Note: If you haven’t seen Smackdown yet and want to avoid spoilers you should click away from this preview now. You’ve been warned.
John: I’m back to preview WWE Survivor Series along with my buddy Adam Payne. We did the entire preview in a conversation style piece, so I think it’s a more enjoyable read than when each of us wrote our own part without getting feedback from the other guy. Plus, I insulted Adam a few times, which is always fun. This is only a six match card, so each match should get plenty of time, which is what I like to see on PPVs. The return of Cena should be very interesting, as well as the Smackdown title match. I’m actually intrigued by the booking on this show a lot more than I have been in recent months where it seemed more obvious. Good job in promoting the show on WWE’s part, I think. Enough talking from me, let’s get to the preview.
Divas Elimination Tag: Team Smackdown (Maria, Maryse, Victoria, Michelle McCool and Natalya) vs. Team Raw (Mickie James, Candice Michelle, Jillian, Kelly Kelly and Beth Phoenix)
John: Adam doesn’t like to preview these matches because…well, I’m unsure as to why so let’s just say because he’s a sexist pig. Ladies, feel free to email him to call him that if you want. Do ladies even read this stuff? I don’t know. I also have no idea how this match is going to play out because there are so many dynamics that could factor into play. I actually like that heels and faces are on the same side although some of the girls (I called them girls instead of divas – you’d be reprimanded if you did that as a WWE employee) in this match lack any kind of character other than “bubbly babyface that smiles a lot” or “smug heel that looks down people.” Ultimately though, in my infinite wisdom I’ll have to pick the Raw side because they have more DILF’s. You figure it out.
John’s Pick: Team Raw
Elimination Tag: Team Batista (Batista, Kofi Kingston, CM Punk, Matt Hardy and R-Truth) vs. Team Orton (Randy Orton, Shelton Benjamin, Cody Rhodes, William Regal and Mark Henry)
Adam: Moving on now, thankfully WWE hasn’t forgotten the true meaning of Survivor Series, and one of those matches pits Team Batista vs. Team Orton. My question to you John, is typically stars have been made in this type of match in the past, do you see anyone from either team making a name for themselves?
John: It’s an interesting mix in there. I’d love to say somebody like Benjamin, Hardy, Punk or R-Truth emerges as a star in the match, but ultimately I think the face team is going to win in dominant fashion with nobody really shining out of the group.
Adam: I think if there is one man to be made it’s got to be Cody Rhodes. The whole mentoring thing with Orton they are pushing just reeks of a moment for Rhodes to shine and perhaps show up Orton on the big stage. I like Rhodes and Kingston to shine the most out of this match.
John: I think you’ll see something like Rhodes walks out on Orton or something to that effect rather than Rhodes outshining him. I could also see Dibiase returning to cost Orton a pinfall or something like that. It’s just that the way they’ve booked Orton to have no allies makes it seem like the face team will win with four guys left or something like that. I think Batista, Hardy, Punk and Kingston are the survivors with Orton being the last one left on his team.
Adam: I think Batista and Orton will end the match with DiBiase making the run-in and taking care of Orton to cost his team the match. I don’t want it to be a near blowout like you’re stating, but displaying Orton’s loner attitude would also explain his potential actions in the main event.
John: So I’m picking Team Batista to win with four survivors. How many are you predicting?
Adam: Team Batista with two. Batista and Kingston will survive the long haul.
Adam’s Pick: Team Batista
John’s Pick: Team Batista
Elimination Tag: Team HBK (Shawn Michaels, Cryme Tyme, Rey Mysterio and The Great Khali vs. Team JBL (JBL, The Miz, John Morrison, MVP and Kane)
Adam: On paper what looks to be a more complete package of wrestling, the HBK vs. JBL Survior Series teams will definitely be an entertaining spectacle. Even Khali has an opponent to work with in Kane and that will make the match worthwhile in itself right? I think this is the better of the two matches because of the overall talent level involved do you agree John?
John: You just want Khali to kiss Kane. Admit it, Adam.
Adam: It wouldn’t surprise me at this point
John: I think we can agree that our boy MVP isn’t going to do well, but that’s a bitch for another column. I think the key players in this one are Michaels and Mysterio as well as Miz and Morrison. That’s a lot of M’s! Anyway, with Miz pinning Michaels on Raw on Monday it let me know that WWE is really serious about pushing Miz and Morrison, so I think we’ll see something to that effect in this match.
Adam: Personally, I prefer Miz much more over Morrison which is quite shocking to say the least. I think Cryme Tyme could get some decent action in this match to help elevate them as well. I think that this match will be great but it will be HBK leading the charge over JBL’s team.
John: I got the the babyfaces winning the Orton/Batista one, so I’m going with JBL’s team to win here. It should be an interesting dynamic with the people involved, but I think they need to make JBL strong for his singles feud with HBK while Michaels is always over. He doesn’t need wins in matches like that. That’s why I’m going with JBL surviving on his team as well as Morrison although I could see it being just JBL too.
Adam: I think this will be a night for the faces to shine as the main events will pay off for the heels. Team HBK will get the victory with Mysterio as the last man standing for his team.
Adam’s Pick: Team HBK
John’s Pick: Team JBL
Casket Match: The Undertaker vs. Big Show
Adam: It’s the final showdown perhaps in the battle of the big behemoths with Big Show taking on Taker in a Casket Match. John, do you think that Big Show will be able to come out on top or will Undertaker lose his specialty match?
John: Remember how you’ve been calling for Edge to come back the last couple of times we’ve done these PPV previews? Well, I think this time Edge will come back….in the casket. Undertaker will have him finished, he’ll roll him over and when he opens it up he’ll be greated by an Edge chair shot. The two bad guys will toss Taker in, Show will win the match and Undertaker will get his annual two month vacation before being a “surprise” entrant in the Rumble.
Adam: It’s times like these that I really miss Paul Bearer. He sold a casket match like no other. I hope Edge does return but I don’t know if they will do it here. Yes, I’ve been begging for an Edge return but I don’t see why he would help Big Show since he is helping Vickie. Again, it is the Undertaker who defeated him so he could seek his vengeance that way. As far as the match goes, I don’t know how well this match will come off but I bet Taker’s entrance takes longer than this match.
John: I think Show and Undertaker have actually had good brawls the last couple months and it’s smart for WWE to book them in matches that aren’t straight wrestling. They do know how to brawl and I think in this scenario we’ll get to see that again, so match quality will be good enough. I just don’t know if I need to see them wrestling after this.
Adam: Right, the casket should be the last straw and the final shot against the two of them. I am pulling for an Edge run-in of sorts so I will say Big Show picks up the victory with the help of a newly twisted Edge and thus becomes the new #1 contender in the process. Something quite refreshing for a guy who has been busting his ass this year for the company.
John: Yeah, I agree. I’m going with a Big Show win as well and he’ll probably be in a title match either at Armageddon or the Rumble. I guess Undertaker could win too, but I don’t know what that would benefit in the long run. And here’s to hoping Edge is back as well.
Adam’s Pick: Big Show
John’s Pick: Big Show
WWE Title: Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Vladimir Kozlov
John: I don’t know about you, Adam, but I’ve personally loved the attitude they’ve given Jeff Hardy. He’s always been a good worker, but never really had a character and now it seems like they’ve given him something. Is it enough to put the title on him, though?
Adam: I would like to think so, but I doubt it. I mean, it’s almost gotten to the point where a Jeff Hardy win (aside from Wrestlemania) will be incredibly underwhelming, not to mention that it would happen in a triple threat match which really taints the victory as well.
John: It’s just hard for me to figure out what they’re doing with that belt. I thought maybe HHH would carry it into Mania against Undertaker, but now they seem to be thinking about Undertaker/Michaels, so where does that leave Hunter? I could see him losing it here although it could even be to Kozlov.
Adam: I think that they are waiting at this point until Mania for Jeff Hardy. I’m guessing they put Jeff in this match to help sell it since nobody really cares about Kozlov. In the end though I could see Kozlov pinning Hardy for the championship even though that victory would be rather depressing to say the least.
John: I think you’re right that they could put the belt on Hardy for the first time at Mania because they’d have a good five months to see if he’s really ready for it or if he’ll do something stupid like fail a drug test. It’s a big time for him. For this match, though, I’ll probably go the safe route and pick HHH to retain. You got an official pick?
Adam: I don’t think the company is that dense to put the belt on Kozlov, especially if they needed to add Hardy on to sell it. I’m going to play the safe route too and say HHH. He won’t job out twice in this sort of a span.
Adam’s Pick: Triple H
John’s Pick: Triple H
World Heavyweight Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. John Cena
John: John Cena’s first match in about three months is for the World Title against Chris Jericho. Do you think it’s wise to put Cena in a title match immediately or should they have waited it out a bit?
Adam: I understand why they put him in a title match to make the most of his return, but I don’t agree with it. I think Cena is a great performer but I would rather see him work his way through at least a #1 contender’s match before being granted a titleshot
Adam: And I think the whole point of the title match will be to get someone else over who will end up spoiling Cena’s return and allow Jericho to retain the belt.
John: I think the big reason why he’s in the title match is because it’s in Boston, his hometown. I also think they have few babyfaces on Raw to put in the match, so it makes sense from that perspective. I like the guy and I think he should be pushed as the top guy, but I was a bit surprised that he was put into a title shot immediately.
Adam: I have to say, it’s definitely refreshing on Raw to have no Triple H on the show. He was definitely suffocating the talent and now look at all the youth shining through.
John: Basically Jericho gets to shine, which is nice, because as he says he’s the best thing in professional wrestling right now (and while Edge is still out). How do you think the finish of the match will go? I got Jericho retaining, but I don’t see it being clean.
Adam: It won’t be clean, either Jericho will have a hand in retaining or someone like Orton will come down and spoil Cena’s near-victory with a DQ.
John: Yeah, it’s just that this match is probably going on last and I think it would really end the show on a shitty note if it were to happen like that.
Adam: But we both know it will, whoever ruins Cena’s hometown return will be known as the ultimate dick.
John: Seems like it’ll be Orton. What I’d like is for Orton to come in, cause the DQ, then Cena gets beat down by Orton and Jericho only for Batista to come down. He cleans house on the heels, then attacks Cena with a vicious Batista Bomb and maybe the use of weapons to end the show. Of course I’ve been calling for Batista to turn heel for six months now, so who knows.
Adam: Setting up a Fatal Fourway at Armageddon where Jericho will probably end up dropping the title.
John: That makes sense although I don’t understand why Batista even had an eight day reign in the first place.
Adam: Because they are going to save Batista vs. Cena for Wrestlemania, meaning that they goofed when they put the belt on Batista initially.
John: Anyway, Jericho to retain somehow leading to a Fatal Fourway at Armageddon seems like the likely scenario. Agreed?
Adam’s Pick: Chris Jericho
John’s Pick: Chris Jericho
In Closing…
John: Thanks for reading and enjoy Survivor Series if you’re watching it. I’ll try to be back late next week with some type of column because I’ve been lazy lately, so be on the lookout for something new from me.
Enjoy the show, people.
Email Adam at [email protected]
Email John at [email protected]