WWE Survivor Series 2019 will take place on November 24 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT live on the WWE Network with the kickoff show beginning at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.
The following will identify and explain five key things that need to happen at this WWE PPV.
5. Adam Cole Defends The NXT Championship Against Tomasso Ciampa
This year’s Survivor Series is billed as Raw vs. SmackDown vs. NXT. Many WWE fans anticipated the NXT Champion Adam Cole battling Universal Champion Bray Wyatt and WWE Champion Brock Lesnar in a triple threat match. However, there is currently no match scheduled for the main card champions to go to war at this event.
Instead, Universal Champion Bray Wyatt is scheduled to defend his championship against Daniel Bryan while WWE Champion Brock Lesnar is scheduled to defend his championship against Rey Mysterio. Considering that NXT Champion Adam Cole has absolutely no match at Survivor Series, it could be expected that he will put his championship on the line as well. But, against who?
On the night before Survivor Series, Cole is scheduled to lead the Undisputed Era in a War Games non-title match against Ciampa’s designated team. Henceforth, if Adam Cole were to defend his NXT Championship at Survivor Series, it should be against Tomasso Ciampa.
Since Ciampa returned from injury, he had unambiguously conveyed his intentions to Cole that ‘Daddy is home for Goldie,” especially since he himself relinquished the NXT Championship eight months ago and thereby never lost it to anyone.
It’s only a matter of time until Ciampa wins the NXT Championship back so that he can fulfill the title run he was never able to complete and continue his feud with Cole on the road to the NXT Takeover before WrestleMania.
4. Cain Velasquez Helps Rey Mysterio Become WWE Champion
Last month on Raw, Rey Mysterio earned a main event Universal Championship match against Seth Rollins. Unfortunately, that championship match never occurred due to the heinous attacks delivered by Lesnar to Mysterio and his son, Dominick.
Because Mysterio was kayfabe injured as a result of this attack but still wanted to attain his revenge against Lesnar, he called up Dominick’s godfather, MMA technician Cain Velasquez, to get the job done against Lesnar at WWE’s Crown Jewel.
Since Velasquez reportedly signed a multi-year deal with the WWE, this was WWE’s indirect approach of introducing Cain Velasquez to the main roster as well as conveniently attracting the hardcore UFC audience to their product.
While the UFC fanbase may have fancied the WWE Championship match between Cain Velasquez and WWE Champion Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel last month, the majority of the WWE fanbase found this match to be egregious.
Due to the backlash this match received as well as the knee injuries Cain Velasquez has had to cope with since his time in the UFC, he has been written off TV for the time being.
Meanwhile, Rey Mysterio recovered from his kayfabe injury and took matters into his own hands to challenge Lesnar for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series. From a WWE storyline perspective as well as from a biblical David-Goliath outlook, Mysterio has a paternal obligation as well as an underdog liability to win this match. However, his chances of realistically defeating Lesnar are evidently slim due to a significant size disadvantage.
Considering that Mysterio attacked Lesnar with a pipe on last week’s Raw, it would be a clever booking decision to make this match a no holds barred match. In the eyes of the common viewer, this stipulation would help enhance Mysterio’s chances of dethroning Lesnar since he can utilize weapons to his advantage.
On top of that, it will give Velasquez an opportunity to return to television, interfere in this match, attain his revenge against Lesnar, and help Mysterio become the WWE Champion for a gleeful moment on a big fight field.
3. Sasha Banks Becomes The Sole Survivor
Since the brand split commenced in 2016 and Survivor Series revived its brand war theme, Team Raw had always won the Women’s Survivor Series match. With Sasha Banks being the team captain this year, this could be her moment to get rid of SmackDown’s dry spell.
When Banks returned to the WWE with her elegant blue hair, full-fledged heel turn, and ostentatious entrance, many expected her to become the women’s champion as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, she failed to accomplish that despite having a potential match of the year candidate against Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch at WWE Hell in a Cell last month.
With Banks not having the greatest momentum since returning to in-ring competition, she could really use a victory at Survivor Series to boost up that momentum. In fact, a high-caliber superstar like herself should even be the sole survivor for this match.
Despite defeating them on SmackDown last week, it would be remiss to not perceive her team as weak compared to Team NXT. However, the endurance, tenacity, and never-say-die attitude of Banks should help her carry her team to a close yet definitive victory.
This victory should warrant her a championship opportunity against her best friend, SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley, on the road to WrestleMania.
2. NXT Wins Survivor Series
NXT. Due to its comprehensive storytelling and exceptional in-ring performances, this brand promotes itself as the ‘No B.S. show.’ Thanks to its theme and application of that theme, this brand has a strong attraction towards hardcore wrestling fans but still desires to attract the main roster fans.
Nonetheless, the tables have now turned at this year’s Survivor Series because Raw and SmackDown must not only focus on each other for their brand war but must also focus on a ‘rookie brand’ that looks forward to kicking butt, taking names, and grasping those imaginary brass rings.
This brand has a huge chip on its shoulder, and should not be overlooked by any means.
In retrospect, Raw and SmackDown have been the two juggernauts of the WWE, pervading the landscape and fighting for bragging rights for a plenitude of years.
Subsequently, NXT is included in the fray and the time is now for the ‘rookie brand’ to push the envelope, deliver a memorable statement, and demonstrate why it deserves to be considered the ‘main roster.’
From a business standpoint, one must ponder: Why include NXT in Survivor Series for the first time if they are not going to win? The WWE fans know that NXT needs to compete with AEW on Wednesday nights and the superstars know that they need to be viewed on the same level as Raw and SmackDown.
In order to capture and hold onto the attention of the main roster fans and potentially help surpass AEW in ratings, NXT needs to be taken seriously. The most ideal way to accomplish that aspiration is to book NXT to win this year’s brand war at Survivor Series.
1. CM Punk Returns
CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! This chant is undoubtedly the greatest chant in WWE history. During CM Punk’s eight year career in the WWE, the fans chanted his name in admiration for his fancy pro wrestling skills, remarkable mic work, and relatable persona.
During his five-year absence, the fans chanted his name whenever the product was dreadful to watch in order to convey how much they missed the one superstar who revolutionized pro wrestling in the WWE.
Punk said, “It’s as simple as this. Just when they think they’ve got the answers, I change the culture.” Indeed, CM Punk changes the culture and his fans live the revolution. This quote was directly orated by him in his shocking debut on WWE Backstage, a show hosted by Fox Sports that covers all of the biggest stories in the WWE.
Now, this is not necessarily an official return to the WWE. He is, in fact, allegedly working for Fox Sports and not WWE at this moment in time. Many will be excited to witness his candid insight on the WWE product, but the inner ‘mark’ in the WWE fanbase will never count out a CM Punk return to the WWE ring, especially since Survivor Series is conveniently in CM Punk’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois.
Although CM Punk’s debut on WWE Backstage was exhilarating, the fans need to hear that huge crowd reaction in the WWE arena.
Besides, there is absolutely no way WWE can get past Survivor Series in Chicago unscathed without CM Punk chants hijacking the show.
Chicago’s prodigal son, CM Punk, has made a lasting impact on the WWE Universe for plenty of years, and all the fans need is his presence. He doesn’t need to wrestle, and he doesn’t even need to deliver a pipe bomb promo.
At Survivor Series, a CM Punk return needs to happen and it would be the best WWE return in the world.