WWE: The New Day vs Street Profits was a special moment

The New Day took on the Street Profits at WWE Survivor Series in a match that should be recognized as a special moment in professional wrestling.

There are moments in professional wrestling when the energy in the room is palpable. Moments such as Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan’s face-off, the Rock versus Hogan, Stone Cold staring at Shawn Michaels, and the triple-threat between Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey. The energy in the room was bubbling even before the participants touched each other. That occurred again at WWE Survivor Series, but it was not in the match between Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre. That moment came when the New Day stood face to face with the Street Profits.

Intentional or not, Survivor Series was a PPV that showcased the diversity and depth among people of color on the WWE roster. But there was something extra special about the match that the New Day and Street Profits put forth. Even without fans present, the energy was real between these four men and wrestling fans will look back to this match as something that should be recognized as a major moment for all four men.

On one side, there is the New Day. A duo, although everyone knows they are really a trio with Big E, that carved out a place for themselves when the WWE all but showed them that they may not have a place in the promotion. Since 2014 this team has excelled at being unapologetically themselves. What has that earned them? Ten tag team title reigns, multiple tag team records, and the biggest moment of them all, Kofi Kingston’s WWE championship run. Without each other, there is a good chance that none of them would still be in the WWE, or perhaps wrestling.

Standing across from them was Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins. In the laziest of fashion, they were compared to the New Day as they cut their teeth on NXT. Those in the know pointed to the all too common mistake of painting wrestlers of color in comparisons to each other. The Street Profits rose above that to become an entertaining part of WWE television, even as the promotion continued to devalue the tag team division. Even after the disgustingly unentertaining segments with the Viking Raiders; Dawkins and Ford continued to remind everyone that they are not to be overlooked as one of the best teams in this industry.

This match delivered in every way. The New Day played themselves up as the veterans, clowning the Profits with heelish tactics. The Street Profits would not go away, turning everything around on the eventual Hall of Famers. The moment where Ford and Kingston stood across the ring from each other was almost like two performers looking into the same mirror. Many recognize Ford as a performer with the potential to be a future star, just as Kingston was recognized early in his career. It took Kingston more than a decade to get that opportunity to shine – will Ford have the same chance? Only time will tell. And not to be outdone, Dawkins did not disappoint at all in this match, showing that he belongs in the ring with everyone involved.

The New Day versus Street Profits is one of the must-see matches from 2020. Even without a crowd in attendance, this match delivered on so much in less than 15-minutes. Remember this moment. It is up to the WWE to capitalize on the potential that was recognized and transferred in a sense from the New Day to the Street Profits. Whether or not that happens, this match should still be recognized as a moment of Black Excellence in WWE.