When the news broke that Baron Corbin was out for the Survivor Series, fans immediately began to discuss who his replacement could be.
Much like earlier this year when it was announced he would be competing against The Undertaker at WrestleMania in Hell in a Cell, the WWE Universe was shocked when it was declared that Shane Mcmahon would fill the vacancy left by Corbin, and be a part of Team SmackDown at the Survivor Series.
While McMahon is responsible for some of the most memorable high-risk feats in WWE history, he is not an everyday competitor and not a likely candidate to take on five of Raw’s best superstars.
With a roster of stars that they are trying to prove is every bit as good as Raw’s roster, the decision to put Shane McMahon in the match is questionable and could be viewed by some as a bad move; especially considering that there are plenty of viable options on the SmackDown Live roster.
Honourable mention – The Undertaker
With The Undertaker set to make a return next week, WWE has the option of adding the Deadman in the Survivor Series match. With Survivor Series holding a lot of importance in The Phenom's career, it could be a sensible addition and one that could facilitate some dream showdowns.
Imagine Undertaker, Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton, AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose on one side. Now that's a dream team.
#5 John Cena
While Cena is still one of the most polarising figures in WWE, he is also one of its most recognisable figures and the idea of him not being a part of one of the WWE’s biggest shows of the year is still difficult for a lot of people to imagine.
While reports suggest he is trying to make fewer appearances and is currently off filming, the idea of him appearing for one match, wouldn’t be too far-fetched and a better choice in a pinch, than Shane McMahon. Especially considering his appearance in Dallas earlier this year at WrestleMania, while still recovering from an injury.
#4 Apollo Crews
The history of Survivor Series is rife with young talent making huge waves and establishing themselves. Legends and surefire future Hall of Famers The Rock and The Undertaker, both made their debuts during the event, and several others have established or solidified themselves by being the sole Survivor in their respective matches.
What better event to establish a young talent, who is otherwise being lost in the shuffle?
Crews was hailed as one of the best wrestlers on the planet, during his time on the independent circuit, and a strong performance in front of an audience with Toronto’s reputation, where technically sound younger talent is appreciated more than it is elsewhere, could cement Crews’ status as someone to watch for years to come.
Furthermore, it could blast off a career that has otherwise sputtered since Crews was called up. Occurrences like this where a young talent is thrust into the spotlight, are where stars are born and the opportunity for Crews’ start to be born was wasted here.
#3 Zack Ryder
The perennial fan favourite is always a good stopgap and is riding a wave of increased fan support, since his unexpected Intercontinental Championship victory in a ladder match at WrestleMania.
This would be the latest in a career of unexpected highs, peppered between periods of irrelevancy, during his time in WWE. Zack Ryder is also an insanely huge fan favourite and putting him on the team would be a great move in the fans’ eyes and keep him on the radar in the WWE Universe.
#2 Kane
Despite not being seen by audiences for some time, Kane is always a good hand to have, especially in a pinch. Kane is one of the all-time greats and could easily anchor a team full of wild cards or add more fuel to the proverbial fire.
The possibilities with the man are endless, as Kane has been a hugely unpredictable figure in his two decades with the company, and that unpredictability could’ve been used to WWE’s advantage, during one of the year’s biggest shows in one of WWE’s historic hotbeds.
No matter how you look at it, whether he is The Big Corporate Machine or The Big Red Machine, Kane is always a force to be reckoned with and his addition to SmackDown’s team would be a more than welcome one.
#1 Dolph Ziggler
While the reigning Intercontinental Champion, is scheduled to take on Sami Zayn in a match, that will more than likely leave the fans in awe, the idea of the Intercontinental Champion not being a part of a match that involves the three other major champions on the shows’ rosters, is a head-scratching decision at the very best.
Given his history as a clutch performer in the Survivor Series (even before being the man in the ring when Sting interrupted the main event in 2014), he seems a natural fit for Team Blue. While the match with Zayn is likely the reason that Ziggler is not part of the match, he could easily fight twice that evening and be a better replacement for the team than Shane McMahon.
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