Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown LIVE in a 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Women's Elimination Match
With these elimination matches tonight, it's probably best to look at what stories they create and what sort of angles are born. The winners don't really matter, from a brand standpoint, but the fact that Charlotte and Bayley survived this one together, and then Charlotte attacked her afterwards, means we're in for a big feud now. Likewise, over on SmackDown, Natalya (though it's not confirmed yet) taking out Nikki Bella and assuming the role of Captain will have repercussions on Tuesday nights.
Shockers here included Bayley pinning Becky Lynch, who was the last member of Team SmackDown, and Sasha Banks getting taken out (relatively) early thanks to some chicanery from Alexa Bliss and Nattie. It's not like she can seek revenge on either of them and a loss like this may further fuel those "Sasha is perpetually injured" rumors.
Winners: Charlotte and Bayley of Team RAW
Intercontinental Champion The Miz vs. Sami Zayn
In a finish that was slightly reminiscent of the Montreal Screwjob, Maryse rang the bell while Zayn had Miz in a Figure Four, making Zayn think he'd won. Miz then capitalized with a roll up and a win, proving that Maryse has become an integral part (in a great way) of his career resurgence. Zayn, despite having the home field advantage, was sort of destined to lose this one. Not just because he's Zayn, but because RAW wasn't going to get the IC title when they already have the U.S. belt.
Even though it was easy to predict the winner, this was still a good match. Nothing outstanding, but a valiant underdog-isa effort from Zayn and some nifty near-falls.
Winner, and still Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown LIVE in a 10-on-10 Traditional Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination Match
As the most extraneous of the RAW vs. SmackDown elimination matches, this mega tag team encounter was sort of indicative of some of the problems with these bouts. After Breezango got immediately taken out - followed by Kofi falling to an Uso superkick right afterward! - one begins to realize that you really want to just skip to the end of these matches - the final members of both sides duking it out to see who wins. Because up until then, its just everyone getting in their spots with little regard for who beats who. It felt even more inconsequential here because these teams won't ever face one another again until trades are made between brands.
It was nice to see the Club handily dominate on more than a few occasions, taking out the Hype Bros and American Alpha (before falling to a GORE!). Surprisingly, RAW won this one (it's surpsising since they also won the first elimination match) when it came down to the Usos vs. Cesaro and Sheamus. The story here, despite the match feeling rather empty overall, is that Cesaro and Sheamus, as the team who led RAW to victory, will get another shot at New Day.
Winners: Cesaro and Sheamus for Team RAW
WWE Cruiserweight Champion The Brian Kendrick vs. Kalisto (If Kalisto wins, SmackDown LIVE gets the entire Cruiserweight division)
Really after all that? After getting our hopes up about the cruiserweights moving to SmackDown (not that I know how they'd fit into the two-hour slot), Baron Corbin runs in and gets Kalisto disqualified? Gah. Another win for RAW, I guess. I know Kalisto and Corbin had unfinished business, but the end of this one felt like a freakin' fizzle. The match itself picked up toward the end, but there were part of it that were also D.O.A. The strain of watching guys and gals fight each other without proper feuds or stories in place (because they're on different shows) is beginning to take its toll.
Winner, by DQ, and still Cruiserweight Champion: Brian Kendrick
Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown LIVE in a 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Men's Elimination Match
It's probably bad that even with all the talent involved in this match I still went into it thinking "Man, I hope this somehow only takes 10 minutes." I knew it wouldn't and that it'd probably got all the way to the top of the hour but that just felt like way too long for a match that ultimately didn't mean anything in the long run.
It was fun to watch James Ellsworth, and his two fighting-chance hands, cause Braun to get counted out, and then watching The List of Jericho pretty much take care of both Owens and Jericho in different ways, but you still knew the outcome here. SmackDown had to win. Not only had they been losing badly almost all PPV, but Edge and Taker both endrosed them. AND Shane was on the team, and his team couldn't lose after he delivered a flying elbow off the ropes through an announce table. That being said...is Shane okay? He really seemed out of it after that Roman Spear.
There were some impressive performances in this match, for sure, but by the time we got down to the final five guys it just needed to hurry the hell up a bit. Because it was a match that didn't have any real stakes, a lot of it felt like "filling time."
That being said, we DID get a reunited Shield triple powerbomb! Also, Bray Wyatt got to stand victorious at the end. I'll always cheer that!
This was long though.
Winners: Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton of Team SmackDown
Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg
HOLY CRAP! TWO SPEARS AND A JACKHAMMER AND IT'S OVER! That was...the best!
Not only did it redeem the match from 2004 but it was amazingly respectful of our time! Goldberg is known for two moves. He did them. He won. This wasn't even a match really, but -- good lord -- it was great to see Brock got down so fast and get demolished. You could argue that they cheated us here, given all the hype, but I preferred this to risking having a bad, long match.
Winner: Bill Goldberg
WWE Survivor Series 2016 live blog and results
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