WWE Survivor Series 2014

WWE Survivor Series 2014

Live from the Scottrade Centre in St. Louis Missouri on Pay Per View on Sunday 23rd November, WWE presented one of its Big Four, Survivor Series. Would WWE produce its “epic” show and what surprises would WWE deliver? Would they live up to the hype or be a one moment wear off instantly? Can it survive on the notion of a surprise when a lacking card was thrown together around one match and its hero?  Let’s find out…

Survivor Series opens up with Steph, Triple H and a special guest, Mr.McMahon!

“Thank you for such a warm welcome. I feel the love” Steph embraced the crowd.

Triple H pandered as he so often does for power. “Give it up for Vince McMahon!” he said.

“Woooooooooooooooooooooo!” Steph vividly cheered before an absurd rendition of “VINCE VINCE VINCE!”

Mr.McMahon claimed that this Survivor Series would change WWEs history and be “epic.” Seth Rollins going to win the gold? Brock turns up and costs Cena the win, but Seth cashes in!? Surely? That would be epic, right?

If Team Authority wins we are reminded of the late stipulation that all of John Cena’s teammates will be fired, but not Cena, of course.

Triple H got carried away and told Cena he would be “personably” responsible.

As soon as they’re gone, they will be forgotten. The crowd will drop them in a second. Steph added to Cena about the fickle fans who have no business understanding.

“Even if you can’t see us here, we’ll still be running the show, isn’t that right dad?” Steph barked.

“Not exactly what I had in mind.” Vince replied.

Both will retain their des jobs but have no influence” over the careers of WWE superstars. Yes. Vince layed down the law. The Authority would run its course, if defeated.

Hilariously Steph used her kids to granddad McMahon. Remember that promo against Paul Heyman getting a slap to “never use my kids”? Classic.

Stare down with Triple H. Ooh chemistry.

Vince uptalked SuperCena as the only one who could stop them.

“You’re a McMahon dammit! Don’t let me down!” Vince told his daughter.

Steph was then empowered by her father. “I love this! I’m a McMahon! Adversity only makes me stronger!”

Cena said The Authority had “No Chance in hell.”

There is always a chance but they are very slim when Cena’s in town.

There is a Spanish Announce table. Someone is going through that tonight.

WWE Tag Team Championship

Fatal 4 Way

The Uso’s Vs Stardust and Goldust (c) Vs The Miz and Damien Mizdow Vs Los Matadores

Stardust and Fernando begin the technical jostling. Great roll over pin attempt from Fernando. The Miz tags in from behind to battle the Matadorian. “We want Mizdow!” the crowd cheer. JBL tells us Papa Shango put a curse on Miz years ago. Quite possibly… Mizdow mimicks Miz who was being beaten down, to huge elation. Miz prompts for Mizdow and tells the crowd no. They boo vividly. It’s not Mizdow’s fault he’s lumbered with a loser. Uso’s both tagged in with Jimmy before then Jey replacing. Headlock on Fernando. Jey tipped over the rope by Stardust. Cheap, but no rules against it.

Stardust gets a legal tag and brings in Goldie. Goldust doesn’t lock a convincing hold with huge gaping issues on Uso. Stardust back in. “We want Mizdow!” One fall by Stardust. Stardust cheekily plays a tag for Mizdow and refuses. The crowd are dumb enough to be played. Uso falls into Los Matadores corner for a tag as he battles Miz with great skill. Jimmy saves the pin by Diego. Goldust gets a cheap outside clothesline from apron, allowing Miz to capitalise over Diego. Tag for Mizdow? No, but crowd cheer Mizdow and boo Miz until the tag is made! The crowd erupts! Goldust tagged himself in. Ha! WWE played you again.

Stadust comes back as the crowd gets riotous with Mizdow chants. The action between Star-d and Diego is ignored for Mizdow as Stardust yells you don’t want him but Stardust. Yeah, sure. Goldie returns. Two fall. Louder Mizdow chants no-one could ever deny. WWE don’t like Sandow, yet fans are in love with him. Will WWE finally cave in and admit defeat to turn a positive? Two fall from Goldust after some more action. El Torito rallies the crowd. Miz breaks a three count. Diego gets momentum back as the pair counter piledriver attempts. Both he and Stardust dropped one another down. Jimmy Uso returns. Uso is flung into Miz, on the apron who is now legal but forgotten. Uso smacks into Goldust as Michael Cole announces Jey is legal from tag from Jimmy who isn’t legal man as The  Miz still is. From knockdown tag.

The Uso’s switch tags now and then, which means neither of them are technically legal and doing all the work, but WWE forget this for real and ignore the blind tag on Miz earlier. This is WWE and their rules can be changed when they forget things for a ‘moment’ in the match. It makes them look sloppy.

El Torito then took the stage and launched onto everyone. Goldust stops his top turnbuckle climb. One of the Uso’s splashes heavy on Goldust. The Miz tags in quickly like a rat to grab the win but Mizdow tags in and covers Goldust to win the WWE Tag Team Championship. The Miz is shocked at the pin taken by his stunt double but grabs the titles and celebrates his easy opportunity to brag. Clearly WWE are going for the Kane/Daniel Bryan dysfunction angle again. Miz behaved more like Bryan too doing the jumping belt snatching and pandering for cheers. Mizdow was cheered, Miz was not. Selfish Miz keeps holding both the titles for himself. Not the best way to sell the tag titles.

Adam Rose is backstage selling merchandise with his Bunny and loser extras. Speaking of which, Titus and Slater enter to mock Rose. Rose showed a level of bitterness and possible change. As predictable and lacking is the card, Rose challenged a tag match for later in the evening. A thrown together card is not any chance “epic.”

Traditional Divas 4 on 4 Elimination match

Paige, Cameron, Summer Rae and Layla Vs Natalya w/ Tyson Kidd, Naomi, Emma and Alicia Fox

Summer Rae and Layla have magically turned nasty again after being lovely. Huh?

Paige takes the lead with Natalya guiding her to try and wrestle a non-flunkie match. Natalya uses weak non-connective knees. Baseball slide into Paige outside was ruined by Paige not selling and waiting to move and fall down with no effect. Layla tagged in. Missed kick as Emma comes in. Good roll over and back fling from Emma. Strong counters for both. Emma showing promise. Layla fighting for her place not to be sacked. Paige back in when Emma is beat down. Fluke opportunist uses weak knees on Emma who is convincing and smashes Paige back with a forearm. Paige uses the hair grab and calls her a “stupid cow” as they go to the top. Emma perfectly swings a suplex. Paige tags Cameron who barbs down on Emma. Slaps Emma after placing her on ropes from outside. “We want Mizdow!” Cameron fails to take the pin on Emma at two. Cameron tries but looks unconvincing just holding arms back and sitting there. Bland. Emma gets a little fan support and makes her way to the corner while fighting back technically. Naomi rips down Cameron, but walks into a gut kick. Reverses fling up backdrop. Alicia Fox in as Summer Rae runs in. Emma shoves her out. Natalya swing clotheslines Paige. The show is all messed now as Nat tries to stop Cameron who gets running bulldog. Cameron loses sight and Naomi rolls over Cameron to eliminate her.

Summer Rae screams as Naomi almost face down dropkicks her. The Kelly Kelly clones won’t work at this rate. Don’t copy it. Career will be over, dear. Rae dropped down on the floor and barges down the rest of the divas outside. Rae misses multiple attacks with Fox who drags in Paige. Crazy Fox takes all three divas down with cross body. Fox howls as Layla is sent in. Alicia ferociously deals with Layla. Fine, but it’s all a bit rushed and too frenzied that ruins the feel. Powerful backbreaker flip to knee to eliminate Layla.

Rae gets lifted to shoulders and misses tag to Paige. Paige cowardly moves from a Nattie attempt to attack. Paige uses a leg from outside to get a fluke attack and then enter the match. Misses a sharpshooter from Rae save. Rae is back in. Rae bashed off the apron as Paige looks over her with annoyance and throws her back in. Emma sets the pace on Rae. Locks in a very good Tarantula from nowhere. The Emma sandwich leads to a stunning submission back lock of Summer Rae who is now out of there. WWE should have given her a bit more power though to seem convincing as effect wore off a little. Emma stops Paige leaving, who is outnumbered.

Paige stomps on Emma. Emma fights back with a grasp of her leg very well. Natalya smashed with a kick. Nat flips over a strong suplex of Paige. Naomi misses a Moonsault from Paige’s knees up, both intended and a botch. Could have been bad. Naomi smashes Paige and covers her to get the victory for their team!

Pre Show

The “new and improved Fandango” has been placed with Rosa. Oh dear. He beat Justin Gabriel. Limp shouting loser Wade (Borette) Barrett came back with some “Bad News” doing the same old thing as before. Bore off. Cesaro also battled Jack Swagger in a nothing match as Cesaro is being quietly punished by WWE for speaking up on issues. He gave another powerful match well.

Panel Time!

Renee Young is with Booker T, Alex Riley and Paul Heyman.

Dean Ambrose Vs Bray Wyatt

“Don’t you know who I am? Don’t you know what it is I can do?” “I can fix you.” – Bray Wyatt.

After the opener both threw instant attacks. “Dean Ambrose doesn’t have a plan” Jerry Lawler said.

“Bray Wyatt doesn’t even know what he’s going to do” JBL responded.

Ambrose gets the advantage over Wyatt early on but both remain equals in standing, done well by all. Ambrose charges over the tope rope down smacked by an uppercut from Wyatt outside. Wyatt steps on Dean’s hand on the steps. Swift suplex over by Bray. Bray crafts Ambrose into back arm lock convincingly. Ambrose breaks free by biting. Ambrose then slammed into Wyatt, stopping his tracks. Both are knocked down outside as both run a clothesline. Countout begins as Wyatt breaks at 8 with Ambrose sliding in too. Both go face to face with headbutts and fists. Fast paced action and heavy hitting make for a strong battle. Ambrose mocks Wyatt with the crab upside down lunge from corner at the ropes.

Ambrose rolls up after frenzied interludes. Wyatt is trapped in ropes from outside as Ambrose kisses him and charges him down. Both are atop the turnbuckle as Ambrose fights off Wyatt, drops down, countered and the pair swift change until Wyatt chokeslams down Ambrose in another pressure cooker thrill.

Wyatt sits up top but misses a backdrop splash. Ambrose tries a two count. Ambrose flips to the top and elbows down Bray for two.  “This is awesome!” the crowd praise. Wyatt counters Ambrose for a powerbomb, missed and follows up with a nasty clothesline. Fantastic display. A fierce chokeslam on Dean on the steel steps outside. Wyatt gains two only. Wyatt gets a microphone and yells at Ambrose. “It didn’t have to be like this. You and me, we could have ruled the world. We’re special. I’m sorry man, but you chose your path.” Wyatt them hammers a fist at Ambrose. Wyatt reaches out for a chair from under the ring. Ambrose grabs the chair as Wyatt kneels for Ambrose to use it. Ambrose jabs the chair into Wyatt’s gut as the crowd erupts. “Ambrose made his decision” adds Michael Cole. The Dirty Deeds of Dean Ambrose is dropped as Bray Wyatt is slammed into the chair.

Ambrose gets a month too early and brings out the table. Racked and ready, Ambrose readies Wyatt. Ambrose goes high as Wyatt is on the wood plank. Dean Ambrose hurls down onto Bray Wyatt through the table to cover and win the match after. Ambrose puts another table over Wyatt and slams a chair. The Lunatic Fringe adds more chairs to the ring and throws them on Wyatt. Ambrose brings out the ladder now. Ambrose sets and climbs it. Looking out from the top Ambrose stands atop the ladder feeling victorious in snubbing Wyatt’s hand. Referee’s now enter to stop Ambrose jumping off the ladder and make him leave while tending to Wyatt.

The Authority line up their dressing room with a pre-necessary pep talk from leading guru of popularity choices Triple H. Steph highlights the prospect of earning money with a heartfelt plea for only a victory counts. This is a moment where everything changes for everyone Trips brags on about. Failure to win won’t warrant a fire. HHH will make sure you wish you were instead.

“If you’re not a champion, you never will be” Triple H says to Seth Rollins. Great way to demean your star worker. Triple H spoke way too long as usual. They were rattled though. “FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!” they barked at Tripper’s boost.

Impromptu 

Adam Rose and The Bunny Vs Heath Slater and Titus O’Neil

It was quick and filled a hole, but what was the point? Adam Rose and The Bunny won.

Cena is seen giving his guys a pep talk now backstage.

WWE Divas Championship

AJ (c) Vs Nikki Bella w/ Brie Bella

Brie stands behind AJ with the divas title on her shoulders as AJ is shocked. She turns around to stop Brie who kisses AJ in shock as Nikki Bella beats her down and then drops the Rack Attack to cover AJ for a three fall victory and become the new Divas championship. Her time is now. WWE replayed the Daniel Bryan moment over the Wrestlemania 28 AJ kiss loss title change. This made AJ look feeble but was passable. It would have been far better to have a longer match. WWE certainly had the time available. This would also have given both a better standing as a respected worker.

Traditional 5 on 5 Elimination Match

Team Cena Vs Team Authority

Kane, Luke Harper, Rusev w/ Lana, Seth Rolins and Mark Henry Vs John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, Big Show, Erick Rowan and Ryback

Having a front row seat are guests Stephanie and Tripper, The Authority.

Sheamus became injured beforehand; Luke Harper became Intercontinental champion from a shock win on television beforehand from Dolph Ziggler. Randy Orton was given a storyline injury to enhance intrigue.

Saviour of the WWE John Cena entered to huge boos. How can that be right? WWE need to figure strategy than just hope for the best.

Henry and Show start us off. Henry runs into a Knockout punch and Mark Henry is eliminated. Whoops! It is taking a bit of time to remove Henry from the ring by officials but that’s good for the fact he just been KO’ed.

The group convene as Harper distracts while superstar Seth Rollins enters to take the challenge. Strong leadership qualities here. Kane gets the tag in. Cena gets his tag to heavy upset. Cena has trouble clotheslining Kane but follows a dropkick in decent fashion. Erick Rowan squares off with Luke Harper. A swift replacement for Sheamus, Rowan was due to turn regardless, but got sped up. Seth tagged himself in. Rowan takes charge with heavy drills on Rollins.

Ryback rips into Rollins with heavy boos. The crowd is loudly intolerant to Ryback. Harper is now in instead as Ryback dismantles a prospect with a suplex. Kane in now. Ryback calls Kane “stupid” but fails to follow up with a two fall only after a splash. Rusev is now entering. Both smash fists. Rusev nabs a knee into Ryback, who failed to move closer to connect believability. The crowd chant for Ryback only for their hate for Rusev. Everyone clambers in for a beat down. Rollins curb stomps Ryback and Rusev batter rams Ryback and eliminates him from the match. Steph and Lana cheer with the finger pointing “YES!” in joy.

Big Show battles the Bulgarian Brute now. Show claps on a clutch but fails to follow a chokeslam as Harper tags in. Rollins returns to batter down Big Show. Kane comes in. Kane hits a good leg dropkick to the chest in a quick frenzy. Harper puts the Gator Roll on Show to wear down a submission. Show eventually slams down Harper to be free. IC loser Ziggler comes in now. Ziggs knocks Rollins off he apron and walks into a sidewalk slam from Harper for a close two pin. Rollins is back in. Rusev is back in.

Kane deals with Ziggles. Hard back slam swish which Cole says is the side walk slam. Not quite. Big Boot. Two fall. Harper returns. Slapped down Dolph Ziggler. Rusev back. Ziggler tries to fight back with tappy slaps as Rusev holds Ziggler over the top rope and knee jerks him hard. Seth deals now. Ziggler taking a pasting. Rollins smashed Ziggler into the corner post. It should have been three but two fall followed. Rusev applies an arm hold submission around the body well. Dolph jumps over Rusev and lands a DDT. Cena gets the tag and destroys house. Everyone gets a move. Rowan goes for a powerbomb on Rollins Flips him outside on people instead. Rusev high flies a leg kick. Rusev powerbombs Ziggler outside onto everyone.

The Spanish announce table is in play now. Ziggler is put on it as Rusev uses other table for height. Rusev goes high with a body jump splash as Ziggler slips away and Rusev smashes down through the table. Countouts are in play. Dolph makes the count as Rusev gets eliminated despite Jaime Noble and Joey Mercury trying to put him back in. Lana is dismayed. Kane picks up with Ziggs. Cena is tagged. The rapid rush Superman factor comes into play. The Five Knuckle Shuffle is followed with an Attitude Adjustment. Rollins Curb Stomp’s Cena. Cena messed it up again. Rowan and Harper get the tags and battle it out. Rowan on top. Shoves Kane off the outside. Harper gets an amazing roundhouse kick from Rowan. Wowsers! Kane tries but Rollins hits flying down charge and Harper smashes Erick Rowan down to eliminate him next.

The only guy on his feet, Big Show takes the challenge. All three stare him down. Cena gets to his feet as Big Show then smacks John Cena in the face with the KO punch. Seth Rollins clambers over John Cena as Stephanie cheers like nuts. Show shakes the hand of Triple H. Show then walks away. Show should have laid down to be pinned instead of walking out for stronger match effect. It was passable though.  Big Show is counted out.

Dolph Ziggler is the last man left. Steph gloats in Cena’s face. Soon enough Authority stronghold Kane gets eliminated by Dolph. Luke Harper then gets eliminated by Ziggler in quick fashion. Rollins is left.  Cheap roll up and a close two fall on Rollins from chance move by spot monkey Ziggler.

Ziggler climbs up top. Rollins jump misses and is knocked by a Fame Asser by Ziggs. Mercury comes in as Ziggler attacks. Two fall cover as Triple H sneakily pulls the ref out. It was rather stupid to let Rollins look so weak to punitive Ziggler. Noble and Mercury get stopped by Ziggler and knocked into Stephanie on the apron off into HHH outside. The Authority is down. Superkick to Mercury but Dolph misses Rollins. Many interactions as Ziggler gets another pin on Seth. Triple H then punches ref Rod Zapata. You b*tch. Lol. Triple H clotheslines down Ziggler. Hunter smashes down the Pedigree on Ziggs to keep his power. Triple H places Rollins over Ziggler as a ref arrives. Scott Armstrong arrives for The Authority and then WWE bring out… Sting!

WCW’s own has been and failed TNA washed up ignorance arrived. The rip-off Undertaker and modern age Max Waltham black and white paint charade arrived. The self-professed ICW got their boners. Look at bigger picture once the novelty wears off. It was a very lukewarm entrance to arrive, stand, stare down, attack Triple H and leave.

HHH lunges for Sting. Sting then backdrops Triple H. Sting then places Ziggler over Seth Rollins who are still somehow out of it for a good three to five minutes at least. Dolph Ziggler gets the cheap victory over Seth Rollins and survives by the skin of his fluke teeth. John Cena congratulates Ziggler who won thanks to Sting, an ignorant, honourable man helping him cheat.

Stephanie awakes to shock and realisation.

Oh No, No, Nooooooooooooooo! NaNaNaNahhh….

Both realise their power days are over. It’s back to running NXT Tripper.

“NaNaNaNa…” the crowd sing the song as a new theme song for The Authority.

“It’s not over!” Stephanie yells.

“You got fired” the crowd chant.

Stephanie goes ballistic in the ring! As the PPV draws to a close and The Authority’s leading days are seemingly over.

PPV Rating – 6/10

Men/Women of their matches – Damien Sandow, Emma, Bray Wyatt, Heath Slater, AJ, Seth Rollins

Man/Woman of the PPV – Emma

Survivor Series lately has the tradition of causing rifts with fans. For WWE they feel they can’t win and resort afterward to the same formula of the past instead once fans on the internet mindset complain. For fans their point is clear, they are frustrated that the show became so meekly booked to begin with. It wasn’t strong enough to gain sales with only Cena and another man of Triple H’s minute for popularity by using Ziggler either. Fans don’t want shoehorned matches thrown together at the last moment. They want a meaning and logical point to the build of such stakes. Why would they bother to fight The Authority too? Fans require strong names, good scenarios and a level of reason.  Last year’s Orton/Show main event was pants. No-one can remember the card. This year is a one match endeavour. That’s shambolic. Injuries have taken competitors away including Randy Orton, Sheamus and others. Some faked, some real, WWE have no big names other than John Cena. All the more reason to establish future. WWE cannot make a show with just John Cena alone. Even he needs people to pose a challenge, even though Cena will destroy all their momentum and plow through them. WWE decided to combat this, it would give the show away for free and provide surprises that made it “epic” instead. The secret, however was that the Network didn’t offer the show for free. You had to sign up with a payment option to be tricked into a six month signage to aces the ‘free’ show. Genius.

Sting’s arrival in WWE was for a record book and money making exercise only. It wasn’t for the fans. It was an attempt to influence sales of the disastrous Network and enhance merchandise sales. WWE are desperate. So much so that they booked Sting to try and hide that notion. Once the novelty of the ageing old timer wears off, what can Sting honestly bring to WWE as an old has been not even relatable to younger fans and not fully engaged with the modern ones living out a mild fantasy for two minutes? Ignorant, self-0centrerd and only there for the money, sting doesn’t care one bit for the fans, despite his character attempts. Dupe the fans and get the cash. Don’t be so easily played WWE Universe. It’s another John Cena moment with a rip off version to an old and modern ball grasper of the wrestling industry with Undertaker and Waltham.

Absent is the WWE champion as well, for a second running PPV. What show are WWE running here? With champ Brock Lesnar already seeking another jump back to the UFC arena, whilst wearing WWE’s transit championship, WWE needed to book a match or ditch the title from him in a TV/PPV loss. The title, resigned to nothingness, in no man’s land, is detrimental to business, company and performer. The title has lost its lineage and needs to be fixed instantly. As much a supporter of Lesnar we may be, there can be no reasoning to hold up the title. This is supposed to be the company’s flagship focal point. No man is bigger than they company, as once noted by WWE HQ themselves.

The surprise should have been used. WWE had two or three in place. Randy Orton, Sting and the hidden option. WWE should have caused Brock Lesnar to help The Authority and cost John Cena the win. Then Seth Rollins, who would have been eliminated, could have cashed in a won the title after Cena responds by battering Lesnar. The Authority could easily have lost and had this in place too, but I’m not going to tell you everyway all the time.

The tag off free PPV on the WWE Network all this November was no real selling point for an increase in sales. Lack of good content was not enough to produce such flocking surge of sales. Now, with WWE having a lot of performers out for whatever reason and only Cena, the company’s most divisive figure front of house, WWE still, after seven or more years failed to allow anyone through the main event blockade. Rollins is breaking past, but Antonio Cesaro is being blocked. Roman Reigns, Dolph Ziggler and others are not reliable. WWE cannot simply wait for them. Calling up mid card level to main event level in WWE’s mind might be strange but Damien Sandow, Curtis Axel (quietly relegated to Superstars to fill space) and NXT fringes are required. More coming on this at a soon but later date. Charlotte of course is and should come up as noted previously.

Some are capable of the main event floatation; others can replace them by calling up some but not all of NXT stars. It has never been more crucial for WWE to launch the new breed once again and fill up the surplus they take out of NXT. Talented people instead of silly favourites with no real skill for Triple H’s popularity machine need to be prioritised. Finn Balor, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Callihan and Kallisto won’t be the ones we want to envisage despite the “call up Paige” screams for internet ramblers. They are all distant failures. And they will fail. That’s a cast iron guarantee. They won’t be the future of the WWE, nor even NXT and were ‘orgasmic’ impulse hires by Triple ‘ I can prove to Vince I’m good enough’ H. Being good is not hiring what fickle fans bleat on about to feel a part of the WWE Universe. What makes them expert is finding real, relatable talent, not popularity or models. No-one said Seth Rollins was the bread winner of the future except for Max Waltham. Seth Rollins is the only star that we knew had the goods. You cannot deny this is apparent. Rollins is breaking the chain to the top imminently. He is the leader of WWE’s new age, but he cannot do it alone. Cesaro needs the main event boost. Axel should be brought up to the mid-card with Sandow, individually. NXT should import the high flying Briton with sheer skill. The rest, mentioned above, need to be let go. WWE has lost most of its workforce and more likely to come over the WWE Network launch and the new lot from NXT. WWE would have been in a stronger position if it maintained old stock with a few releases than all releases to make way for NXT newbies. Get rid of them all except for Finn Balor. He can wait two years to develop.  He isn’t that mesmeric as often perceived though there are plans for him.

The tag titles were a good multi match of interest. Miz and Mizdow where the only real options, but WWE are intent on making Damien ‘Max Waltham’ Sandow a joke character than a professional star that he is. He is loved by the public for his skill,(shocking) and is capable of his standards available. Lumbered with The Miz is detrimental to him. WWE need to dump Miz from him and push hard on Sandow. Miz needs future endeavours. He has reached his peak and is always given minor titles that no-one can believe is credible. He has nothing new to offer and it is probably better someone leaves on a decent note of their career than an awful one. It would have been better for Los Matadores to hold the tiles. Seriously. 

The traditional divas was a good match. What a shocker. When given enough time, even still rushed and a chance with fairly decent wrestling skills on show the divas can flourish. This was a good battle and everyone benefitted from it, even fluke diva Paige. Emma is clearly a star and worked fluently, technically and was the star of the show, shadowed by over-hype. Her skill is high and needs a boost. She displayed a bright future if WWE give her wrestling chances over comedy routines. She has it.

AJ was clearly going to lose. Rightly so, the title needed to switch to Bella. If she didn’t win it now, she never would. Her momentum is high and the title win seems to have repair the Bellas recent split. Is that lovely? False rumours continue to swirl around AJ including a family beginning for her and former WWE star and husband CM Punk. Whether true or not, AJ had to lose to enhance the division and make both performers meaningful. The problem was making it entirely brief. Both could have showed what they are capable of to earn true respect from fans with levels of excitement as well.

The team battle sold a lot of new talent and used Mark Henry well. It gave them allsoemthing and none really outstayed their welcome. Well, almost all. Dolph Ziggler only stayed so long because Sheamus was originally intended to be in his place. With a real injury Ziggler was the only back up option WWE had. Ever the dependable beau, Ziggler is nothing more than fodder for WWE. That is never a quality for any star to be placed into. His action is weak and desperate. WWE should have re-made the show with more of Cesaro, Axel, Sandow and Lesnar/Cena/Rolllins. Maybe next month, then.

WWE could launch a new group if it bothered, but it doesn't wish too. A supergroup of Cesaro, Orton and Axel would be good, but WWE would have to switch them and figure out new ways forward. Difficult when stuck in the past.

Fire Ryback. For real. He won’t ever grow. Do it now.

Ambrose and Wyatt was an epic challenge making the best of both young and developing stars. Wyatt can’t win all the time to give his opponents a chance, but WWE need to present him stronger as a supernatural being that has higher meaning than average man.

Post Survivor Series is often the ‘Wrestlemania season’ in terms of WWE planning. Holding Lesnar off till a defence in April is far too long for an absent title, no matter how invincible he seems. This direction was not thought through properly and hence this is the shabby result. Plus having a star who is secretly planning to jump, no matter how much we love him, is not acceptable as leading champion. Careful how cards are played Brock and WWE, this is 2004 all over again.

Once again, it was missed opportunities with a cheap plug of Sting to try and sell the Network pulling wool over fan eyes as entertaining. If the fans are willing to allow themselves to be duped then WWE will be laughing all the way to the bank. The only problem is that not only will WWE, the stars and the wrestling business suffer, the fans will not get any entertainment business or value. This is because they placed themselves into the bracket of accepting whatever bone is thrown to them. Now WWE will plan to feed anything it wants and expect you to willingly accept anything on offer.

© Max Waltham 25^th November 2014