Survivor Series 2020

The build

Survivor Series 2020 takes place from the Bubble, in/around Orlando; it is the first Thunderdome PPV.

(there are no dark matches, as there are no fans in the building; this is the last taped PPV)

This is the 34th annual Survivor Series and the 135th WWF PPV.  

It's the first PPV of the Covid era where the announcers are in the arena; Scott Stanford is the lead announcer, it's his second PPV, the analysts are Paul Heyman (19) Samoa Joe (5)  A bit of politics as it's November; Biden wins the election, just as IRL, and we move back into that timeline, save that Biden's the 47th President and not the 46th.  There will be another political drop in note at the Rumble and then the story gets wrapped up at Mania.  

Clips from Survivor Series history open the show:

1987...the first match in SSeries history, the Killer Bees beating Power&Glory

1988...Randy Savage drops the elbow on Dynamite, winning the WWF Title

1989...Ted DiBiase takes the IC from Rick Rude when the Brain turns on the Ravishing One.

1990...Shawn submits to the Sharpshooter, Bret keeping the IC

1991...Ric Flair locking on the Figure Four to Davey Boy and taking the WWF Title

1992...2 IC switches on the same show; Michaels taking the belt from Savage and then immediately Owen taking the belt from Michaels

1993...the Razor Ramon face turn, he aids Waltman postmatch as he's beaten down by HBK/Diesel

1994...Shawn wins the Triple Crown, taking the WWF Title from Owen, and then Diesel turns on him, laying him out.  

1995...Michaels with the superkick on The Franchise Shane Douglas, keeping his IC

1996...Cactus and Vader going to war in a steel cage at MSG, Cactus taking the IC

1997...the Montreal Match; Owen submitting Bret in a 4 way with Shawn and Austin, sending Bret out of the promotion.

1998...Cactus flying off the top of the cell in the first Hell in a Cell match, against Ken Shamrock

1999...The Dudleys sending the Hardys through tables, taking the tag belts

2000...Tremendous chain wrestling sequence between Eddy Guerrero and Dean Malenko

2001...Page laying out Austin with a diamond cutter

2002...young Brock Lesnar destroying Hunter and Shawn

2003...4 way war between Eddy/Benoit/Brock/Angle

2004...The Lizard King Chris Jericho holding all the Worldwide belts over Chavo

2005...Michaels and Hunter, bleeding profusely, in a Weapons Match

2006...Punk taking the Undisputed Titles from Flair and then throwing the WWF belt down

2007...Johnny Nitro taking the NWA Title from Fit Finlay

2008...Punk's GDI stable attacking Steamboat

2009...Division 1, Nemeth/Swagger keeping the tag belts over Regal/Finlay

2010...Extended spot between Danielson and Low Ki in the greatest match in WWF history

2011...Sheamus hurling Nitro's shoulder into the ringpost

2012...Danielson keeping the WWF Title over Rey

2013....Danielson and Punk nose to nose 

2014...Thunderous ladder/table bump between the Usos and the Shield

2015...Charlotte taking the Women's Title from Paige

2016...AJ Styles winning the Survivor Series Finals, defeating Luke Harper

2017...Lesnar and Angle, 15 years later, battling for the IC

2018...Joe and Danielson trading stiff shots

2019...Lesnar F5 on Walter

1. ROMAN REIGNS/JEY USO d. JEFF HARDY/OTIS

-Roman kicks us off with an "Acknowledge Me" promo, to draw some heat from the fans who are not there; he gets the fall on Otis - then tells Jeff to acknowledge him - Jeff refuses, so he lays Jeff out.  Then says it again as Jey props up Jeff's head.  

2. CEDRIC ALEXANDER (w/Tozawa) d. HUMBERTO CARRILLO (w/Zelina)

-Fast paced match, designed to spotlight Alexander, also allowing to talk about both the IC and Title matches coming up later tonight, given the inclusion of their stablemates in those matches.  

3. SHOOT NATION: (LASHLEY/GABLE/NEMETH/BENJAMIN) d. HOOLIGANS (McINTYRE/SHEAMUS/MIZ)/JOHNNY NITRO

-Shoot Nation matches this year are framed around pushing Lashley, the goal to place him at the same level as Reigns/Langston/McIntyre; also, like Alexander, Gable is the kind of worker who we use as much as we're allowed, so he's in most of the match.  The Nemeth/Sheamus link from their Underground days is part of the match, as is the long ago feud between Nitro and Benjamin.  For Hooligans, the story is the attempt to blend together these two halves of Miz's career doesn't work and the confusion results in Lashley pinning Sheamus.  That story is going to continue and the announce looks to make that clear - Miz has his old partner Nitro, with this newer partners Sheamus/McIntytre; and that fit doesn't look like it's working.  

4. BIANCA BELAIR d. SHAYNA BASZLER (w/Horsewomen)

-This is an upset, Belair has a lot of promise - but look, Baszler is a former champion - but when Belair goes over, that really vaults her into the top of the women's division - postmatch, she gets laid out as the Horsewomen get some heat back and wind up hitting all four corners to stand tall. 

5. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA d. BOBBY ROODE

-The Horsemen are no more; Joe's on the announce, Charlotte injured, Strong and Roode fell out - this is just designed to put Nakamura over strong, Roode's likely just enhancement for the forseeable future.

6. REY MYSTERIO/KALISTO (w/Dominik) d. BUDDY MURPHY/APOLLO CREWS (w/Aleister Black) 

-Mysterio's a legend, it's his first match since the Rumble, he and Kalisto don't enter together, Rey gets a separate entrance - Murphy/Black/Crews viciously attacked Dominik, and now they have to pay - this is a hell of a match; in 2020, Rey's the worst worker of the 4, Dominik will get some type of spot on Black on the outside to get some redemption - Rey's going to get the fall on Murphy.  Rey will still want Murphy/Crews/Black all fired - we'll see a TV angle in the build to the Rumble that will wrap up the 2 guys who you know are about to get wrapped up.  

Intermission.  Heyman interviews Gargano and Ciampa, setting up their Dark Ride Title Match; Walter also comes in unexpectedly via satellite just to remind everyone that he still retains possession of his Dark Ride Title belt, is defending that title in Europe.  

Clip package of each team who entered Survivor Series as tag champions.  Immediately after, the tag champs, the Street Profits, will enter.

Hart Foundation (Bret/Davey, w/Anvil)

Rougeau Brothers

Rockers

Orient Express

Road Warriors

Money Inc

Steiners

Lex Luger/Bam Bam Bigelow

Smoking Gunns

Marc Mero/Bart Gunn

Road Warriors

Nation of Domination (Rock/DLo w/Henry)

Hardys

Edge/Christian

Dudleys

Chris Benoit/Eddy Guerrero

HBK/HHH

Rey Mysterio/RVD

Randy Orton/John Cena

Dead Men Walking

S&S (Cade/Murdoch)

WMD (Cena/Leviathan Batista)

D1 (Nemeth/Swagger)

Young Money (Kingston/Killings)

Empire (Barrett/Gabriel)

Young Money

The Shield (Black/Langston)

The Shield (Black/Ambrose/Langston)

Underground (Sheamus/Barrett)

Usos (Jimmy/Jey/Roman)

Bullet Club (Black/Anderson/Gallows)

Shoot Nation (Gable/Nemeth)

7. WWF TAG TITLES: NEW DAY (WOODS/KINGSTON w/Langston) d. STREET PROFITS

-The 111th Tag Champs in WWF history is the New Day; it's their second reign, first since '16.  It's Kingston's 4th tag title, placing him behind only Mr. Fuji and Tony Garea in WWF history. Solid all babyface match.

8. WWF WOMEN'S TITLE: NO DQ: SASHA BANKS d. ASUKA

-Big Night for New Day, Woods/Kingston/Langston enter postmatch and the four hit buckles, all wearing belts.  Sasha's the only 3 time Women's Champ and her monster roll continues; this match definitively places her above Asuka, who has been the Ace of the division since joining the promotion; this is the only "they fight around the ring" match on the card, really designed to spotlight it as special, hard hitting fight.  

9. MATT RIDDLE d. KEITH LEE (special referee, HBK)

-Michaels was gifted high profile matches for both the Rumble and Mania, the collective decision was a winner takes both match - this is 3 straight all babyface matches in a row, which is a flaw in card construction, but nevertheless.  They throw everything at each other here - handshake at the end, all is well with the Clique.

Each challenger for the IC at Survivor Series is this clip package, followed by the entrance of Styles, the challenger tonight.

Rick Rude

Davey Boy Smith

Ted DiBiase

Shawn Michaels

Roddy Piper

HBK

Owen Hart

Sean Waltman

Sean Waltman

Shane Douglas

Cactus Jack

Ken Shamrock

Steve Regal

Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho

Taz

RVD

Chavo Guerrero

Chavo Guerrero

Shane Helms

MVP

Rey Mysterio

Shelton Benjamin

MVP

Johnny Nitro

Kingston

Luke Harper

Dean Ambrose

Kurt Angle

Mascara Dorada

Adam Cole (Bay-Bay)

10. IC TITLE: AJ STYLES d. ANGEL GARZA (w/Zelina)

The 75th IC Champion is AJ Styles; it's his second reign, first since 2016. There's some subtext here of a return to normalcy - Garza's a weird champ, came from nowhere, suddenly he's Dark Ride Champ, then suddenly he's IC Champ w/o actually being booked in that title match originally - having AJ take this belt is designed to communicate that things are heading back to normal - and if you're watching a Thunderdome Survivor Series in November, 2020, any "hey, things are gonna look like they used to look, AJ Styles has a belt" message that you can give is a good one.  Twisted Sun Gods move to enhancement.  

11. KEVIN STEEN d. SAMI ZAYN

This, obviously, is a multi-year long story; the current position is this is their first WWF singles match, Zayn hates his longtime best friend Steen, whose posture is he's just trying to help Zayn by bringing a more ferocious side out of him.  This, obviously is a hell of a match, the pivotal moment coming in an outside spot, with Zayn on the floor, the referee distracted by tending to Steen in the ring - Danielson emerges from underneat the ring, he's got a chair - and levels Zayn with a shot to the head. That won't directly lead to the finish, Zayn will kick out of the next pinfall attempt, but Steen retains control thereafter and will win the bout.  

The thing that unites Heyman and Joe is their real dislike of oGDI, Joe feuded with both Danielson and Black, and while Heyman was estranged from Lesnar at the time, he/Brock/Danielson had a long rivalry based on a level of mutual respect that Danielson betrayed in what, to this point, was Lesnar's last appearance in the promotion.

They each get really hot with the chairshot - Danielson, of course, returned after a retirement caused by concussions, and an element of his matches is opponents do not intentionally target his head - it's not spoken, but it's impossible to miss that there's an understanding, even in a hot program, that Danielson's head is a no go zone - so here, when he hits Zayn with a chair to the head, a spot that, at most, WWF currently does maybe once a year - maybe - Heyman and Joe just quake with anger.  

Danielson's unbothered, to the contrary, he's joyous as his stablemate wins the match; this is the first card where the announcers are actually in the building, recall, in the Covid era, postmatch, a clearly shaken Heyman leaves the announce and heads to the back, his evening done.  

Clip package of the finish of each WWF Title match at Survivor Series

Steamboat defeating the Dynamite Kid

Savage defeating Dynamite

Hennig defeating Savage

Hennig defeating Kerry Von Erich

Flair defeating Davey Boy

Bret defeating Flair

Bret defeating Lex

Shawn defeating Owen

Bret defeating Davey Boy

Bret defeating Shawn

Owen winning the Montreal Match

Cactus defeating Shamrock

Cactus winning a 3 way over HHH/Rock

Benoit defeating Austin

Angle defeating Booker

Angle defeating Jericho

Eddy winning a 4 way over Brock/Benoit/Angle

A draw - Benoit/Eddy

Rey defeating Juvie

Punk defeating Flair

Rey defeating Undertaker

Jericho defeating Punk

Jericho defeating Chavo

No Contest: Jericho/Matt Hardy

Edge defeating Swagger

Nemeth defeating Mistico

Danielson defeating Rey

A Draw: Danielson/Punk

Claudio defeating Bray

Steen defeating Nemeth

No Contest: Devitt/AJ/Joe

Nakamura defeating Claudio

Tyler Black defeating Nakamura

12. WWF TITLE: RICOCHET (w/BWI) d. TYLER BLACK

The 60th WWF Champion is Ricochet.  

Key moment happens as Steen/Danielson attempt to interfere - they don't - they're fought back by Alexander/Tozawa - Ricochet gets the fall in a terrific match; wins the strap - BWI does the full babyface celebration - Joe joins them for a quick interview in the ring, which will become a part of the end of big matches, Joe in the ring interviewing the winner.  It is Ricochet - on top of the world - on top of the WWF - as the show ends.

Back in a month for the build to Rumble 2021; the 16th anniversary of the Counterfactual.