WWE Survivor Series 2018 Review

The stage is set for Raw vs Smackdown and all the matches are now confirmed. We’ve got the three traditional survivor series matches (Men’s, Women’s & Tag), the four champion v champion matches (Universal/WWE, Women’s, Tag, IC/US) and the Cruiserweight Championship match.

We’re underway with the Women’s Survivor Series match featuring Team Smackdown (Carmella, Naomi, Mandy Rose, Asuka & Sonya Deville) vs Team Raw (Mickie James, Tamina, Nia Jax, Sasha Banks & Bayley). Tamina and Naomi kick us off and it’s not long before a wild brawl begins. In the fallout, Naomi is quickly eliminated by Tamina with a Superkick. Immediately after, Carmella rolls her up to make it 4v4 and calls a dance break! The quick eliminations stop and we see some tags and balances action for both teams. Mickie James is eliminated next when she’s hit with a Running Knee by Sonya Deville, but pinned by Mandy Rose off the back of a blind tag. Carmella starts to take control and shows how much she’s improved before being eliminated by Bayley, evening it up once again. Mandy Rose gets some offence in on Bayley before Bayley gets the hot tag to Sasha Banks. Sasha gets the Bank Statement locked in to eliminate Mandy Rose and give Raw the advantage. Sonya Deville hits Bayley with a big spine buster but the pin is broken up by Nia, who gets major boos from the crowd after taking out Becky Lynch on Monday. Bayley hits Sonya Deville with the Bayley to Bayley on the outside, leading to them both being counted out. Asuka is the last remaining member of Team Smackdown and goes Toe to toe with Sasha. Sasha goes to the top but is pushed off by Nia Jax, leading to Asuka licking in the Asuka Lock to eliminate Banks. Nia comes in and hits Asuka with 3 Leg Drops & a Samoan Drop to win the match and be the Sole Survivor. Good match to start the show and sets a seed going forwards now with Nia and Sasha.

Winners: Team Raw

Next up, we have a long awaited encounter between Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura. These two undoubtedly have the ability to Main Event any show and are certainly worthy champions, but their careers have been taking a very different path over the past few months. While Rollins has spent the majority of the year elevating the Intercontinental Title to new heights, Nakamura’s US Title reign seems somewhat a consolation prize after his feud for the WWE Championship with AJ Styles. The action is back and forth with a lot of chain wrestling and an interesting technical battle. Rollins gains the upper hand and hits 3 consecutive suicide dives followed by a springboard clothesline. After more hard-hitting, topsy-turvy action and a number of close calls for both, Rollins eventually gets the win with the Stomp. Great match that definitely showcased both competitors’ potential!

Winner: Seth Rollins

In another Champions v Champions encounter, we have The Bar vs AOP next. AOP have been on a major role recently so I’m intrigued to see how they take the next step here. Big Show aligning with The Bar has added an extra dimension to them as well. As expected, we see a lot of hard hits from all involved, with neither team really asserting their dominance. Drake Maverick saved the match by putting Razar’s foot on the rope after a Brogue Kick, which lead to the Big Show choking him until he peed his pants! This caused the distraction for the AOP to hit Sheamus with a double team for the win. Huge win for AOP and it puts Raw 3-0 up on the night.

Winners: The Authors of Pain

The nights next action is the one title match on the night as Cruiserweight Champion, Buddy Murphy, defends against Mustafa Ali. In typical Cruiserweight fashion, the action is very fast paced and sees a number of aerial moves from Mustafa Ali, with Buddy Murphy using his bigger size to try and overpower his opponent. Murphy takes off the board from the announce table but gets hit with an unbelievable Spanish Fly from Ali off the table to the floor! Murphy regains control in the ring and eventually hits Murphy’s Law for the pin. Superb advertisement for 205 Live!

Winner: Buddy Murphy

With the score at 3-0 to Raw, Smackdown really need something from this next match and it is the 5 on 5 Men’s Survivor Series match. Team Raw (Bobby Lashley, Finn Balor, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre & Braun Strowman) are out first followed by Team Smackdown (The Miz, Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, Samoa Joe & Shane McMahon). Strowman goes to start for Raw, but is blind tagged by McIntyre. Samoa Joe kicks in the Coquina Clutch immediately but Drew counters and hits the Claymore to eliminate Joe in under a minute! The crowd are not happy at all. Jeff Hardy enters the ring looking to bring Smackdown back in to the match. McIntyre tags in for Raw and McMahon tags in for Smackdown in a repeat of the World Cup Final. Ziggler hits the Famouser but Shane kicks out, then the Zig Zag but The Miz breaks up the pin. Strowman tags in but straight away, Drew blind tags himself in and leads to an all out brawl between Team Raw! Smackdown lead a 4 on 1 assault on Braun, ending with Shane putting him through the announce table with an elbow from the top rope. Back in the ring and more dissension as Balor blind tags himself in for McIntyre. Balor builds up a head of steam, delivering a host of offence to The Miz and Rey Mysterio, before getting hit with the 619 and being eliminated. We’re 4-4, with 1 man each taken out on the outside. Lashley comes in and physically dominates Mysterio, going the hanging vertical suplex but Rey fights out. Dolph tags in for Raw and Jeff for Smackdown, with Jeff gaining the upper hand. Ziggler gets the knees up to avoid the Stanton Bomb. Shane McMahon is back up and is going for the Coast to Coast! He hits it to pin Ziggler again! 4-3 to Smackdown. Lashley comes back in and takes control again. The Miz stuns Lashley and Shane is going for a second Coast to Coast!! As he flies through the air, Strowman catches him with a huge clothesline out of nowhere! Strowman enters the ring for Raw and Hardy comes in for Smackdown, Jeff gains the upper hand but Braun reverses the Twist of Fate in to the Powerslam to eliminate Hardy. Rey comes in and stumbles Braun, but this time Strowman reverses the 619 in to a Powerslam for another elimination! 3-2 to Raw. The Miz tries to rally Shane but is cut off by Strowman and gets hit with a Powerslam to make it 3-1 Raw. Strowman, Lashley and McIntyre remain against Shane McMahon. In a matter of seconds, Strowman hits another Powerslam to end the match and give Raw another win. After the bell, Corbin attacks Strowman and leaves with Lashley and McIntyre!

Winners: Team Raw

Backstage Seth Rollins is told he will be defending his Intercontinental Title against Dean Ambrose at TLC.

Now losing 4-0, all that remains is Smackdown try to avoid the clean sweep. The job is over to Charlotte Flair who has taken the place of injured champion, Becky Lynch. While we may have been denied one dream match of Rousey v Lynch, we’ve been given another with Rousey v Charlotte. The match starts with some good technical wrestling from both, looking to lock in submissions and attempt pin falls. Charlotte gains the upper hand by driving Ronda in to the bottom turnbuckle. As they wrestle on the mat, Charlotte catches Rousey with an elbow and busts her mouth open! The impressive technical wrestling continues, including a counter of Flair’s Natural Selection in to Rousey’s Armbar. They then exchange a Rolling Samoan Drop and a Spear, but Rousey manages to kick out. Charlotte locks in the Figure Four but can’t bridge in to the Figure Eight, Ronda reverses but Charlotte escapes. Charlotte again takes over and has a couple of near falls following big moves. Rousey tries to lock in the Armbar a number of times but Charlotte continues to escape. Charlotte tempts Ronda to the outside and levels her with a Kendo Stick!! This gives Ronda Rousey the win by DQ, but Charlotte proceeds to completely destroy the Kendo Stick over Rousey! Charlotte the hits Rousey with the Natural Selection on a chair and as the referees try to stop her, she assaults them too! To add insult to injury, Flair places Rousey’s neck through the chair and stamps on it! This was certainly an unexpected twist, so it will be interesting to see where they take this now. Rousey leaves the ring battered, bloodied and bruised, showing the effects of the Kendo Stick attack.

Winner by DQ: Ronda Rousey

In the nights’ Main Event, we have Universal Champion Brock Lesnar against new WWE Champion Daniel Bryan. Bryan’s Heel turn on Tuesday, while shocking, makes complete sense. His return to WWE hasn’t exactly set the world alight and a new direction could give him that impetus. It also allows them to drag out the Styles v Bryan storyline to a logical conclusion. The match begins with Bryan trying to go for Lesnar's legs, and then try to avoid him completely. Brock eventually catches his leg and levels him with a clothesline before delivering a German Suplex, and chants "Suplex City" in the middle of the ring before delivering another. Bryan appears to be completely out of it as Lesnar manhandles him around the ring and gives him three overhead belly to belly suplexes. Brock then proceeds to thrown Bryan around on the outside, in to the barricade and back in to the ring. Back in the ring and he locks Daniel in a huge Bear Hug. Brock continues to stroll around the ring, mouthing off at the crowd and rag dolling Daniel Bryan all over the place. The crowd are losing interest and the commentators even say they feel uncomfortable watching it. Lesnar hits an F5 but pulls Bryan up by his hair before the referee can count the 3. Bryan hits two kicks as Brock goes to pick him up, Lesnar goes for the F5 but throws Bryan in to the referee. Bryan hits the low blow and the Running Knee but Lesnar kicks out in the nick of time! Bryan is now on top, delivering stiff kicks and stomps. Bryan ducks a clothesline and Brock sends himself over the top rope, Bryan follows up with a Running Knee from the apron. He goes for a Suicide Dive but Lesnar catches him and drives him in to the ring post. Brock gets the ring steps and tries to hit Bryan with them but misses and gets hit with another Running Knee from the apron. Back in to the ring and Bryan hits yet another Running Knee, but Lesnar kicks out again. Bryan wraps Lesnar's Knee around the ring post and follows up with a drop kick from the top rope. He hits him with another 2 Running Attacks, but gets caught on the third. As Lesnar goes for the F5, his knee gives out and Lesnar locks in the Yes Lock! Brock eventually fights out and lifts Bryan up in to the F5 and hits it for the pin! After a slow start, this match ended up being a great encounter and certainly one of Lesnar's best in the last few years. Brock's win completes the clean sweep for Raw and closes the show.

Winner: Brock Lesnar

Overall Opinion:

Great matches and some very interesting seeds planted for stories going forward. My only gripe with Survivor Series is the lack of stakes involved, Raw won 6-0, but what was the reward for doing so? What were the rewards (other than for Braun) for those involved? Other than that, there's nothing to complain about and Survivor Series was full of great action throughout.