Simon RushworthSurvivor Series Sound Off
Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
A wild weekend in WWE truly belonged to NXT after an astonishing Takeover: WarGames show and a dominant display at Survivor Series proved the brand is one of the hottest in the business.
The wider WWE Universe was treated to a breathtaking two-and-a-half hour show on as the NXT roster put their bodies on the line at a Takeover event that will remembered for years to come.
Simple and effective storytelling, high risk moves and top-class wrestling: the perfect combination for compelling viewing. Both matches that took place inside WarGames (two rings next to each other, surrounded by a cage) could easily find themselves as Match Of The Year contenders for completely different reasons.
Whenever the term “First Ever Women’s…” is attached to a match, fans can be assured they will not only witness history but also catch group of women that will do everything they can to leave their own mark on the industry that will be remembered forever.
As the bell signalled the end of the first ever women’s WarGames match this had never been more true. Brutal and awe-inspiring, a top rope poisonrana and a moonsault from the top of cage were just two standout moments from an amazing match.
Every match on the card at Takeover: WarGames had a chance to shine and the same can be said for the matches 24 hours later at Survivor Series. With NXT superstars coming off the back of a gruelling night, there were fears on social media that the yellow and gold brand would be buried by their Raw and Smackdown counterparts. Thankfully, and somewhat surprisingly, this proved to be far from the reality.
Survivor Series belongs to the prestigious group of WWE PPVs nicknamed the big four (Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania and Summerslam make up the other three) so for NXT to not only debut but walk away with the most wins of the three brands, is sure to gain the young upstart roster a whole raft of new fans.
Taking just the main PPV results into account, the cross-brand matches all belonged to NXT with only one notable exception being the men’s elimination tag match.
Even in defeat, Superstars such as Tomasso Ciampa and Keith Lee had their chance to shine on one of the biggest stages of the year. That particular match may have showcased some of the very best in the entire company, with rivalries continuing and beginning throughout, but for British or European fans, there was one major disappointment.
NXT UK Champion Walter was drafted into team NXT to much online fervour, but after starting strongly, the Austrian was the first to be eliminated. A vocal Chicago crowd voiced their displeasure at that particular moment but remained an almost exclusively partisan NXT crowd throughout the night.
Wins in the women’s elimination tag match as well as for Roderick Strong, and Shayna Baszler ensured brand dominance but there was another high spot for NXT, as champion Adam Cole faced off against Pete Dunne.
Both men had hellacious matches the previous night, Cole in particular had been on the receiving end of a backwards fall from the top of the cage to the matt below crashing down through two tables on route.
Dunne has earned his chance to shine in front of a huge global audience after his record-breaking run as NXT UK Champion. He may have come up short here but a valiant effort will have done wonders for a star well and truly on the rise from Birmingham all the way to the top of the industry.
A relatively quick match between Brock Lesnar and Rey Mysterio inevitably finished with Lesnar victorious in a largely forgettable match up.
The era of dominance also continued for The Fiend, overcoming a game Daniel Bryan with the arena again somewhat frustratingly bathed in red lights throughout. After a huge backlash from fans online and ex professionals, WWE would do well to listen to the feedback offered.
While atmospheric, it is hugely distracting and seems to suck any kind of atmosphere from arenas and stadiums around the globe. The jury is still out on whether such an unstoppable character really needs the title, but Bray Wyatt is certainly throwing everything he can into the gimmick and storyline build ups.
Overall, Survivor Series proved to be a highly entertaining affair, all the better for the inclusion of all three of the company’s brands. But the PPV will unfortunately go down as second best to an astonishing WarGames, that will doubtlessly be featured on highlight reels for years to come.
PPV Soundtrack
5 Seconds Of Summer – Teeth
A slightly bizarre choice of theme for a PPV, but a somewhat unsurprising pop effort akin to Summerslam choices of the past. 5 Second Of Summer are a relatively straightforward Australian boy band, granted, sounding more akin to Panic! At The Disco then ever here. A slightly rock infused track would have been perfect to represent the alternative feel of NXT invading the mainstream.
Rushonrock Prediction Results:
Reese: 6
John: 6
Andy: 6
Andy Spoors