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November was WWE's best month yet in terms of the sheer output of match quality. With a Survivor Series pay per view that lived up to its impressive card and a TakeOver the night before that, there was little room for doubt that this would be a great month in the ring. We saw no less than three "match of the year" candidates this month and a fourth that could have gotten there were it not for a screwy ending, and even that screwy ending added a lot to the atmosphere of the match and the Road to WrestleMania soon to come.
Let's take a look back at a month of excellence and rank the top 10 matches we saw.
#10 Braun Strowman, Elias, and Finn Balor vs. Drew McIntyre, Baron Corbin, and Bobby Lashley (Raw, November 19th)
The night after Survivor Series, we got a callback to the pay per view with a six-man tag team elimination match. Taking up the entire first hour of Raw that night, it was a hard-hitting and intense battle. Elias and Finn Balor were eliminated early on, leaving Braun Strowman at a three on one disadvantage that he wasn't able to overcome.
The combined power of Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Baron Corbin ultimately stopped his momentum and instead of eliminating him the easy way, they did it the hard way, injuring his elbow on the steel steps. It was a convenient way to write Braun off while he recovers from a legitimate (but far less severe injury).
I'm personally not a fan of this heel authority figure faction and think that it's a waste of Drew McIntyre's time in particular, but this was a fun showing that was decidedly better than what they did with the faction the following week!
#9 Men's traditional elimination match Survivor Series
This was much better than last year's match. Shane McMahon survived to the end for Team Blue, true, and Samoa Joe was treated like garbage, but the action in the match was intense. McMahon was, as usual, a fun stuntman. The Miz also had some funny moments that enjoyably changed the pace of the match.
Meanwhile, Drew McIntyre looked like a beast by eliminating Samoa Joe so quickly and his tussle with Braun Strowman added a fun element of intrigue to the match. Rey Mysterio's antics with much bigger opponents also added a fun element to this match.
Like elsewhere throughout the show, SmackDown was treated poorly in this match (despite being the vastly superior program), but the match was action packed and a lot of fun. Braun Strowman and Drew McIntyre both got over throughout the contest and, for the long term, that was the most important thing.
#8 Buddy Murphy vs. Mustafa Ali (Survivor Series)
Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali always excel together. They've done so all year on 205 Live, so it was great to see them given the stage at one of WWE's biggest pay per views, instead of being shunted to the pre-show as Cruiserweight championship matches tend to be.
As is the norm with them, these two had a high-intensity barnburner for roughly 10 minutes, which was more than enough time, given the pace that these two were working. There was little slackening during this match. Both hit each other with big moves throughout the entirety of the contest. Murphy and Ali even got "this is awesome" chants, which was great to see for the underappreciated purple brand.
Buddy Murphy would ultimately defeat Mustafa Ali and retain his championship. The juggernaut of 205 Live rolls on! Hopefully, we'll get a rematch at WrestleMania.
#7 Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (Survivor Series)
There was both anticipation and trepidation heading into this match. Despite it being an exciting first time ever match on paper, Shinsuke Nakamura has often disappointed in just these scenarios.
Thankfully, there wasn't a reason to be worried this time.
Seth Rollins was his usual self and Shinsuke Nakamura was the perfect dance partner for him in this match, and there was no interference from Dean Ambrose to sully its pace.
In truth, this was Nakamura's best match in WWE since his debut against Sami Zayn all the way back at NXT TakeOver: Dallas. If the competition weren't so stiff this month, it surely would have been in the top couple of matches for it. It perhaps would even have been the best.
Ultimately, Seth Rollins defeated the United States Champion by use of the curb stomp and Raw's victory train rolled on through the night.
#6 The Undisputed Era vs. War Raiders, Pete Dunne, and Ricochet (NXT TakeOver: War Games II)
This was a tale of two matches, which is what prevented it from being in that "match of the year" conversation. It was unfortunately slow to start, given the slow release of all the superstars into the match.
Once everyone got involved in the contest, things started to pick up, and chaos reigned throughout the ominous War Games structure.
The match did last a little too long, but we saw some insane spots throughout it. Obviously, Ricochet's double moonsault from the top of the cage was the highlight of the match, but Hanson's splash onto a table and the ending with Pete Dunne and Ricochet both pinning Adam Cole was a lot of fun as well.
The image we saw of Dunne and Ricochet standing tall atop the cage was an excellent way to close the show.
#5 AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan (SmackDown, November 13th)
Much like we saw the year before, there was a shocking WWE title change on SmackDown heading into Survivor Series. The match was far better than the previous year's counterpart as well. With AJ Styles wrestling Daniel Bryan in it, there was no reason why it wouldn't be.
The match flowed along the lines we'd seen between AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan before. There was some great technical wrestling and selling by both men. Unlike last time, though, Daniel Bryan had a new attitude. We just didn't see it until the very end of the match, which is what made the reveal so masterful.
After AJ Styles had a slight encounter with the comically weak referee, Daniel Bryan hit the champion with a low blow and followed it up with a running knee. He won the title then and there, to the shocked expressions of the crowd.
#4 Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey (Survivor Series)
This was a big test for Ronda Rousey. She had never been in the ring with someone on the level of Charlotte Flair. Would she be able to keep up? The answer was a resounding yes.
WrestleMania came early as Ronda and Charlotte battled in a very even contest. Neither woman could truly gain a lasting advantage against the other. That's what made Charlotte's turn on Ronda just as the match looked like it was going to heat up into its final stretch such a shocking turn of events.
The assault was vicious, and though Ronda's all-smiles appearance the next night (as well as Charlotte's seemingly not turning heel the night after that) was jarring, in the moment that it happened, it was very compelling. Charlotte beat Ronda senseless with a kendo stick and chair and actually got resounding cheers for it.
#3 Daniel Bryan vs. Brock Lesnar (Survivor Series)
There's always a good reason to be sceptical about a Brock Lesnar match. It can either be great or a profound disappointment. However, this was a dream match for many years, so it was reasonable to assume Lesnar might be interested in making it live up to the hype. Thankfully, he was, and we got a classic.
Much like the year before, Brock Lesnar threw Daniel Bryan around in the first half of the match to a brutal degree. His taunting was even better. Then, Daniel Bryan staged a miraculous comeback and almost made it look like he was going to tap the Beast out.
He ultimately fell short of that lofty goal, but the movement, taunting, and selling of both guys were sublime. This was easily one of the main roster's best matches of the year.
It was also great to show the change in Daniel Bryan's character.
#2 Tommaso Ciampa vs. Velveteen Dream (NXT TakeOver: War Games II)
If this was a test of Velveteen Dream's capability as the main event player, he passed with flying colours and then some. Tommaso Ciampa also showed once again that he's the real deal and could be the best NXT Champion of all time, much as he proclaims. This was truly an outstanding match.
The taunting and psychological warfare between NXT's two biggest trolls was what we were expecting and hoping that it would be, and for someone with scant experience in the business, Velveteen Dream delivered his best in-ring performance to date, even exceeding his spectacular match last year with Aleister Black.
Both men hit their big moves and kicked out until Dream made a fatal mistake by missing with the Purple Rainmaker and falling to the floor. That's where Ciampa would ultimately take advantage and retain his NXT Championship.
#1 Johnny Gargano vs. Aleister Black
It seems almost customary at this point whenever we have a Johnny Gargano TakeOver match. For the fourth time (out of five) this year, we need to ask ourselves, "was there ever any doubt."
Gargano and Black (who has quietly racked up some impressive matches on his own this year) both delivered outstanding performances. The pace of this match was blistering from beginning to end and the psychological warfare displayed by both competitors was something that won't easily be forgotten.
"Come on Johnny, give me your best shot!" Aleister Black taunted. Johnny Gargano's derangement was evident on his face as he prepared to respond, happy to oblige.
Gargano fell to not just one, but two Black Masses, while Aleister proclaimed that he forgave him for the sins he had committed. It was a perfect, resonant ending to an angle which had lasted for three months.
