WWE SmackDown Top 4 Moments: Stakes for Survivor Series

Stakes!

One of the things I dislike most about the Raw vs. SmackDown Survivor Series match is that there are no stakes. There is no real motive to having the brands battle against each other in this fight. There’s nothing motivating the troops into getting into a battle for their respective brands. This, despite the fact that Vince McMahon said at the 2016 brand split, that both Raw and SmackDown would compete for TV ratings, merch sales, social media and so on.

Two weeks after the original Hashtag Under Siege event on Raw, WWE creative finally shoehorned some motive into the affair. Using Shane McMahon’s promo, it was established that the SmackDown crew is tired of being considered of being the B-show, from the talent up to management. Shane cut an impassioned and super-focused promo that not only got the message across, but fired up the audience.

Here’s the key takeaway from the situation: The audience got behind Shane’s words and had become SmackDown Live supporters. The “under siege” chants, the the booing at the mention of Raw…  Imagine if WWE actually booked a legit rivalry all year long? Imagine how crazy the reaction would be had the seeds were sown all throughout the year?

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We wouldn’t need cross-brand fighting all year long. Just build enough tension between the two factions to that Survivor Series feels special.

Then, eventually, add NXT to the mix…