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So the predictions came wrong, as WWE has revealed post-Evolution that RAW and Smackdown will once more head to brand warfare at Survivor Series. The 2018 edition of the historic pay per view will once again feature champions of RAW going head to head with Smackdown.
That's not all, there is a chance of a five on five traditional survivor series match to contest bragging rights for the brands. There will, of course, be both a men's and women's variation as the past two years, with the men's one taking precedence again to showcase who finally walks out on top.
A year ago it was RAW, a year before that it was Smackdown. Yet this brand warfare has been ongoing for ages since Smackdown established itself as a sensational alternative to Monday Night RAW. As such there are a few matches that showcase this brand warfare.
Here we shall rank the five men's multi-man tag team matches that determined which brand would take bragging rights, during the years Smackdown pitted itself against RAW.
#5. Team RAW (The Miz, CM Punk, Ezekiel Jackson, John Morrison, R Truth, Sheamus and Santino Marella) vs. Team Smackdown! (Big Show, Alberto Del Rio, Edge, Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston, Rey Mysterio and Tyler Reks), Bragging Rights 2010
The 2009-2010 period of WWE is probably its darkest in a long time, featuring a depleted roster and a hokey product neutered by the PG rating. Around this time the battle lines between brands were fading, despite WWE's desperate attempt to fool viewers with this gimmick PPV in its final edition.
As such this main match holds little weight besides also not having a real story going into it, unlike its predecessor. The build centered around the switch of brands between CM Punk and Edge, both men seeking a reset of sorts after an uneven year. Nothing else really mattered including doubts over Big Show's loyalties.
The notoriously flaky Giant had turned on RAW the last time around for partner Chris Jericho. This year he stared down a fast-rising Miz, his former partner whom he knocked out not so long ago. The two teams gave a tepid match showcasing the fresh Alberto Del Rio, giving some space to rising stars such as Tyler Reks (Who?!) and finishing with a thrilling Edge/Rey Mysterio win for Smackdown.
The blue brand went two for two at Bragging Rights, which really didn't matter considering they were by this point well and truly the B Show. To harken back to the Smackdown six with Rey and Edge is the only consolation prize.
#4. Team RAW (Kurt Angle, Triple H, Braun Strowman, Samoa Joe and Finn Balor) vs. Team Smackdown (Shane McMahon, John Cena, Randy Orton, Bobby Roode and Shinsuke Nakamura), Survivor Series 2017
Last years Survivor Series showdown had possibly the best build since the first time these two brands collided on PPV. Shane McMahon made a surprise visit on RAW ground, tearing down rival Kurt Angle with his blue brand invaders. The under-siege moment from both ends gave way to a thrilling build to the main match.
It set up a fascinating SHIELD reunion against New Day, thus giving space at the top of the card for some young stars of both brands to shine. Except as WWE is want to do in this past decade, that shine got vehemently neutered by a focus on part-time relics making the save.
Shane McMahon once again stole a spot on the pretext of leading the charge, while Triple H shoved himself on the RAW side to bully Kurt Angle. Add to that an unmotivated Cena and Orton. Yet, the young flashier stars could still provide especially with dream confrontations, right?
Wrong.
Well, partially we did get dream clashes between the likes of Roode and Triple H or John Cena and Samoa Joe. These things didn't last too long with the final face-off being between a gassed Shane, a defeated Angle, and a spotlight-hogging Triple H. Sure Braun Strowman got one up on Triple H at the end of the match, after their pathetic win but by then everyone else looked like a bunch of chumps. So much for brand loyalty.
#3. Team RAW (DX [Triple H and Shawn Michaels], Big Show, Cody Rhodes, Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston and Mark Henry) vs. Team Smackdown! (Chris Jericho, Kane, R Truth, Matt Hardy, Finlay and The Hart Dynasty [Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith]), Bragging Rights 2009
What Bragging Rights first brand warfare match lacked in dream faceoffs, it made up with some fun and storytelling. First and foremost was the running story between Jeri-Show, DX and even Legacy. At this point, WWE's tag team division seemed adrift but also packed with main event talent.
Add to that some intriguing combinations, the universe got to see some shining stars take center stage particularly Kofi Kingston and Jack Swagger. Kingston got a real showcase as he would head next into a rivalry with Randy Orton while by the next year Swagger would be a world champion.
For all the duds created in this era, at least WWE tried to establish its young stars. Similarly, DX gave great entertainment and their narrative pushed forward as Big Show betrayed his team for his partner Jericho. Bragging Rights didn't mean much in 2009 and the gimmick already outlived itself, but it was undeniably better than its sequel for sure.
#2. Team Smackdown! (Batista, Rey Mysterio, JBL, Randy Orton and Bobby Lashley) vs. Team RAW (Shawn Michaels, Carlito, Chris Master, Big Show and Kane), Survivor Series 2005
The first and most exciting time the Brand Warfare commenced. Marred by the unfortunate demise of Eddie Guerrero, the duel of the two brands has a sublime build. It began with a RAW vs. Smackdown contest at Cyber Sunday that Edge skirted out of. Then it saw Eric Bischoff insult the blue brand on RAW's USA Network return.
From there we got invasions, parking lot brawls, injuries to Batista and the threat of Big Show and Kane. It seemed all perfect including a match that saw the Animal eliminated fairly early and Randy Orton prove that he is the face of Survivor Series, with a hattrick sole survivor tag to his name.
This, of course, led to the return of the Undertaker, which sort of overshadowed a thrilling but by the numbers match. Some of the young guns got a rub especially Rey Mysterio, yet the switch from underdog Smackdown to a fiery Shawn Michaels fighting the odds felt jarring. Still, a thrilling first to set up an undeniable sequel more than a decade later.
#1. Team RAW (Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman) vs. Team Smackdown Live (Shane McMahon, Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles)/w James Ellsworth
Unlike its predecessor and successor, the build for this match seemed off especially with the two rosters just settling in. There were some fun interpersonal dynamics and Shane McMahon hadn't yet worn out his welcome. The matches finer points came in a confrontation between the two teams, parlaying future narratives as well as past issues.
Smackdown's side featured a bit too much focus on James Ellsworth, especially since he'd insert himself unnecessarily into the main title feud. While RAW relied on distracting Seth from his goal to destroy Triple H to help his and his wife's brand succeed. Logic was out the window between willing partners that are combustible elements, in a poor way.
Even then come match time it all worked out perfectly, with even Shane playing his part in reckless fashion. We got a smart way to have Braun Strowman get eliminated, by the efforts of the whole team, some voodoo from Bray Wyatt and James Ellsworth. It paid back a long-gestating story. Meanwhile, there was some fun had with the pairing of Owens and Jericho.
Finally, Ambrose's early elimination caused by AJ Styles gave way to a thrilling SHIELD reunion. Speaking of which the end featured a somewhat tenuously bonded SHIELD duo of Rollins and Reigns take on old rivals in new packaging in the form of the Wyatts with Bray and Orton. It ended with a sensational win for the Wyatts, leading into their story come to Wrestlemania. A brand war for the ages!
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