WWE Survivor Series (November 2020)

 

Original Airdate: November 22, 2020

 

From Orlando, Florida; Your Hosts are Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, and Samoa Joe (RAW); Michael Cole and Corey Graves (Smackdown)

 

Opening Survivor Series Elimination Match: Team RAW (AJ Styles, Braun Strowman, Sheamus, Keith Lee, and Riddle) v Team Smackdown (Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, King Corbin, Jey Uso, and Otis): The entrances take forever, to the point where we're almost fifteen minutes into the show before the match even starts. I get why Keith Lee doesn't wear a RAW t-shirt, but what excuse do Riddle and Rollins have? AJ and Uso start, and it's a whole lot of meaningless trading off. Uso gets the better of him with a Samoan drop, and he tags Corbin in to throw a clothesline. AJ tries using speed to fight him off, but a slingshot gets blocked, and Otis tags in. Luckily for AJ, Otis is far easier to out-move, and he gets a tag off to Riddle. Riddle puts Otis in a sleeper, but gets fought off, so Riddle tries peppering him with strikes, but Otis responds by dancing. Otis with a headbutt drop for two, and it's over to Owens, who goes right after Riddle's exposed bare feet. Well, he had that coming. You have to think Uso must feel some sympathy pains, though. Riddle sneaks away long enough to tag Sheamus, and suddenly Seth wants in. And then he just kneels to offer Sheamus a blowjob at mid-ring, but Sheamus declines via Brogue Kick at 6:03. Not sure what the hell that was all about. And neither do the rest of the Smackdown guys, as they all just stand around trying to figure out what just happened, until Braun gets sick of waiting, and knocks them all over like bowling pins. He drags Corbin in to finish, but Riddle is such a loser now that he can't even manage that, and we get tags to Lee and Otis. This is apparently very exciting because they're both fat. The 'new Natural Disasters,' per the announcers. Yeah, not sure that's a great selling point, guys. So, we get the standard big man stalemate spots, and the work looks terrible here. Everyone was on the WWE this past week for sending Lee and Otis back to developmental, but can you honestly watch this segment of the match and tell me they don't have a point? So embarrassingly amateurish, and loose. This results in Otis getting worked over by Team RAW, but he fights off AJ long enough to tag to Owens. Kevin hits a backdrop on Styles, and a sloppy tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gets him two. Pop-Up Powerbomb, but AJ blocks, so Owens dumps him to the outside. He tries a dive after him, so the RAW guys all run in on him, but he's ready with stunners on all comers. Unfortunately, this allows AJ to recover, and the Phenomenal Forearm finishes Kevin at 12:16. Corbin runs in on AJ with the End of Days, but RAW breaks up the cover at two. Corbin fights them off, but again AJ has recovered, and he throws a pele kick. That allows a tag to Riddle, and a flying corkscrew senton splash finishes King at 13:06. Riddle's celebration is cut short by Uso, but Jey can't do shit, and Sheamus Brogue Kicks him for two. No wonder Roman doesn't respect him. Sheamus goes too far by ripping the Smackdown t-shirt off the man, however, and Jey throws an enzuigiri. Tag to Otis, and Roseanne Barr the door. Otis runs wild on everyone, but makes the cardinal mistake of ripping off his own brand specific t-shirt, and Braun kills him at 16:38. Jey is all alone now, and tries superkicking everyone in sight, but come on... does anyone really buy Jey Uso as being able to fight off five guys. At least with Razor Ramon in '94 you felt like it could happen. Jey tries his best, but eventually gets overwhelmed, and pinned by Lee with a sitout powerbomb at 18:57.

Survivors: AJ Styles, Braun Strowman, Sheamus, Keith Lee, Riddle

Well, that was pretty decisive. Not much of a match, but the pace was good enough to keep it watchable. * ½

 

The New Day v The Street Profits: New Day hold the RAW Tag Team title and Profits hold the Smackdown Tag Team title, but this is non-title. So much dancing, so much dancing. Xavier Woods starts with Angelo Dawkins, and Woods manages to get him in a wristlock, but Dawkins distances himself before the switch to Kofi Kingston. Well, we've all had a lot of practicing with distancing this year. Tag to Montez Ford as well, and a criss cross ends in Kofi getting dumped to the outside, and Ford nails him as Kofi rebounds back in. Profits immediately capitalize with a double team, and Dawkins splashes him for two. Dawkins works an armbar, but another combo gets blocked, and both Profits get dumped. That allows Kofi a dive, and New Day go to work on Ford as things head back inside. Ford fights Woods off long enough for the hot tag to Dawkins, and Roseanne Barr the door! Dawkins takes New Day to suplex city, and a butterfly swinging neckbreaker gets two on Woods. German suplex from Ford gets two on Woods, and sliced bread gets two. The Profits work Woods over, but Xavier manages to block another combo, and he makes the tag. Midnight Hour on Ford gets two, so Kofi gives him a trio of Boom Drops, but Dawkins prevents him from hitting Trouble in Paradise. Dawkins adds a spinebuster to set up a flying frogsplash from Ford, but Montez takes damage as well, and is slow to cover. He only gets two once he does, and Kingston pulls out the SOS for two. Woods dives in with a flying dropkick to keep Dawkins out of things, and Xavier gives Ford a press-gutbuster for two. Woods takes him upstairs for superplex, but Dawkins comes in to pull Woods off the ropes in an electric chair, and Ford dives with a flying somersault neckbreaker to finish the combo at 14:03. This got pretty damn good in the last stretch, but the overall match felt too long for what amounted to just a few minutes of particularly interesting work. **

 

Bobby Lashley v Sami Zayn: Lashley is the United States champion, Zayn the Intercontinental champion, no title on the line here. Hey, remember when Sami Zayn was, like, a big deal? Sami stalls to start, but stupidly turns his back to yell at the Hurt Business, and Lashley attacks. Lashley with a biel to send Zayn bailing for the outside, but Sami manages to snap his throat across the top rope on the way back in, and he ropechokes Bobby. Zayn with a 2^nd rope elbowsmash for one, but another dive off the middle gets caught in a suplex. Lashley with a neckbreaker, but he hits boot on a corner charge, and Zayn tries a suplex, but gets reversed. Even the virtual fans look bored. You know it's rough when they can't even be bothered to pipe in a good reaction. Zayn gets into it with the Hurt Business again like an idiot, and gets destroyed again, like an idiot. Lashley tries to post him, but Sami manages a reversal, and back in we go. Zayn tries exposing a turnbuckle, but the Business stop him, and Lashley uses the time to recover with a chokeslam. Sami bails again, but MVP rolls him back in, and Lashley finishes with a full-nelson at 7:46. This was a really dull, ice cold match. DUD

 

Asuka v Sasha Banks: Asuka is the RAW Women's champion, Banks is the Smackdown Women's champ, no title on the line. Nice that this crossover show finally gives us the opportunity to see this fresh and exciting matchup. Feeling out process to start, dominated by Sasha. She goes for a cross-armbreaker early on, but Asuka manages to block her, only for a reversal sequence to nearly land her in the Bank Statement before managing to block again. Sasha responds with a crucifix cradle for two, so Asuka goes for the Asuka-Lock, but can't get it applied either. Banks with a lungblower for two, so Asuka wisely bails, and then knocks Sasha to the outside with a hip attack once coming back inside. Cue dancing, since that's what this promotion is all about, apparently. Asuka grabs an anklelock, but Banks starts to escape, so Asuka throws a strike for two. She takes it to the mat with an armbar, but Banks fights up again, so Asuka throws a knee for two. Shining wizard, but Sasha ducks, and works her own armbar. Asuka escapes, so Sasha goes to an abdominal stretch instead, and they spill out to the apron. Sasha tries a kick out there, but gets caught in an anklelock, and a hip attack knocks Banks to the floor. Back in, but Banks fights her off with a baseball slide, and Sasha dives at her from the barricade, but lands in a double-knee facebuster. Inside, they trade covers for twos, but Asuka misses another hip attack, and Banks uses another lungblower for two. Sasha adds a running kneesmash in the corner, and it's Bank Statement time, but Asuka counters to the Lock. Sasha escapes, but runs into another double-knee facebuster for two. Pinfall reversal sequence sees them trade nearfalls, and Asuka throws a big roundhouse kick. She goes for the kill, but Sasha is ready with a victory cradle at 13:07. The work itself wasn't bad, but the match felt really listless. **

 

Survivor Series Elimination Match: Team RAW (Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, Peyton Royce, Lacey Evans, and Lana) v Team Smackdown (Bayley, Bianca Belair, Natalya, Liv Morgan, and Ruby Riott): Peyton looks so lost out there without Billie. Lacey and Bayley start, and Evans pounds her into the corner, but wastes time gloating, and ends up in the Smackdown corner. Tag to Natalya to hit her with a slingshot drop, and a seated dropkick gets two. Evans bails to Royce, but Natalya is on her with a schoolgirl for two right away, and passes to Belair for a tandem hanging vertical suplex. Bianca adds a moonsault for two, and tags to Liv, who can't get shit done, and we have a double knockout. Tags to Shayna and Riott, and you can guess who wins that showdown. Tags to Nia and Morgan, and the Smackdown gals try ganging up in their corner, but it goes nowhere. Lana tags herself in to uses a somersault cradle on Morgan, triggering a bridging reversal sequence that ends in Natalya tagging in. Criss cross ends in Lana using a cradle for two, and she pounds Natalya into the corner, but no one on her team wants to tag in to help finish the job. Nia finally does, but not before chewing her out, and telling Lana to stand on the steps for the rest of the match so she doesn't get involved again. Dust settles on Royce and Bayley, and Bayley gets a 'Smackdown' chant going with her teammates. That may be the first chant since the pandemic started. History has been made here! Peyton gets control with an octopus on the ropes, but loses control in the Smackdown corner, and Belair tags in to press-drop her across the top turnbuckle. Back to Bayley with a flying elbowdrop, but Evans breaks up the count at two, and Roseanne Barr the door! Everyone comes in to trade off (except for Lana, who's still standing in the corner like a bad girl), and she's the only one that also avoid a big dog pile sequence on the floor. Royce gets Bayley in for a neckbreaker, and we finally have our first elimination at 9:55. Really, under ten minutes? This match feels like it's been going on for an hour, already. Natalya comes in, and hits Peyton with the slingshot drop, but Royce fights off the follow-up with a half crab. Belair helps Natalya into the ropes, however, and Natalya is able to capitalize with a surfboard... which promptly falls apart before she can even get it applied. That looked horrible. No matter, Sharpshooter finishes Peyton at 11:42. Lacey runs in on a celebrating Natalya, but the springboard flying moonsault misses, and Natalya tries another Sharpshooter, but Baszler saves. That allows Evans the Woman's Right at 12:36. Belair is in, but Evans fights her off with a short-clothesline, but stupidly goes after the rest of Team Smackdown on the apron, and gets killed. The psychology these days is such a joke. Evans ends up hitting a Spanish fly off the top on Belair anyway, but Morgan and Riott break up the cover at two. Tag to Jax, and she casually destroys both Ruby and Liv, until they finally realize there's two of them, and start using that to their advantage. Math! It's what's for dinner. Over to Shayna, and the Clutch ends Ruby at 16:54. Dust settles on Evans and Morgan, and Liv gets the better of her. Liv peppers her with strikes, and a crucifix finishes at 18:01. Lana feels this might be her chance to shine, but Nia and Shayna quickly browbeat her back into her spot on the steps. Liv manages to stick and move on Jax, but Nia isn't in the mood to sell, and hits a Samoan drop at 19:05. That leaves Belair alone, but she takes the fight right to big Nia. Splash hits the knees, allowing Jax a bodyslam, and she adds a legdrop for two. Throw a big boot in there and print money! She can give us both ends of a Hulk Hogan/Yokozuna rematch, finally! Nia goes up to the middle, but gets dropkicked over the top, so Shayna comes in to Clutch this bitch herself. Belair makes the ropes to keep herself alive, as Lana continues to do her best impression of a statue in the corner. She's getting it over, give her that. Shayna won't release the hold, however, and that's a super lame DQ at 22:25. Okay, so Belair is free, but she's also dead, so Jax takes her to the outside for some fun with the announce table, but Bianca sends her into the steps, and both get counted out at 23:20.

Survivor: Lana

This was a dull match that went on for way too long, before getting really ridiculous at the end to accommodate the goofy booking. ½*

 

Main Event: Drew McIntyre v Roman Reigns: Drew is the WWE Champion, Reigns holds the Universal title, but neither is on the line. McIntyre carries a huge sword now, like Berzerker. Feeling out process to start, dominated by McIntyre. Reigns bails following a few losing exchanges, and comes back in with some fists after successfully regrouping. That leads to a slugfest, but McIntyre gets the better of it again, and Reigns has to fight him off in the corner. Roman manages to throw him into the post to put Drew on the outside, and Reigns follows to send him into the steps, before rolling it back in to cover for two. Reigns grounds him in a chinlock, and a suplex gets him two. I like the Goldberg meets Michael Jackson glove, Roman. Reigns works more chinlocks, but a corner whip backfires when McIntyre rebounds at him with a clothesline. Drew makes a comeback, but Roman cuts him off with a Samoan drop for two. Superman Punch, but McIntyre counters with a rotating spinebuster into a somersault cradle for two. Roman bails to regroup, but Drew in on his tail, and Reigns eats post, barricade, and steps. Too much iron in that diet. Back in, Reigns throws an uppercut to try and shake him off, but McIntyre responds with a headbutt, and the double-arm DDT gets him two. Claymore Kick, but Reigns blocks with the Superman. McIntyre tries again, but Roman blocks again with a boot, and Drew gets chucked into the corner. Spear, but McIntyre counters to a kimura, and Roman needs the ropes to force a break. Reigns bails, so Drew chases, but gets caught with a Samoan drop onto the announce table to shake him off. Reigns gives him a second one to break said table, and a spear drives Drew through the barricade. Inside, that gets Roman two, and another spear is worth two. Another spear, but McIntyre blocks with the Claymore - connecting, but also creaming the referee in the process. That draws Jey Uso out to attack, and Roman is able to capitalize with the Superman. He slaps on a guillotine choke, and McIntyre is done at 24:52. This didn't do much for me. ¾*

 

We close with a half hour segment billed a 'final farewell' to Undertaker, which essentially amounts to a bunch of legends (and non-legends who happen to be friends with 'Taker in real life) coming out, watching a (really basic) video package, and then disappearing so Undertaker can come out and give his 'final farewell'... which essentially amounts to him standing around for a while. The concept wasn't bad, but this was really poorly executed - especially without a live crowd

 

BUExperience: Did anyone get pinned off of a clothesline? No? Then this was a shitty Survivor Series.

 

DUD