At WWE Survivor Series 2015, the company is about to test just how predictable a show can get and remain entertaining.
Fans can see the all-Shield final of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament coming. Roman Reigns is the clear favorite. Dean Ambrose is a close second.
The drama of that tourney will not be in those men getting past their respective semifinal opponents but in what curveball WWE has waiting for us when those two clash.
It's hard to imagine the night's other matches bucking expectation, either. With the Survivor Series build being so centered on Undertaker's legacy, would WWE really have him lose a match involving Braun Strowman? And Charlotte looks like a lock in her title match as she's still in the early stages of her reign as Divas champion.
Survivor Series may not offer much in the way of the unexpected—until the tournament final perhaps—but how much will that matter? Reigns, Undertaker and the rest of the spotlighted Superstars will be looking to thrill the audience via performance, even if the plot can't.
News, Potential Spoilers
Survivor Series does not yet have a Kickoff show match. It has yet to incorporate the increasing bad blood between Sasha Banks and Natalya.
That could change at the last minute, though. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestle Zone), WWE at one point had it in mind to book Banks vs. Natalya as the pre-show bout.
It's late to do so now, but seeing that, as of this writing, WWE hasn't announced who will be in the Survivor Series elimination match, it's certainly not impossible.
As for the finals of the WWE title tournament, it's looking more and more like the only possibilities are either that Reigns becomes champion or Ambrose wins. The former option is reportedly what WWE has had in mind for a while.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestle Zone) reported that before the injury to Rollins, WWE had planned to put the title on Reigns and have him be the champion heading into WrestleMania.
Does it just switch out Rollins for Ambrose as to which Superstar takes the loss to the new emperor of WWE? Not if Ambrose's supporters make a strong enough case.
According to PWInsider (h/t Wrestling Inc), there are some within WWE pushing for Ambrose to win the title at Survivor Series.
Ambrose fans have to be happy The Lunatic Fringe is actually being considering as a possible champ here. It will ultimately come down to what Vince McMahon believes is the best route. And Reigns is the kind of star McMahon has long coveted.
Match Card
- 5-on-5 Elimination Match (Superstars to be announced)
- Tyler Breeze vs. Dolph Ziggler
- Paige vs. Charlotte (Divas Championship)
- Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt vs. Kane and Undertaker
- Roman Reigns vs. Alberto Del Rio (Tournament semi-finals)
- Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens (Tournament semi-finals)
- Winner of Ambrose/Owens vs. Reigns/Del Rio (Tournament final)
Quick Predictions
- Breeze over Ziggler.
- Charlotte over Paige.
- Brothers of Destruction over The Wyatt Family.
- Reigns over Del Rio.
- Ambrose over Owens.
- Reigns over Ambrose.
Welcoming Prince Pretty
As it's Breeze's first PPV match on the main roster, the logical move is to have him win. Having him lose in his first try on a big stage puts the stink of a jobber on him.
The animosity has grown with this feud as Breeze continues to needle Ziggler. It sure feels like something that will last for several months. That likely points to Breeze cheating his way to victory here and having The Showoff chase him over the next few weeks to get revenge.
Summer Rae is the X-factor and Breeze's easiest means to an underhanded win. Not to mention Summer is sure to have lingering issues about her relationship with Ziggler.
Charlotte Remains Champ
Well, WWE certainly got people talking. This title feud took a dramatic turn on Monday's Raw when the company used Charlotte's dead brother to garner heat in a controversial segment.
This would be really early to have Charlotte drop the title. Paige marks her first challenger after the champ got past Nikki Bella.
Look for Charlotte to win here and likely at TLC too. A showdown with Sasha Banks down the road is the money option, and keeping Charlotte a strong champion is the best way to get to the point.
Bleacher Report's Big Nasty believes Charlotte vs. Paige is one of the Survivor Series matches with the most potential to steal the show:
Celebrating the Deadman
The focus leading up to Survivor Series has been on Undertaker's long, storied career. WWE has run a string of Undertaker highlights on Raw and SmackDown in the last few weeks. It created "Undertaker Week" on the WWE Network.
To then commemorate Undertaker's 25 years with the company with a loss would be a shocker.
As beneficial as having Wyatt get the upset would be, it looks as if he's just fodder for a legend getting a farewell tour. That is unless WWE has in mind to pit The Eater of Worlds against Undertaker at WrestleMania. That would open the door for Wyatt to win here and The Deadman to get his win back later.
But that's a mighty long time for those two to feud.
The Shield (Partly) Reunites in the Final
The safest bet of the night is that both Ambrose and Reigns advance in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament. The fact Owens and Del Rio are already champions makes it far less likely that either one of them takes home the crown. And WWE has teased the collision of these two allies in not-so-subtle fashion.
Reigns is getting the John Cena treatment, winning frequently, constantly overcoming the odds. Having him face Owens just wouldn't have the same appeal as seeing him facing his friend, either.
WWE has put itself in a position that makes the semifinals predictable. It's the final, though, that seems less certain.
The Tournament Ends in a Turn
If Reigns just wins out and there is no great surprise or narrative twist, the tournament's climax will fall flat. As Bleacher Report's Matt Camp said, the tourney needs a major swerve
