Road to Royal Rumble 2019 (The Counterfactual Turns 14)

(Hey, for better and worse, I've been publishing this for 14 years; do with that what you will. I've got it booked through two Wrestlemanias, so I'm at least planning on going that far.)

Survivor Series was here.

Royal Rumble 30 is next month from Phoenix.  A dozen matches on the overstuffed card. Here’s what it looks like:

WWF Title: Shinsuke Nakamura v. Kenta

IC Title: Three Way Dance: Prince Devitt v. Pete Dunne (w/Nigel) v. Akira Tozawa

Tags: Hooligans (McIntyre/Sheamus w/Miz) v. Trash (Claudio/Gargano)

Women’s Title: Asuka v. Ember Moon

Number One Contender: Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) v. AJ Styles

Loser Leaves Town: Dean Ambrose v. Tyler Black (w/Anderson/Gallows)

No DQ: Bryan Danielson v. Samoa Joe

Ronda Rousey (w/Baszler/Duke/Shafir) v. Becky Lynch

New Day v. Shoot Nation (Angle/Lashley/Benjamin)

Four Corners Match: Rey Mysterio/La Sombra (w/Zelina) v. Kalisto/Crews v. Shoot Nation (Nemeth/Gable) v. Underground (Black/Murphy)

Jeff Hardy v. Ali

lo Shirai v. Kairi Sane

WWF Title: Shinsuke Nakamura v. Kenta

Nakamura kept the title over Claudio at Survivor Series; so he’ll go to the Rumble as WWF Champion for  full year. He and Kenta got together earlier in the summer in the build to Summer Slam and remained aligned throughout the build to Survivor Series.  Where once Kenta was clearly seen as superior, and then they were long running equals, now Nakamura is at the very top of the sport and Kenta is his supportive veteran friend (the fates of their respective Japanese promotions are seen as running parallel to their own stories). 

But, all good things must end, and not long after Survivor Series following a victorious tag match, 

Kenta celebrates by hitting Nakamura with the Go to Sleep – and we get a show ending shot of Kenta grabbing the WWF Title belt and raising it aloft over the fallen Shinsuke.

That’s the match – Kenta is not friendly veteran just happy to be supportive to his friend Shinsuke – Kenta is pissed off veteran tired of being disrespected by you idiots. Kenta beats up his longtime ally Hero during the build.  There’s historical color for the match throughout WWF platforms that positions this match as the lineal result of the All Japan/New Japan split – as if Kenta is Baba and Nakamura is Inoki.  The winner is headed to Wrestlemania 35 to take on the winner of Lesnar/Styles. 

IC Title: Three Way Dance: Prince Devitt v. Pete Dunne (w/Claudio) v. Akira Tozawa

Devitt’s war against Dark Ride Wrestling continues – he kept the belt against Dorada at Survivor Series and now all of Dark Ride, which was once united, is in a pitched battle against each other to get that shot at the IC; we should see the mastermind Devitt, who promised to tear Dark Ride Wrestling apart, as accomplishing his mission.

Nigel leaves his announce position during the build; he now is full time manager of British Strong Style (Ranallo will announce RAW by himself for the final month) and that switch is credited with Dunne’s getting the title shot at the Rumble. He won’t get that shot alone though – Tozawa from Blood Warriors International will also get that shot – and there’s a lot of BSS v. BWI stuff throughout the build.  Devitt cuts promos wearing his Dark Ride Wrestling t-shirt (because he owns Dark Ride).

Tags: Hooligans (McIntyre/Sheamus w/Miz) v. Trash (Claudio/Gargano)

Triumph long sought for Hooligans at Survivor Series when they took the belts from Bullet Club – it’s the first ever WWF belts for both McIntyre and Miz – there’s no real program here; Hooligans gets wins over the Usos and the Revival – this match is thrown together late after Gargano vanquishes Ciampa in Dark Ride, the story is that, sure Hooligans are champs – but they are really stepping up in quality in taking on elite level workers like Claudio and Gargano – additionally, Gargano’s inability to get a belt is part of his character and so that desperation is underneath everything he does, even after his huge victory over Ciampa.

Women’s Title: Asuka v. Ember Moon

Asuka does workrate matches – there’s never a heat up angle for her; she’s sort of bigger than that – she’s undefeated and has the best match she can have and that’s been her program since her first day with the promotion and it continues here – Moon essentially took Asuka’s place at the top of Dark Ride and now she gets this shot.

Number One Contender: Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) v. AJ Styles

First time ever – it’s Lesnar against Styles with the winner headed to Mania.  It’s pure sport build – here’s Lesnar training out in the snow in North Dakota or wherever the fuck he is, here’s AJ running on the beach in Florida.  AJ is a Triple Crown winner and Brock’s a two time champ – AJ has turned babyface, Lesnar’s nominally a heel, but really he’s just Lesnar.  Both guys come in hot – they each beat Danielson this year, both men are driven to win that title back – Brock came back to WWF with this shot at the title as part of his new contract (we’re told it’s the biggest per date money deal in promotion history) and AJ left the Bullet Club largely out of a sense that he needed to win the WWF Title on his own.  AJ works one singles match in the build, it’s against Anderson, neither Black or Devitt in attendance, it’s just Styles and his old buddies Anderson and Gallows – AJ goes over, he is able to withstand the postmatch attempt to take him out 2:1 – babyface AJ Styles stands tall.  Lesnar comes in to squash Rowan.  There’s a Heyman Hustle with AJ as the guest to heat up the match – Heyman suggesting that AJ won the Triple Crown only with the aid of the Bullet Club, and without them he’s going to find he’s no match for Lesnar.  AJ saying Lesnar will wish he took the Cormier fight after what he’s got coming to him at the Rumble. 

Loser Leaves Town: Dean Ambrose v. Tyler Black (w/Anderson & Gallows)

RAW the night after Survivor Series begins with Ambrose – he was out a year with injuries inflicted by his longtime partner Black, he came back last night to prevent Black’s attempt to cash in his briefcase following the main event.  He comes to the ring here and he is still heated – he calls out Tyler, “fight me, Tyler – come out here and fight me” – Black, with the rest of the male members of the Bullet Club right behind, makes his way from the back.  Black motions for the others to remain on the ramp as he makes his way to the ring.  Black and Ambrose go nose to nose – Black is cool here, not rising to Ambrose’s anger.  Black says he’s not going to fight Ambrose tonight.  Black says what’s the end game here – Dean  - I missed a year of my career, you missed a year of yours – you kept me from becoming WWF Champion last night – what’s the play – we fight – maybe you get the better of it – maybe I do – maybe my guys come down this ramp and bury you under the flag and you get to make another triumphant return at Survivor Series 2020. 

What’s the end game?

Dean says it never ends – he will fight Tyler Black as long as he stands in this ring – every single night that Tyler Black stands in this ring he will need to fight Dean Ambrose and there is no end.

Black says he’s taken Ambrose’s proposal under consideration and he has a counter. 

They fight once. At the Royal Rumble.  And then never again.  Because the loser of that fight – leaves town. 

Black says let’s just cut to the end of this story – the end of the story of the Shield – the greatest tag team of all time.  It ends the way it has to end – one of us stays in the WWF and dominates – wins titles, makes money – gets that life that we used to talk about when we were Underground. 

And one of us – just disappears forever. 

Ambrose clearly wasn’t expecting this – he does a million calculations in the matter of seconds – he says “nah, I think I’ll fight you now” – and he attacks Black, he gets the advantage until the Bullet Club runs to the ring and lays him out – Black motions Anderson and Gallows to the ramp – where standing just out of the camera’s view, waiting for an interview segment, is Renee Young – Anderson  and Gallows grab Renee and drag her into the ring – forcing her to look at Ambrose – Devitt grabs Ambrose’s head, forcing him to look at Renee – Black says we can just keep doing this – we can do this night after night, year after year – or we can just stop.  We can stop – we can have one last fight. 

Once and for all.  Royal Rumble.  Loser. Leaves. Town. 

At some point going forward there’s footage of Renee laying it out for Ambrose, this can’t keep going on – it’s bad for both of them – go to the Rumble, take him out, and let’s be done with this war. 

Ambrose will agree – and they set the fight.  The build is taped pieces covering the full relationship between the two men, showing the addition of Langston, the long title run, Black’s injury and then the breakup.  The Shield will crack permanently at the Rumble. 

No DQ: Bryan Danielson v. Samoa Joe

Danielson and Joe met for the first time in a WWF ring, with all the years of context that entails – and the match ended with Danielson holding the trunks on a small package.

Joe’s understandably heated, screwed once again by this promotion and by Danielson himself. 

Danielson is a little surprised there seems to be a little criticism coming his way.  “Wait a minute – what have I been hearing since I came back – Bryan Danielson doesn’t win wrestling matches anymore.  I won a wrestling match; I won it against one of the great wrestlers alive. I won the way I always have, by doing what needed to be done.  When I’ve needed to be a technical wrestler, that’s what I’ve been – a brawler, a high flyer – that’s what I’ve been.  And now – and now, I’m this.  And if there are people who don’t like this – that’s okay, but I’m going to do what I have to do to win wrestling matches, because I’m a professional wrestler.”

(there’s been buildup, if you’ve noticed, a little bit with each match, of Danielson just nudging away at the rules, following those back to back losses to Styles)

Joe is not persuaded – Danielson’s a holier than thou hypocrite and at the Rumble, in a No DQ match – he can hold the trunks all he wants – he can stroll out of the ring – he can do whatever little tricks he wants - as long as Joe can respond by hitting Danielson with a chair; or throwing him into the steps – or sending him through a table with a muscle buster. If that’s the match Danielson really wants to have – if he really wants to “do what he has to do” – then Samoa Joe will also “do what he has to do”

Ronda Rousey (w/Baszler/Duke/Shafir) v. Becky Lynch

Ronda beats Charlotte at Survivor Series in a wrestling match; she’s a wrestler now and will have a contract signing in the Fight Night main event spot the week after Survivor Series – this is unusual, Fight Night is just matches and taped packages, no angles are shot “Less talk, More Sock” but this is Ronda and she’s special, like Brock.

So – in the main event spot at Fight Night she signs a contract with Hunter.  Hunter’s no longer in the promotion, he has an office in the West Wing (Vince is POTUS, for those unfamiliar; that’s the culmination of an angle literally started years before Trump’s campaign; I’ll occasionally get a comment from a reader that perhaps doesn’t reflect that I’ve been doing this since 2005) but his being in the Rousey storyline reflects its more realistic, more sports oriented, nature (at least, until now).  

We’re told that Rousey has signed for the most per night money in promotion history (it’s a dollar more a shot than Lesnar, we find out). And right after she signs – from the crowd come the rest of the Horsewomen, who we saw for the first time last night – Baszler/Duke/Shafir.  Last night they got into Rousey’s face, evidencing disapproval with her new choice of career – and unexpectedly here they are.

It’s a swerve – actually, they’re with Rousey – and once the ink is on the contract the four absolutely beat Hunter to death; this is a juice angle, Hunter’s headed back to DC and he’s going to full on bleed a gusher here.  The Horsewomen hold up four fingers as they hit the turnbuckles. 

For a couple of weeks, the Horsewomen send in taped pieces, essentially laughing at the entire promotion, laughing at the idea that there was once something called “4-Ground” – when everyone knows when you talk about the number 4 in combat sports– you’re talking about the Horsewomen. 

They say they’ll be at RAW on a particular date and will take on any woman with the balls to step to them.

They come as promised, taunt, goad, cajole – and who comes to the ring is Bayley.

Bayley’s basically enhancement talent, she’s yet to be on PPV, she’s super likeable babyface who puts people over.  But here she is – standing alone against the Horsewomen; Ronda says she admires her stones and says she can go one on one with Baszler – this won’t happen- Ronda’s going to hit her from behind with a forearm and the Horsewomen are going to stomp her out.  The next week – another video; they find this wrestling stuff hilarious and are coming back to do it again.  They do the same bit – and again, who comes out is Bayley.

The Horsewomen laugh – if Bayley really wants another beating; she can make her way down to the ring.

And then, emerging from the back is Banks. 

And then  - Charlotte. 

And then – Lynch.

Now, not only has Lynch not wrestled since losing her title at Mania – but here is Bullet Club Becky, who turned on her friends, now standing with Charlotte from the Horsemen and their former stablemate Banks.  They all look at each other to take in the moment – as if they might decide to just start throwing blows at each other – and then they charge the ring – there’s a quick brawl, the non Ronda Horsewomen all get clotheslined over the top – Ronda bails out on her own, the WWF wrestlers get some revenge.

A War Games match is made with the two squads – here are the needed beats; Rousey comes in last, Bayley takes a pretty good beating but is able to withstand – Becky gets in a nearfall on Rousey that is broken up by Baszler - Charlotte and Becky wind up not being able to get along in a crucial moment and Rousey gets Banks to submit.

Becky’s nearfall becomes the peg to make the match at the Rumble, she cuts a “I would have beaten you if not for your muscle” promo and Rousey is not trying to hear that.   

New Day v. Shoot Nation (Angle/Lashley/Benjamin)

 New Day doesn’t appear at all during the build; Langston was beaten up pretty good by Gods of Carnage (who are suspended) and the full group has had a tough year physically. Shoot Nation continues to “scrimmage” with Underground, w/ Angle continuing to gently needle Regal about the results.  No heat angle here; no issue between the two teams except to see which side wins. 

Four Corners Match: Rey Mysterio/La Sombra (w/Zelina) v. Kalisto & Crews v. Shoot Nation (Nemeth/Gable) v. Underground (Black/Murphy)

Rey’s mentorship of the masked wrestlers continues; Crews’s irritation at the amount of deference that Kalisto gives to Rey grows; the two members of Shoot Nation who otherwise aren’t spoken for are here as are the leaders of the new Underground wave of wrestlers.  We get the last Angle/Rey match in the build, Angle asks Rey to pick two partners; he chooses Kalisto to join he and Sombra, and that adds to Crews’s saltiness.  Shoot Nation’s going over in that one, Lashley pinning Kalisto – furthering Crews’s case that he’s spending too much time listening to Mysterio. 

Jeff Hardy v. Ali

lo Shirai v. Kairi Sane

And the last two matches are just babyface matchups – Ali went over Jeff at Survivor Series – he’s going to get him again in the build, and so we’re saying that the score is 2 to 2 or 3 to 3 or whatever the score is as long as it’s tied.  And Shirai and Sane are here to steal the show; that’s the way this match is being framed, pure workrate, let’s see how good this match can be is the build. 

That’s your show.  Nakamura defends against Kenta; Devitt in the 3 way dance, Gargano’s first PPV, Brock meeting AJ for the first time on PPV; the Joe/Danielson rematch; Ambrose and Black – Loser. Leaves. Town, Kurt Angle.  Rey Mysterio.  Becky Lynch against Ronda Rousey and more.  It is an overloaded card and you can watch it on the WWF Network for only 9.99 a month and its coming in a month

Survivor Series 2018

The build is here.

Survivor Series 2018, the 32^nd Survivor Series, the 127^th PPV in WWF history, is held in Los Angeles. 

(Dark: Gargano d. Ciampa, Ricochet/Tozawa d. Riddle/Lee)

The show opens cold, as they all do now, on Rousey’s entrance to the ring.  No video package, no announcers, it’s the ramp – it’s the video wall – it’s Ronda Rousey’s music and here she comes.

 

1.       Ronda Rousey d. Charlotte Flair

-at ringside, for the first time on WWF TV, we see the Horsewomen, Baszler/Duke/Shafir, they’re in the crowd, they’re wearing MMA branded shirts. This is a wrestling match as opposed to being sold as a shoot fight; Rousey’s a wrestler now, she beat Charlotte at Summer Slam in her last shoot fight, but Charlotte got enough of the match that it makes sense that now there’s a wrestling rematch.  This is designed to be the best Ronda wrestling match she can have; the template is Lesnar when he first returned from UFC, Ronda will sell, but not so much that she’s overly vulnerable, the bulk of the match is her just kicking Charlotte’s ass.  She goes over – yells at the crowd a little bit – then walks over to the Horsewomen (there was an outside spot during the match where they all stare at each other) she expresses surprise as to why her former stablemates are here – they shake their heads, seemingly disapproving of her – and they turn and they leave. 

Tomorrow night on RAW Ronda will sign her WWF wrestling contract; there’s a heat angle coming, and you’ll see that in the build for the Rumble.

And now the taped open – it’s LA themed with clips of the previous WWF LA(ish) PPVs:

-WM7 – Savage loses his “retirement” match to Hennig, he and Liz reunite

-WM12 – Shawn takes the title from Bret in the Iron Man match

-Rumble ’99 – Owen taking the title from Cactus in a barbed wire match

-WM16- Jeff taking the big TLC ladder bump, Eddy getting the fall on Jericho to take the IC, Benoit getting Cactus to submit in the crossface to take the WWF Title

-WM21-Michaels superkicking Jericho, Eddy getting the fall on Benoit in the Iron Man

-Summer Slam ’09 – Shawn superkicks Rey to win his 5^th IC

-Summer Slam ’10 – Danielson getting the submission from Punk, Edge winning the Triple Crown by beating Jericho for the title

-Summer Slam ’11-Nemeth keeps the WWF Title over Rey

-Summer Slam ’12 – Steamboat throwing in the towel to end the Brock/Punk match

-Summer Slam ’13- Danielson taking the title from Brock

-Summer Slam ’14-Lesnar destroying RVD

Cut to the announce to set the stage for the rest of the night – Ranallo (his 13^th PPV), Regal (his 23^rd) Nigel (his 10^th)

2.       Ali d. Jeff Hardy

-Veteran babyface Jeff has beaten young babyface Ali a couple of times in the build, but Ali got close enough both times that having this match at the PPV makes sense – and Ali goes over; Jeff shakes his hand and claps for him postmatch.

3.       Langston d. Strowman (DQ)

-Year long program between New Day and Gods of Carnage continues, the stip here is that everyone but the two men in the match are barred from ringside and if that is violated it will be an automatic 3 month suspension.  So – of course, Rusev (w/Lana pointing the way) runs in, drawing the DQ – but this program has been about injuring the other guy as opposed to winning matches, GoC beats Langston down, he shows good babyface fire in managing to hold them off 2:1 (we’re told Kingston/Woods are not here) but eventually he succumbs.  GoC in fact does get suspended and we won’t see them at all in the build to the Rumble. 

4.       Shoot Nation (Gable/Nemeth/Lashley) d. Underground (Authors of Pain/Murphy)

-Angle joins the announce desk for this one; Angle and Regal were former stablemates and in this build we’ve essentially seen Shoot Nation scrimmaging with the new crop of Underground wrestlers about to leave Dark Ride to work the main shows (Aleister Black/Gulak/Lorcan are the rest of this group) it’s friendly competition, Angle is trying to mold Shoot Nation into a cohesive unit, Regal is trying to get his guys ready for the next level.  At the announce desk, Angle needles Regal a little bit in a way that..maybe…starts to get under Regal’s skin a tick.  Gable has been positioned as the star of the squad, as “the next Angle” and he gets the fall here. 

Now – a video retrospective of the career of the Legendary Rey Mysterio, whose full time return to the WWF ring starts next. 

Clips of Rey in Mexico, in ECW, then NWA Fall Brawl ’96 when he took the US Title from Flair; beating Ultimo at Starrcade ’96, beating Juvie at Superbrawl ’97, regaining the US Title from Saturn at Starrcade ’98, beating Jericho at Superbrawl ’99, beating Kidman at Slamboree ’99, winning the NWA Title by beating Shane Douglas at Fall Brawl 2000, beating Kaz Hayashi at Starrcade 2000, beating Chavo at Superbrawl 2001, the final NWA show, beating Regal at Survivor Series ’02, taking the IC from RVD at Rumble ’03, beating Chavo at WM19, winning a three way over Ultimo and Tajiri at WM20, winning the tag belts with RVD over Flair/Leviathan at Summer Slam ’04, beating Paul London at WM21, winning the Triple Crown by taking the WWF Title from Eddy at Summer Slam ’05, keeping that belt over Juvie at Survivor Series ’05, keeping it over Psycosis and Super Crazy at Rumble ’06, keeping the belt over Benoit at WM22, regaining it against Booker at Summer Slam ’07, keeping it against the Undertaker at Survivor Series ’07, taking the IC from MVP at WM25, beating Matt Sydal at Survivor Series ’09, beating Carlito Colon at Rumble ’10, joining with Chavo to beat the Colons at WM26, beating Nick Nemeth at both Summer Slam ’10 and Survivor Series ’10, beating Danielson at Rumble ’11, beating Mistico at Rumble ’13, beating Dos Caras and embracing Eddy Guerrero’s widow Vickie at Rumble ’14.

And now 4 years later, the Legendary Rey Mysterio returns to the WWF as a full time wrestler. 

5.       The Legendary Rey Mysterio (w/Sombra) d. Kalisto (w/Crews)

-Mysterio has taken a very similar role to IRL Undertaker as the locker room leader (you need to shake his hand when you meet him, for ex.) that really manifests in his relationship with the other masked wrestlers, that we’ve seen play out in the “drive Kevin Steen out of the sport” angle.  This grates on Crews a little bit, he and Kalisto are tag partners from their days in Undergound but have never won the belts, he’s a little irritated that Kalisto is spending so much time with Mysterio – and his irritation (if you are looking, there’s not a close up camera shot) is evident postmatch here as Kalisto claps for Rey.

6.       Usos (Jimmy/Jey) d. Revival (Dash/Dawson)

-this is just a workrate match; neither team is currently in the title picture, they tore it down at Mania earlier in the year and currently both squads have suffered losses (Arn was buried under the Bullet Club flag and Roman has the medical issue that isn’t part of the broadcast but fans are probably aware of what’s going on) and that gives them the ability to just have this match to see if they can steal the show.  Usos go over – there’s lots of “it’s 1-1 now” from the guys postmatch.

7.       Women’s Title: Asuka d. Sasha Banks

-Asuka’s unbeaten and her matches are all about her being unbeaten and having the best match she can possibly have.  Asuka’s workrate Goldberg, she gets the chants, the signs, the fireworks, the backstage walk to the ring, the whole thing – and then she goes out and has great matches and wins.  That’s the formula.  She beats Banks here to keep her belt. 

8.       Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) d. Bobby Roode (w/Strong)

-Lesnar settled his contractual differences, deciding to stay with WWF and not return to UFC, part of his deal is a Number One Contenders match at the Rumble against the new holder of the Triple Crown, AJ.  This is positioned as a tune up and that’s what it is, Brock going over strong – adding an F5 to Roddy for good measure. 

Postmatch, the return of Styles – new gear, new music, new hair, he’s been doing babyface vignettes as he’s been away in the build – and now he and Lesnar go nose to nose; they will meet 1:1 for the first time ever at the Rumble.  Winner goes to Mania to fight for the WWF Title. 

The tag title match is next – there’s a video package with every tag title match in Survivor Series history:

1987 – The Anvil turns on the Hart Foundation and the Rougeaus take the belts

1988 – The Brainbusters take the belts from the Rougeaus

1989- The Rockers keep the belts over the Rougeaus

1990-The Road Warriors take the belts from the Orient Express

1991-The Road Warriors keep the belts over Slaughter/Boss Man

1992-The Steiners take the belts from Money Inc (note, the issue related to this has been acknowledged)

1993-The Steiners keep the belts over the Rock&Roll Express

1994-Bret and the Anvil, together again, take the belts from Luger/Bigelow

1995-Diesel and Razor take the belts from the Smoking Gunns

1996 – Bart Gunn and Marc Mero keep the belts over Furnas and LaFon

1997 – The Road Warriors came in as the tag champs – but they lose to Rock and DLo in a three way that also included the New Age Outlaws

1998 – Rock and DLo kept the belts over the New Age Outlaws

1999-In a tables match, the Dudleys took the belts from the Hardys

2000-Edge and Christian kept their belts over Hunter and Waltman

2001 – in a No DQ match, the Dudleys kept their belts over Raven and Dreamer

2002 – Benoit and Guerrero kept their belts over Noble and Kidman

2003 – Shawn and Hunter kept their belts over the Dudleys

2004 – Angle and Benjamin take the belts from RVD and Rey

2005 – Booker and Bradshaw take the belts from Orton and Cena

2006 – in a light tube tables match, RVD/Sabu take the belts from Dead Men Walking

2007 – Hunter and Shawn take the belts from Cade/Murdoch

2008 – Edge and the Blood Dragon (later revealed to be Christian) take the belts from Cena and Leviathan

2009 – Division One (Nemeth/Swagger) keep the belts from Regal and Finlay

2010 – Young Money (Killings/Kingston) kept over Hooligans (8 years later, Sheamus and McIntyre are wrestling for the straps tonight)

2011 – Empire (Wade Barrett/Justin Gabriel) kept over Mark Henry/Santino Marella

2012 – Defiance (Orton and Giant Bernard) kept the belts over Young Money

2013 – The Shield kept the belts over Mark Henry and PAUL~

2014 – In a 2 out of 3 Belts TLC Match The Shield kept over the Usos

2015 – The New Day took the belts from Sheamus and Barrett

2017 – In a tornado match the Usos kept the belts over the New Day

9.       WWF Tag Titles: Hooligans (McIntyre/Sheamus/Miz) d. Bullet Club (Black/Anderson/Gallows)

-Hooligans becomes the 106^th WWF Tag Team Champions.  It is the first WWF belt for both McIntyre and Miz – Miz is going to get the fall and it is a real culmination of a long, long climb for him and he sells all the emotion he possibly can. Miz was rejected by the veterans and much of the fan base as being just a reality show gimmick, he had his bags thrown in the hallway, he has to carry around Hunter’s gear – and then even year’s later he was the Cuck, hitting the very bottom of his tenure as a professional wrestler (and, one could argue, as a man).  But that led to the climb, he earned the respect of Sheamus, forging a tag team between the two, and when Sheamus’s former partner McIntyre returned, they continued their ascent – culminating here in the Miz getting the pinfall (on Gallows) and bringing home the belts.  For Miz fans, a real special moment here. 

Then a highlight package of every IC match in Survivor Series history:

1987 – Savage keeps the belt over Rude

1988 – Bret keeps the belt over Davey Boy

1989 – DiBiase takes Rude’s belt when Heenan turns on Rick

1990 – Bret keeps the belt over HBK

1991 – Piper takes the belt from Bret

1992 – HBK takes the belt from Savage and then Owen takes the belt from HBK

1993 – HBK kept the belt over Waltman, Razor turns face postmatch to help Waltman

1994 – In a ladder match, Razor kept the belt over Waltman

1995 – HBK keeps the belt over Shane Douglas

1996 – In a cage, Cactus takes the belt from Vader

1997 – In an Octagon style cage, Shamrock takes the belt from Cactus

1998 – Austin keeps the belt over Regal

1999 – Jericho takes the belt from Waltman

2000 – Regal takes the belt from Jericho

2001 – Taz takes the belt from Tajiri

2002 – In a 2 out of 3 belt ladder match, RVD takes the title from HBK

2003 – Chavo takes the belt from Tajiri

2004 – Jericho keeps the belt over Chavo

2005 – Benoit wins the Triple Crown by taking the belt from Angle

2006 – Shane Helms takes the belt from Hunter and The Executioner Bobby Lashley turned face.

2007 -  MVP takes the belt from Orton

2008 – MVP keeps the belt over Rey

2009 – Shawn kept the belt over Benjamin

2010 – Nitro kept the belt over MVP

2011 – Sheamus kept the belt from Nitro, slamming Nitro’s shoulder in the ringpost as part of his run as the “Clique Killer”

2013 – Ambrose kept the belt over Kingston

2014 – Luke Harper takes the belt from Nemeth

2015 – Ambrose takes the belt from Bray Wyatt

2017 – Brock kept the belt over Angle

10.   IC: Prince Devitt d. Mascara Dorada

-Devitt has been in a feud with the entire Dark Ride Wrestling roster since right after the Rumble, he’s made it clear that he will own that whole place, lock stock and barrel before he quits.  He beat Cedric Alexander at Summer Slam to claim the vacant belt and now keeps here over Dorada in the best match they can have. 

There’s then a highlight package showing clips of the careers of Danielson and Joe, from when they were together at ROH, to side by side comparisons of where each was in each stage getting to this point – their first ever WWF match.

11.   The American Dragon Bryan Danielson d. Samoa Joe

-Danielson offers a handshake to Joe prior to the match, Joe stares hard at Danielson, but accepts.  Danielson and Joe both lost at Summer Slam, Danielson to Brock and Joe his title shot against Nakamura – so there’s definitely a “these guys are at the crossroads” feel here, Danielson also had the two losses to Styles immediately preceding, and while Joe is characteristically angry Joe – Danielson has been reflective “who am I now if I am no longer the best wrestler in the world”.

Danielson, like he was against Brock, is largely on the defensive here, you can see his gears spinning, what can I still do – what is my approach…

He repeats a spot from the Lesnar match – where he bails out, designed to frustrate his aggressive opponent, and then returns the ring when he thinks there’s an advantage. 

And then the finish – he rolls Joe into a small package and holds the tights. 

Danielson pumps his fist postmatch, very much a sports celebration, Joe stands in the ring incredulous – goddamn Bryan Danielson, the epitome of all that is good and pure and all that bullshit, has just beaten me by holding my goddamn trunks.  The steam just rising from Joe almost as if he’s a cartoon character postmatch as Danielson slaps the fans hands as he exits. 

The main event is next – here’s the clip package of every WWF Title match at Survivor Series.

1987 – Steamboat keeps the belt against Dynamite

1988 – Savage takes from Dynamite

1989 – Hennig, who had been faking a breakup with Heenan, takes Randy’s title

1990 – Hennig keeps over Kerry Von Erich

1991 – Flair takes the title from Davey Boy

1992 – Bret keeps the belt over Flair

1993 – Bret keeps the belt over Lex, he and the undefeated Undertaker then go nose to nose

1994 – HBK takes the belt from Owen and wins the Triple Crown, Diesel turns on him postmatch

1995 – Bret keeps the belt against Davey Boy

1996 – Bret takes the title from Shawn

1997 – Bret is forced to leave the promotion when he submits to Owen in the Montreal Match (Austin and Shawn are the other two competitors)

1998 – It’s the first Cell match, Cactus takes his two huge bumps, but he wins the match and keeps the belt, his opponent is Shamrock

1999 – Cactus keeps the belt in a 3 way against Rock and Hunter

2000 – Benoit keeps the belt against Austin

2001 – Angle beats Booker in a lumberjack match

2002 – Angle keeps the belt over Jericho

2003 – Eddy keeps the belt in a 4 way over Benoit/Brock/Angle

2004 – Benoit comes in as champion and he and Eddy fight to a time limit draw

2005 – Rey keeps the belt over Juvie in a tribute match to Eddy Guerrero

2006 – Punk beats Flair and then throws down the WWF Title belt

2007 – Rey keeps the belt over the Undertaker

2008 – Jericho takes the belt from Punk and wins the Triple Crown

2009 – Jericho keeps over Chavo; Matt Hardy cashes in a briefcase and he and Jericho fight to a no content

2010 – Edge keeps the belt over Jack Swagger

2011 – Nemeth keeps the belt over Mistico

2012 – Danielson keeps the belt over Rey

2013 – Danielson comes in as champion, he and Punk fight to a draw

2014 – Claudio keeps the title over Bray

2015 – Steen keeps the title over Nemeth

2017 – Joe comes in as champion, he is pinned by both AJ and Devitt simultaneously and the belt gets held up

12.   WWF Title: Shinsuke Nakamura d. Claudio Castagnoli

-Main event style match, needs to be on the long end so Nakamura can obviously be completely spent post match.  All the nearfalls, all the finishers – this really needs to be match of the night. 

Postmatch, Claudio disappears – and with Nakamura clearly exhausted – Tyler Black, briefcase in hand, emerges on the ramp. 

He is sprinting down the ramp when out of nowhere, like a defensive back, flies in Dean Ambrose, he tackles Black, takes the briefcase, waffles him with it.  Black is dead laid out – the returning Ambrose stands above him as the show ends. 

Back next month for the 14^th anniversary of the Counterfactual; it’s the build to Rumble 2019, we don’t know it yet, but your main event (spoiler) is Shinsuke Nakamura defending his WWF Title against Kenta.  See you in December for the build.