Survivor Series 2009

You can get to the build here. 

Survivor Series 2009 – Washington DC

Joey/Striker/Josh on the announce.

(Dark – LWO d. Flock, Tatsu d. Dustin)

The show opens with Howard in the ring (the Fink has been the ring announcer for every PPV in WWF history) about to announce the new owner of GDI Wrestling…

When he’s cut off by Josh Matthews – who leaves the announce to the surprise of Joey and Striker, and enters the ring.

Josh reminds us that until recently, he was the voice of GDI – and while he loves Fight Night and knows that Arn and WWF management saw the move to Friday as a promotion – he felt a little more at home with the independent spirit of GDI. 

Today, he says, he got a phone call from the new owner of GDI – and he was offered a job.

Josh knew he couldn’t accept – because GDI isn’t a part of WWF anymore – as part of the sale agreement, they have purchased some time – time to tell the fans how to find their company – Thursdays at 8 Eastern on WGN – but going back to GDI would mean quitting the WWF – and that was just too much to ask – even from someone of the status of the new owner.

Then, Josh says, the new owner told him who the 2 wrestlers were who would be the cornerstone of the GDI franchise – the 2 wrestlers who would be appearing – for free – on WGN – every single Thursday night – that swayed Josh.  That to get the chance to see the (catchphrase coming) Best Wrestlers in the World each and every week – it’s not something he could pass up.  It’s the future of professional wrestling.  It’s GDI.

Matthews, who had taken off his jacket when he entered the ring – then removes his shirt and tie – to reveal a GDI t-shirt (merchandise!).

Josh says “Arn – thanks for the opportunity – I quit.”

(Arn’s at ringside)

“It is my pleasure – as the voice of GDI Wrestling – to introduce to you my brand new boss – the sole owner of GDI wrestling – Ricky “the Dragon” Steamboat – and The Best Wrestlers in the World – Low Ki and the American Dragon Bryan Danielson!”

As they hit the aisle – they act like superstars.  They walk slowly – they soak up every second of applause – Danielson and Low Ki (both wearing the GDI gear) hit turnbuckles when they get to the ring and Ricky Steamboat leads the applause.  Joey gives the “oh my god” from the announce – “Bryan Danielson and Low Ki are at Survivor Series.”

Steamboat takes the mic.

He says he has always appreciated every one of his WWF stints – the two things in his career about which he is most proud is being the WWF Champion in the main event of the very first Wrestlemania, and returning as the general manager to reunite the company after it was torn apart.  To that – to all the great moments in his Hall of Fame career – nothing tops this moment.

Steamboat says everyone knows about his problems with CM Punk – but he has to admit that the idea of GDI – of a maverick wrestling company standing on its own – that’s always sounded good to him.  So when he had the opportunity to buy it from the WWF – he knew that was going to be the final chapter in his career.  

Steamboat quickly hits the bullet points – GDI will now go international, wrestlers exclusive to GDI taking on the world – GDI is completely severed from the WWF – but as part of the purchase, he secured some time – like right now – and occasionally you’ll be able to see them.

But most importantly – its Thursday nights on WGN where the fans can see The Best Wrestlers in the World – Low Ki, first ever champion of both ROH and TNA, former IWGP Jr champion – and Bryan Danielson, former ROH champ and GHC Jr Champ.  Steamboat says the WWF has great wrestlers – you will see great wrestling tonight and every night you watch WWF.

But if you want to see the best wrestlers in the world – you have to watch WGN on Thursday nights.

And that tears it for John Cena – and HHH-M.

Cena and Hunter hit the ramp – Cena cutting fiery promo about how he and Hunter don’t like each other and never will like each other – but they’re standing in the back about to give all they have, and they have to listen this crap.  You GDI guys can go to Thursday nights – and you can start right now.

Cena and Hunter come to the ring – and they get the crap kicked out of them.

It’s fast – leaving them both incapacitated  quickly – the one spot I want for sure is Danielson choking out Cena with Josh’s discarded tie.  When Miz and Leviathan run in to help their partners – that’s when Arn gets in the ring – telling them to stand down – Arn then yelling at Steamboat – Arn and Steamboat go nose to nose until the GDI crew pulls Steamboat away – Steamboat, Josh, Danielson, Ki all exit up the ramp – maybe a small GDI chant wouldn’t kill me.

Leviathan then takes a cheap shot at the Miz – and we roll right into the first match.

1.      

1.                        1.   HHH-M/Miz d. WMD

-Neither Hunter or Cena ever recovers to get into the match; Leviathan has the early advantage – and given his size and Miz largely, until the past few months, been treated as a comedy act – it looks to be easy for him.  But then Miz comes back – the announce putting over how much he is benefiting from the time with the veteran Helmsley- McMahon.  Miz gets his offense in – Leviathan hits a powermove from behind to briefly grab control – but Miz cradles him for the upset.  Cena and Hunter come to – watching the replay on the video wall – Hunter praises  Miz – Cena tries to console Leviathan, who blows him off.

2.  Number One Contender Elimination Match: Defiance d. Young Money/Taker and Cody/DMW

-Winner gets the Rumble shot.  DMW is gone first – their feud with the Taker and Cody got juiced in the build, they go first on a Tombstone from the Dead Man to Kane.  Taker/Cody go quickly then – I’ve made reference to this before, since Silver – Yakuza has, out of nowhere, appeared a couple of times to wipe out Cody and then immediately retreat – he does that again here, grabbing him from the apron and stomping him out.  Dustin, in the corner of his little brother and the Taker – seems slow in coming to Cody’s aid – so the Undertaker pulls out his plancha – crashing into Dustin, who had just arrived to break up Yakuza and Cody.  All 4 men are down, allowing Yakuza to exit.  Taker gets counted out – eventually, Dustin exits angrily, of the belief clearly that Taker bowled him over intentionally.  Leaving Defiance and Young Money for the long segment – which eventually ends with some type of Dean shenanigans – say Orton is cradled by Kingston; Dean distracts the official, Ted enters to roll them over, and it’s Orton who has the hold when the referee counts the fall. 

       3. Montel Porter d. Johnny Nitro (countout)

-We have some not so clean finishes at Survivor Series 2009.  I feel the righteousness of your workrate based anger.  MVP wrestles as the babyface here – Nitro is full cowardly heel – and eventually, he just quits – throws his hands up and exits the ring.  A dissatisfying end for sure.

      4.  Rey Mysterio d. Matt Sydal

-This is for two reasons (1) work and (2) to get Sydal over.  Sydal loses here – Rey offers a postmatch handshake to get Sydal some applause.  Announce puts over the young high flyer.  Soon – maybe the following Fight Night, but no later than a couple of weeks – is a rematch, so we can do this on TV – and so it can end with an LWO run in and beatdown of Mysterio.  Too much going on to do it at this show – but that’s happening early in the next build.

       5. CM Punk draw Christian (no contest)

-You want to be aware of this program.  Punk’s been the top heel of the past few years – and his run of almost uninterrupted success, including 2 WWF World Title runs, has hit a wall when he was (correctly) blamed for Christian’s shoot punching Maria in the face at Summer Slam.  Maria left him (and the company) and Punk went unhinged – the addition was a texting incident – Christian receiving a text that his wife had been in an accident – Punk that Maria wanted to see him at the arena.  Both men believe the other was setting them up.

This has to be a fight – just a fight – not too many fall attempts – it’s largely a superintense, highly personal, attempt by two men to hurt each other – and it ends in a bad way.

Matt Hardy enters and takes both men out with chairshots.

We don’t do a lot of chairshots anymore – garbage matches, when we do them, and I still think there’s a place for them, are largely glass tube based – the head impact is lessened and it makes for a greater visual image than say barbed wire.  But this angle is positioned as bigger than the rest – and one chairshot to each man (given the toll taken because of the stiffness of the match) is all it takes to knock them out.  Matt pulls a cell phone out of his jeans and drops it on the fallen men, leading us to believe, obviously, that he was the one who made the texts.

The following night, we’ll learn that was not the case.  But we don’t know that tonight.

The referee – as neither man gets up – waves off the match.  No finish. 

       6. WWF Tag Team Championship: D1 (Swagger/Nemeth w/Kelly) d. Regal/Finlay (w/Hooligans)

-Division One keeps their straps – I think this is a helluva match, really designed to give the young champs some credibility, as there’s just no way they don’t come out of this elevated.  Fit takes the fall, doesn’t matter which of the champs gets it.  The story coming in was a sense that Fit and Regal maybe couldn’t afford to lose this match, given the youthful direction of the company – and it fits their characters (which we’ve been reminded of given the Hooligans replication of the dynamic) that after the fall, Fit and Regal shake hands – and then instantly start punching each other.  It’s less out of dislike – and more because that’s what has to be done.  Sheamus and McIntyre start breaking it up – but then they fight as well, because that’s how this goes.  

They’re gonna start fighting in a few weeks on Fight Night (a lot of Fight Nights just have a couple of matches 

– I like tv that really focuses on one or two programs, where everything can really focus intensely on a match 

– sort of the opposite of crash tv) with the thought being that that only one of them is going to stay on the roster.  Sheamus and McIntyre will be there again – and that’s going to allow Defiance to jump them, getting some payback for the Hooligans having taken them out a couple of times. 

      7.  WWF IC Title: The Messiah Shawn Michaels (w/Flock) d. Shelton Benjamin

-The first of the two attempts at the Triple Crown doesn’t lead to one – Benjamin losing to Michaels.  This is done for two reasons – one, work – before, well, you know, before it can’t be done, let’s do Michaels/Benjamin at a top card match on PPV.  Two – is the program – Michaels is looking for a tag partner for WM 26 – because 26 is a tag mania and Benjamin’s a 3 time tag champ – Benjamin’s been on a losing streak since losing to Nitro at Silver to blow off a long, long feud.  The Flock is the Hart kids, Michaels is saving souls – and Benjamin, having lost mentors Angle and then Arn – and best friend Haas – is a little vulnerable.

He loses here, no Triple Crown, no IC, in the best match he can have – the Flock enters the ring and Michaels takes the mic.

He says Benjamin lost – but he is not a loser – he lost because he is lost.  But now, he is found.  He joins the Messiah’s Flock – and will be Shawn Michaels’ tag team partner at WM 26.

Michaels extends his hand.

Benjamin pauses – and is about to take it – when Johnny Nitro begins to walk down the ramp.

Nitro’s got a mic.

Wait, he says, wait.

Nitro’s incredulous.  How, he asks, could you possibly want Shelton Benjamin to be your tag partner at WM 26 – when instead you could have the man who beat him at WM 25?

The Flock moves to attack Nitro – but Michaels tells them to stand down. 

Michaels laughs at Nitro – says yeah, you did beat Benjamin at Silver – but just tonight, you walked out of your match with Porter – “now, I hear he’s the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all Time, so I can understand how you might have been afraid – but let’s just pretend that you – and not Shelton – were to be my tag partner at WM 26 – what guarantee would I have that you wouldn’t just quit in the middle of the match?”

Nitro says “because the reason I quit tonight is that you asked me too.  And I do what my Messiah commands me to do.”

And with that – Nitro slaps Benjamin cold with a superkick.

Michaels now taunts the fallen Benjamin – “I was wrong, Shelton – you are a loser.”

And now a full group pose – Natty/Tyson/Harry/Michaels – and Johnny Nitro.  Johnny Nitro has joined the Flock. 

       8. WWF Championship: Chris Jericho d. Chavo Guerrero

-No Triples Crown at Survivor Series 2009, Jericho, a year after winning the belt – keeps again.  I like Chavo and think this is a good match and fits within the Jericho title run.  But the win serves the end angle of the evening – Matt Hardy, who gets a title shot anytime he wants after his win at Silver – uses the same chair from earlier in the evening to waffle Jericho postmatch – Matt yells at the timekeeper – yells at the referee – yells at Arn.

Arn motions to the official – this it is – Matt Hardy’s cashing in his title shot.

       9. WWF Championship Chris Jericho no contest Matt Hardy

-But there’s no match here (sorry).  Matt covers Jericho, still down after the chairshot, recall, chairshots knocked out Punk and Christian earlier – and once Arn motions that the match has started – the official moves into place and Matt gets the cover –

But Jericho kicks out.

Matt’s does the full shocked heel grimace – and that’s the end of the match.

Punk and Christian sprint to the ring and simultaneously tackle Matt – they reign down on him with blows – the referee stops the match – Jericho is still on the mat – Hardy rolls out – Hardy glares from the aisle – Punk and Christian glare from the ring – Jericho holds his head down on the canvas as Survivor Series 2009 ends.  

I'm back in December for the road to Royal Rumble 2010.  Your WWF Title Match - Chris Jericho v. Matt Hardy.