Dear WWE Creative,
Sure, last week, I wrote you a letter about Survivor Series and the awful efforts around buildup. Here I am seven days later, and I promise this won’t entirely be a rant letter.
Utter Team Blue chaos #Raw pic.twitter.com/BXIHZy8uIe
— WrestleNewz.com (@wrestlenewz) November 13, 2018
You stepped up your game significantly in the two go-home Survivor Series shows. Monday Night RAW was pretty good, teams were solidified, and its closing was off the hook; meanwhile SmackDown LIVE, simply put, picked up where RAW left off and was two hours of (entertaining) chaos. If I had one needle to pick, IT is that the tag team elimination match was a huge afterthought; however, considering how SD LIVE rolled out, I don’t want to be nit-picky.
Let’s start at the beginning of the week with RAW. The opener where Braun Strowman interrupted the tag team battle royal, to move onto a promo with Stephanie McMahon was alright, it seemed that as the show progressed, the entertainment value heightened. Fans would see the men’s team organized, with Finn Balor and Bobby Lashley entering the group; a little promo from Brock Lesnar and his Advocate, Paul Heyman; and the suspense around the women’s team was put to a close when Alexa Bliss announced who she had chosen. Top points for having Bayley and Sasha battle it out, only to have Ruby Riott declared the last member of RAW’s women’s Survivor Series team.
#survivorseries is going to feel the Riott #Raw pic.twitter.com/yqDDlcbXlX
— WrestleNewz.com (@wrestlenewz) November 13, 2018
And what ensued after that Bliss-ful announcement, would not only send WWE fans reeling, but also set the tone for SmackDown LIVE, an equaling crazy night. RAW’s close was utterly phenomenal. From the flash up on the screen to Becky Lynch on the floor with Ronda Rousey locked in her armbar submission, to the women of SD LIVE ambushing the women of RAW, to the fighting that ensued, to Becky’s bloody face that resembled war paint as she stood tall amongst the crowd; the close on Monday night was one of the best endings of the show I can remember in a very long time.
#SurviviorSeries Update: Becky Lynch won’t be competing this Sunday due to a broken face and concussion suffered from a hit by Nia Jax during last night’s #Raw close #SDLive pic.twitter.com/m4umHTRxW7
— WrestleNewz.com (@wrestlenewz) November 14, 2018
And SmackDown didn’t mess around either, where it literally picked up where RAW left off by addressing Lynch’s broken face and concussion (at the hands of Nia Jax), and the fact that Becks would not be competing on Sunday: mixing up the Survivor Series card.
And social media went wild.
However, the SS card would be mixed up once again, and that would come in the form choosing Becky Lynch’s replacement, in a beautifully laid out and emotional promo as the “champ” addressed Team Blue’s women’s division. Charlotte Flair was chosen, and it seems like Wrestlemania is coming a little early in the form of a main event worthy match between Flair versus Rousey come Sunday; with a “TBD” member asterisk for the women’s SD LIVE team.
Then, there was Daniel Bryan versus AJ Styles for SmackDown LIVE’s main event. Not only did fans witness a shocking heel turn for Bryan, but a new crowned champion that thus also mixes up the Survivor Series card when it comes to the men’s Champions versus Champion bout.
Retweet if you’re pulling for Daniel Bryan tonight; Favorite for AJ Styles #SDlive pic.twitter.com/KqnU3mm58q
— WrestleNewz.com (@wrestlenewz) November 14, 2018
This chaos was wonderful and adds so many (good) question marks to the Survivor Series card. While the Lynch incident was a mere accident, turning around and announcing Charlotte Flair as her replacement makes sense, and the fact that both Becks and Flair “hugged” it out, was a beautiful way to end their feud as well. The question mark on who will replace Charlotte on the SD LIVE women’s team has created quite a stir, with people pointing to Brie Bella as a replacement, Mandy Rose, and I’ll throw my hat into the ring and predict RAW’s Nattie will turn and head to SD LIVE that night; after all she wasn’t there for the ambush, which seems questionable at best, and it might be the perfect way to get back at the Riott Squad and an entirely heel Red women’s team at this point.
Tough as nails!!!!! @BeckyLynchWWE pic.twitter.com/Fq0qV8umoh
— Nattie (@NatbyNature) November 14, 2018
While, I wasn’t overly excited about AJ Styles versus Brock Lesnar, after all, been there and done that from last year, placing Daniel Bryan into the mix, and a heel Bryan at that, creates an interesting dynamic for Sunday’s match, so kudos to you SD LIVE Creative for feeling RAW’s chaos the night before and continuing the momentum.
Either way, with Survivor Series a mere two days away, I’m finally ready to let this pay-per-view roll.
Signed,
Me.