The build is here.
Survivor Series 2005 – Detroit
(dark – Chavo d. Helms)
(Benjamin d. Regal)
Joey and Taz on the announce.
Vince is in the ring at the top of the broadcast, explaining the set up for the evening, with the preliminary matches being what you would expect from a WWF PPV – and the final two title matches being a tribute to Eddy Guerrero. Vince says thanks for coming.
1. MNM d. Dead Men Walking
-MNM get the clean fall over the newly babyfaced Show and Kane – they work some postmatch chairshots that lead to the Dead Man’s entrance – he officially rejoins Show and Kane as the 3 of them chokeslam Nitro and Mercury, with Melina escaping. (Note - this is error, MNM didn't work this show, they were in Melina's corner for her match).
2. Executioner Lashley d. Masters
Much anticipated debut of Lashley, he’s got the black X on both chest and back – black gloves – he rips off the cowl while on the top buckle and lets out a primal scream. Heyman, in the role of manager scouting Lashley, as are all the managers everywhere, is in the aisle. Lashley’s not gonna sell at all right now – they use him just to tear guys up. He blows Masters apart here. Dominator finish. Taz and Joey sell him as a monster, wonder again who will wind up with him. Heyman extends a hand to Lashley as he goes back up the aisle, Lashley blows him off – Heyman is then attacked by Stevie. Stevie pounces on Paul E – save by Nova and Guido.
Nova and Guido, who have been a low level tag for years, beat Stevie back – and then Carlito runs in to fight Nova to the ring, which gets us to the next match.
3. Carlito Colon d. Nova
Carlito’s a heel, doing his Razor Ramon-lite shtick, he gets the tights pulling fall on Nova – and then Lashley makes the slow, deliberate, Goldberg-walk back to the ring. Lashley press slams Nova to the outside – perhaps into the crowd. Screams. Carlito is saved by the LWO. That’s gonna lead to his taking over as the LWO mouthpiece and de facto leader at Juvie gets pushed out before the Rumble.
Lashley screams again, face pop. Look at the Executioner! He’s a monster!
4. Flair d. Leviathan (w/AA)
And here we go.
It’s ostensibly Flair’s last match, he’s been a babyface since serving as a judge at XXI and then joining Steamboat (note, Meltzer says Steamboat’s ex has the intellectual property rights to his name – fuck that – throw her 40 grand and she bites) as the figureheads in charge of WWF.
With Hunter asserting his 2% power, Steamboat and Flair decide that the only way to keep him from power is to say that active wrestlers get no votes – and the only way to do that is for Ric to retire.
So, lots of “goodbye, Ric” stuff – including a tribute video that debuts as Flair gets to the ring. Tears – should be tears, Flair, his protégée, handpicked for his farewell match, Leviathan – the two of them former tag champs – and then Arn, Leviathan’s manager.
So, Flair hits all the trademark spots – Arn has him well scouted – it’s as emotional as a wrestling match under these circumstances can be given that Eddy’s death overwhelms the entire night – and then Flair turns.
He goes low when Arn’s distracted the official – Arn, while seemingly trying to get the referee to look at Flair actually ties him up as Flair chairshots Leviathan – and then with the referee now occupied with Flair – Arn enters and spinebusters Leviathan onto the chair.
Flair then gets the fall.
Flair and Arn stomp Leviathan out, showing no mercy – Steamboat, obviously recognizing Flair’s turned, walks down the aisle, pulling off his jacket as he walks, pulling off his tie – the announce yells that Steamboat has a bad back – that Steamboat can’t get physical – that Steamboat risks permanent paralysis, etc…
Security stops Steamboat before he gets to the ring, holding him back as he yells at the laughing, taunting Flair and Anderson. They exit, Steamboat still held back.
5. Weapons Match: HHH-M d. HBK
And that ends the Clique.
Lot of angle here.
You know the backstory, HHH joined the Clique – he wound up running, over the years, everyone out – Razor, Diesel, Michaels, Waltman – when Michaels came back, Hunter was a face – they became tag champs – but Hunter couldn’t accept the kids, London and Spanky, breaking Spanky’s arm with the sledgehammer.
Hunter jobbed out then, to Shawn and to Edge, in 2004 – leaving TV as the Clique became ascendant. Hunter returned at Summer Slam, saying he married the Princess and now had 2% of the power in the company, with Flair and Steamboat each holding 49%.
Hunter demands this match, where if he wins, the Clique is dead. And with Christian gone, Edge turned, Michaels is alone here in the garbage match.
Which he loses, when Edge, gone since being crucified on RAW with a nailgun by Matt Hardy, but promised to make his return here – does, spearing his former stablemate and allowing Hunter to get the fall and end the Clique.
Edge and Hunter aren’t friendly. One, because they are all backstory, with the split between the E/C and the HHH/Waltman factions of the Clique. Two, because Edge’s affair with Lita is portrayed as outside the bounds of heelishness – so he is totally ostracized in the back.
Edge and Hunter have words – but then decide to put them aside to tear Michaels apart.
London begins to sprint down the aisle – but is waylaid midway by a superkick from a returning Spanky.
Spanky stands over London, cursing him out. Hey, fun surprise.
The beating in the ring continues.
Once again, we see Steamboat, now in the back – push his way past security to run to the ring – but he’s stopped by Flair and Arn – they beat him down – Arn holding Steamboat while Flair punches, drawing color.
The beating in the ring continues.
And from the crowd comes Matt Hardy.
Matt lost the unsanctioned match to Edge at Summer Slam, appearing once since to crucify Edge (who wears white tape on his wrists now)
Matt hits the twist of fate on Hunter – laying him out – then hits the twist of fate on Edge – laying him out.
Big face pop.
Michaels rises – note, again, Matt broke in as a Clique ring boy. But Michaels just cut an anti-Matt promo on TV, recall, as Matt’s not a regular babyface – Matt crucified Edge – Matt’s Pillman.
Michaels extends his hand to Matt – and Matt hits him with the twist of fate.
Matt smiles – does his V1 hand signal – and exits through the crowd.
6. Unified Tags: Booker/Bradshaw d. Orton/Cena
The tyranny of Orton/Cena ends, Bradshaw gets the lariat, Booker hits the Harlem hangover – and they get the fall on Cena.
Bradshaw and Book have dropped their gimmicks for the sake of winning the title – and if it were any other night – after the hug and the crowd pop as two longtime vets win their first WWF straps – Bradshaw would lariat Book and pull out the Karl Rove flag.
He’ll do that on RAW the following night after a title defense, setting up Bradshaw and Book as tag champs who hate each other. Book a face, Bradshaw the heel.
But not tonight – tonight we let the people cheer.
7. Worldwide Titles: Benoit d. Angle
So, prior to this match, the lighting cues change, all the Survivor Series stage dress is replaced with Eddy stuff – the graphics are Eddy Guerrero Tribute graphics. Dean joins Taz and Joey on the announce.
Both matches have handshakes before and after; no angle in either matchup, just portrayed as athletic contests.
Benoit goes over here – winning the vacant IC and taking the Triple Crown, the ceremony will be after the main.
8. Unified Titles: Rey d. Juvie
Same drill as before – no heel Juvie, like no heel Angle – they do a lucha match, Rey getting the fall.
Postmatch, the back empties, the required people get into the ring – other than Matt, who just can’t be there for storyline purposes – everyone’s around the ring or in the ring. The Triple Crown engraving is done by then – and as Rey gives it to Benoit, we see and hear from whomever wants to tell us that the trophy, once renamed for Owen – has been renamed again: The Hart-Guerrero Memorial Triple Crown.
And now the names are thus:
PEDRO MORALES
BRET HART
SHAWN MICHAELS
OWEN HART
STEVE AUSTIN
CACTUS JACK
EDDY GUERRERO
REY MYSTERIO
CHRIS BENOIT
Benoit accepts the trophy from Rey – Benoit, Eddy, Booker, and Bradshaw all give away their WWF title belts (keeping the NWA, ECW belts – we’ll make new WWF belts) to Eddy’s family.
Show ends with the ten bell salute and a freeze on Eddy on the TitanTron.
See you in a couple weeks as we start the run to Rumble ’06. The build.
