

GSM: Ambrose is still a legitimate world title contender, and there's no doubt he's the top face on SmackDown until John Cena gets back. But it's time for some fresh blood in the title picture. These two have been feuding for months, and I'm ready for Styles to defend against someone new for a change.

Match Prediction: AJ Styles retains the WWE World Championship.

KB: I don’t know why it would have. SmackDown’s main event scene revolves around only a few stars. Only Styles is a bigger full-time star for the brand than Ambrose. He will disappear from the title scene after this match, but he will remain near the top and get more title shots in 2017 unless the roster radically changes.

Match Prediction: AJ Styles manages to just barely defeat Dean Ambrose.

AM: Not by a longshot. The downside with Ambrose is that he's much better chasing a championship than holding it, particularly at a time when the company transitions to a whole new structural layout. Ambrose will be champion again somewhere down the line, and in the meantime, he'll be a perpetual upper midcarder and main eventer who could challenge anybody on the roster and nobody would bat an eye.

Match Prediction: AJ Styles will retain despite interference by James Ellsworth or possibly even as a result of his involvement.

RD: Nope. His rivarly with Styles has been comedy-heavy, but Ambrose has remained a convincing threat to the champ. Until John Cena and/or Undertaker push him aside, Ambrose will be a strong option for the top of the SmackDown card.

Match Prediction: Styles retains in a thriller.

CM: Not at all. Anyone’s career can be salvaged, and Ambrose hasn’t even fallen that far down the ladder. It only seems that way because of James Ellsworth. With the right feud and booking, Ambrose could be the best SmackDown has to offer, but it would take work from management to make it happen.

Match Prediction: AJ Styles retains.

JM: I have a feeling I'm going to be in the minority on this one, but yes, Dean Ambrose is no longer a legitimate contender. Is he a main event Superstar who can do it in a pinch? Absolutely. His star power is undeniable. But WWE doesn't treat him as a force to be reckoned with, as it did early in 2016, when he was carrying the company during Seth Rollins' injury-enforced hiatus. If that Dean Ambrose ever returns, he might once again be viewed as a legitimate threat. 

Match Prediction: AJ Styles retains.

Bonus Question No. 2

Credit: WWE.com

Q: Who are you most disappointed is NOT on the card for WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs?

EB: There appears to be a larger plan at play in regard to American Alpha, but it is always disappointing not to see Jason Jordan and Chad Gable in a high-profile tag match. The breakout stars of NXT, they have repeatedly proved they belong in WWE. They are merely waiting for an opportunity.

GSM: Virtually all of SmackDown's top names will be a part of TLC, and although I understand there's a storyline reason why they won't be at the event, American Alpha should be a part of the card. They have yet to compete on the main show for any pay-per-view, which is a shame considering the team's incredible potential. The Usos should also have a role considering the recent roll they've been on as heels.

KB: American Alpha seemed poised to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships at TLC. Now, after their best showing to date against The Wyatt Family, they will be nowhere near this card. That is a shame, as this duo should already be the tag team stars of the brand but will likely have to wait until after WrestleMania 33 to take the crown.

AM: For someone who said he was back in the mix and that WrestleMania would no longer define him, The Undertaker has sure been notable by his absence, hasn't he? If he only appears from The Road to WrestleMania from the Royal Rumble onward, doesn't that defeat the purpose of his promo?

RD: Curt Hawkins. It's unclear what WWE plan was when bringing back the former tag team champ. All the vignettees and all the teasing before his debut have led to nothing. At this point, he should at least be in a low-card feud.

CM: American Alpha. WWE built them up during the Tag Team Turmoil match, only to have them lose their title shot the next week to the Wyatts. I am fine with WWE taking the slow approach to building Superstars, but these guys are just too talented to not be in the title scene. If Orton and Wyatt win, I couldn’t imagine WWE having another team dethrone them other than Jason Jordan and Chad Gable.

JM: I will jump ship here and say Apollo Crews because the way WWE is treating him is borderline criminal. While Crews' promotion was premature, he has all the tools to become a main event Superstar in WWE. Crews, like Carmella, could benefit from heading back down to NXT for a short time to find an identity, but I don't think that will happen. I'm more fearful they'll turn the former indy star into the second coming of Ezekiel Jackson.