Survivor Series 2022 is coming November from Boston. Here's the card.
WWF Title: Roman Reigns (w/HRE) v. AJ Styles
IC Title: Prince Devitt v. Pete Dunne (w/Bate)
Tag Titles: The Usos v. Holy Roman Empire (McIntyre/Lashley)
(note, that's not the initially advertised match)
Women's Title: Ronda Rousey (w/Heyman and Walter) v. Bianca Belair
Sami Zayn v. Tyler Black
Asuka v. Iyo Sky
Becky Lynch v. Rhea Ripley
Kevin Steen v. Sheamus
(not the initally advertised match)
Solo Sikoa (w/Priest) v. Austin Theory
Alexa Bliss/Nikki Cross v. Dakota Kai/Shotzi
Two major matches make up the key elements of the build.
Reigns/Styles is announced the night after Summer Slam, Reigns, of course, has been talking about a group of wrestlers for years, really, at this point - the centerpiece of them being Zayn/Steen/Black/Styles, guys who were in ROH - came to WWF - became WWF Champions and have had a stranglehold on the top slots for years.
For over a year, Steen has been working on Zayn, trying to come to some level of understanding with him to resume their relationship - post Mania, he added Black to that mix (Zayn and Steen, of course, were longtime partners; but Steen and Black were also stabled together). And now, with Styles named the number one contender, and Styles having formerly been Black's stablemate - Steen gives it a final push, can the four of us - can the four of us find some way to put all past sins aside and join together to fight the Holy Roman Empire? A Mania rematch for Steen against McIntyre is on the initial Survivor Series card.
Very begrudgingly, the others agree to try one time - a 4x4 match against HRE.
It doesn't work out, there's no chemistry among the men, Black/Zayn particularly have an issue - the result is Reigns pins Steen. That's two - Roman will say - as he beat Zayn at Mania - and Styles is next.
This is the tearing point for Steen - he says he's done, he says the apology bag is empty for Zayn, the bottom line is he told El Generico he would never be WWF Champion, but Sami Zayn would - Zayn didn't have the guts to make that leap - so like he always has - Steen pushed him. And it worked - and Zayn's still making Steen pay for it. The debt's paid, the apologies are over, we go our separate ways.
Steen walks out. Zayn/Black gets made from there, they bicker all the way to the PPV
The Styles part of the build allows him to assert a view contrary to Roman's - Reigns, of course, has painted a picture of these indie guys waltzing in from ROH and moving to the top of the card.
Styles says that's not what happened - he spent years toiling away at TNA, had to go to the other side of the world to build enough cache to force his way into WWF. Reigns got his slot handed to him like it was his birthright - he's a nepo baby.
Ne-po ba-by, Ne-po ba-by. Maybe the WWF Universe (there is no WWF Universe, that's a joke) can get behind that chant.
The second match arises from the last moments of Summer Slam, Walter saving Lesnar from an HRE beatdown.
Reigns is the guest on Heymans Hustle, Paul's relationship with Anoia family is revealed as they let the fans come behind the curtain - Paul says he's watched Roman for years - has a lot of respect for him - Roman admits that, a time or two, Paul maybe gave him some advice.
Paul says he even understands the attack of Lesnar, Brock's a big scalp - Reigns is trying to build his stack. But now - now he's on Walter's radar - and the truth is..while Reigns is the WWF Champion....everyone knows that it's Walter who is the most dangerous man in combat sports in 2022.
They set up a tag match; Roman and a partner of his choosing against Walter and a partner of his choosing.
Walter picks Rousey.
Roman picks Gable. Gable/Lashley is the initial duo taking on the Usos for the tag titles.
So - post Mania, another very subtle relationship that's grown is Gable and Rousey, never foregrounded, as Rousey is a babyface and Gable is a heel, but they've got a mutual interest given Rousey's shootfighting and Gable's amateur background, a couple of times, Roman should raise an eyebrow as he walks past them in the back, lets say.
This tag match comes late in the build, pentultimate Fight Night prior to Survivor Series, it's a big match, right - the WWF Champ, the Dark Ride Champ, the Women's Champ -- there should be a long build, 3 weeks maybe, Reigns puts a lot of pressure on Gable, Gable's gonna show Rousey, Gable's the HRE grappler, he's gonna tap Rousey out with some of that amateur shit.
Or else.
The match can have plenty of Walter/Reigns, it's not a matter of needing to save it -- Rousey never gets to fight from underneath given the gimmick, so she can do some of that here, some real babyface fire - finish is her submitting Gable.
That's Reigns's first loss in a long time, he's furious - and postmatch he knocks Rousey out with the Superman punch. Full on coldcock -- the reaction is like he shot her, everyone freezes for a moment and he gets out of the ring with McIntyre and Lashley - Gable is trying to tend to Rousey - Heyman is fully freaking out -- Heyman screaming for medical -- screaming at Reigns -- McIntyre and Lashley yank Gable from the ring as Walter starts to advance on him.
Reigns responds to the loss by benching Gable in the go home RAW - he tells him to go home, fully dresses him down - he blew it, he didn't go hard enough at Rousey, he let his brothers down and they cannot trust him in the title match. It's a real browbeating. McIntyre will take his place as Lashley's partner at Survivor Series. That's what necessitates the shift in the Steen match, Sheamus named as the replacement at the last minute.
Rousey is concussed, does not appear on TV in the go home week, we are told she will make her title defense against Belair in a full babyface match. That build has been mutual respect, with the idea that Belair was not quite ready in her prior attempt at the Womens Title, is she ready now. The tag match has seen as much tension between Jimmy and Jey as they can build - Roman working both men, despite their best selves, his not picking them to be in his stable has just fractured the bond between the twins, each subtlely looking at the other for blame.
That's what, half the card, right?
Reigns/Styles.
Usos v. Lashley/McIntyre.
Does Roman keep the belt - do Lashley/McIntyre regain the tags for HRE and once again consolidate power --- or will it be a regaining of the WWF Title for Styles, showing why Best Wrestler in the World is not just a tattoo on his forearm.
Rousey/Belair.
(and in a dark match, Walter once again defends against Dragunov)
The Dangerous Alliance title matches take place; what's Rousey's condition after being concussed barely more than a week prior?
Zayn v. Black
Steen v. Sheamus
Steen failed in his attempt to bring his former partners together in an alliance to fight HRE - so now they fight each other; meanwhile, his rematch against McIntyre is taken away at the last minute.
Good stopping place. Next month, the IC - 3 more Womens's matches including Asuka's return, and the PPV debut of Defiance's Solo Sikoa.
