Blogtrest Wrestling Talk: WWE Survivor Series 2017

WWE SURVIVOR SERIES

PREDICTIONS

Despite being a PPV that WWE touts as being one of the 'Big Four' in the company, I find Survivor Series to be a PPV that always gets a 'meh' reaction from me during the lead up to it and when the card is being formed and announced, and it's pretty much due to the way in which the WWE over the years has seemed to sweep this PPV under the rug and treat it like any other PPV outside of the big four, heck there was even rumours around about 2010-2011 that the WWE were even thinking of ending the Survivor Series PPV.

But it's not just perception neither, some of the Suvivor Series PPV's over the years have been very much less than stellar in my opinion, I'd probably have to go all the way back to Survivor Series 2003 to remember the last time I was truly excited or enjoyed a Survivor Series PPV (The Team Bischoff vs Team Austin 5 on 5 Survivor Series Elimination Match was truly epic!).

I will however give due credit to the Survivor Series 2014 5 On 5 Survivor Series Elimination Match main event though as it really had a 'big time' 'big stakes' feel and let's not forget the first ever appearance of the Icon Sting in a WWE arena and ring!

Fast forward to this years Survivor Series and I must say for the first time in a very long time, I truly feel some hype going into this PPV as WWE have done a very good job of booking a brand 'war' between Raw and Smackdown going into the brand vs brand 5 on 5 Survivor Series Elimination Match main event over the past weeks we have seen Smackdown put Raw 'under siege' with a brutal attack by Smackdown superstars on the entire Raw locker room and we have also seen Raw 'return the favour' with a similar attack on the Smackdown locker room, which are most definitely two of the best segments that I've seen from WWE in quite some time and really got me pumped and invested into this 'brand war'.

Also add in the late inclusions of Triple H on Team Raw and John Cena on Team Smackdown, the 5 on 5 Survivor Series Elimination Match main event truly has a big time feel to it this year, and I can't wait to see how things play out in that match, (which as usual I have a few theories and shenanigans predicted for, that I will get into a bit later)

Another 'big feel' match on the card is that of the WWE Universal Champion vs WWE Champion non title clash between Brock Lesnar and AJ Styles (who bumped Jinder Mahal out of this clash), it's a match we've not seen before between two of the biggest in ring anomalies in all of pro wrestling, and i'm expecting it to be a long competitive one unlike many matches that have featured Lesnar as of late and it's another example of WWE doing the right thing by putting on fresh match ups that generate excitement and curiosity.

The Battle of the wrestling Anomalies: AJ Styles vs Brock Lesnar is most definitely a dream match of sorts and I will be glued to what should be a superb thrill ride

Overall I can genuinely say that I am truly looking forward to watching Survivor Series 2017.

Now without further ado let's look at the rest of the match card and get into my predictions for what I feel will happen on the night and also what I would personally like to see happen.

WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match:

Enzo Amore(c) vs Kalisto

Will The 'Realest' Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore (left) silence the haters with a successful title defense?

I've stated many times that Enzo Amore has been truly excellent in his new heel role as the cocky Cruiserweight champion who puts down and taunts the division at every chance he gets and it's been a masterstroke by WWE as it has somewhat got eyes on the lacklustre Cruiserweight division and has bolted some energy into it while taking Enzo Amore to the next level in the company.

I also feel that the Cruiserweight Championship should be kept on Enzo Amore for a very, very long time as at the moment there is no one in the Cruiserweight division that can generate interest in the division or come close to being the great personality and character that Enzo Amore is at the moment.

This match should be a fun little high flying opener. I'm also expecting this to be the last match between these two also.

What Will Happen: Enzo Amore will retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.

What I Want To Happen: Same as above

Non Title Champion vs Champion Tag Team Match:
Raw Tag Team Champions The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus vs Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Usos

Will The Bar (Cesaro & Sheamus) (left) continue to set the bar for the Tag Team Division by coming away with a victory for Raw? Or will the rough and tough determined Usos (right) prove that they are the best tag team in the world?

It pretty much safe to say that this is going to be one hell of a tag team match, as we have the two best in ring tag teams on the entire roster going at it, which should provide a superb high flying smash mouth affair.

The Usos for me are still the best tag team in all of pro wrestling and their heel persona has worked wonders for them, it was inevitable that the Smackdown Tag Team Championships would find their way back around their waists eventually.

Where as The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus) have been in some of the most thrilling and exciting tag team PPV matches that I have seen all year, they have really carried the Raw tag team division on their backs and should be commended big for it, which is why i'm delighted that the Raw Tag Team Championships have found their way back around their waists.

This match has every chance of being the tag team match of the night, and I'm expecting to see some hard hitting and jaw dropping action between these two teams, this has got fun written all over it.

What Will Happen: The Usos will defeat The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus)

What I Want To Happen: Same as above

Non Title Champion vs Champion Match:
WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz vs WWE United States Champion Baron Corbin

Who will prove to be the true 'Workhorse' Champion of the WWE?

Here is a very fresh match up between two top midcard talents who are both at the top of their game at the moment on their respective brands at the moment, but I'm not quite sure how this match up is going to translate well in the ring, as this has the potential to be a slow dragged out affair.

The question here also is who; needs the momentum coming from this match more? The case can be argued for Baron Corbin who has had a miserable 2017 for the most part having that glimmer of being a main event main stay shattered by losing his Money In The Bank briefcase opportunity and being so easily dispatched in his biggest match to date against John Cena at SummerSlam.

A win for Corbin carries on his new found momentum as WWE United States champion. Which he really needs.

Where as the case can be argued that the The Miz does not need a win here as he is a already cemented character and top midcard main stay of the company.

I'm not expecting this match to be anything special.

What Will Happen: The Miz will defeat Baron Corbin with help from The Miztourage.

What I Want To Happen: Baron Corbin defeats The Miz.

5-on-5 Survivor Series Elimination Match:

Team Raw (Alicia Fox, Nia Jax, Asuka, Sasha Banks, and Bayley) vs Team SmackDown (Becky Lynch, Carmella, Naomi, Tamina, and Natalya)

Which Women's division will prove to be the most dominant?

Women's 5 on 5 Survivor Series Elimination matches have not showcased the potential that they seem to have when they are announced over the years, as they always seem to be all over the place messy affairs that end up with sudden quick, blink and you'll miss it pin falls.

I do have great expectations for this one however, as we have some great female talent on each team, that will very much guarantee a competitive bout here.

This should be a fun one with the characters and talent involved here.

What Will Happen: Team Raw (Alicia Fox, Nia Jax, Asuka, Sasha Banks, and Bayley) will defeat Team Smackdown (Becky Lynch, Carmella, Naomi, Tamina, and Natalya)

What I Want To Happen: Same as above.

Interbrand Six-Man Tag Team Match:

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins) vs. The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods)

Will The Shield (left) be able to deal with a Unorthodox trio unlike any they've faced before in The New Day (right)

Another fresh and intriguing match up sees The Shield take on The New Day in what is pretty much a clash of the biggest most impactful wrestling duos ever in the WWE.

It will be very interesting to see how The Shield and The New Day interact with each other in the ring as we have a technical smash mouthed team in The Shield going against a technical unorthodox team in The New Day.

I don't think this match will be a highlight of the night, but it has potential to be the dark horse match of the night depending on how many gears these teams take it to in the ring.

What Will Happen: The Shield will defeat The New Day.

What I Want To Happen: Same as above.

Non-Title Champion vs Champion Singles Match:
Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss vs. SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair

Who is the true 'Queen' of the WWE?

I most definitely think we're in for a treat here and one hell of a women's clash between the two great modern day women characters of the WWE.

It's taken Charlotte Flair quite a long time to get back on top of the women's division since moving to the Smackdown roster and she now joins her opponent in holding both the Raw and Smackdown Women's Championships.

This will surely prove to be the classic former cocky heel  now turned beloved babyface WWE champion Charlotte Flair looking in the mirror of what she used to be in Alexa Bliss the current cocky arrogant heel Raw Women's Champion.

And I feel it will translate into a great match and in ring storytelling.

What Will Happen: Charlotte Flair will defeat Alexa Bliss.

What I Want To Happen: Same as above.

Non-Title Champion vs Champion Singles Match:

WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) vs. WWE Champion AJ Styles

The Beast vs The Phenomenal One: Who is the true champion of the WWE?

This match is the very example of giving fans a truly exciting and unpredictable match up at a big PPV and I hope the WWE continue with this trend going forward.

We have the first time ever clash between WWE Universal Champion and The Beast Incarnate Brock Lesnar and The newly crowned WWE Champion and The Phenomenal One AJ Styles.

Let's not forget (well lets forget) that this bout was originally intended to be Jinder Mahal as WWE Champion going against Universal Champion Brock Lesnar, which despite being a visually interesting match up, would most likely have ended up being a very flat dud of a match that would probably see Lesnar beat Jinder Mahal and make him look like amatuer hour in the space of 6 to 10 mins and that would of been a disaster. Which would of proven that WWE force feeding a match on fans is not the way to go about things when promoting a big PPV.

This match will most certainly be an exciting and competitive thrill ride that will prove to the WWE that it is good to listen to the fans more times than not.

I cannot simply wait for this one, and it also has every right to be match of the night.

What Will Happen: WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar will defeat WWE Champion AJ Styles

What I Want To Happen: WWE Champion AJ Styles defeats WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar.

5-on-5 Survivor Series elimination match:

Team Raw (Kurt Angle, Braun Strowman, Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, and Triple H) vs. Team SmackDown (Shane McMahon, Randy Orton, Bobby Roode, Shinsuke Nakamura, and John Cena)

Which brand will win the ultimate war of supremacy at the end of the night?

And here we have it, the big all out brand war 5 on 5 Survivor Series Elimination Match, that truly feels big time, for the first time in a very long time I can say that looking at the talent on each team, we really have the feeling of a talent pool not seen in the WWE in one match in many many years.

The ingredients here are just sublime as we have two great in ring performers with great history in Kurt Angle & Shane McMahon leading each team, we have two top midcard main stays in Randy Orton and Braun Strowman, four top midcard talents on the rise in Samoa Joe, Finn Balor, Sinsuke Nakamura & Bobby Roode, and to top it all off, we have the icing on the cake with two veteran 'franchise players' in Triple H an John Cena.

This match feels truly stacked when talking about the talent involved here.

The only thing that concerns me about this match is; what are the true stakes and consequences leading out of this match?

There is also the question of the forgotten and dumped man who was on the verge of taking part in this match: Jason Jordan. I very much feel that he will play some kind of part in the outcome of this match and trigger the long awaited heel turn that he so badly needs.

What Will Happen: Team SmackDown (Shane McMahon, Randy Orton, Bobby Roode, Shinsuke Nakamura, and John Cena) will defeat Team Raw (Kurt Angle, Braun Strowman, Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, and Triple H) with the assist of Jason Jordan.

What I Want To Happen: Same as above.




And there you have my predictions for what should be a very fun and exciting Survivor Series PPV, and the best Survivor Series in a long time.

Feel free to leave your comments and predictions on how you feel things will play out on the night.


-Simeon Barrett