Survivor Series is almost upon us, laden with the possibility of sumptuous storylines and of course, the realisation of fantasy warfare into reality. Brock Lesnar versus Goldberg; the immovable object clashing with the irresistible force. Forgive the cliche, but this match behoves it.
Flanked by the traditional Survivor Series 5 on 5 matches – a version each for the men, women and the tag teams – the pay-per-view promises to be a rollicking affair.
Apart from being the first inter-brand event since the brand split, it is also shaping up into a genuinely intriguing one due to the multitude of storylines that stand to be furthered by it; Kevin Owens too-good-to-be-true bromance with Chris Jericho, Randy Orton’s ominous tryst with Bray Wyatt and of course, the mountainous wild card that is Braun Strowman, to name a few.
Will Team Raw survive? Or will Team SmackDown – forever suppressed and labelled as the ‘B’ show – take the golden opportunity to put one over on their more illustrious competitor and prove that they are no pushovers?
And what of the clash between the titans? Will Brock Lesnar exact revenge on the man that defeated him in a largely forgettable, albeit high profile main event at WrestleMania 20, or will a returning Goldberg slay the beast and prove to be the knight in shining armour that the WWE Universe has been clamouring for?
Amidst all the uncertainties and questions leading up to the event, here are 5 bold predictions for Survivor Series.
#5 Goldberg beats Brock Lesnar
Goldberg’s return to the company and subsequent acceptance of Brock Lesnar’s challenge has plunged the WWE Universe into a state of nostalgia. Fans haven’t allowed their anticipation to be thwarted by the fact that Goldberg, who has never been the most dexterous of workers, is coming off a 12-year hiatus from wrestling.
While the best we can realistically expect from this clash is a one-sided Brock Lesnar suplex clinic, we also have to be prepared for an utterly terrible pro-wrestling match replete with botches and unconvincing spot selling.
Most people fully expect Lesnar’s monster run to continue, especially given that he’s not even 5 months removed from his victory over Mark Hunt at UFC 200. A Goldberg victory, then, would be a complete shocker.
#4 Triple H returns
When Triple H interfered to hand Kevin Owens the WWE Universal Title at Seth Rollins’ cost, the seed was sown for a potential feud between the former mentor and protege. And while the WWE hasn’t pulled the trigger on it yet, Survivor Series could be a conducive setting to build on the groundwork.
Especially now that Rollins is eliciting a largely babyface reaction from the crowd, the intervention of the perennial heel would be timely in getting him further instated as a Superstar that the WWE audience can firmly get behind.
Of course, it is a counter-intuitive move considering how invested Stephanie McMahon is in the fortunes of Monday Night Raw, but it is also a move that would provide jaw-dropping shock value to the whole shindig.
#3 Cruiserweight Division goes to SmackDown
The rationale behind the unique look, roster and storylines for the Cruiserweight division is that Raw’s bland programming could do with a bit of spicing up. Also, having fast paced and technical matches, in theory at least, is a better way to fill up 3 hours of television time that was otherwise littered with unnecessarily drawn out promos and segments.
But as has been Monday Night Raw’s wont for the longest time now, it seems incapable of sustaining interest in a long-term program unless it involves the ‘Authority’. It is of little surprise then, that the Cruiserweight division that followed up from the CWC tournament, has hardly done justice to it.
SmackDown, on the other hand, has been bandied about as the ‘Land of Opportunity’. A Kalisto victory over Brian Kendrick ensures a fresh start for the Cruiserweights in the blue brand and also injects some direly needed depth to its floundering roster.
A win-win scenario.
#3 The Undertaker gets involved
The good news for SmackDown going into Survivor Series is that the Undertaker has apparently cast aside his pricey habit of only showing up for WrestleMania, and is instead ingratiating himself within its ranks on a more regular basis.
And after the Deadman’s ominous warning to the members of Team SmackDown, it isn’t too implausible to consider that he may make a goosebump-inducing appearance at Survivor Series to further the storyline.
Whether it be to turn the tide of the traditional 5 on 5 Survivor Series match or to confront a Superstar who costs Team SmackDown the victory, a surprise Undertaker appearance would certainly leave the fans in attendance scraping their jaws off the floor.
#2 The Rock returns
This Survivor Series event would mark the 20th anniversary of the Rock in the WWE.
Dwayne Johnson may have since morphed himself into a mainstream star in the years that followed his debut as an eager, exuberant and clean-cut babyface all those years ago, but one thing that hasn’t changed, however, is his appetite for the spotlight and an elevated sense of occasion.
Given that we last saw him at WrestleMania 32 earlier this year, the Rock is due a surprise appearance to electrify the audience. Co-incidentally, the WWE have also been advertising videos of the Great One in the lead up to the event.
Perhaps we’re reading too much into it, but can you resist the poetic equity espoused by having the Rock interfere on behalf of the brand that was spawned off his catchphrase? Especially after the flak he received in pro-wrestling circles for ‘burying’ Bray Wyatt at Mania, could he be looking to give him the rub to balance the scales?
Survivor Series beckons.
