12 HUGE WWE TLC 2018: Tables, Ladders & Chairs Predictions You Need To Know
OH MY that's a lot of matches...
There are too many matches on this show.
That's not an observation intended to spoil any excitement or anticipation for the card. Quite the opposite in fact. December's supershow looks to have every chance of continuing WWE's pay-per-view hot streak following some superb events since SummerSlam, but the biggest obstacle it faces in achieving such success is sheer bloat. There are too many matches on this show.
A 12-contest B-show - even if a few clashes are demoted to the pre-show - is simply too much wrestling for any crowd to remain hyped throughout for. There are clashes on this card that honestly wouldn't look out of place on a WrestleMania, but there's little demand for a December event to go as long as the 'Show Of Shows'.
WWE threaten to undermine the best potential moments of Tables, Ladders and Chairs by force-feeding fans the worst. Pacing and match placement are everything to show with this range of possibilities. Get it right, and it's an Evolution-level blockbuster. Make a misstep, and audiences will be heading for the exits like the blunderous Backlash.
Will 2018 end with a bang, a whimper, or a whiff?
12. Mahalicia Vs. Fabulous Truth
The Mixed Match Challenge morphed from enjoyably comedic distraction piece earlier this year to competitive and cursed by this bitter end.
Injuries made the second incarnation of the event barely recognisable from when it first began, with the Mahalicia/Fabulous truth combos two of the only pairings to retain their original members. Bizarrely - yet, rather typically for 2018 - R-Truth and Carmella found a way to turn said sh*t into salad.
Facebook-popping dance breaks became part of their main roster arsenals, and will almost certainly provide punchlines in either (or both) of the main roster Royal Rumbles for the 'Princess Of Staten Island' and her remarkably resilient partner.
This time last year, Jinder Mahal was losing what must surely be his last ever pay-per-view main event beyond the Big Four Battle Royal itself. If he makes that in 2019, he won't be entering at #30.
Winners - Fabulous Truth