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WWE finished up the last "big" PPV of the year, Survivor Series, and apart from the main-event, they produced a great show from top to finish. Survivor Series main-event featured ten colossal personalities in the WWE roster but the end result was not a satisfying sight for many.
The rest of the undercard featured a splendid display of battle for brand supremacy, starting from a heated Shield vs New Day match. Brock Lesnar and AJ Styles faced off for the first time in history, producing a fantastic encounter.
We look at five decisions made by the WWE at Survivor Series, which will be the biggest highlights coming out of Houston.
#5 No Squash
The previously advertised Brock Lesnar vs Jinder Mahal predictably fell flat with the WWE Universe, which led to the last minute alteration. AJ Styles was given the opportunity to face the "Beast Incarnate", and the match lived up to the expectations.
Styles was not favoured to win against the current Universal Champion, but the manner in which the match panned out, gave the fans their money's worth. Lesnar is known to phone it in many matches, with the same two moves of doom.
But Brock Lesnar brought out a different side of himself at the PPV, taking massive bumps which helped create a perfect spectacle.
WWE has made Styles a legitimate threat to Lesnar, and this will only do good for the "Phenomenal One".
#4 A Successful Reunion
The Shield were supposed to compete together for the first time in three years at TLC, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the plans changed. Shield wrestled thier first match together last week at RAW and competed in their first PPV last night at Survivor Series.
New Day are the longest reigning tag champs of all time, and squaring off against another dominant faction in Shield, the match was bound to be explosive. The New Day lost to Shield in an empathetic fashion but not before giving a match of the finest quality.
Expect the Shield Reunion to produce even more classic encounters in the future, because gentlemen, "The Hounds of Justice" are back roaring.
#3 No One's ready for Asuka
Asuka continued her dominating run on the main roster at Survivor Series.Seeing her end up as the sole survivor in the Women's traditional 5-on-5 matchup was hardly surprising and WWE did a fine job of ensruing no shenanigans happened in it.
Asuka is one of the best women's wrestler in the world and even in kayfabe, she has not been pinned or submitted since 2015, which is a massive achievement. Many expected Asuka's main roster debut to go down in the same fashion as many other failed NXT callups but uptill now, WWE have done a good job.
Asuka overcame the odds in the matchup and the "Empress of Tomorrow" proved that SmackDown Live roster is most certainly not ready for Asuka.
#2 Not the B-Show
SmackDown Live may have lost in the overall scoreline with three wins to RAW's four, but WWE did a good job of making sure every champion on SDL, apart from AJ, won their respective matchups.
Charlotte, Usos and Baron Corbin defeated thier RAW counterparts, proving that the blue brand hosts the better champions in their respective divisions. Smackdown has been termed as the inferior brand for a long time now, but a strong showing by the champions will definetely help SmackDown Live claim some respect for themselves.
SmackDown Live has struggled to move out of RAW's shadows ever since the draft as only one episode of SDL has suprassed RAW, but if WWE gives SDL the attention it deserves, expect the blue brand to challenge RAW for the top spot again.
#1 The Lone Star
The main-event of Survivor Series was heavily criticized and righfully so, as all the younger superstars had to sacrifice themselves so that the Triple H-Shane McMahon-Kurt Angle storyline can take the front seat.
However, the only shining light from this matchup was the monstrous booking given to Braun Strowman. He pinned Nakamura and Roode, eliminated Mr.Survivor Series Randy Orton and ended up as the survivor alongside Triple H. His reactions after Triple H's betrayal were on point and him closing the show after destroying the Cerebral Assassin, was a salvation for the WWE Universe.
Braun Strowman looks poised to become the next top face in the company, and WWE has done a good job of letting the Monster Among Men claim his place on top of the mountain.
