WWE Survivor Series 2017: Predictions for the Interbrand War
By Tim Sherry
credit: wwe.com
Men’s Survivor Series Match: Team RAW (Kurt Angle, Triple H, Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, & Samoa Joe) vs. Team Smackdown (Shane McMahon, Randy Orton, John Cena, Bobby Roode, & Shinsuke Nakamura)
This ought to be really interesting. Much like the women’s elimination match, there are clearly a few wild cards in play in this match. But first, let’s just bask for a second in what is undoubtedly one of the most star-studded matches in WWE history. Counting WWE and NXT, there are a combined 56 world championships among these men. If you add TNA to the mix, that makes the number 65. Wow. This is one of those types of Survivor Series matches that could possibly run between 30 and 40 minutes but it’ll feel like half that time.
It has a perfect mix of everything as far as who’s involved. You have four legends in Triple H, Cena, Orton, and Angle. You have four others that were massive superstars outside of the WWE and trying to become that again in Balor, Joe, Roode, and Nakamura. You have the budding, monster superstar on the precipice of a an eventual world title in Strowman. And of course, you have a non-wrestler executive type guy who’s made an in-ring career by sacrificing his own safety in Shane McMahon. If booked correctly, this could be the best match of its kind on the history of the company.
Let’s look at the variables for a second. On paper, it seems like the red brand could be in trouble. Jason Jordan could play a role in Angle or Triple H’s eliminations. Kane could do the same to Strowman. Balor and Joe despise each other. Not exactly a recipe for success.
But where I believe this match carries the biggest issue, resides with the Smackdown team in the form of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. The two Canadians, infuriated by not being added to the team will undoubtedly have a say in at least some shape or form. They are two biggest villains on either brand right now and would take great pleasure in screwing over the team, Shane McMahon specifically, for holding them down.
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Add in that the blue brand won last year and this has to be RAW Sunday night. Expect a ton of twists and turns, but also expect a red brand victory on the heels of a Zayn/Owens run-in and Finn Balor as the sole survivor becoming the front runner for Brock Lesnar’s next challenger.
Winners: Team RAW