Survivor Series 2019

The build is here.

Survivor Series 33, the 131st WWF PPV, is from Chicago.

Clip package from Chicago based WWF PPVs:

-The Dynamite Kid taking the WWF title from Ricky Steamboat at WM2

-Bret Hart subitting Arn Anderson in the sharpshooter at Survivor Series '89

-Owen Hart slamming his brother Bret's face into a steel cage at Summer Slam '94

-Steve Austin hitting the Stunner on Bret to take the WWF Title at WM13

-Fit Finlay and Steve Regal exchanging stiff shots at WM22

The announcers are Mauro Ranallo (17th) Steve Regal (24th) Samoa Joe (2nd)

1. ELIMINATION MATCH: TEAM McINTYRE (McINTYRE/TOZAWA/DORADA/ALI/FORD) d. TEAM REIGNS (REIGNS/KALISTO/STROWMAN/PRIEST/FORD)

-The story here is that each man is part of a tag team and the surviving members of the winning team will square off tomorrow on RAW - and the winner and his partner will get a tag title shot at Wrestlemania.

-First elimination in Strowman - he's eliminated within 10 seconds by Ford, it's designed to be a shock start.  Rusev and Lana are at ringside - they're incredulous - Rusev opened mouth in staring hard at Strowman back up the aisle.

-Then come Roman's eliminations - he gets Ali and then Dorada

-Then come McIntyre's eliminations - he gets Rush/Priest and then Roman.

-Roman, furious, returns to the ring, lays out McIntyre with the Superman punch, Kalisto gets the fall

-That brings out the Usos and the other two Hooligans (Sheamus/Miz) and they brawl on the ramp

-Ford and Tozawa doubleteam Kalisto and Tozawa gets the fall.

-The Sole Survivors: Ford and Kalisto.  Their partners, Dawkins and Alexander, come to the ring - the four babyfaces shake hands.

-On RAW tomorrow - Ford goes over and the Street Profits, in what has to be considered a significant upset, are headed to WM 36 to challenge for the Tag Titles.

2. ELIMINATION MATCH: NEW DAY (KINGSTON/LANGSTON/BANKS) d. HORSEMEN (STRONG/ROODE/FLAIR) d. BULLET CLUB (ANDERSON/GALLOWS/LYNCH)

-The 2 elimination matches go back to back to just connect the winner to the word "survivor"

-Strong's the best worker in the match; he gets as much of the ring time as possible

-The storyline here is Lynch and Flair, who have been battling each other, focus on each other and that allows Banks to pin both of them (in either order, the eliminations should be close in time)

-The takeaway should be that Banks has maybe been overlooked recently, but now that she's joined the New Day, she's pinned Lynch and Flair in the same match, and asserts herself as a force in the division

3. VIKING RAIDERS d. REVIVAL

-Blow off match to this feud; workrate only, babyface team goes over.  This is last time we'll discuss The Revival, they'll be heel enhancement until their deals expire.  Could also be, at least as of now, the last time we'll discuss Viking Raiders, they'll be babyface enhancement until the injury.  Note, the referee for this match is Sami Zayn; a reminder of how that works, the taped PSA where Zayn asks fans not to do the Ole chant airs in the arena but not on TV - and the announcers never reference that Zayn is any different from any other official - and there's no hint, no whisper of physicality with him.  

4. WOMEN'S NUMBER ONE CONTENDER: ASUKA d. SHIRAI/SANE/STORM

-Not an elimination match; one fall to a finish, which was clearly part of the build.

-Asuka is still undefeated, she never lost her title in the ring, so that she could lose her streak in this match without being pinned is a match story

-Shirai and Sane enter the match looking to work together, but there's a spot where Shirai might be about to pin Storm - and Sane breaks it up, that leads to Shirai and Sane going at it.

-Asuka pins Storm.  She keeps her streak - all the whatever number she's at now-0 signs are shown, Asuka goes to the top buckle and makes the sign for her belt - at the Royal Rumble, Asuka comes back from injury, stays strong, stays dominant - and she wants her belt back.

Clip package of every Women's Title match in the modern WWF:

-Natty Neidhart putting the sharpshooter on AJ Lee at Survivor Series '14

-Paige standing over Neidhart and holding the belt aloft at Rumble '15

-Ric and Charlotte turning on 4-Ground at Survivor Series '15

-Banks getting the fall on Flair at WM32

-Flair and Banks brawling throughout the arena at Summer Slam '16

-Lynch joining the Bullet Club by turning on Banks at Rumble '17

-Lynch holding the belt aloft, with the Bullet Club at WM 33

-Asuka getting the fall on Lynch, fireworks exploding, at WM34

-Bayley holding the belt, tears streaming down her face, at Summer Slam '19

5. WOMEN'S TITLE: SHAYNA BASZLER (w/HORSEWOMEN) d. BAYLEY

-Not a squash, because Bayley shows lots of babyface heart and fire and you just can't beat her; but this match is largely one sided, designed to really put Baszler over as a monster heel, she really beats Bayley up and postmatch the Horsewomen (which, recall, include Ripley as Rousey's replacement) beat her up some more.  Baszler is the 10th modern women's champ.

6. LOSING MANAGER LEAVES TOWN: CLIQUE (MATT RIDDLE/KEITH LEE w/HBK) d. GDI (KYLE O'REILLY/BOBBY FISH w/Maria)

-This is the real workrate match for the first half of the card. Fish eats the fall, doesn't matter who gets it.  Presumably, here in Chicago, with Maria a focus of the stip, there are CM Punk chants.  That allows for the escalation of the importance of Maria to the history of GDI, as she arrived with Punk to create the faction over a decade ago.  She's done after this match and this wraps her up. 

-The other stip here is the winning manager now has a tag title shot at the Rumble.  

We're halfway through the show - time for a Firefly Funhouse.

Bray's target during this build has been Harper; The Fiend's Revenge Tour continues - somehow in this segment we see Harper's lifeless body someplace sufficiently spooky.  It's designed to continue creating the Fiend character and to write off Harper, we never see him again. 

 7. THE AMERICAN DRAGON BRYAN DANIELSON d. PETE DUNNE (w/Nigel)

-IRL Timothy Thatcher has kind of moved into a gimmick similar to the embryo of this Danielson gimmick, the "let me show you how to do this" stuff.  If he starts stopping matches in the middle to display the right way to do a hold, then you read it here first.  The big spot in this match comes when Dunne does a dive to the outside, Danielson pulls his old friend/rival McGuinness in front of him - and Nigel takes the shot.  

-Dunne is concerned, tries to check on Nigel - and that's all the opening Danielson needs, he attacks, takes over the momentum of the match, and puts Dunne away.  Danielson will later explain what both Nigel and Dunne did wrong.  He's right in both instances, but, you know.  

8. AJ STYLES d. TOMMASO CIAMPA

-Hard hitting babyface match; Ciampa's medical condition means that any match could be his last - he doesn't wrestle gingerly because of that, he goes full tilt, all the time, last day on earth stuff.  Styles shakes his hand postmatch, leaves Ciampa alone in the ring to accept the ovation.

Clip package of every tag title match in Survivor Series history.

-'87...the Anvil turns on Bret and Davey Boy

-'88...the Brainbusters take the belts from the Rougeaus

-'89...the Rockers double team Jacques Rougeau

-'90...Doomsday Device finishes off Pat Tanaka

-'91...Doomsday Device finishes off the Boss Man

-'92...Money Inc coming down the aisle wearing their belts

-'93...Rick Steiner taking off Ricky Morton's head with a Steinerline

-'94...Hart Attack on Lex Luger

-'95...Razor's Edge on Billy Gunn while Diesel hits the Jacknife on Bart...

-'96...Marc Mero coming off the top rope on Phil LaFon

-'97...Rock Bottom on Road Warrior Hawk

-'98...Rock Bottom on Road Dogg

-'99...the Dudleys sending both Hardys through tables

-'00...Edge and Christian doing a 5 second pose with the title belts

-'01...Bubba Ray splitting Raven open with a chairshot

-'02...Eddy with the frogsplash on Kidman

-'03...HBK superkicking DVon

'04...Angle hitting multiple suplexes on RVD

'05...Booker hits the Hangover on Cena

'06...Sabu and RVD holding the title belts aloft.

'07..HHH and HBK holding the title belts aloft

'08...the Blood Dragon coming to the ring...

'09...Hard hitting spot with Regal and Finlay taking on Division One

'10...Kingston with the highspot on Sheamus

'11...Wade Barrett and Justin Gabriel with a double team on Mark Henry

'12...Orton and Giant Bernard holding the belts aloft...

'13...The Shield (Black/Ambrose/Langston) coming to the ring through the crowd

'14...Ambrose throwing Jimmy Uso off a ladder through a table...

'15..The New Day all holding title belts...

'17...The Usos and New Day, all 6 men, fighting simultaneously around the ring...

'18...The Miz cradling the title belt in the middle of the ring

9. WWF TAG TITLES: REY MYSTERIO/KEVIN STEEN d. SHOOT NATION (NICK NEMETH/CHAD GABLE w/Angle)

-The 108th WWF Tag Champions are Steen and Mysterio.  It is the second title for each man; Steen and Generico were champs in '17, Mysterio and RVD were champs 15 years ago, back in '04.  Double team maneuver on Gable gets the fall.  The unlikely alliance of Steen and Mysterio, building and building over the course of the calendar year, results in a championship.  Mysterio extends his hand to Steen and the two men shake.  

Clip Package of every IC Match in Survivor Series history

-'87... Savage dropping the elbow on Rude

-'88...Davey Boy submitting to the Sharpshooter

-'89...Heenan turning on Rude

-'90...Bret and Shawn, nose to nose, jawing at each at mid ring...almost 30 years ago...

-'91...Piper with the sleeper hold on Bret...

-'92...Michaels superkicks Savage

-'92...Owen off the top onto Michaels

-'93...Razor turning on Michaels and Diesel to save Waltman

-'94...Razor and Waltman fighting on the top of the ladder

-'95...Michaels superkicking Shane Douglas

-'96...Cactus and Vader throwing stiff shots inside of a cage

-'97...Shamrock submitting Cactus inside of an Octagon

-'98...Stone Cold Stunner on Regal

-'99...Jericho with the Liontamer on Waltman

-'00...Regal with stiff European uppercuts on Jericho

-'01...Taz suplexing Tajiri on his head

-'02...Van Terminator on Michaels

-'03...Chavo with the frogsplash on Tajiri

-'04...Jericho holding the belt aloft

-'05...Benoit's got Angle in the crossface...

-'06...Executioner Lashley turning on Hunter...

-'07...MVP on the buckle, holding the title belt...

-'08...MVP standing on the anounce table, holding the title belt...

-'09...Michaels with the superkick on Benjamin

-'10...Johnny Nitro with a highspot on MVP

-'11...Sheamus sends Nitro into the ringpost, shoulder first

-'13...Ambrose coming to the ring through the crowd

-'14...Luke Harper on a buckle, holding the belt aloft

-'15...Ambrose with a dive atop Bray

-'17...Lesnar and Angle, nose to nose

-'18...Devitt hitting a highspot on Dorada...

10. IC TITLE: RICOCHET (w/BWI) d. ADAM COLE

-Match of the night, nothing held back, the two just throwing main event level bombs at each other with the aim of fully stealing the show.  Ricochet clean with his big highspot.  

11. BROCK LESNAR (w/Angle) d. WALTER (w/Heyman)

-Speaking of throwing bombs.  This is a sprint, they go full tilt each hitting suplexes, each hitting shots -maybe for the first time ever -no, definitely for the first time ever Lesnar is fully on the backfoot, Walter is the aggressor, just taking it to Lesnar, hitting him full on with stiff chops, suplexing him multiple times - Walter carries the pace - Lesnar fighting from underneath.  But Lesnar, spurred on by Angle at ringside, battles back, and is able to get the F5 win.   Heyman wrily smiles postmatch, shaking his head at Lesnar as he and Walter exit postmatch.

Clip package of every WWF Title Match in Survivor Series history.

'87...Steamboat with multiple fast armdrags on Dynamite...

'88...Savage dropping the elbow on Dynamite...

'89...Hennig with the PerfectPlex on Savage...

'90...PerfectPlex on Kerry Von Erich

'91...Flair with the Figure Four on Davey Boy

'92...Bret with the Sharpshooter on Flair

'93...Bret with the Sharpshooter on Luger

'94...Shawn elbowdrop onto Owen

'95...Bret holding the title belt aloft...

'96...Bret and Shawn jawing in the middle of the ring..

'97...Owen, Bret, Shawn, Austin all standing in a corner

'98...Shamrock throwing Cactus off the top of the Cell

'99...Cactus clotheslines on both Hunter and Rock

'00...Benoit hitting a series of suplexes on Austin

'01...Angle coming down the ramp as the fireworks go off

'02...Jericho submitting to Angle

'03...Eddy, Brock, Benoit, Angle all standing in a corner

'04...Benoit and Eddy exchanging chops

'05...Rey hitting a frogsplash on Juvie and pointing to the sky

'06...Punk throwing the WWF Championship belt to the ground

'07...Mysterio 619 on the Undertaker

'08...Steamboat coming to the ring as the guest referee

'09...Jericho with the quebrada on Chavo

'10...Edge holding the title belt aloft

'11...Nemeth coming to the ring wearing the belt

'12...Danielson with the submission hold on Mysterio

'13...Danielson and Punk nose to nose

'14...Claudio holding the belt midring as the crowd chants "Hey, Hey, Hey"

'15...Steen with the package piledriver on Nemeth

'17...Devitt/Styles/Joe all spill out of the ring together

'18...Nakamura with the Boomaye on Claudio

12. WWF TITLE: TYLER BLACK (w/Renee) d. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA

-The storyline element here is how Joe gets involved in this program.  Throughout the build, Joe and Black have gone back and forth as an element of the Horsemen/Bullet Club program.  Nakamura was pulled in at the end by the Horsemen, this is an irritant to Joe because Joe had a long, long feud with Nakamura.  Joe's at the announce table here - and there's a spot where both wrestlers are outside, the officials giving both men a lot of leeway; and Nakamura throws something that inadvertantly hits Joe (I'm thinking it's the spot where guys remove the monitors from the announce table before a table bump, Nakamura tosses it away and it accidentally hits Joe.  In the alternative, it can be anything - Black grabs a chair, intending to use it, Nakamura is able to wrest the chair away and tries to toss it away and it hits Joe - that's probably better anyway).  The object hits Joe, he's instantly hot at Nakamura - he rips off his headset - he starts yelling at Nakamura - Nakamura tries to explain this was an accident while not taking his eyes off Black - Joe comes from behind the desk to get into Nakamura's face - Black slams into both of them and all 3 men are down - Joe is hot at everyone now - he shoves Nakamura - he and Black go nose to nose, the three do something short of brawling - Regal is up and grabbing at Joe, looking to calm him down - Joe gets hot at Regal.  The result is Joe leaves the announce position and goes to the back and the match resumes, eventually resulting in Black going over clean in the middle.  

Black and Renee celebrate, the rest of the Bullet Club, save Devitt, who has been gone since Summer Slam, make their way to the ring - it's a full Bullet Club celebration in the middle as the show ends.

And that's it.  Back in December for the build to Rumble 2020, going to be a happening!