WWE TLC 2016 predictions: AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose, Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss, more!

WWE returns to pay-per-view (PPV) -- if your cable provider is carrying the event, of course -- tomorrow night (Sun., Dec. 4, 2016) live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas with its TLC event starting at 7:00 p.m. ET with the Kickoff show leading right on into the main course at 8 p.m. ET on the WWE Network.

Set for the card: Tables, ladders, and chairs, oh my!

Luckily for you Cagesiders, our staff of learned wrestling blowhards is here to help figure out just how the event is going to play out with predictions for each match on the card.

Let's get to it.

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WWE TLC PREDICTIONS

AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose

Geno Mrosko: I’m going to go with what I want to happen over the next few months — Styles retains here so he can lose the WWE world championship to Undertaker at Royal Rumble, who then issues an open challenge for anyone to try to take it from him at WrestleMania 33, which would be answered by John Cena, who wins his 16th title on the big stage and retires Undertaker in the process. Pick: Styles

Sean Rueter: While I was tempted to predict a title change here, just because I think Vince (the man who, according to all the information we have, is in charge of SmackDown Creative) is enjoying his run of shocking main event winners, I have to think losing to James Ellsworth a lot earns you the right to retain on PPV. The Lunatic Fringe getting the last lick in on Tuesday cinched the deal. Pick: AJ Styles

Kyle Decker: Despite fighting for his little buddy Ellsworth, I don't see Dean getting it done here. With the build to WrestleMania starting soon, I think AJ will hold onto the belt because I'm betting he'll be defending it at WrestleMania. Pick: AJ Styles

Cain A. Knight: I'm pretty confident that Styles will be the champ heading into the Royal Rumble, so the only way he'll lose this match is if WWE plans on playing hot potato with the title for the next 6 weeks. But I don't really see that happening, especially with Ellsworth's future championship match looming. The last time Ambrose main evented a TLC PPV, he lost when a monitor blew up in his face. I am curious to see if there will be any callbacks to that spot this time around. Pick: AJ Styles

Reverend Kain: That worm Ellsborough or whatever his name is operates on a one-way street with Dean Ambrose. Dean helps him, he screws Dean. This isn't going to be any different, he just better hope that if he does interfere he leaves in one piece so he can tag with Tommy Dreamer against the Spirit Squad at House of Hardcore 23, a match that is actually happening. Pick: AJ Styles

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Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss

Geno Mrosko: Not sure they’re in on Bliss enough to do a title change here but it sure would be wonderful if they did. She’s one of the best on the roster. Pick: Lynch

Sean Rueter: Just thinking practically. If Sasha didn't weigh enough to break a table, the Pixie Hulk sure as $#!+ ain't going through one. Pick: Alexa Bliss

Kyle Decker: This one is a tough one. Alexa has showed how good she is during this feud with Becky and I could totally see her winning. However, I still think the best place to go is to Nikki vs. Becky as the big future title feud and to do that, Becky would need to win here. Pick: Becky Lynch

Cain A. Knight: The Tables gimmick probably hurts this one a little bit because those matches usually focus on too many awkward table-avoidance spots. But Becky Lynch is a very strong performer in the ring and I think these two will still have a really good match, especially since there should be plenty of time available to them with only 6 matches currently booked on the card. Becky went through the table at the contract signing, so now it's Alexa's turn here. Pick: Becky Lynch

Reverend Kain: Let us count the ways Becky Lynch can put you through a table-- exploder suplex, pumphandle suplex, straight suplex, diving leg drop, even Hard Knox if she wants to go old school. Meanwhile, Alexa had better bring her best Nodowa Otoshi, because even the Queen of Hoss Style ain't dropping an Alexa Bomb hard enough to break the table. Pick: Becky Lynch

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The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler

Geno Mrosko: It made sense to change the title around if the plan was for Miz to lose it to Sami Zayn but keeping it on him makes me think he retains here too. If Ziggler was smart — and he’s not — he would have a plan to deal with the Spirit Squad and Maryse. It’s a ladder match, so anything goes. Watch him get overwhelmed and complain about it later. Pick: Miz

Sean Rueter: I want Miz to be the champ forever, but I also want to see if people will complain like they do about Sasha/Charlotte if they do another change here. The Show-Off is pretty good at ladder matches, too. Pick: Dolph Ziggler

Kyle Decker: The title belongs with Miz. Sorry, Dolph. Pick: Miz

Cain A. Knight: Like usual Dolph Ziggler will bump his ass off to make this one as thrilling as possible, and it helps that most Ladder matches end up being pretty entertaining anyway. This card has a few too many heels who seem like favorites, so it might be best to give Ziggler the big win here to keep the audience happy. But a ladder match offers tons of ways for Maryse and the Spirit Squad to get involved, so Dolph will probably succumb to the numbers game once again. Pick: The Miz

Reverend Kain: Dolph Ziggler always loses in the end. Pick: Miz

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Heath Slater & Rhyno vs. Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton

Geno Mrosko: It’s time to give The Wyatt Family some gold, especially because the belts need to be on a group of heels so they can drop them to American Alpha later. Pick: Bray & Randy

Sean Rueter: Luke Harper gets involved, prompting an American Alpha run-in and allowing the original SD cinderella story to continue. Bray winning on two straight PPVs is just too unbelievable... let alone him holding a belt. Now, somebody tell me how Mary Lou's tongue surgery went. Pick: Beauty & the Man-Beast

Kyle Decker: Heath and Rhyno don't seem to have anything to work with now that they've earned the titles and Heath earned his contract. Since that moment, they've kind of just been there. Slater is more interesting fighting from below and there's plenty of aspects of this Wyatt thing to be explored. Pick: Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton

Cain A. Knight: This match has come out of nowhere so it wouldn't be surprising to see a screwy ending while they develop more of a story before doing a future title change. But on paper it's just not remotely believable that Slater and Rhyno can win this match against two men as close to the top of the card as Wyatt and Orton are usually positioned. So I'll keep it simple and just go with Orton and Wyatt. The only way they'll fail is if Luke Harper's mistrust of Orton becomes an issue. Pick: Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt

Reverend Kain: Hope you got that pool paid off, Heath. I'm not one to doubt Beauty and the Man-Beast, they've made it this far as champs, but they're facing the most dangerous combination of Wyatts here. The Viper's veteran wiles and the Eater of Worlds' voracious appetite are gonna swallow them whole. Which is how a snake eats. Pick: Wyatt Family

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Nikki Bella vs. Carmella

Geno Mrosko: This should be the blow off to the feud and that means Nikki goes over. Pick: Bella

Sean Rueter: The Fearless One should be in pretty much the same mode as her Hollywood boy toy, and even though Carm has a ways to go, losing here doesn't help her develop as a character or performer. Plus, that Natalya feud is waiting, and the stipulation practically demands interference. Pick: Carmella

Kyle Decker: Carmella has seemed to have gotten the best of Nikki throughout this feud, so it's time for the Fearless One to take the big match. Pick: Nikki Bella

Cain A. Knight: This fight is going to have a tough time matching the standards set by Charlotte, Sasha, and Becky. But this feud has been developed well and the gimmick fits the story, so that should help overcome some issues in execution. Carmella will probably win because she makes more sense as Becky's next challenger, and Nikki already got her win over Carmella at No Mercy. The no disqualification stipulation means that Natalya or Eva Marie can come out and help Carmella win while also being revealed as Nikki's assailant from Survivor Series. Pick: Carmella

Reverend Kain: While I doubt she'll actually turn her implants inside out or whatever she said exactly on SmackDown, a no-DQ match has to favor Carmella at least slightly, because she has no morals or scruples or any sort of human compassion. Pick: Carmella

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Baron Corbin vs. Kalisto

Geno Mrosko: One is a fully grown man who is a big ol’ nasty bastard and the other is a little kid. Easy pick: Corbin

Sean Rueter: Baron Corbin is Alberto Del Rio with worse hair and bad pants (shout out to The Enigma Erin Cline). Pick: Kalisto

Kyle Decker: Corbin said it himself. It is a mistake to give Corbin a weapon in this match against Kalisto. The Lucha Dragon will show some fight, but he'll be no match for a Lone Wolf who looks to get angrier in the presence of short people. And his anger is inversely proportional to the height of his opponent. Pick: Baron Corbin

Cain A. Knight: Kalisto has his work cut out for him to save this match. My expectations are low because Chairs matches are stupid and also because Baron Corbin is a very boring wrestler. Corbin is more likely to win because he is very tall, but then again Kalisto did beat Ryback all the time so nothing is for sure. Pick: Baron Corbin

Reverend Kain: Corbin picked the wrong dude to bully, I tell you what. Van Daminator, headscissors driver onto the chair where it falls, Salida Del Sol, 1-2-3. Pick: Kalisto

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That’s how we see the card playing out. You?