Survivor Series 2010 is from Miami. Almost certainly, I am there.
(Dark: Chavo d. Tatsu
Canadian Bulldogs d. Hennig/Rotunda)
The announce is still muddled; I see how it makes sense conceptually, but on its feet, fewer voices (maybe just one voice) are better than lots of voices. I'll kill the color men for PPV by the time we get to Mania.
So, Joey/Striker are your leads. Regal, as did he at Summer Slam, joins for the opening match so he can continue to bury GDI; the Low Ki/Danielson match will be called by Josh with Joey and JR both joining; almost everyone in the company should be visible watching that match. And the main is JR and Lawler. Lawler, note, is serious Lawler and not "puppies" Lawler. I hate that guy, which is why I didn't use him any more than I needed to in the stretch when he was most popular. Josh has a regular partner now on the GDI telecasts, it's Scott Stanford.
1. Empire (Barrett/Gabriel) d. Douchebags (Ryder/Slater)
Empire goes over strong; they interrupt the Douchebag promo to jumpstart the match; they win cleanly and decisively. Regal puts over their tactics; Underground is where young wrestlers learn their real craft of professional wrestling, and sometimes that means jumping your opponents when they're talking. Regal spends the match putting over Empire as really being ready now for the main roster, that they are working very well together, that both guys have come very far; Regal points out how crafty Barrett is and how athletic Gabriel is. It's really a match designed for Regal to put them over. And put them over at the expense of GDI. Danielson/Low Ki is the real main event of this show, it's the real draw - it should be seen as a special, perhaps never to be seen again attraction, and WWF TV has been talking about it since the match was made. Joey and JR, as straight WWE announcers, don't like the GDI movement - but they don't minimize the wrestling ability - so Joey here talks about that even Regal has to be looking forward to GDI tonight; Regal says he's always watching GDI, he's watching everything they do.
2. Dos Caras, Jr. (w/Ricardo) d. Cody Rhodes
Caras is doing Del Rio's real world gimmick, with the addition that his power and wealth reflects his family being the dominant wrestling legacy of all time. No broken down old wrestlers in his family lineage - they are legends, heroes, gods. Cody, as representative of the Rhodes family, feeds that narrative here. The Rhodes family was broken up in the Dustin/Undertaker program - and Caras makes sport of that breakup in this build; his family is together, close, they own Mexico City - the Rhodes family doesn't speak to each other. Caras goes over strong.
3. Defiance (Orton/DiBiase) d. DMW (PAUL/Kane)
Orton was down and out after Defiance ultimately failed in their program against Hooligans, and then, after Orton had blamed both Malenko (punting him out of the team) and young Ted for the failure, Orton lost his singles against Sheamus at Summer Slam - it was the maligned DiBiase who picked him up for this build - and when Defiance goes over strong here, it's Ted who gets the fall, the announce telling the story that maybe he had finally earned the respect of the prickly Orton.
4. Rey Mysterio d. Nick Nemeth (w/Kelly)
You get the story, Rey's a legend; Nemeth's a young babyface with a growing obsession with proving himself (to his girlfriend, to Swagger, to Bret, to everyone) by beating him. Their Summer Slam match was pure babyface; Nemeth took an advantage to aid the heel Caras in eliminating Rey in the big battle royal as part of this build, and you can imagine that fans would look sideways at Nemeth's seeming lack of interest in Edge's threats about Kelly. Nemeth is pure focus, totally locked in on Mysterio, despite sexual predator
Edge making conquest of Kelly part of the build for the title match. Nemeth displays heelish tactics early, closed fists, hitting after a break, Nemeth looking to fudge the rules and then outright break them to try to get the win. Not a heel turn, god no - but to show the level of need, of desperation that he feels to win the match.
Edge making conquest of Kelly part of the build for the title match. Nemeth displays heelish tactics early, closed fists, hitting after a break, Nemeth looking to fudge the rules and then outright break them to try to get the win. Not a heel turn, god no - but to show the level of need, of desperation that he feels to win the match.
He doesn't win, he comes close multiple times with nearfalls, but can't get the fall - and Rey eventually beats him. Nemeth storms away postmatch, leaving Kelly to follow. We later see Nemeth get into a car and leave by himself before the show is over.
5. WWF Tag Titles: Young Money (Killings/Kingston) d. Hooligans (Sheamus/Drew w/Fit)
Hooligans fails in their attempt to win the straps; it's an all babyface match, save for Killings, who has been turning all year, he now finishes matches by lighting up a victory cigarette in the ring, putting it out on the canvas. That's caused increased dissension within the champs - but they keep putting it aside to hold the belts; one of them pins Drew after whatever their finisher is. Killings lights up the smoke and that drives Finlay nuts - he's in the ring pushing and shoving with Kingston postmatch.
6. WWF IC Title: Johnny Nitro (w/Miz and Natty) d. MVP
MVP held the IC for a year and a half, the longest run in two decades. Nitro became Shawn's protegee; and Michaels (always quick for a perceived slight) took constant umbrage at Porter's being proclaimed as the greatest IC champ ever. That drew Nitro and MVP together from the top of 2010 through Mania. MVP got hurt in his and Bret's win over Shawn and Nitro, but returned during this build to go after the Clique, which is wilding in ways discussed in the build. This wraps up MVP, so Nitro goes over strong and the Clique gets in whatever level of humiliation is needed to keep pushing the brand. There's probably some level of 9 inch python spot that can be done to a guy leaving the territory.
7. Bryan Danielson d. Low Ki
This is why I made the drive to Miami.
Danielson and Low Ki are the embodiment of the 21st century independent wrestling movement, a movement captured in GDI, a shadow promotion started by Punk, that now is owned by Steamboat. This essentially is a "who is the best wrestler in the world" feud, as this friendship has been split in half. This should be seen as an all time special match, JR and Joey don't hold back in their unabashed appreciation for the match, even from two guys who don't work for WWF. Storyline considerations aside, on just a pure workrate basis, this has the potential to be the greatest match in WWF history. That's what we're looking for from this match.
Danielson goes over, he asks for a postmatch "lets squash this" handshake - Low Ki flips him off and exits.
On GDI TV the following week, Low Ki attacks Danielson - save by --
Tyler Black.
It's his debut. Black will then go over Low Ki in a program on GDI TV until Ki leaves.
That's going to lead to Black wrestling on Fight Night, but we'll talk about that in the Rumble build.
8. WWF Title: Edge d. Jack Swagger
Swagger was injured by DMW in the build for Summer Slam, whatever that injury was (I don't recall if I specified, but I'm going to start saying its a knee) is aggravated near the finish here, Swagger starts limping near the finish, kicking out of a couple of nearfalls that looked like the end. Kelly, told to stay away, comes out to give encouragement, but its to no avail, and Swagger eventually eats a spear.
Swagger's clutching at his knee, Kelly enters the ring, Edge has her cornered (this was essentially promised in the build) Edge is going to spear Kelly much like he once speared Maria. Swagger can't get to his feet, he struggles and struggles, but can't stand. Nemeth, recall, left the building already. Kelly is trapped in the corner, Kelly is trapped in the corner.
Hit Punk's music.
Punk hasn't had a haircut in a year. He may not have shaved in nearly as long. And his body is covered in what look like tattoos of the word "Edge" from nearly head to toe. They aren't permanent tattoos, but we don't know that now. Punk's been gone since Danielson incapacitated him at Summer Slam, and Punk hasn't been right - well, ever, really, but the Punk character arc is one of the stronger aspects of the Counterfactual, and currently, he's in a bad Edge caused mental space.
Punk slowly walks to the ring, Edge totally ignores Kelly, she's able to collect Swagger and they disappear in the way losing wrestlers sometimes do. Punk makes his way to the ring - his hair, the beard, the Edge tattoos should freak Edge out. Punk stands at midring - Edge backs up to lean against the ropes, Edge shaking his head - "you are fucking nuts" - Punk motions to Edge, doesn't speak, motions to Edge to meet him at midring, almost like they have a high noon showdown set, and Punk's shown up on time. Edge bails out of the ring. Edge exits the ring, shaking his head, "fucking nuts" - "you are an insane person". Punk sickly smiles as the show ends.
In December, the build for the Rumble.
In January, Royal Rumble 2011.
Thanks for reading.
On GDI TV the following week, Low Ki attacks Danielson - save by --
Tyler Black.
It's his debut. Black will then go over Low Ki in a program on GDI TV until Ki leaves.
That's going to lead to Black wrestling on Fight Night, but we'll talk about that in the Rumble build.
8. WWF Title: Edge d. Jack Swagger
Swagger was injured by DMW in the build for Summer Slam, whatever that injury was (I don't recall if I specified, but I'm going to start saying its a knee) is aggravated near the finish here, Swagger starts limping near the finish, kicking out of a couple of nearfalls that looked like the end. Kelly, told to stay away, comes out to give encouragement, but its to no avail, and Swagger eventually eats a spear.
Swagger's clutching at his knee, Kelly enters the ring, Edge has her cornered (this was essentially promised in the build) Edge is going to spear Kelly much like he once speared Maria. Swagger can't get to his feet, he struggles and struggles, but can't stand. Nemeth, recall, left the building already. Kelly is trapped in the corner, Kelly is trapped in the corner.
Hit Punk's music.
Punk hasn't had a haircut in a year. He may not have shaved in nearly as long. And his body is covered in what look like tattoos of the word "Edge" from nearly head to toe. They aren't permanent tattoos, but we don't know that now. Punk's been gone since Danielson incapacitated him at Summer Slam, and Punk hasn't been right - well, ever, really, but the Punk character arc is one of the stronger aspects of the Counterfactual, and currently, he's in a bad Edge caused mental space.
Punk slowly walks to the ring, Edge totally ignores Kelly, she's able to collect Swagger and they disappear in the way losing wrestlers sometimes do. Punk makes his way to the ring - his hair, the beard, the Edge tattoos should freak Edge out. Punk stands at midring - Edge backs up to lean against the ropes, Edge shaking his head - "you are fucking nuts" - Punk motions to Edge, doesn't speak, motions to Edge to meet him at midring, almost like they have a high noon showdown set, and Punk's shown up on time. Edge bails out of the ring. Edge exits the ring, shaking his head, "fucking nuts" - "you are an insane person". Punk sickly smiles as the show ends.
In December, the build for the Rumble.
In January, Royal Rumble 2011.
Thanks for reading.
