Road to Royal Rumble 2024

Survivor Series

19 years ago this month, I started publishing the Counterfactual; each December I write an anniversary comment as part of the build to the Rumble.  This is that.  

As you likely know, I'm wrapping up the Counterfactual...for the most part.

Here's the most part - last month was the last Survivor Series, this preview is for the last Rumble, Wrestlemania 40 is the final Wrestlemania, Summer Slam 2024, the 150th WWF PPV, is the final show; there will be wrap up posts in September/October/November (I will not have a post for Survivor Series 2024, which will feel weird) and then a year from now, the 20th Anniversary, I will stop.  

That's the most part.

Here's the other part - in addition to the narrative posts, I have some additional posts that I update after each event (each show has a post dedicated to the history of the event, also, off line, I keep running tallies for best matches of all time and top big match wrestlers of all time and there are some posts I update occasionally to reflect that  

I may continue to do that.  After doing this for 19 years, I've found that I use thinking about the upcoming booking as a....coping mechanism/mental reset, whatever you might call it.  It seems unlikely that need stops cold next September.  

So - currently, while I won't do any more new posts, no more narrative posts, I am likely to, for the time being, continue to book those shows and update that stuff.  I do have a penciled in book for Survivor Series 2024, for ex.  

How I'd suggest one thinks about that is that it's not part of the story - the story ends at Summer Slam next year; its the difference between David Chase making more episodes of Sopranos and David Chase giving some graduation speech where he talks about what happened to Tony after the blackout.  It's dicta. 

An unintended consequence is a bit of a multi-verse; my years long thought was to bend the story back around such that it was plausible that after my last event, the promotion could return to its real life status for its next event - it's one of the reasons behind the Counterfactual Bloodline, for example. This change changes that for me - but for you, you can decide whatever makes sense for you, as my part in the story ends at Summer Slam next year.

For the most part.

Here's the one caveat - if circumstances eventuate that ten years from now I've maintained booking these cards on my own - and if this space still exists - and if there is, in fact, a Wrestlemania 50 - I'll come back and do that event.  Good Lord willing and the Creek Don't Rise.  

Here's the card.

WWF Title v. "The Bag": Cody Rhodes v. CM Punk

IC: Drew McIntyre v. Jey Uso

Tags: Triple Crown (Styles/Nakamura w/Mysterio) v. Kevin Steen/Sami Zayn (w/Gargano/Ciampa)

Womens Title: Asuka v. Jordynn Grace

Womens Tags: Bianca Belair/Bayley v. Horsewomen (Baszler/Stratton)

Number One Contender: Roman Reigns v. Walter (w/Heyman)

IC Number One Contender: Elimination Chamber: Bron Steiner v Jimmy Uso v JD McDonaugh v Santos Escobar v Dom Mysterio v LA Knight

Prince Devitt v. Logan Paul (w/McAfee)

Ricochet (w/ BWI) v. Carmelo Hayes (w/Williams)

Falls Count Anywhere: Randy Orton v. Damien Priest

Kairi Sane v. Liv Morgan (Special Guest Referee: Iyo Sky)

Unsanctioned: Bronson Reed v. Andrade

Rhodes v. Punk

Reigns v. Walter

-At Survivor Series, Walter won the tournament to give him the title shot - but, you know, plans change.  Pretty quickly, Reigns makes a compelling case (1) he held the title for a year and never got a rematch (2) he and Walter were the final two in the battle royal that was to determine the top contender until Walter's partner tore down the ring and (3) Reigns wasn't in the tournament.  Heyman makes a deal, yes, Roman/Walter will wrestle at the Rumble - and the winner there will, no questions asked, go to Wrestlemania 40 to challenge for the WWF Title.

-The build to the Rumble largely focuses on Punk, not just in his match but throughout the programming, everyone in the promotion has to weigh in on CM Punk's dramatic, never expected, return to the WWF.

-Punk makes clear he's back because WWF is the place to be in 2024, Wrestlemania 40, WWF 150, and because of another number -  the number 4.  4 men have had the greatest prize in wrestling, the WWF Championship, 3 times.

Bret Hart

Owen Hart

Bryan Danielson

CM Punk

Punk says he's here for one reason - one reason -  to become the only man ever to win it 4 times.  

Punk says having been away from professional wrestling for so many years, he had a chance to gather his priorities - and after some time in another promotion getting his legs back, he decided now was the time to step into immortality.  

-Cody has to agree to the shot - why he does so is what's in Punk's bag.  Punk never actually reveals whats in the bag, its his AEW title belt, but AEW watchers know whats in the bag, and Punk makes it clear without using the words thats whats in the bag.  The build to Cody/Devitt focused on the AEW stip where Cody gave up the right to ever challenge for the AEW belt, that was framed as a primary reason he left a promotion he helped start - so WWF fans have just spent several weeks with that element of Cody's motivation front of mind.  So now, when CM Punk returns, bag in tow, essentially offering Cody a Title v. Title match, he can't turn it down.

-Cody is just focused on Punk and the bag in the build - Punk on the other hand has multiple segments to do (no physicality, Punk's first bump is coming at the Rumble).  He and Cody get personal (I'm more CM Punk than you was an IRL line that stung); Punk does a Heyman Hustle to both build a possible Mania match with Walter and to re-establish the Heyman/Punk feud (Heyman came back to WWF with Lesnar specifically to go after Punk, feeling Punk was using the ECW Title as a prop, Punk felt it was a tribute, and the two never got on the same page, remaining adversaries) They needle each other pretty good (Heyman can say something like "what - Jason Priestly doesn't have any adult children you could slap around" - Punk might say something like "I'm the only ECW Champ you don't still owe money to" - this should be a heavily promoted segment, there's an element of the fanbase which will want someone to really go after Punk, and Heyman's in position to do that.  The segment ends with a Walter/Punk nose to nose.  

-Also much looked forward to would be the Reigns/Punk promo - Reigns has been talking about Punk for years now, Punk thanks him for being unable to keep his name out of his mouth, it got him off his couch and a few million dollars from the other promotion.  Reigns is able to say to Punk's face what he's been saying as the cornerstone of his rebooted character, Punk's throwing down the WWF title is the original sin that created every terrible thing that has happened in wrestling since, Reigns worked to unwind what Punk has laid down - he took out all of the Punk wanna-bes, but now, at Mania, if he gets the chance to wipe Punk off the face of the earth, it will be the highlight of his life.  There's also a Punk/Steen backstage spot - Punk stops Steen, says he knows he got into some heat with Steen's friends at the other place, wants to know if he and Steen are cool.  Steen says "nope" and leaves.

-Reigns and Walter have now been in their program for well over a year, Reigns is why Walter and Lesnar got together in the first place, Walter/Lesnar is why the Reigns group eventually fell apart, Reigns is why Rousey retired, and now here they finally meet 1 on 1, winner to go to Mania to face the winner of Cody/Punk.  

McIntyre v. Jey Uso

Styles/Nakamura v. Steen/Zayn

-McIntyre and Uso are both heels, they largely stay away from each other in the build (until the McIntyre group wipes Jey out in the go home) McIntyre is cock of the walk, everything has been proven correct - he left Hooligans to join Roman and won the tag belts, he left Roman to form his own thing and now he has the IC belt and Roman has nothing.  He clowns Roman - and by proxy the whole family (Hooligans and Usos feuded on and off forever, then Roman's group feuded with Usos) Drew retcons the decision not to include the Usos in Roman's group, saying he was a voice against them - he said they didn't have it on the inside and Roman eventually agreed (Roman's not including the Usos in his group is what split Jimmy and Jey up, Jimmy is a babyface, Jey a heel).  Jey just keeps beating people, he's not turning, maybe within the context of this program fans are more likely sympathetic to him as its Drew who now has months of promo time to build this character, but he's not turning.

-The tag title match might be the first tag title match in promotion history where all 4 men were former WWF Champs (and 3 of them have triple crowns). Its an all babyface match - but the tension gets ratcheted up given the history among the 4 (Steen was WWF Champ when Styles/Nakamura invaded in the big Bullet Club angle, Styles was a babyface teaming with Zayn in their program against Danielson/Steen) - Styles goes to Rey, who is really in an emeritus position now, and asks him to join Triple Crown (because he's got one too) and Rey is the one person in the locker room who most has reason to dislike Steen (Steen and Rey were a team, Steen turned on him - Rey had gotten Steen fired, so there were reasons) Rey joins for a 6 man with either Gargano or Ciampa having to take the fall for the other side.  Meanwhile, Steen/Zayn have Gargano/Ciampa ready to commit to a reformation of GDI, but they all decide to table it until the night after the Rumble.  

Asuka v. Grace

Sane v. Morgan

Belair/Bayley v. Baszler/Stratton

-Asuka essentially steps out of her storyline for this build, she's a heel, however, Grace is leading the invading TNA force (force is a little excessive, this is the Joe Hendry, et al, stuff they do a IRL a few months later, we're shifting it in time to combine with this program) so within this build, Asuka's the babyface on WWF TV and a heel when she appears on Impact. That main womens program (Asuka/Sky/Sane) continues with the other two participants, Sky and Sane are heated with each other coming off Survivor Series, that tension continues during this build - and when Sky is named special guest referee for the Sane/Morgan match, that becomes the focus.  The Horsewomen heat up, they get singles wins and they challenge the babyface womens tag champs.

Elimination Chamber 

Orton v. Priest

Andrade v. Reed

-It's a very special year, as Linda McMahon opened the RAW after Mania by previewing - and part of that is an Elimination Chamber match plopped in the middle of the Rumble.  Winner gets the IC shot at Mania, the conceit is none of the 6 wrestlers has ever been IC Champ (or WWF Champ, as a matter of fact) it's a real proving ground match, these are guys positioned as important for the future.

3 Babyfaces:  Jimmy Uso, Bron Steiner, JD McDonaugh.

3 Heels: LA Knight, Santos Escobar, Dom Mysterio

Jimmy has to get promo time and he has to show fire - Jimmy got mopey when Roman didn't pick the Usos, whereas Jey got pissed and mopey isn't an appealing character trait, but Romans squad blew up, Jey is now wrestling for the IC Title - and here Jimmy is, with the biggest chance of his career, in the most dangerous match in the sport.

Steiner was just Dark Ride champ and is here to be a wrecking ball.

McDonaugh is aligned separately with Devitt and Sheamus, he's the workrate white meat babyface.  

Lets talk about LA Knight.

In the back half of 2023, the Clique blows up.  After Summer Slam, when Knight stole the pin from Riddle, Michaels asks to talk to him in the back (there's an office set up, with a nod to Michaels role with developmental).  Michaels admonishes Knight - but also says Knight's....doing what kind of looks like cosplay, Michaels understands tributes to past wrestlers, but Knight is making it a lot of his personality.

Knight says its cool - but its not cool, and he doubles and triples down, becoming a full cover band, eventually Riddle gets fed up and the Clique breaks up - Michaels again brings Knight into the office, again trying to straighten him out, Knight says its cool - its cool - and then superkicks Shawn and throws him through a plate glass window. 

Michaels disappears - Knight beats Riddle multiple times (poor, dumb, coked up Matt) until he leaves the promotion.  Knight's cosplay act rolls on.

Escobar leads his heel stable

Dom is part of his heel stable - Defiance added Ripley at Survivor Series and the group - Priest/Dom/Reed/Ripley stomped Orton out.  Orton returns, gets promo time - he'll fight all 4 of them if he has to and a Falls Count Anywhere stip is added to the rematch with Priest.

Reed hit his move on Flair at the PPV, Charlotte got stretchered out and she is gone, gone, gone, her career in jeopardy, Reed cuts a couple of promos about how much he enjoyed doing it, about how feeling the crunch of her bones was thrilling and he thinks, on some level, she liked it too.  

About a month in, Reed is wrestling a match against an enhancement talent and a fan comes out of the crowd and attacks him - the match instantly stops, the opponent and official both attempting to help Reed, as they would if it were a shoot attack - but everyone then realizes who it is - Andrade, who wrestled at AEW weeks before, and who was always under a mask in a different persona when he was in WWF, is here - he is Charlotte's husband, and that's never been acknowledged on either promotions show before - he lays in shoot punches to Reed, ideally busting him open - it's a wild scene - agents come out from the back, random babyfaces and heels come to the ring out of their gear, the announcers treat it like its a shoot.  

Cole flies out to Andrade's home, they do a shoot style interview, Andrade says Charlotte will eventually be fine but he does not want her to wrestle again, he says Reed is a coward, a man who hurts a woman is not a man - he had to quit AEW to show up on RAW - WWF will not let him back in the building - he can't sleep - Andrade starts screaming at the camera - "on sight, Reed - on sight, you bitch" Andrade grabbing the camera.  Reed will cut another antagonistic promo, talking about Charlotte's bones underneath him - that its too bad she won't return to the ring, maybe Reed will have to go find her.  Andrade posts a video via social media that they put on TV, he signs a hold harmless waiver - WWF won't let him in the building, they won't sanction a match since he doesn't work there - Andrade says he waives liability - he wants Reed at the Rumble in an unsanctioned match.  Reed accepts.

Devitt v. Paul

Ricochet v. Hayes

Finally, two never before seen workrate matches; Logan Paul comes in hard after Devitt - Devitt looks washed to him, Paul has experience with retiring some of these old washed wrestlers, they set up that match; and Ricochet's stable (BWI) feuds with The Culture, leading to this singles match.

It's a good card - CM Punk is back, it's Rumble 2024.

Survivor Series 2023

The build

(This is the final Survivor Series to get a write up in the Counterfactual; within the story, there is an understanding that there are changes coming to the WWF product, there's a merger pending, the McMahons are gone, so it's not quite that everyone knows "hey, this is the last one of these" but there is an undercurrent of wrapping up, of big change, of this being a moment)

Survivor Series 2023 the 147th WWF PPV and the 37th Survivor Series comes to you from Chicago

(Dark: Triple Crown (Styles/Nakamura) d. Dunne/Bate

            Gargano/Ciampa d. The Culture (Hayes/Williams)

            Dark Ride Title: Ilja Dragunov d. Bron Steiner, Dragunov retakes the belt)

Throughout the night there is a video package of Survivor Series history.

1987: The Anvil turns on the Hart Foundation to join the Rougeaus as they take the belts.  Savage drops the elbow on Rick Rude, Steamboat gets the fall on Dynamite to retain his title

1988: The formation of the Heenan Family, with the Brainbusters, Hennig, Rude aligning to attack Jake Roberts in the steel cage. Davey Boy submits to his former partner Bret in the sharpshooter, Savage dropping the elbow on Dynamite to win the WWF Title

1989: Chicago, like tonight, a big night for Heenan, he takes DiBiase's money to turn on Rude, allowing Ted to win the IC - and then his fissure with Hennig was shown to be a ruse, he aids Perfect in taking the WWF Title from Savage.

1990: The Road Warriors squash the Orient Express to win the tag titles, Bret submits Shawn in the Sharpshooter to keep the IC, Hennig with the Perfect Plex to beat Kerry Von Eric to retain the WWF Title

1991: Shawn superkicks Marty and gets the fall, Piper hits Bret with the ring bell to take the IC, Flair submits Davey Boy to win the WWF Title

1992: Two IC switches in the same night, Shawn drops the elbow on Savage and takes his title - followed by Owen getting the fall on Shawn to take the strap away.  Bret submits Flair to keep the WWF Title

1993: The debut of the WWF fork, Savage attacking Owen; Razor's babyface turn, he saves Waltman from a beating at the hands of Michaels and Diesel, Bret submits Lex to keep the WWF Title

1994: Bret and the Anvil are a heel team now, they take the tag titles from Lex and Bam Bam, Razor keeps the IC in a ladder match over Waltman, Shawn wins his first WWF Title in front of a hometown San Antonio crowd, beating Owen, and then Diesel chokeslams him a million times in a turn.

1995: Diesel and Razor take the tag straps from the Gunns, Shawn superkicks Shane Douglas and keeps the IC - Bret keeps the WWF Title over Davey and Owen makes the babyface save against his brother postmatch.

1996: Survivor Series 10 at MSG (I was there, IRL) Steve Austin with the stunner/pinfall on Owen, a very bloody Cactus Jack takes the IC from Vader in the cage, Bret wins the WWF Title for the third time, beating Shawn.

1997: Rock and DLo win the tag straps in a 3 way over the New Age Outlaws and the Road Warriors, Shamrock takes the IC from Cactus in the Octagon - and its the creation of the Montreal Match, Owen submits Bret in a 4 way that also includes Shawn and Austin, Owen wins the WWF Title, Bret leaves town, fastening the belt around the waist of his little brother as he goes.  Many still regard this the most memorable match in WWF history.

1998: Austin keeps the IC with the stunner on Regal, its the First Hell in a Cell Match - its for the WWF Title, Cactus takes the big bump off the cage and winds up keeping his belt over Shamrock.

1999: The Dudley Boys win a tables match to take the tag belts over the Hardys, Chris Jericho debuts, winning the IC from Waltman, Cactus keeps the WWF Title in a 3 way over the Rock and Hunter.

The announcers tonight: Michael Cole (his 6th PPV), Corey Graves (8th) Wade Barrett (8th) Steve Regal (27th)  The color announcers work in shifts.

1. SURVIVOR SERIES TOURNAMENT MATCH: SAMI ZAYN (w/Steen) d. SANTOS ESCOBAR (w/Twisted Sun Gods)

-Gargano/Ciampa run down to aid Steen in the battle outside, Zayn goes over and this feud ends, the four babyfaces celebrate postmatch, Zayn remains and grabs a headset to watch the next match as he will face the winner in the semis.

2. SURVIVOR SERIES TOURNAMENT MATCH: WALTER (w/Heyman) d MIZ

-Squash.  Zayn comes to the ring postmatch for the nose to nose.  

3. SURVIVOR SERIES TOURNAMENT MATCH: DRAGON LEE d. JD McDONAGH

-Dragon Lee's PPV debut, he wins the workrate babyface match

4. SURVIVOR SERIES TOURNAMENT MATCH: JEY USO d. DOMINIC MYSTERIO 

-There's no match here, Dom comes to the ring first - Orton flies in to RKO him, Dom's totally laid out when Jey enters, gets the cheap pinfall, he and Dragon Lee will meet in the semis later tonight - Orton stays around ringside as his match is next.

5. No DQ DAMIEN PRIEST (w/Defiance) d. RANDY ORTON

-Orton doesn't leave the ring - waving Priest forward, it's No DQ so Orton battles all of Defiance - the one he doesn't count on is a brand new member - Rhea Ripley, she takes him down from behind, Priest is able to get the fall and all of Defiance hits finishing moves postmatch for a full beatdown.

6. WOMENS TITLE: ASUKA d. IYO SKY (Guest Referee: Kairi Sane)

-One more match in what has probably been the top workrate series in WWF womens history - this one has a screwy finish; Sky attempts a flying strike on Asuka, she moves and Sky inadvertently hits Sane for the ref bump - Sky then has a quick pinfall on Asuka, but Sane is still down, Sky goes to revive her and Sane angrily shoves her away, that allows Asuka to get the fall and keep her belt.  Longtime friends Sky and Sane argue postmatch as Asuka dances away, as she gets to the top of the ramp, she's laid out by Jordynne Grace, Grace holding the womens belt high.

2000: Extended chain sequence between Guerrero and Malenko, the Clique exploded, Edge and Christian keeping the tag belts over Hunter and Waltman, when the Kid turned on HHH. Regal gets the submission win on Jericho to take the IC title, and Benoit keeps the WWF Title, beating Steve Austin.

2001: ECW and the NWA have been folded into WWF and this was the interpromotional Survivor Series, RVD wins a 3 way over Chavo and Shane Helms, Jericho beats Justin Credible, DDP beats Austin, the Dudleys keep the tag belts over Raven/Dreamer, Taz takes the IC belt (called the Worldwide belts, as it combines the IC, the US, and the ECW TV Titles) from Tajiri, and in a Lumberjack Match, Kurt Angle keeps the WWF/ECW Titles over Booker T.

2002: Survivor Series returns to MSG, the Hardys turn heel, their mystery manager revealed to be Eric Bischoff, Brock Lesnar is a wild horse, he gets DQd when he F5s HHH multiple times on the ramp, Benoit/Guerrero are part of the Horsemen and they keep the tag belts over Noble/Kidman, RVD wins a Ladder Match to take the Worldwide Titles over Michaels - the WWF Title/NWA Title/ECW Title are now all merged, called the Undisputed Title, Kurt Angle keeps it beating Jericho and Michaels superkicks him dead postmatch.  

2003: 20 years ago now, Matt Hardy attacked RVD with that WWF fork, Hunter and Shawn kept the tag belts, beating the Dudleys.  Chavo took the Worldwide Titles from Tajiri, and Eddy Guerrero won a 4 way over Benoit/Brock/Angle to keep the WWF Title.

2004: Cleveland, the ancestral home of the Survivor Series, Angle and Benjamin took the tag belts from RVD and Rey.  Jericho, in his Lizard King persona, kept the IC over Chavo - and Benoit and Eddy fought to a 30 minute time limit draw for the WWF Title.  

2005: A dark cloud over this event given the death of Eddy Guerrero, Flair turns heel, joining Arn Anderson as they turn against Leviathan Batista.  Hunter beats Shawn in a violent weapons match, Benoit wins the Triple Crown by taking the vacant Worldwide Titles over Angle, and Rey kept the WWF Title beating Juvie in a tribute match dedicated to Eddy.

2006:  Philadelphia.  A much discussed angle closed the night 17 years ago.  Sabu and RVD won the tag belts in a glass light tube table match over Undertaker and Paul Wight, Shane Helms won the IC, beating Hunter when Bobby Lashley turned face on HHH - and in the main event, CM Punk took the WWF Title from Flair, it was a huge babyface moment that "saved" the promotion from the tyranny of Hunter's 51% Solution stable - and then Punk cut a promo on the WWF - throwing down the WWF Title belt and leaving the promotion in chaos.  It's this moment that Roman Reigns references during his rise and title reign as leading to the downfall of WWF, the elevation of GDI and by proxy, AEW.

2007. Hunter and Shawn regain the tag titles and are then attacked postmatch by a returning Edge, Rey keeps the WWF Title over the Undertaker, and in a historically unlikely main event, Johnny Nitro won the NWA Title, beating Fit Finlay.

2008: Randy Orton beats Regal in a parking lot brawl with aid from Malenko, Edge and a man who everyone believed to be Jeff Hardy in a mask (it wound up being Christian) take the tag belts from Cena and Batista, MVP keeps the IC over Rey, Jericho submits Punk with Steamboat as the guest referee to win the WWF Title.

2009: The new version of GDI - Steamboat/Danielson/Low Ki open the show, Division One (Swagger/Nemeth) keep the tag belts over Regal/Finlay, Michaels beats Benjamin to keep the IC, Jericho keeps the WWF Title over Chavo

2010: Kingston and Killings keep the tag belts over Sheamus/McIntyre, Nitro kept the IC over MVP, Danielson beats Low Ki in what remains the greatest match in WWF history, Edge keeps the WWF Title over Swagger

7. SURVIVOR SERIES SEMI: JEY USO d. DRAGON LEE

-Jimmy's big singles run continues here, he beats Ricochet at Summer Slam and now is in the finals of the Survivor Series tournament going over Dragon Lee clean.  He stays at the announce position, he's a heel, watching the all babyface semi final on the other side.

8. SURVIVOR SERIES SEMI: WALTER (w/Heyman) d. SAMI ZAYN (w/Steen, Gargano, Ciampa)

-The best match of the night, Walter's biggest main roster win, he goes over the Triple Crown winner Zayn - this is less of a main even style 25 minute match with nearfalls and instead it's a 10 minute sprint - bomb after bomb after bomb after bomb - Walter gets the final bomb and goes over to make the finals.  His crew aids him from the ring postmatch, Jey and Walter go nose to nose as the finals are coming up later on tonight.  

9. IC TITLE: DREW McINTYRE (w/Dunne/Bate) d. TYLER BLACK

-Speaking of biggest wins ever - McIntyre wins his first singles belt, becoming the 81st IC Champ, he beats Black clean in the middle - he said he knew what he was doing in jumping from Roman's heel stable to create his own.  He wins here - the stable poses, McIntyre is at the height of his career.

10. WOMENS TAG: BIANCA BELAIR/BAYLEY d. BECKY LYNCH/CHARLOTTE FLAIR

-All babyface tag title match, Belair/Bayley end the long Lynch/Flair reign and become just the second womens tag champs - Belair and Bayley leave the ring pretty quickly, their celebration is on the ramp  - Lynch/Flair have an extended spot in the ring - maybe it's a turn, maybe someone is leaving the promotion - it's an extended spot as they console each other, accepting the applause -- and then, before they can exit - they are surrounded on all sides by Defiance - Priest/Reed/Dom/Ripley - Lynch goes to attack Ripley, they fight on the outside, leaving Flair alone in the ring - and she winds up getting splashed by Reed.  Bronson Reed kills Charlotte Flair dead - Priest gathers everyone and exits, it's a stretcher job, Lynch clearly devastated as Flair is stretchered from the ring.  

2011: Back at MSG for Survivor Series 25, Sheamus is doing his Clique Killer gimmick and he destroys Nitro in an IC defense, Nick Nemeth is WWF Champ and he keeps the belt over Mistico, the show closes with a huge brawl between the Underground group and GDI

2012: Bryan Danielson keeps the WWF Title over Mysterio

2013: Steve Austin opens the show, he was doing a figurehead authority gimmick with Bret and Shawn, The Shield (Black/Langston) kept the tag belts over Mark Henry and Paul Wight and Dean Ambrose kept the IC over Kingston.  Danielson and Punk fought to a 30 minute time limit draw for the WWF Title and then were killed by Lesnar and Swagger.

2014: The Womens Title was first contested at Survivor Series 9 years ago, Natty Neidhart keeping the belt from Paige and AJ in a 3 way. Luke Harper pins Nick Nemeth to take the IC, The Shield wins a trios TLC match over the 3 Usos to keep the tag belts, it's the first TLC match in 11 years.  Bret and the Anvil enter postmatch to shake hands with The Shield in a torch passing moment.  Claudio keeps the WWF Title over Bray, there's a postmatch brawl featuring the debut of Kevin Steen.

2015: Mauro Ranallo's first PPV.  Charlotte wins the Womens Title from Paige, the New Day take the tag belts from Sheamus/Barrett.  Ambrose takes the IC from Bray, Steen keeps the WWF Title over Nemeth

2016: Survivor Series goes to Canada. Toronto, specifically. and it contains a tournament, a Survivor Series, just like this year.  Styles pins Kalisto, Harper pins Sheamus, Jericho pins Reigns, Langston attacks Black and Ambrose on the outside, leading to a double countout, Harper beats Jericho, and Styles beats Harper to win the tournament.  

2017: Steen, under a mask, defeats Claudio, Bullet Club Becky Lynch keeps her Womens Title, defeating Charlotte, Ambrose gets buried under the Bullet Club flag, The Usos keep the tag belts in a trios tornado match over the New Day, Brock keeps the IC, beating Kurt Angle, a 3 way for the WWF Title with Devitt, Styles, Samoa Joe with Danielson as the guest referee ends in a no contest

2018: Ronda Rousey beats Charlotte, the Usos beat the Revival, Asuka keeps the Womens belt over Banks, the Hooligans take the tag belts from the Bullet Club, Prince Devitt keeps the IC or Mascara Dorada, Bryan Danielson beats Samoa Joe, and Shinsuke Nakamura keeps the WWF Title over Claudio.

2019: 4 years ago Survivor Series was in Chicago.  Asuka wins a 4 way over Iyo, Sane and Toni Storm, Baszler wins the Womens Title over Bayley, Matt Riddle and Keith Lee beat Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish, Danielson beats Pete Dunne, Nigel taking a huge bump on the outside, Styles beats Ciampa, Mysterio and Steen win the tag belts over Nemeth and Gable, Ricochet keeps the IC, beating Adam Cole, Lesnar beats Walter, Tyler Black, with Renee Young in his corner, keeps the WWF Title over Nakamura.  

2020: The Covid Survivor Series, from the Bubble.  Reigns destroys Jeff Hardy, Mysterio/Kalisto beat Crews and Buddy Murphy, the New Day take the tab belts from the Street Profits, Banks keeps the Womens Title over Asuka, Riddle beats Keith Lee, Styles wins the IC over Garza, Steen beats Zayn after Danielson chairshots Zayn.  Ricochet takes the WWF Title from Tyler Black

2021: Two years ago was the creation of the Holy Roman Empire, Lashley, Sheamus and later Gable joining Roman.  Steen beat Claudio in a Loser Leaves Town, Lynch/Flair became the first modern womens tag champs over Ripley/Baszler, Nakamura wins the IC over his former Bullet Club stablemates, Styles/Devitt/Black, Zayn beats Riddle, taking the WWF Title.  

2022: Iyo beat Asuka last year, Devitt beat Dunne to keep the IC Title, Belair took the Womens Title from Rousey, Roman kept the WWF title, defeating Styles

11. SURVIVOR SERIES FINAL: WALTER (w/Heyman) d. JEY USO

-Walter's a monster, he goes over, wins the Survivor Series, making him the number one contender, Heyman grabs some type of trophy that is on the timekeepers table, hands it to Walter - Walter raises it over his head and then gets wiped out by a Superman punch and a spear.  Reigns returns for the first time since the TV battle royal discussed in the build - Reigns tells Chicago to acknowledge him.

12. WWF TITLE: CODY RHODES d. PRINCE DEVITT

-The stip is if Devitt loses he can't ever challenge for the WWF Title again, the same stip Cody had in AEW - Cody wins again, this is the full main event match, Cody should get color - it has to be the very, very best match these two can have in 2023.  Devitt is inconsolable postmatch and he exits.

Cody hits the turnbuckles, blood still evident...take a beat...take another beat....here he comes.

Blackout.  Cult of Personality.  Lights on.  Punk. (in his WWF run he used the AFI song from ROH, but AEW is real world AEW, so he is full on Living Colour now)

CM Punk (carrying a sack, we'll find out on TV tomorrow what's in the bag, but if you watched early Collision, you know what's in the sack) returns to WWE - he does the full Punk comes back to Chicago thing.  When he gets to the ring he ignores Cody entirely, standing on the turnbuckles as Cody fades into the background as the show ends.

And that's the "final" Survivor Series, concluding with the return of CM Punk.

Back next month for the build to the Rumble.