WWE Survivor Series 2020: 5 Big takeaways from the PPV

#2 Roman Reigns defeats Drew McIntyre in a battle of WWE World Champions

Head of the Table = #BestOfTheBest.#UniversalChampion @WWERomanReigns defeats #WWEChampion @DMcIntyreWWE in a monumental clash at #SurvivorSeries! pic.twitter.com/EahzWHZssN

— WWE (@WWE) November 23, 2020

Just six days into his second reign as WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre tasted defeat at Survivor Series at the hands of Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

The "Champion vs. Champion" format leaves WWE with a delicate line to tread. This is particularly true when it comes to the meeting of each brand's respective World Champions.

Naturally, WWE wants to deliver a satisfying match for the Survivor Series card. However, the creative team also needs to ensure that both titleholders come out of the match looking strong. After all, each has a weekly television show to carry.

Roman Reigns chokes out Drew McIntyre at Survivor Series

In this instance, WWE made the right call by putting Reigns over on McIntyre. The finish of the match saw McIntyre pass out (rather than tap out) to Reigns' Guillotine Choke.

The finish also came after interference from Jey Uso, who was seeking to regain Reigns' approval following his defeat earlier on the Survivor Series card.

It's all in the family.#SurvivorSeries @WWERomanReigns @WWEUsos @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/ZCuZYDBcgi

— WWE (@WWE) November 23, 2020

Defeat for McIntyre soon after regaining the WWE Championship is not ideal, but the win reinforces Reigns as the company's top heel. The conclusion to the match also continues the exceptionally well-booked story between Reigns and Jey Uso.

The controversial nature of the finish also opens up the possibility of a rematch between McIntyre and Reigns on a grander stage.