WWE airs its annual Survivor Series pay-per-view tonight, pitting the best of the red brand against the best of the blue brand. Will Raw or SmackDown Live reign supreme tonight?
WWE Survivor Series 2018 is finally upon us, and with the build-up to this pay-per-view over the last couple of weeks… oh man, am I glad this is going to be over with soon.
The road to this year’s Survivor Series has been a long and winding one, firstly because there were two title changes (and one substitution) in between tonight and Evolution three weeks ago. AoP and Daniel Bryan only recently cemented their positions on the card, Daniel Bryan’s win of course only happening five days ago.
Bryan will take on Raw’s Universal Champion Brock Lesnar in a match that I am whole-heartedly concerned about.
Not to mention, My SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch had to pull out of her contest tonight against Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey due to a literally broken face and a concussion. Hand-picked to take her place was Charlotte Flair, who was widely rumored to have a match with Rousey at WrestleMania 35.
Will five days be enough for Charlotte and Rousey to pull off a Mania-caliber match? Who’s to say, but there’s a lot of respect being thrown around on social media between the two women, so even though this won’t be the blood-bath Lynch vs. Rousey was poised to be, we should still expect a hell of a showing from these women tonight.
Then… there’s Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. The Intercontinental Champion will go one-on-one with the United States Champion, and not even Seth Rollins (in kayfabe, of course) cares about this match. My only hope is while this match may prove to be more about the eventual Ambrose vs. Rollins match than the task at hand, it’s still given the time to be anywhere near the dream match it should be.
Rounding out the card is your usual fair; we’ll see traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series match from both the men and women of Raw and SmackDown, plus the tag teams from both shows. There’s still a spot open on the women’s Team SmackDown, so that obviously will need to be addressed this evening. May I suggest Kairi Sane?
All the action tonight begins with the pre-show at 5PM EST/2PM if you’re live in the Los Angeles audience, with the main card going on at 7PM on the WWE Network. Tune in with us here tonight for live reviews, results, and grades of all the action tonight, and let’s be real, probably a lot of sass from yours truly.
… “I don’t give a damn about Shinsuke Nakamura,” he says. Come on.
I just can’t believe I’m watching Sanity in the ring being approached by the Lucha House Party’s piñata.
Anyway, here we go, Survivor Series Elimination match. Order of elimination goes like this – The Colons, The B Team, SANITY, The Ascension, Gallows and Anderson, Lucha House Party, Roode and Gable, New Day, and finally the Revival.
This match only really picked up once there were five teams left, which wasn’t surprising. Chad Gable proved that he is an unbelievable physical talent and deserves a lot more than Bobby Roode eventually turning on him and then getting forgotten (oh, did I say that out loud?), and The Revival got some solid, well-deserved heat after eliminating New Day.
I mean, I’ve been vocal about it before, but I’ll say it again – the tag teams of WWE (specifically Raw) deserve a lot more than they get. I feel that some how what they offer is devalued by WWE, “what they offer” meaning something more dynamic than a serious, focused match, which I think WWE puts most of their energy in. I think the fact that WWE would rather compromise Sanity’s entire creative point, which is that they thrive on chaos, just to have them thrown into a lame Survivor Series match and be excited about it also really got to me.
It just sucks, that’s all I can say. Forever The Revival.
The women’s Survivor Series match is up first, and boy, was there a lot happened with this before the show. Naomi is SmackDown Team Captain, Mandy Rose replaced Charlotte, and then Ruby Rioitt and Natalya got into a fight backstage. They got kicked off the team, so Sasha Banks and Bayley have taken their spots. I know, the show hadn’t even started yet.
Tamina and Naomi start off the match, but soon it turns into a complete mele. Everyone gets knocked out of the ring, but when the dust settles, Tamina gets the pin on Naomi.
Carmella answers immediately by eliminating Tamina. They keep calling Nia Jax “F*ce Breaker”, which is just kind of whack.
Bayley gets a huge pop when she tags in, immediately going after Sonya Deville before she tags Sasha in, and we get an eve bigger pop. Mandy gets a quick tag on Sonya and gets the pin on Mickie James, which causes further tension between the two.
If that crumbling friendship didn’t upset you enough, Bayley eliminates Carmella. Is Bay-mella not sacred?!
Bayley and Sonya have a very solid back-and-forth. Sonya Deville is brutal, and the fact that they were both eliminated by count out when they took their brawl to the outside of the ring is pretty crap.
Asuka is now the only woman alive for Team SmackDown, and she squares up now with Sasha Banks. Asuka thrown Sasha around like a rag doll, giving her a stiff knee followed by a German suplex.
Banks gets some counter-work in on the outside of the ring. Back in the ring, Asuka goes for the pin on Banks, but she’s unsuccessful. The “let’s go Asuka chants” are loud. Asuka tries to go for the Asuka Lock, but Sasha counters.
Nia Jax pushes Sasha off the ropes and right into an Asuka Lock, and she taps out. This is an example of capitalizing on heat in a really stupid way. Nia makes way-too-quick work of Asuka, and she gets the win for Team Raw.
I swear to all that is holy – if this match isn’t given room to breathe before Dean interferes, I will freak out.
The two take their time squaring up. Nakamura is heavy on the taunting this time. Seth tried to mimic a lot of Shinsuke’s taunts too; it doesn’t work for him as much. This whole opening portion of this match is 75% taunts though.
Shinsuke gets in some knee strikes, but Seth mows Shinsuke over before the two head out to the apron. Shinsuke throws Seth back into the ring so a pin, but Seth kicks out.
Seth lands a pretty fun slingblade during the middle of the match, but really this match isn’t doing much for me. It’s quite slow: a move here, and then some time apart, and then another move.
Right after I wrote that, of course, Seth goes for two dives outside of the ring, and when the crowd chants “one more time”, Seth delivers. Seth then lands a flying clothesline off the top turnbuckle, but it doesn’t land him a pinfall.
Shinsuke gains momentum with a backstabber, but Seth immediately returns the favor with a massive superkick. Shinsuke gets Seth in a triangle as Seth desperately tries to reach the rope. Seth gets up though, and while he’s still in the triangle, he thrown Shinsuke into the turnbuckle.
Seth lands a huge superplex off the top rope followed by a Falcon Arrow, but it’s still not enough to put Shinsuke away. This match is growing on me; it’s crescendoed quite well.
Shinsuke was made to be a heel in this company; his subtle taunting is just enough to add to any match, any move, any sell. Seth Rollins avoids his second Kinshasa of the match, and he climbs the ropes to drive off, but Shinsuke rolls away and finally hits the Kinshasa. Rollins kicks out!
Seth Rollins wins clean with a curb stomp after Shinsuke avoids one just before. No interference from Dean Ambrose. Color me absolutely shocked.
Here come the absolute HOSSES, everyone. I cannot wait for the Big Show/Drake Maverick spot on this one.
Rezar and Sheamus start off, and these two start grappling something fierce. Rezar flings Sheamus into the corner, but Sheamus fights out with some kicks. Cesaro lands a European uppercut to Akam on the apron.
Cesaro is legal and tried to get Rezar in a swing, but settles for the interfering Akam.
AOP are now double-teaming Cesaro in the corner, and holy crap, do these guys look powerful. How did it even take this long to get them the Raw tag titles? There are some pin attempts peppered in from AOP, but the majority of the action now is the two going in on Cesaro.
Cesaro finally starts throwing uppercuts abound, but Akam is now applying the pressure on Cesaro’s neck in the middle of the ring.
Sheamus and Rezar are now going to blows again, and Sheamus lands a knee strike in the corner before knocking Akam off the apron. Sheamus begins landing strikes to Rezar’s chest on the ropes before taking a dive off the top turnbuckle.
Sheamus lands a brogue kick on Rezar, but Drake Maverick puts Rezar’s foot on the rope to break the pin. Drake runs away and gets leveled by the Big Show, before he grabs Drake and chokes up up in the air. They then insinuate that Drake urinates himself. Hey, maybe not.
AOP lands The Last Chapter on Sheamus, however, and AOP walks away victorious.
Hey guys, Match of the Night is on; make sure you’re paying attention!
Murphy gets some heavy shoulders to Ali’s torso in the corner to start off. Ali lands a stiff forearm in the middle of the ring, and then an even meaner back-elbow.
Ali climbed up on the top turnbuckle, and Murphy charges him and shoves him all the may into the barricade. Murphy climbs down and throws Ali into the LED board before he throws Ali back into the ring. He attempts the pin, but no dice just yet.
Murphy is just brutal in this match. He lands a mean kick square on the back on Ali’s back before trapping him in a hold.
Ali finally gets some momentum and propels Murphy into the corner before landing a solid dropkick.
Murphy tosses Ali out of the ring once again before he dives out and hits him again. Murphy throws Ali back in the ring, where Ali lands a reverse hurricanrana. Ali attempts the pin, but Murphy kicks out.
Ali lands a spining heel kick which leaves Murphy rolling out onto the apron. Ali lands one of the flippiest DDT’s ever, but Murphy kicks out of yet another pin attempt.
Here it comes – Murphy is now dismantling an empty announce table, but Ali lands a quick kick and then a Spanish Fly off the table. Ali climbs the ropes looking for the 054, but Ali counters with two power bombs. It’s still not enough to keep Ali down though!
Murphy tries for Murphy’s Law, but Ali counters. With a stiff knee on Ali while he’s in flight and Murphy’s Law, Murphy gets the pin, and he’s still Cruiserweight Champion.
Miz enters flaunting a copy of The Marine 6. What else do you need to know? Oh I know what else – Samoa Joe fires a towel into Braun Strowman’s face before the match even begins. This should be good.
Joe starts out trying to get a Coquina on anything that moves, but Drew McIntyre lands the Claymore like that, and Joe is out. I mean… whatever.
Jeff Hardy’s in now, trying to get crowd support with a “delete” chant. Jeff tags in the Commish, and now it’s a rematch between Shane and Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler lands a massive drop kick right to Shane’s chin, but Shane lands a series of arm drags. Ziggler’s first pin attempt is unsuccessful, and after a Famouser, he still doesn’t get the job done.
On a third try, Miz interferes, and he gets tagged in. Ziggler lands a dropkick on Miz while yelling “I’m the best in the world”, but Braun cuts him short by tagging himself in. McIntyre fires right back and tags himself in.
Now there’s a straight up brawl. All of Team SmackDown is attacking Braun, but Rey Mysterio lines him up for the 619. There’s more drama outside the ring, and Shane gets up on the top rope to elbow Braun Strown right through the announce table.
Miz and McIntyre are still legal, and Miz misses a pin attempt. McIntyre gives Miz the Glasgow Kiss, and then fakes Finn Balor out on a tag attempt. Finn tags himself in anyway before kicking McIntyre in the head. Miz and Balor trade kicks in the corner.
Balor rolls Miz up for a pin attempt, but no luck. Balor climbs the ropes for a Coup De Grace, but Miz rolls away. Balor slingblades Hardy outside the ring before slamming Miz into the barricade.
Miz tags in Mysterio. Balor can’t pin Mysterio, and Mysterio lines him up for a 619, but Balor ducks. Balor slingblades Mysterio before landing a dropkick. Mysterio dodges the Coup De Grace again, and this time Mysterio lands the 619 and gets the pin. Balor is eliminated. What a showing from Balor, though.
Mysterio gets McIntyre lined up for the 619, but Lashley tags in and lands a massive boot to Mysterio’s face. Lashley launches Mysterio into the corner. Mysterio powers out of a superplex, and Ziggler tags in.
Mysterio superkicks Ziggler, and Hardy gets tagged in. Ziggler lands a DDT on Hardy, but it’s not enough for the pin. Hardy gets the Twist of Fate before climbing the ropes for a Swanton, but Dolph raises his knees. Dolph’s knees look like they took a real impact, though.
Miz is tagged in and backs Ziggler into a corner. He tags in Shane and demands he go coast-to-coast. He lands, and gets the pin on Ziggler. Ziggler is out.
Lashley is in the ring and plows through Shane. Lashley ends up throwing Shane right into his corner, and he tags Miz in. Lashley charges towards Miz, but Miz dodges, and he demands Shane go coast-to-coast again. Shane goes for it, but Braun knocks Shane clear out, mid-air. Mysterio makes the save as Lashley tries to pin Shane.
Strowman’s legal against Hardy. Hardy tries for the Twist of Fate, but Braun counters and eliminates Hardy.
Mysterio’s in, landing kicks all over Strowman. Strowman catches Mysterio in a 619 and powerslams him, and now Mysterio is out.
Miz and Shane are left outside the ring, and Strowman leaves the ring to mow them over. Braun powerslams Miz, and now Miz is out.
It’s 3-on-1. Only a messed-up Shane McMahon is left against three hosses. Shane still says “bring it” though, and Strowman lays into him in the corner before the Power Slam. Raw wins.
Corbin attacks Braun after the match before leaving the ring with McIntyre and Lashley.
The crowd is behind Charlotte tonight, I do believe, and they offer their “woo’s” instead of applause.
I’m nervous. This was supposed to be a Mania match, for crying out loud! Ronda starts off very boxing-heavy, and they start brawling to kick off this match. Charlotte throws Rousey down, but Ronda tries for the armbar right after. Charlotte powers out and tries for the Figure 8, but no luck.
Charlotte gets Ronda in a side-headlock and then slams Ronda into the bottom turnbuckle. Charlotte goes for a pin, but Ronda kicks out. Charlotte attacks the legs of Ronda, and wow, this is the hardest Ronda’s ever been worked since she’s gotten here. Ronda’s already bleeding from the mouth, too.
Ronda lands a knee to Charlotte’s nose on the apron, and Ronda locks Charlotte’s arm on the ropes. Ronda goes up top, but Charlotte kicks her off. Charlotte lifts Ronda up, trying for a superplex, but Ronda knocks her off.
Ronda pulls Charlotte over to go for a rolling armbar. Charlotte avoids it, rolling Ronda up for two near-falls, and Charlotte extends Ronda for a Boston Crab. Ronda rolls under, and Charlotte misses another attempt at the Figure 8.
Charlotte hits Natural Selection, but Ronda is still trying for the armbar. Charlotte rolls through, and Ronda charges Charlotte, but she’s met with a backbreaker.
Charlotte heads to the top rope for a moonsault, but Ronda gets her legs up. Ronda show-boats, but Charlotte hits a spear. It’s not enough for a pin though.
Ronda tried to roll Charlotte up for an armbar, and Charlotte nearly turns it into the Figure 8. Ronda rolls over to put the pressure on Charlotte, but the two women roll out of the ring.
Ronda tosses Charlotte into the barricade before throwing her back into the ring. Ronda jabs at Charlotte, and Charlotte counters with some chops.
Charlotte lands a massive boot to Ronda, but Ronda kicks out of the pin yet again. Ronda tries for the armbar again, but Charlotte rolls out. Ronda picks Charlotte up onto her shoulder for what she’s calling Piper’s Pick.
Ronda just cannot lock the armbar though, and again the women roll out of the ring. Such a loud “Let’s Go Charlotte” chant.
Charlotte grabs a kendo stick to DQ herself! Charlotte begins assaulting Ronda with a kendo stick, and it’s absolutely brutal. Charlotte throws Ronda back in to the ring and beats her again.
Charlotte grabs a chair and pushes the ref off. That causes him to toss Charlotte out finally as Ronda is left in a heap in the middle of the ring.
Charlotte enters the ring again and hits Natural Selection on the chair. Four more refs enter the ring to kick her out, but Charlotte attacks the refs. Charlotte grabs the chair and places it around Ronda’s neck. Charlotte pushes the ref out of the ring and slams down on the chair. So much security comes out to try and stop Charlotte.
Charlotte’s finally retreating. What a showing from Charlotte, and honestly, good on Ronda for taking all that. I mean, she’s supposed to, but this was undoubtedly the biggest beating Ronda has ever received.
Daniel Bryan starts off a Yes chant that he quickly changes his mind about; what a heel move, man. The crowd is chanting “we want AJ”. Brock comes out, and Bryan starts hoping around the ring mocking him.
Paul grabs the mic for the intro, naturally. These two go right after each other after the bell, until Bryan slides out of the ring and starts doing laps around the ring. Bryan hops back in, only to hop out again. Brock hops out too, and these two have yet to actually lock up.
Bryan goes for a kick, and then Brock just clocks Bryan in the head. Brock hovers over Bryan, and e have Suplex #1. Even Paul Heyman looked tentative on that one. Brock drags Daniel Bryan back into the ring before shouting “Suplex City”. Nice.
Suplex #2. Suplex #3. I mean, I don’t want to watch this. This time there’s a belly-to-belly. Belly #2, and then Brock just kicks Brock out of the ring. Brock then goes for a bearhug. Suplex #4. Belly #3. F5 #1, and Lesnar goes for the pin, but the picks Daniel Bryan right up.
The ref gets knocked down, and Daniel Bryan lands a low blow before a running knee. He goes for the cover, but Lesnar kicks out. FINALLY, it’s a match.
Bryan, dare I say, actually has the momentum now. Lesnar goes for a hook, but Bryan lowers the rope and sends Lesnar flying out. Bryan dives out and is caught by Lesnar, but Bryan kicks him down before throwing Lesnar into the barricade.
Lesnar then sends Bryan flying into the post. Bryan hits Lesnar with the steel steps, and Bryan lands another running knee when they’re back in the ring, but it’s still not enough for a cover.
Bryan lands a missile dropkick to lesnar, and then another dropkick. Brock charges at Bryan, but Bryan wraps Brock into the Yes Lock! Brock breaks the hold, but Bryan starts striking Lesnar’s head and gets the Yes Lock in again. Holy crap.
Brock gets Bryan in a triangle, and Bryan’s shoulders are too close to the mat. Brock lands another F5, this time for the win.
So, clean sweep from Raw? Oh man, are you all lucky I don’t swear.
Yep. That’s Survivor Series. The action at points was unbelievable, but this story… I mean, a clean sweep? Are you trying to make Fox question signing your own product, WWE? I’m just confused.
Anyway, thanks for tuning in with us tonight, and be sure to tune in with us live tomorrow and Tuesday for all the fallout on Raw and SmackDown. Thank you, I’m sorry, and goodnight!