Round 1 - "Team Bischoff" vs "The All Americans"

[IrishCanadian25]

This is a first round match-up in the all time survivor series team tournament. These two teams have been selected at random to face each other. Polls will be open for 3 days.

Team Bischoff

Team Bischoff is from the 2003 Survivor Series, and consisted of Chris Jericho, Christian, Mark Henry, Randy Orton, and Scott Steiner. They defeated "Team Austin," which consisted of Shawn Michaels, Rob Van Dam, Booker T, and The Dudleyz. Orton was the sole survivor, eliminating Michaels after Batista interfered. The loss cost Austin his role as co-GM of Raw.

The All-Americans

The All-Americans is from the 1993 Survivor Series, and consisted of Lex Luger, The Undertaker, and the Steiner Brothers. They defeated "The Foreign Fanatics," which consisted of Yokozuna, Ludvig Borga, Quebecer Jacques, and Crush. Luger was the sole survivor. Rick Steiner and Quebecer Pierre had both suffered kayfabe injuries as the feeling of a "USA vs The World" war mounted. Crush replaced Pierre, and Undertaker (flag cape and all) replaced Rick Steiner.

 

[klunderbunker]

Actually, Taker replaced Tatanka, but that's neither here nor there.

That being said, I think I have to go with The All-Americans. Let's break it down.

To begin with, Scott cancels himself out. Taker has proven time and time again that Mark Henry is no match for him, so that's an easy win. Rick would fall to either Christian or Jericho, and that leaves Taker and Luger against Orton, Christian, and Jericho. Christian was never really past the upper mid-card in wwe, so i'll have him gone via the tombstone. Then you have a most interesting tag match. However, Jericho was still in his can't win the big one phase here, so he's done as well. Taker has beaten Orton too often to go with the Legend Killer here, so the All-AMericans win.

 

[Papa Shango]

To be honest, I don't think you can cancel out Steiner in this one. These are two completely different Scott Steiners in the ring. On Luger's team, you have the tag team specialist Scott Steiner. And on the other, you have Freakzilla, Big Poppa Pump, the Big, Bad, Booty Daddy.

Anyways, Taker in 93 was a beast, so I could see him man-handling Henry and Christian on his own. The strength of Big Poppa Pump combined with the speed and cunning of Y2J and Orton would be enough to defeat the Steiner Brothers. Luger and Steiner I could very well see fighting to a draw, which leaves Taker vs. Orton and Y2J. Y2J would eventually fall to the Deadman, but Orton still has Evolution backing him up, and if they interfered or caused a distraction the way they did in 03, then Taker would be prime for an RKO.

 

[Checkmate]

Even with the difference in Steiners, I'd still cancel them out. Just so I don't have to debate it. It is easier to simplify things than to complicate them.

Taker beats Henry. Jericho beats Rick. Luger beats Christian. Orton beats Luger. Taker beats Orton. That seems to be a logical order of elimination, leaving Taker against Jericho. Given that this was the seemingly unbeatable Undertaker that could take a title off of Hogan, I can't put Jericho over him.

Yeah, Taker is the big guy in this matchup. I could see him taking down the majority of the opponents, and this isn't the Undertaker that Orton could just cheat to beat. This was the Undertaker that always would sit up. Americans beat Bischoff on this one.

 

[Shocky]

Yup, two very different Scott Steiners. One was a role player in a tag team, the other was a former World champion. I'm going with Team Bischoff in this one. Mark Henry or Scott Steiner negate anything that Lex Luger brings to the table as far as power is concerned. This leaves to me, the Steiners and the Udnertaker vs. a five man team. Eventually, the numbers wear down, and again, the man that is a legend at Survivor Series can win this by being the sole survivor, and that's Randy Orton.

 

[Dead Kennedy]

Team Bischoff is better overall, even if they wasted a slot on Mark Henry and a Steiner. But then again, the All-Americans wasted two. The only good one the All-Americans have is 'Taker. Bischoff has Jericho, Orton and Christian. You figure out the rest of the math. Or in case you hate math like me, I'll just say that my vote is for Team Bischoff as the superior team. This is what it'd look like.

Yokozuna first eliminates Scott Steiner, but is subdued by Henry after a slow, long duel. Henry also eliminates Rick Steiner before he is eliminated by Lex Luger, who tags the younger Scott in. Jericho makes short work of young Scott and using tag team strategy like hell, Jericho and Christian eliminate Lex Luger, leaving Taker the only survivor of the All-Americans. Jericho, Orton and Christian utilize quick tags but Taker manages to eliminate Jericho. Christian tags in Orton who goes for an RKO and gets the pin.

Nuff said?

 

[Monkey_Mania]

Yeah Team Bischoff is better overall. Steiner at this point was just a powerhouse. Same with Mark Henry. Like Shocky said this comes down to five on three basically. Even though The Undertaker is a beast. Randy Orton is a beast in Survivor Series matches. Which he won all by himself on a couple of occasions.

 

[Miko]

I'd call The All American's on this one. Luger is cancelled out by Mark Henry and Scott Steiner but Taker would take both those guy's down leaving Taker & The Steiner's vs Orton & Vitamin C.

Taker and The Steiner's take this one for me, Jericho and Christian are great singles competitor's but as a tag team The Steiners are one of the best and the teamwork of these guys matches the overrall skills of Jericho and Christian so they cancel each other out, that leaves Orton and The Undertaker, Taker takes out Orton no problem, this was the pre World Title Orton, the remaining three take out Jericho and Christian.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Still time for the All-Americans to take this one.

The 93 Survivor Series was fantastic, and this match was the reason. I thought the buildup in the WWF in general around 1993 was generally its best ever, and the long-standing war between Luger and his patriots against the foreign wrestlers was one of the best incarnations of the old "USA vs The World" angle we've seen so many times.

Furthermore, as Shango so eloquently points out, Steiner '93 and Steiner '03 were two TOTALLY different wrestlers, and I'll take Steiner '93 ANY DAY! (I smell a thread...) To put a motivated Luger, Steiners, and Undertaker in place of Tatanka (thank you for the correction, KB) in the ring with ANYBODY is a tough prospect, especially against Team Bischoff.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

The 93 Survivor Series was fantastic, and this match was the reason.

Possibly one of the worst events of all time. The opening match of the show and the tag match was ok. But the rest of the show was a total washout, including the main event.

I thought the buildup in the WWF in general around 1993 was generally its best ever, and the long-standing war between Luger and his patriots against the foreign wrestlers was one of the best incarnations of the old "USA vs The World" angle we've seen so many times.

I can't fault the build up. But overall it didn't work. Maybe if Lex Luger was capable of having frequently decent matches, but he wasn't. And with somebody of 'Zuna's size you need a talented worker to get the best out of him.

The match also involved Crush, one of the most boring wrestlers of all time. And Ludvig Borga, who's all but forgotten. The talent of Jacques Rougeau is debatable, he's probably a better comedy heel than wrestler. It's not like his singles run is remembered for anyting more than him spending the night in jail and having a short feud with Bret Hart.

Overall you've got an obese wrestler carrying the workload for the heels.

To put a motivated Luger,

Wouldn't Randy Orton be more motivated? This was his chance to prove himself. He wasn't a main eventer at that point, unlike Luger.