So WWE continues the streak where the NXT Takeover counterpart ends up the better show than it's big four PPV. Takeover Dallas was better than Wrestlemania 32, Takeover Brooklyn II was better than Summer Slam, and Takeover Toronto was better than Survivor Series.
The good news though for the main show and roster is that the gap in quality wasn't as wide as the previous two shows. WM32 was mediocre while Takeover Dallas was great, Summer Slam was ok while Takeover Toronto was very good.
Survivor Series 2016 was a good show while while Takeover Toronto was great. Thus Survivor Series was just a peg or two down while the other shows were three or four pegs down compared to it's Takeover companion.
That said here's my quickie with the card
Women's Survivor Series Match
Decent match but it does expose the "Divas Revolution/Women's Revolution" a bit. Beyond the Four Horsewomen the depth and overall talent in the Women's Division in the main roster is still a bit thin (doesn't help that Asuka is in NXT and Paige is suspended). The gap in overall talent and star power between Becky Lynch, Bayley, Charlotte, and Sasha Banks and the other rosters is a big one.
Some notes:
- Comparing the RAW and Smackdown roster
- Surprised and upset at Sasha's early elimination.
- Match got better as it neared the end
- Bayley getting the win was the right move
- And this is a good way to set up a Bayley and Charlotte feud
Match Rating: B-
Intercontinental Championship: Sami Zayn vs. The Miz
Decent match but it's one of those matches that exposes The Miz in his ring work. I mean he's not a bad in ring performer but when wrestling guys like Sami Zayn or Kevin Owens you can see The Miz as someone not in their level.
Some notes:
- Sami Zayn is so good in the ring. How he sells, his attention to detail, and in ring awareness is vastly underappreciated.
- Miz retaining was the right move since he just won back the title a week before. If the Miz didn't have to drop the title to Ziggler I would have thought otherwise.
Match Rating C+
Tag Team Survivor Series Elimination Match
This match really shows how shallow Smackdown's Tag Team Division is even their Tag Team Champions look like a joke. The only tag teams that felt relevant in Smackdown are American Alpha and the Usos.
The New Day getting eliminated early made me realize that the only reason why they have held the tag team titles for so long is to break Demolition's record because they are currently suing the WWE no more and no less. I don't think the creative backstage take the New Day serious and felt like "aw f*** let's just have them hold the titles until they break Demolition's record"
Which makes me believe that The New Day will drop the tag titles at the next RAW PPV Roadblock.
Ok back to the match. This is an example of less is more. This was to cluttered due to the number of participants in this match. Once the match went down to four teams the match started to have a rhythm.
I have no problem with RAW winning since they have the superior Tag Team division but I would have preferred American Alpha to be the last team for Smackdown to establish them in the brand.
Match Rating C
Cruiserweight Championship: Brian Kendrick vs. Kalisto
I kind of realize that the Cruiserweight division might be irrelevant seeing as there are people in the heavyweight division who are faster and does the same amount of high risk and high flying moves than the Cruiserweight division.
That said this was a pretty good match and ruined by the finish when Baron Corbin did a pointless run in to get Kendrick the DQ win. I don't get the finish, if you are trying to establish the cruiserweights and the division why did you have this finish in their 2nd PPV appearance?
Match Rating C - mostly due to the finish
Men's Survivor Series Match
This reminds me of a Vince Russo booked match, run-ins, swerves, and plenty of overbooking. Regardless this near one hour match was, at least, entertaining problem is here is what is at stake?
Also ultimately what was the point of this match? I predicted Smackdown would win here thinking Owens and Jericho would implode but that didn't happen, what about Reigns and Seth Rollins they were the last two Survivors but they were just "kind of there" there.
On the RAW side nothing was really accomplished in advancing a story while the Smackdown side the so many stories and angles were developed. Two who I expected to be the sole survivors the least, ended up being the sole survivors (Wyatt and Orton). My guess is Orton and Wyatt are going to be a focal point leading to WM then Orton turns on Wyatt setting up a match between the two.
Some notes:
- The one that got the most over here is Shane McMahon. Like I said at WM32, I respect Shane but he has no business being able to Survive the assault he had here. Him lasting as long as he did and getting as much offense as he did kind of makes the main roster look back. Flashback Shane needed 9 people to beat X-PAC and now he can stand toe to toe with Jericho, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns (seriously?)?
- Roman Reigns was the defacto heel here getting the most heat among any of the 10 wrestlers
- Brand MVP's - Jericho for RAW and AJ Styles for Smackdown
- Speaking for Jericho, him trying to collect his scattered list in the ring mat was priceless. Goes to show what the indispensable treasure Jericho is for the company.
- The small Sheild reunion was kind of cool
- WWE still wants to make Reigns a big deal. Try as the WWE might but the crowd reaction he got indicates he won't be accepted as "the guy" anytime soon
- Finish was kind of cool seeing Orton sacrifice himself to save Wyatt. That said this better turn into a really good angle.
- of the 8 eliminations three were non pinfall/submission finishes. I am not a fan.
Good match a bit long and overbooked but it was entertaining. I just wished more was at stake here.
Match Rating: B
Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar
How can this be called a fantasy warfare except these two already locked horns in WMXX, so this a reverse "Once in a Lifetieme (Rock/Cena)" again. In other words false advertising.
Anyways we all know what happened Goldberg beat Lesnar in 90 seconds. Actually I am fine with this considering that:
- If finally took the WWE 12 years to figure out how to properly book Goldberg (better late than never)
- Goldberg, as great as his look and charismatic as he is, isn't a good worker and hasn't been Wrestling for over a decade and Brock Lesnar isn't exactly the type of guy that can carry a match. I always predicted this match would be short (like 5 to 8 mins short) since I thought if they went over 10 mins the match would start to suck.
- The match was classic Goldberg booking and this was showcasing Goldberg at his best
and this is what the fans wanted (power move, spear, jackhammer, it's over).
- the 90 second finish did create a Survivor Series moment
- Goldberg winning here was the right move. We talk about how Sting losing his first WWE match was a dumb move, at least here Goldberg wins in his WWE first match in 12 years. Plus it makes Goldberg look like the real deal and doing so can make the company more money either through merchandise or future bookings.
- I don't think this made Brock Lesnar look any weaker. Goldberg caught Lesnar by surprise with a power move that staggered Lesnar and never recovered. Reminded me when Frank Mir caught Lesnar with a submission.
- It felt like a shoot, and I am always for Wrestling looking a bit more real once in awhile when you have the right superstars that can pull that off, and Lesnar and Goldberg can.
Match Rating: A- - This was the match that it needed to be
Overall Survivor Series 2016 was a good PPV and actually felt relevant again, something the annual event needed after a string of lackluster PPVs. It had a big money match and solid Survivor Series matches.
Overall event grade B
