5 Pitches to make Survivor Series better

WWE announced the clash between Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series 2018.
WWE announced the clash between Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series 2018.

Survivor Series is one of WWE's flagship pay-per-views. Other than Royal Rumble, it is the only big four PPVs to have a gimmick match. The traditional Survivor Series tag team elimination match is one of the most anticipated bouts of the year.

Earlier, the last big four PPV of the calendar year had some regular clashes with two or three themed ties. However, after the brand split in 2016, WWE is advertising Survivor Series as a bragging right PPV in which RAW goes head to head against SmackDown Live.

This year, Survivor Series will be held on Staples Center in Los Angeles on 18th of November. That means the battle of brands has less than two weeks to build up since WWE's entire focus is on WWE Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia. The only confirmed match so far is the battle of women's champions.

RAW woman's champion Ronda Rousey will take on SmackDown woman's champion Becky Lynch. With just two weeks to build a coherent storyline for Survivor Series, the event would be one of the most overlooked PPVs of the year after Backlash. Thus, to make the PPV more interesting, here are some ideas WWE should implement.


#5 Have something at stake

The Survivor Series victor could be given the right to have the WrestleMania main event.
The Survivor Series victor could be given the right to have the WrestleMania main event.

Survivor Series in last two years has been just about the bragging rights. Thus, even though the build-up was great, the event did not change anything. So it would be brilliant if WWE were to put something at stake.

Figure Four weekly's Bryan Alvarez once suggested that the brand which emerges victorious can choose to have their members enter from number 16 to 30 in the subsequent Royal rumble whereas the losing brand's members should enter from number 1 to 15.

WWE could even put the WrestleMania main event at stake. The marquee match from the winning brand gets to main event WrestleMania 35. Such suggestions can only make the PPV more intriguing.

#4 An all-out brawl on the go home show

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Last year, both RAW and SmackDown Live invaded each other leading up to Survivor Series. However, there were no brawls, and most of the top Superstars were protected from attacks. This time, however, WWE should have an all-out brawl between the brand, possibly on the go home episode of SmackDown involving all the top Superstars.

Last year, both the invasion angles were brilliant. SmackDown fired the first shot when Shane McMahon led the blue brand on RAW and laid waste to almost every superstar in the locker room. However, RAW, under Kurt Angle waited for retaliation.

On the final episode of SmackDown before Survivor Series, during a tag team match between the team of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn and the New Day, the Shield interfered to attack almost every single superstars on SmackDown.

This time, both these attacks should be merged, without any face or heel dynamics.

#3 Add NXT to the mix

Any match involving Ricochet is potentially the match of the night.
Any match involving Ricochet is potentially the match of the night.

This is the most far-fetched suggestion in this list simply because the top stars of NXT have to wrestle in NXT Takeover: Wargames on the previous night. However, if they are added, the matchmaking possibilities are endless.

Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins, taking on NXT North American champion Ricochet. WWE champion AJ Styles taking on NXT champion Tomasso Ciampa are dream matches on their own. RAW women's champion Ronda Rousey and the reigning NXT women's champion Shayna Baszler are good friends in real life and on kayfabe. A match between those two former UFC fighters would be interesting as well.

Overall, adding NXT to the mix would only improve the quality of the matches as well as that of storytelling. Having Triple H monitoring the creative directions would enhance the quality as well. Thus WWE may include NXT in the mix.

#2 Don't suspend the ongoing storylines

The feud between Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens played a huge role in Survivor Series 2017.
The feud between Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens played a huge role in Survivor Series 2017.

One of the most significant problems with WWE is that they tend to forget about the consistency of storytelling. Last year, the Shield (Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose more precisely) and the Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro) were in a lengthy feud that has been going on for months. However, when RAW invaded SmackDown Live, they were standing side by side. After the survivor series, both teams resumed their feud with one another.

This break of consistency is not that serious but could be removed. In SmackDown Live, WWE played kayfabe well by having Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn costing team SmackDown the five on five traditional survival series tag team elimination match. Similarly, WWE should look forward to having coherent storytelling. With less than 3 weeks to go for Survivor Series and the rivalry between Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose boiling, WWE should not have them shake hands and form temporary alliances.

#1 No part-timers

Nothing came out of the altercation between Triple H and Braun Strowman last year.
Nothing came out of the altercation between Triple H and Braun Strowman last year.

If one analyses the 2017 edition of Survivor Series, he will find that everything associated with it was perfect. The buildup was outstanding, the preliminary matches delivered, the mid-card was excellent. Even the bout between Intercontinental champion The Miz and the United States champion Baron Corbin was excellent. The battle of champions - AJ Styles and Brock Lesnar was also brilliant.

However, things started going south with the main event. Part-timers who had no role in the storylines quietly occupied certain spots and hurt the storytelling. John Cena, who was a free agent at that time was a part of team SmackDown and a few weeks later, joined RAW for an extended run. Triple H and Braun Strowman looked all set for a feud after Triple H betrayed everyone on his team to hog the spotlight. But in typical WWE fashion, nothing came out of it.

Thus WWE should have full-timers who can work the storylines over the part-timers.

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