WWE Survivor Series 2011 Preview

Woohoo!! Survivor Series!! My personal fave of the “Big 4”, and a night renowned for providing us with some of WWE’s most controversial moments. Will this year’s event provide us with some shockers? We are in MSG tonight after all, and we know the Rock is back in action, but what else does WWE have in store for us? Let’s get to previewing…

Diva’s Championship LumberJill Match
Beth Phoenix © vs. Eve

Oh Eve, you try so hard, yet I care less and less about you. Seriously, I know she’s been doing something recently, but I couldn’t tell you specifically what it was. And this isn’t even me being all smarky and “Hmmph I fast forward Divas matches”. I’ve sat there and watched Eve on Raw, I know I have for absolute fact, yet it’s obviously been so bland and unmemorable, that all traces of Eve’s appearances have been wiped from my mind?

Oh well, what can I say about this really? The Divas are gonna be lining the ringside (It’s a LumberJILL match, see what they did there?), making sure this one doesn’t get too out of contro…wait. I’ve just remembered what Eve’s been doing. She’s been hanging around with Kelly Kelly and Alicia Fox hasn’t she? In some weird situation where it’s 3 on 2, but in the face’s favour (I’m guessing that was some failed attempt at getting a Diva’s Traditional Survivor Series match on the go?). Well there you go, I knew I’d remember if I thought about it enough.

Yeesh, poor Divas of Doom. Spending all this time asking girls if they’re gonna cry, without getting the chance to really do anything to make them cry. This needs sorting out, and fast.

Let’s just go ahead and make some predictions shall we?

Who I want to win: Beth Phoenix. Because do we really want to see Eve as Champion?

Who I think will win: Beth Phoenix, but goddamnit they need to start letting her and Nattie completely maul people again. They’re supposed to be the Divas of Doom (or Boob, dependant upon who you ask), they’re selling themselves as better wrestlers, so why not let them slap Eve around a little…well, a lot.

United States Title Match
Dolph Ziggler © vs. John Morrison

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!! The Zack Pack fills out the petition in their thousands, and MORRISON gets the US Title shot? Are you serious, bro?! Although, if Morrison wins and Dolph gets the Main Event push I’ve been waiting (praying) for, then we most likely get Morrison/Ryder at some point, which last week’s Z! True Long Island Story pointed towards.

Also, check out Dolph Ziggler! 2 consecutive PPVs, 2 consecutive sets of Dual Dolph Duty!! Someone’s definitely setting our their stall for “Hardest Working Man in Wrestling 2011”.

Actually these guys had a good match on Raw a couple of weeks ago, not as good as they obviously wanted it to be, but it showed that tonight’s match could be a corker if they get it right. Expect Ziggler to be out looking to steal the show, because it’s pretty apparent that people in the right places are keeping their eye on him.

Who I want to win: In this situation? Ziggler. I know JoMo’s supposed to be getting his mojo back, but I don’t think it’s time to put a strap back on him just yet. As exciting a prospect as Zack Ryder’s Dad getting involved in a JoMo/Ryder series of matches is, I’m still behind Zigs as US Champ.

Who I think will win: Depends whereabouts on the card this is. I could see them sending Ziggler out to do back to back double duty again, so maybe Morrison will be able to capitalise on a fatigued Ziggler? I’m still calling Dolph, but it could go down in any number of ways. Maybe Ryder’s gonna get involved somehow? Who knows?

5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Match
Team Barrett vs. Team Orton

My favourite part of Survivor Series is the Traditional Elimination Matches, and this one looks like it’s got the goods to be a corker. And Mason Ryan. He’s just not very…what’s the word…good, is he? They’re obviously trying to push him, so expect him to have the big powerhouse moments in the match, but he just doesn’t look good while beating people up. He couldn’t even look mean while decimating JTG fer chrissakes.

Setting aside the man with 2 first names and no clue (thankyou Dolph) the rest of these guys should be cool. We’ll no doubt get some lucha flippy fun from Hunico and Cara (which will keep Jimmy Redman happy), and Cody Rhodes is once again well on his way to becoming one of my absolute favourites again. It looks like the paper bags and face mask are gone, but all the best bits that made Cody Rhodes so awesome remain. He actually carries himself like a champion now as well, and I’m looking forward to him legitimising that swish Intercontinental Title for the next couple of months.

Wade Barrett finally looks like he’s getting himself back on track after his Cenassassination, and I couldn’t be happier. The Barrett Barrage is on a roll after the last few weeks, and any heel who utilises the thumb to the eye with such devastating effect is immediately in my good books.

We’ve got Sheamus to distribute some beatings, Dolph to bump like the star he is, and you know that Kofi’s gonna be flying around here, there, and everywhere. I’m actually really looking forward to this match, there’s 10 guys here who could put on a great display so I’ve got my fingers crossed for this one.

Who I want to win: Team Barrett. I just think it’ll be better for things to progress from here if the heels prevail.

Who I think will win: Team Barrett I reckon. Short of them pulling some kind of Randy Orton rampage from him being in a 4 or 5 on 1, I can’t see it going any other way than the bad guys taking this one.

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Mark Henry © vs. Big Show

Baddest Man on the Planet time folks! I’ve figured out why I’ve been enjoying Big Show and Henry so much so far. Because they’ve been bumping like mad men for each other. Seriously, go watch some of their stuff back, when was the last time you saw either of these guys throw themselves around so much for their opponent? Mainly because they haven’t had to, but that’s what makes this so exciting. It feels fresh to watch these two guys literally throw each other around, and them both to be taking some big bumps.

Add to that the fact that they’ve been talking about people being carried out of this match (AGAIN!?), and I’m expecting something pretty special. This is the best I’ve seen Show in a long time, and Henry is still just being the mean, “kill them all” brutaliser I’ve come to know and love over the last year. I reckon this one’s going to go off in a BIG way.

And there lurking behind the scenes, sporting a beard so fabulous it threatens to tear the very fabric of time and space in twain…is Daniel Bryan. Bearded briefcase-bearing badass Bryan (5 word alliteration!!) has been thrust to the forefront after months of jobbing away since his MitB win. Will he be cashing in tonight? Y’know what? Part of me so wants him to, but the larger part of me wants this to wait until WrestleMania, as Bryan promised. I’m perfectly happy with this being the start of Mark Henry’s “you can’t beat me, little man” run that D-Bryan has to fight back from ready to cash in at Mania, but we all know what WWE are like for rushing things, so I wouldn’t be 100% surprised if we saw a cash-in attempt tonight.

Who I want to win: Mark Henry. This ain’t no time for the Pain Train to be slowing down!!

Who I think will win: Again I’m gonna call Henry on this one. Don’t get me wrong, Show’s been fabulous in this feud, but Henry definitely has more legs as the Heel Monster Champion moving forward from here. But like I said, don’t be shocked if our Money in the Bank holder puts in an appearance…

WWE Championship Match
Alberto Del Rio © vs. CM Punk

So we all saw Punk telling Del Rio that he’d become one dimensional and boring as a WWE Champ…and to be honest he was right. Del Rio’s achieved his “destiny” and not really done all that much with it. Losing at WrestleMania this year didn’t help matters, but with Edge having his big send off shortly after it, it was kinda understandable. But still the fact remains, Alberto’s title reign hasn’t been as good as everyone thought it would be.

Now I know I’m a HUGE Punk fan, but even from an unbiased view Punk had scant time with the title after Money in the Bank which just became part of the overall storyline to get HHH installed as COO. What I’d really like to see is Punk given some time with the title to see what he can do with it. If he can really make it as “interesting” as he always says he will.

I think the best thing to come of this is that hopefully working with Punk with help Alberto overcome his “one dimensional”-ness, and become the great we all thought he was gonna be. The last couple of weeks have been interesting, but I’m expecting these two to feud for a while past here.

Who I want to win: Please. Do you even need to ask? CM PUNK!! CM PUNK!! CM PUNK!!

Who I think will win: Tough call. Now would a perfect opportunity to put the title on Punk for a while and let the feud continue, but I can’t shake the feeling that the Raw GM is going to have something to do with the outcome of this. It’s pretty obvious Johnny Ace had a hand in Nash’s appearance at SummerSlam, and he admitted this week on Raw that Punk could cause problems if he were to become champion. I think Del Rio’s gonna win this one, thanks to some shady shenanigans at the request of the GM.

John Cena & The Rock vs. The Awesome Truth

So here we are, The Rock’s first match back in 7 years. More importantly, how quickly has the time gone by since they first announced Cena vs Rock at ‘Mania 28? Well WWE have already done their best at massacring this one by having The Awesome Truth be literally NO THREAT WHATSOEVER to Cena or Rock. In fact, have they ever got any shots in on either of these men?

Nope, Miz and Truth have been forsaken for the story that is “will John Cena and The Rock be able to co-exist?”. I’m pretty certain the answer is no. No they can’t, because that’s no way to build anticipation for their ‘Mania match. There has to be something between Cena and Rock tonight, otherwise what’s the point of this match? They haven’t even sold it as Rock and Cena combining to combat the evil menace of Miz and Truth, because frankly there has been no menace from Miz or Truth. They beat everyone up at Hell in a Cell, and then what? Nothing. No threat to Cena, no threat to The Rock, no danger whatsoever. Just a lot of trash talking, then getting beat up by either Rock or Cena. Waste of an opportunity if you ask me.

Who I want to win: Miz and Truth. I’ll elaborate in a second.

Who I think will win: Miz and Truth. It’s gonna break down between Rock and Cena, and I’m fully expecting the Awesome Truth to use this to their advantage. Then gloat about it a lot.

And that’s your lot for tonight. Or is it? Will there be more happening, surely the combination of MSG and Survivor Series means we have to be in for a few twists and surprises? What do you reckon? Feel free to fill in a comment below, or go discuss this on TalkWrestlingOnline.com.

And you’re stuck for something to do to kill the time before the show begins, you could always go check out my “Top 10 Survivor Series Moments”?

Enjoy the PPV, and I’ll see you next time!