The dust has settled and Survivor Series has come and gone, but this was a disappointing show. Coming off NXT Takeover (which was great), I felt for the first time that a WWE pay-per-view could actually top NXT. Granted, it wouldn’t have been easy, but with matches like Brock Lesnar vs. AJ Styles, which could have been a match of the year candidate, but, it wasn’t. Let’s quickly get into this show.
The show started off strong with The Shield vs. The New Day. Nothing was particularly wrong with this match. In fact, it could be argued that this was the match of the night. Perhaps my expectations were a bit too high with match of the year candidate possibility (it happens), but it was enjoyable and one of the night’s best.
The next several matches ranged from decent (Women’s elimination match, Alexa Bliss vs. Charlotte) to good (The Usos vs. Cesaro & Sheamus). The Miz vs. Baron Corbin was there. It wasn’t god awful, but the two styles never really clicked. In the end though, this won’t go down as the worst match of the year (on the card, definitely). I would’ve made Asuka look more badass in her wins. The idea was right, but Asuka still wasn’t showcased like she should have been. Right now, main roster Asuka doesn’t stand out from the other women on the Raw roster. Becky Lynch getting eliminated early was stupid. Plain and simple.
Then Brock Lesnar vs. AJ Styles came and went. This was indeed a really good match. Problem was that it was too short for my liking. I don’t mind that WWE refuses to let anyone, but Roman (At Wrestlemania next year) kick out of the F5. However, I wished AJ Styles put up more of a fight. Not every match needs wrestlers continuously kicking out of finishers. Ten minutes could have easily been shaved off the main event and given to this match, but it is what it is. Hopefully this isn’t the last time we see these two wrestle as this match felt more like a taste of what we could get in the future. Still, this was the best match of the night to me.
Then came the main event. The first half of the match was very fun. Seeing various combinations of dream matches were cool. However, WWE decided to tell us that Nakamura, Bobby Roode, Samoa Joe, and Finn Balor weren’t on the level of the other guys. Instead of giving these guys a moment to shine and get a clean victory over some of the veterans, WWE is still in the mindset that the McMahon’s are more important. IN 2017. Hell, even Sami Zayn’s and Kevin Owens attack was a bust.
Instead we got the “glorious” angle of Triple H “turning” on Kurt Angle. Then after that confusion, he gets the W for himself instead of Braun Strowman. The non-wrestler Shane McMahon outlasted Randy Orton, John Cena, Bobby Roode, and Shinsuke Nakamura. Think about that. I could care less about the saga of both McMahons, Triple H, and Kurt Angle. Do I want to see Triple H vs. Kurt Angle? Maybe (the interest is there at least). But showcasing guys like Roode or Balor would’ve helped them tremendously. Creative could have told compelling stories throughout this match, but instead it became a showcase for the McMahon/Triple H/Angle saga. Braun looked good as always, but I don’t understand why the other new guys couldn’t get the same treatment. They don’t have to look as good as Braun, but the fact that no new guy other than Braun Strowman pinned any of the veteran wrestlers speaks volumes about what Vince & company thinks about them. In the end, a disappointing match that does not leave me looking forward to either Raw or Smackdown.
Matches to check out: The Shield/New Day, The Usos/Cesaro & Sheamus, Brock Lesnar/AJ Styles
The Shield def. The New Day
Team Raw: Alicia Fox, Nia Jax, Asuka, Sasha Banks, and Bayley def. Team Smackdown: Becky Lynch, Carmella, Naomi, Tamina, and Natalya
Baron Corbin def. The Miz
The Usos def. Cesaro & Sheamus
Charlotte Flair def. Alexa Bliss
Brock Lesnar def. AJ Styles
Team Raw: Kurt Angle, Braun Strowman, Triple H, Finn Balor, Samoa Joe def. Team Smackdown: Shane McMahon, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, John Cena, and Bobby Roode
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