Survivor Series: WWE Intercontinental Championship - The Miz (c) VS Sami Zayn

[Jack-Hammer]

Dolph Ziggler announced on tonight's episode of SmackDown Live that he's defending the IC title in an open challenge to anyone from Raw. This holds a lot of potential possibilities when you look at the Raw roster. Some of the more obvious choices include Sami Zayn and Rusev while it's also possible to see one of the cruiserweights step up to the challenge as it'd be a bit of an opportunity to showcase one of them. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to actually be Miz with his explanation being that he's fed up with how SmackDown Live is run, his animosity towards Daniel Bryan, etc. so he's "quite" the blue brand and has signed with Raw. I'd hope not because I enjoy seeing Bryan & Miz tear into each other.

 

[LegendKiller716]

With the whole contract negotiation gimmick they just went through, I highly doubt them saying Miz is switching brands.

If we're gonna stray away from the obvious, I'll say Bubba Ray Dudley. D-Von works in the back now and Bubba, who is technically a Raw superstar, has been teasing a return and singles run.

Also I can see Zayne having a great match with Ziggler and Ziggler winning. Than having Miz use his rematch clause right after and win the belt back.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

But what is the point? He isn't losing so soon after that Miz storyline. Raw isn't getting the belt. It exists so the brands can be 2-2 at the end of the night.

 

[sikkbones]

Bully Ray debuts and destroys ziggles for the belt.

It would be a great way for him to turn heel and possibly be fodder for lesnar or Goldberg.

 

[King Patrick Star]

It’s happening!! I have a feeling that Roman Reigns will answer the challenge, and defend his United States Championship Title Belt in the match as well. Then they will unify the Intercontinental Championship Title Belt and United States Championship Title Belt to create the United Continental Championship Title Belt. It’ll look exactly like the Universal and World Championship Title Belts, only it’ll have white strap, with a red, white and blue background behind the WWE logo on the main plate.

Seriously, what happens if a Raw SuperStar win the Intercontinental Championship Title Belt?? Will the new Intercontinental Champion become a Smackdown SuperStar?? Will Raw have 6 Championship Titles, leaving Smackdown with 3?? Will Roman Reigns turn on Team Raw, move to Smackdown, taking the United States Championship Title Belt with him, thus completing a double switch of the Mid-Card Championship Title Belts??

 

[The Samoan Heritage]

Also I can see Zayne having a great match with Ziggler and Ziggler winning. Than having Miz use his rematch clause right after and win the belt back.

I think this is the best idea/route. Ziggler and Zayn can have a great match, and Miz can become IC champion again.

Then they can have the final battle between Miz and Ziggler in a ladder match at the TLC ppv.

 

[@smarkmouth]

Whoever answers the challenge, Miz should help Dolph retain. He protects the Smackdown brand out of self interest so he can win his title back to some point. This adds one more layer of nuance to their rivalry, as Miz can be on to touted hat Ziggler couldn't get the job done on his own.

Such a scenario beckons for a babyface to answer the call. Sami is a great choice, as the would be a great match, and Zayn would have Toronto behind him. To that point, maybe Bobby Roode would make a great one-night-babyface before reverting to the heel demeanor the next night next Raw.

I hope they keep it a mystery. I don't want to see an opponent chosen for Dolph casually on Raw.

 

[Vanilla Midget]

The interesting thing is that it's an open challenge to anyone from Raw, and not just an open challenge. I think that might kind of disqualify Bubba Ray, as he is technically retired, but you could make the short logic leap.

There's a few possible scenarios here. Either someone wins the title and is moved to Smackdown, someone wins the title and moves to Raw, or Dolph retains. One has to wonder what the point of this match is if Dolph retains, get him and his opponent on the card?

That's why I think new champion is extremely strong here. There are not a lot of active heels on Raw, so you really have to wonder who it is? They could easily make the statement that because the IC title is exclusive to Smackdown, so to is the champion.

The other thing is Dolph would have a rematch clause. So you could have the new champion defend against Ziggler at TLC. That also begs the question as to what the point would be if Ziggler just recaptures.

I'd like to see a big surprise, but this card has these huge fuster cluck matches where basically everyone is going to be announced. Pretty much Sami Zayn and Neville will likely be the biggest names not in matches, and even they stand a chance of being added to the tag match. It seems clear Rollins will be in the five on five, Finn is still hurt, there aren't a lot of people left outside the cruiserweights.

The more I think about it, a returning Bubba Ray debuting the Bully Ray character (he won't likely use that name) seems like it could be a thing. Bubba comes out of retirement still in Dudley boys ring gear, cheats to win and cuts heel promo, joins Smackdown. I like it, otherwise it's so unclear who answers the challenge unless someone pulls double duty.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I suppose Joe is finishing up with NXT the night before so he could be a contender. But that still requires one to lose, when neither should. Or we get a DQ finish.

 

[That N Word]

Sami Zayn? He would be an awesome choice and would make a great Intercontinental Champion. Question is though...If Zayn wins,is he just a transitional champ? Sami is in the middle of an unresolved feud with Braun Strowman. A feud that I highly doubt it over after one match. If Sami wins,he will almost certainly just drop the title to Braun Strowman. In that case,there's not point in taking the strap off Dolph.

Dolph just had his Shawn Michaels Moment with the IC Title. Why take the belt off him to put it on somebody who's deserving...just to make that person drop it to somebody nobody gives two shits about in just a matter of 1-3 months.

Who else is there? Rusev? Would be a pretty dumb choice following his recent loss to Roman Reigns. I could see a Bubba/Bully Ray return as The Dudleys we're technically on the Raw brand before retirement. And Miz costing Dolph the title. Dolph could go to Raw and feud with Bubba/Bully. Raw does need the star power right now.

 

[kadroan]

I suppose Joe is finishing up with NXT the night before so he could be a contender. But that still requires one to lose, when neither should. Or we get a DQ finish.

That would be awesome. I'd love to see Samoa Joe debut in the main event picture though.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

It's gonna be RAW's newest signee, Samoa Joe. I'm sure. And he's gonna beat the living crap out of Dolph Ziggler.

A face answering the challenge and winning against another face doesn't really make sense. Someone like Zayn answering the challenge and losing, only to put on a great match again, doesn't make sense. Strwoman would have made sense, but he's already in the SSeries match, and I don't think they want to push him so badly yet.

Another choice would be Rusev, but he just lost one belt, only to go and win another? Plus I don't think they want and neither we do, to go back to a Rusev vs Ziggler feud.

So my money is on Samoa Joe, making his debut for Monday Night RAW, beating Ziggler by making him pass out in a submission.

 

[OYDK]

Let's be real here, Ziggler's not going to lose the IC title unless he goes up against Samoa Joe or somebody else of that caliber. That's the only way this makes sense. While Bully Ray could be an option, I highly doubt it. If they were going to re-package him, they would have done it while he was still with the company. Plus, I just can't see Vince giving somebody like Bubba Dudley a push at 45, I definitely don't see him destroying somebody like Dolph Ziggler when SD has worked their ass off to make him relevant again. No, if WWE is going to take the title off of Ziggler, it will either be a debuting NXT star like Joe or a returning star looking to make an impact. Having him lose it in any other scenario is pointless and undoes all the work they've put into the title since it went to SD.

As for who it will be, yeah I'm with Zayn as well. They'll put on a good match and Miz will get some heat when he ultimately screws Sami, because he will.

 

[Aquaman6686]

That would be awesome. I'd love to see Samoa Joe debut in the main event picture though.

No. They need to stop debuting NXT people at the top. NXT call-ups should debut in the midcard, the way developmental ALWAYS worked. A long, slow build to main event status results in more long-term success than continually rocketing every young guy to the top. Pushing young guys so hard is why WWE has no stars for the future.

 

[ztwhite]

There's always an option of having a cruiserweight guy challenge Dolph -- Rich Swann would be the first name on the list -- for the IC belt. Pretty sure DZ qualifies for the weight limit, but I'm not sure it's still being enforced (at least according to a recent main page article).

But if you look at the active Raw roster, I imagine it will be a guy who's not involved in another Survivor Series match. Based on recent spoilers, Sami Zayn is going to be the final guy on Raw's singles team, so he's out.

Mark Henry recently teased a big storyline for himself in the near future and it could be Sexual Chocolate. A returning Big Show, perhaps?

I'm going to guess Neville, Bo Dallas or Curtis Axel. Not exactly the big names everyone is speculating, but it's going to be a one off match, so it's not likely that a big name, surprise return, or debuting gimmick will be wasted.

 

[kadroan]

No. They need to stop debuting NXT people at the top. NXT call-ups should debut in the midcard, the way developmental ALWAYS worked. A long, slow build to main event status results in more long-term success than continually rocketing every young guy to the top. Pushing young guys so hard is why WWE has no stars for the future.

Samoa Joe isn't young though. He's 37. I'm pretty sure he has an established fan base like AJ.

 

[ShinChan]

I would love to see Samoa Joe answer this open challenge.

But the only problem is that neither man could lose if Ziggler really faces Joe for the title. Ziggler has been built back in these past 3-4 months and I won't want him back on pre-show. Plus, I won't want Samoa Joe to lose his first match on main roster.

So I ain't sure who could challenge Ziggler. But no Rusev, please. I don't want to see them together in a feud, I guess no one does.

​

 

[King Patrick Star]

It’s happening!! I have a feeling that Roman Reigns will answer the challenge, and defend his United States Championship Title Belt in the match as well. Then they will unify the Intercontinental Championship Title Belt and United States Championship Title Belt to create the United Continental Championship Title Belt. It’ll look exactly like the Universal and World Championship Title Belts, only it’ll have white strap, with a red, white and blue background behind the WWE logo on the main plate.

Seriously, what happens if a Raw SuperStar win the Intercontinental Championship Title Belt?? Will the new Intercontinental Champion become a Smackdown SuperStar?? Will Raw have 6 Championship Titles, leaving Smackdown with 3?? Will Roman Reigns turn on Team Raw, move to Smackdown, taking the United States Championship Title Belt with him, thus completing a double switch of the Mid-Card Championship Title Belts??

I just realized something. If there are plans in place to have Kevin Owens face Roman Reigns in a Champion vs. Champion feud, this could mean that Roman Reigns will answer Dolph Ziggler’s open challenge. I could see Roman Reigns defeating Dolph Ziggler, taking the Intercontinental Championship Title Belt with him back to Red brand. Then when it seems like they lost their mid-card Championship Title Belt, out comes the Cruiserweight Champion, Brian Kendrick, on Tuesday night, giving the Blue brand a mid-card division again. That could be the only logical reason to have Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns feud next month, having 205 Live after Smackdown, and balancing everything out.

Now imagine this. Universal Champion, Kevin Owens vs. United-Continental Champion, Roman Reigns. Sounds a little better to me, in my opinion.

 

[ztwhite]

Then when it seems like they lost their mid-card Championship Title Belt, out comes the Cruiserweight Champion, Brian Kendrick, on Tuesday night, giving the Blue brand a mid-card division again.

It's a decent idea, but the company really put a huge emphasis on the cruiserweight division being exclusively on Raw for the past several months. That being said, plans will and do change, and it's not like it would be the first time the WWE has made a quick knee jerk reaction.

Plus, I'm not sure the cruiserweight division is getting a crowd reaction like was expected. IMO, it's because the matches on Raw have been crap in comparison to the matches in the Cruiserweight Classic, but...

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

I think this is the best case scenario for the championship. Ziggler vs. Miz can wait until TLC to get their final match in some sort of gimmick.

As for who should answer the challenge, Sami Zayn. Not only is he great in the ring and would get a great match out of Ziggler, the match will be in his hometown of Toronto. Besides they don't have anything else for Zayn, so he makes perfect sense and I would love to see this match.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Due to a win over Rusev last night on Raw, Sami Zayn faces off against Ziggler at Survivor Series for the IC title.

I thought they were going to wait and keep Ziggler's opponent quiet until Survivor Series but, at the same time, at least this gives the match a bit of a build. Also, let's be honest, there'll probably be a lot more excitement in Toronto to see Sami Zayn facing Ziggler than Rusev.

It's sort of interesting that Zayn was "threatened" by Stephanie if he didn't win the title, so maybe this will result in really focusing on the "underdog from the underground" aspect of Zayn. I don't expect Zayn to win the title unless it's part of a deal where the Cruiserweight Division ultimately winds up on SmackDown given the 205 Live cruiserweight show as it'd leave SmackDown without a mid-card title.

 

[ShinChan]

Sami Zayn is really an interesting choice. I didn't want to see Rusev compete against Ziggler again, so Zayn Vs. Ziggler is a refreshing change.

I don't think that Ziggler is going to lose the title this soon after that awesome feud with The Miz. He will retain the title until the initial 2017.

Happy for Zayn to get something meaningful other than the Owens feud.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

If this is the best match on the card then all those Ziggler fans, if they are still in existence, can roll out the show stealer line like it's happened more than a handful of times.

 

[@smarkmouth]

Confirmed or not, I still think Miz will ruin (kayfabe) this encounter to put more heat on their unfinished program. Ideally, Sami comes to Smackdown, but not immediately. Just long enough for Miz and Dolph to settlet their program, transitioning Sami somewhere back in the IC title picture.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

two things that i could see happening in this match, either Ziggler win the match and Zayn gets fired from raw as a result of this and they fix the mistake they made in july by sending him on smackdown

or

b) Zayn wins and then we found out that while zayn is a raw talent, the ic belt is exclusive to smackdown so because of this Zayn as to jump to smackdwon and so raw trades zayn for miz.

The fact is, while my 2 scenarios are really good, i think they just needed a canadian wrestler to lose at the ppv since they don't get that canada is a country and will threat zayn as a hometown guy even through he from montreal and you know that WWE love to have their hometown guys loses in front of their fans.