WWE Survivor Series 2017 Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades

Photo Source: WWE.com

Women’s Survivor Series Elimination Match

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

Result: Team Raw defeated Team SmackDown Live; Asuka was sole survivor

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Prior to the match, Stephanie McMahon gave a pep talk to the Raw team. It wasn’t bad for a Stephanie segment – it actually made her seem like a normal human being as opposed to a caricature of an evil boss. I’ll take that as a positive. And bonus points go to Team Red for all actually wearing red (besides the t-shirts everyone has been wearing for weeks now). I’m a sucker for matching gear for tag teams, and Fox and company coordinating while SmackDown didn’t shows more cohesion.

Surprising turn of events early on as Bayley came in on a blind tag to eliminate Lynch. I would have figured SmackDown’s captain would have stuck around, but apparently not. Raw tried to capitalize on the numbers advantage, but Bayley was eliminated herself by Tamina not long after.

It’s not often you see a HOSS FIGHT in the WWE women’s division, but when Tamina and Nia Jax went toe to toe that’s exactly what happened. It was a nice change of pace within the context of the match, and shows that there’s room in WWE for all types of action from every superstar on the roster. Nia getting counted out is disappointing, but it was a good way to eliminate her without destroying her mystique in the long run.

Things got a little botchy after Nia was eliminated, as Naomi eliminated Alicia Fox via pinfall but no announcement was made. The temporary confusion reached Naomi, as well, as she tried to lock in a submission but was trapped in a Banks Statement by The Boss to be eliminated herself.

With SmackDown up 3-2, Carmella made the worst mistake of her life since dumping James Ellsworth when she deliberately antagonized Asuka. As those of us who watch NXT and Raw regularly know, you just don’t do that. It’s next on the list after spitting in the wind and tugging on Superman’s cape. Carmella learned her lesson when she got kicked in the face and pinned to even the score.

As soon as Sasha was eliminated via submission, you had to know that Asuka was coming back from the numbers disadvantage. A pair of submissions later, that’s exactly what happened. There’s no way Asuka should have been defeated here – the undefeated streak is too big to throw away in a “Raw vs. SmackDown” feud. It needs more building, so she had to survive the match. Being sole survivor is even better for her long term.