WWE’s last PPV presentation of the year, as usual, involves three of wrestling fans’ most favorite things. Tables, Ladders & Chairs! Oh my! It would be one of the most looked-forward to shows of the year if WWE built towards the end of the calendar year. They don’t. So it’s a kind of awkward gimmick show where they need to have some TLC matches even if the feuds built around them aren’t awesome.

Fortunately, the people booked in TLC matches this year should be able to put on some good TLC matches. I have absolute confidence in the four men involved in those matches this year. They’ll deliver. Even if the outcomes are so pre-ordained that the betting odds look ridiculous. BetWWE.com gave me the odds. I just comment, as I’m not allowed to bet on these things due to where I’m currently located. So it’s only for entertainment purposes, if you will.

WWE Raw Tag Team Championship:
The Hurt Business (-155) vs. The New Day (+110)

So we’re betting against the New Day? This seems silly to me. I know we’ve been putting over Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin on TV for what seems like a few months now. But, man. I’ve seen this song & dance before. Everybody assumes the New Day will lose, and they win.

Put your money on Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods. Two great wrestlers typecast into a tag team right now. It’s a good team.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship:
Asuka & ? (-190) vs. Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax (+134)

I’m not sure if this line would change without the involvement of Lana, who got written out on this week’s Raw episode. It might help Auska, since we can all speculate about the return of Charlotte Flair or Becky Lynch. Charlotte seems much more likely, and there’s no way I would bet against a Charlotte/Asuka team even if they aren’t fans of each other. They could still easlily take care of Nia & Shayna.

Asuka is the pick here, unless they saddle her with somebody awful that isn’t Eva Marie. If it’s Eva Marie, put all of your money on that team.

WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship
Sasha Banks (-400) vs. Carmella (+250)

I am a bigger fan of Carmella than most, but this was a pretty obvious downgrade from Sasha vs. Bayley. It’s like Kenny Omega as AEW Champion, he beat Jon Moxley and now he’s going against the likes of Joey Janela & Rich Swann. Not a great look for a champion. The only worse look would be from beating Bayley for the title to defending against Carmella. I like Carmella. She’s just out of place in these situations.

If WWE is smart, they keep a title on Sasha Banks. There’s no good reason to take it off of her unless she signed an outside acting deal with somebody.

Firefly Inferno Match
Bray Wyatt (-345) vs. Randy Orton (+225)

I know there is a certain segment of the audience that is all about Bray Wyatt, the Fiend, the Firefly Fun House, Randy Orton and the Inferno Match. I am not part of that demo. It’s not my deal, but if you like it I’m not going to drive you away. If you like this sort of thing, more power to you! I’m all about people getting the maximum enjoyment they can out of wrestling, as my dive column would illustrate.

I have no idea what the stipulations of a Firefly Inferno Match entail. If they involve somebody getting set on fire, I would put all of my money on Randy Orton. Bray loves doing stupid shit like getting set on fire. Randy’s more about chinlocks and not exposing the business, brother. I can not see that man getting set on fire, so put your money on him.

TLC Match for the WWE Championship
Drew McIntyre (-770) vs. AJ Styles (+400)

AJ got to stand tall at the end of Raw. Those of us that have watched Raw for ages know how this ends. The champion Drew McIntyre retains. I have nothing else to add to this that is either relevant or true. That would involve more commenting on Raw, which is better left for other folks on this site that find the show more interesting.

TLC Match for the Universal Championship
Roman Reigns (-3335) vs. Kevin Owens (+800)

There is zero reason to think that Roman Reigns should lose the championship here, other than…I got nothing. I love Kevin Owens, but he seems like a challenger meant to meet defeat here. Unless Roman gets a wild hair in his ass and thinks “Well, maybe Kevin can beat me here and we can do a re-match at the Rumble”, there’s zero reason to think that the title could change hands here.

So, you’re betting on Roman Reigns getting cute. I’d stay away from the whole situation, myself.