Rasslin’ Roundtable – WWE Survivor Series 2010 PPV

It’s WWE’s Thanksgiving tradition!!!! Oops, sorry, I got too caught up in the old school week this week has. Still, it’s one of WWE’s Big Four PPV events and Orton vs. Barrett is one of the most anticipated and unpredictable main event matches in the past year, or even more. The Pulse team (With Steven’s special guest Will Shakespeare) is here with our picks for this year’s Survivor Series.

William Shakespeare: “Why, then, to-night / Let us assay our plot; which, if it speed, / Is wicked meaning in a lawful deed” (All’s Well That Ends Well, Act 3, Sc7)
Steven Gepp: I think this is the night Cena turns heel. I hope it’s a completely batsh*t crazy heel, but I think he turns heel and there’s a new kid on the championship block.
Winner: Wade Barrett

Chris Biscuiti: I think Rowdy Roddy Piper deserves a huge assist here for really hyping this match up perfectly during the last Raw segment/overrun. Honestly, this is the most interesting WWE main event since HBK vs. Taker at WrestleMania, and I like the fact that a) there’s so much at stake; and b) something interesting HAS to happen. There have been so many theories people have shared with me this week, so let me run a few down: 1) Orton punts Cena in the head or gives him the RKO and uses Cena’s limp hand to count the 1-2-3 himself to retain the title; 2) Barrett gets the win, Cena beats the Holy Hell out of him after being freed from Nexus, and Miz then cashes in MITB to win over Barrett, thereby giving us two first-time WWE champions in one night; 3) David Otunga rebels against Nexus and costs Barrett the title with help from Cena/Orton; 4) Cena calls it down the middle until the very end, turns on Orton, counts the 1-2-3, and then leaves Nexus a free but changed man; or 5) The main event is changed to a dance-off between Orton and Barrett, with Cena, R-Truth, and Scotty 2 Hotty as judges. As tempting as scenario #5 is, I’ll go with #2 as my prediction.
Winner and new champion(s): Wade Barrett, who then loses to The Miz in AWESOMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEE fashion.

Randy Orton (C) vs. Wade Barrett (with special guest referee John Cena – If Barrett wins, Cena is free from Nexus. if Orton wins, Cena is fired)
Mark Allen: Wow did that Piper’s Pit actually get me excited about this match. That was the most successful go home segment for a WWE main event on a PPV in a long time. So many things can come of this. Cena screws Orton and turns heel to give Barrett the win. Cena plays it straight and Orton wins and Cena is “fired.” Cena screws up and lets Orton win. Plus you have to factor in The Miz and the Money in the Bank briefcase. I think the punchline is that by the end of the month there will be a 40th WWE Champion, whether its Barrett or Miz. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say Cena turns heel and helps Barrett win.
Winner – Barrett

Raffi Shamir: For the past 13 years, Survivor Series has been synonymous with one word – screwjob. Will WWE resist the urge to deliver a screwjob in the main event, on the first Survivor Series since Bret Hart’s return to the company? I doubt it. But that’s not the only reason I believe Cena will turn on Orton. WWE did not want to turn Cena heel until now because they knew that this requires a grand stage and not just any minor PPV. It required a big four and the right angle, and the stars are aligned perfectly for a Cena turn on Survivor Series – Orton is already well established as WWE’s top face; John Cena does not have to be a member of Nexus if he turns heel since he actually wins his freedom by doing so; Even if he does align with Nexus, we got the shot of him in Nexus gear last week to get the audience used to this visual; After last Monday night, a Cena heel turn will seem even more effective as he’ll be spitting in the face of Roddy Piper and the other legends; Barrett does not have to remain champion because Miz can cash in his contract to make this a truly historic and awesome Survivor Series. Everything seems so right for a Cena turn, and while my mind tells me that WWE are still scared of this concept and would rather continue with the safe road they had so far, I’ll go with my heart this time.
Winner: Wade Barrett

Kyle Sparks: If Barrett doesn’t win, then pretty much the entire build has been useless. The only drama will be if Cena turns all the way or if Miz cashes in his briefcase. Personally, if I’m Miz, I wait until WrestleMania and call my shot in advance, but that’s just me.
Winner: Wade Barrett – NEW WWE Champion

William Shakespeare: “I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. / Hear it not…for it is a knell / That summons thee to heaven or to hell.” (Macbeth, Act 2 Sc 1)
Steven Gepp: Okay, Kane’s had his ‘thank-you’ title reign. Can we now please take the belt off him? I like Edge at the moment, his war on stupidity, his face-ness despite still being essentially a dick. Letting these guys become faces because the crowd wants to cheer them, but not changing their personalities is a smart move. Having anyone fight Kane is not.
Winner: Edge

Chris Biscuiti: I really feel like Kane has run his course as Big Gold Belt holder, and Edge has really come back from the brink of irrelevance after kicking the crap out of the GMail (TM Andy Wheeler) and then getting moved back to SmackDown where he can simply be himself now instead of a forced babyface. I would love to see Edge back on top, with the hopes that Swagger re-emerges in the main event picture to chase him for the belt.
Winner and new champion: Edge

Mark Allen: Don’t care and basically time filler for the SmackDown main event. The show badly needs to be shaken up at the top of the card. Let’s say Kane retains, which builds to a rematch the next month.
Winner – Kane

Raffi Shamir: I hated Kane’s title reign since day one and four months later my feelings haven’t changed. Edge has done an amazing job in re-inventing himself and getting the crowd behind him that it’s now so easy to forget the first eight months of 2010. Please do the right thing here.
Winner: Edge

Kyle Sparks: Apparently next month is TLC, which screams Edge. Look for Kane to win here, since Edge has gotten the best of him at almost every turn, and to push the feud into December, where Edge can pick up the title and build towards WrestleMania.
Winner: Kane – STILL World Heavyweight Champion

William Shakespeare: “…misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.” (The Tempest, Act 2, Sc 2)
Steven Gepp: Marella and Kozlov are now the number one contenders to the tag titles. The tag team situation is so bad that these two are the best of the rest? Really? I do not think this match is going to reach any great heights, I’m afraid.
Winner: Nexus

Chris Biscuiti: This will be a match where Nexus can show their dominance at the expense of a comedy act that will not suffer any damage when they lose. This *HAS* to be a thank you to Santino for being comedy gold the past three years, right? They can’t really make he and Kozlov tag champions, can they? For the entire integrity of the Nexus angle, I hope not.
Winners and still champions: Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater

Mark Allen: What a crap match for the PPV. Why aren’t The Nexus (the company’s only true stable) in an elimination match against RAW’s midcard babyfaces?
Winner – The Nexus

Raffi Shamir: Really? Santino and Kozlov are the number one contenders? Really? IS there a better opportunity to use WTF than this one? If Nexus doesn’t annihilate them it will be sad.
Winners: Nexus

Kyle Sparks: Even if the Nexus folds, there’s no reason to split up Gabriel & Slater; they’re a solid unit with room for growth.
Winner: The Nexus – STILL Tag Team Champions

William Shakespeare: “When shall we three meet again? / In thunder, lightning, or in rain? /…When the hurlyburly’s done; / When the battle’s lost and won. (Macbeth, Act 1, Sc 1)
Steven Gepp: This has to end, doesn’t it? Natalya has to win here, doesn’t she? And LayCool have to break up and feud with one another, don’t they? And then Natalya can turn heel with Tyson Kidd, ready for some actually decent female matches once Beth Phoenix returns as the conquering heroine. Two women who look legitimately like they can kill you, out there, wrestling. What will they think of next?
Winner: Natalya

Chris Biscuiti: I think they finally pull the trigger on Natalya winning the Divas Championship, with help from a returning Beth Phoenix. Then we will get Lay-Cool vs. Natty/Beth for a little while, and then the requisite Natty/Beth tension followed by a Natty/Beth match, or perhaps a Fatal Fourway of some kind. Here’s my “kind of relevant but more of a sidenote” question of the day: Can someone remind me why Gail Kim is in WWE again?
Winner and new champion: Natalya

Mark Allen: This is Nattie’s third title shot in a row. She needs to win now or go home. But it looks as if they are just biding time until Beth Phoenix comes back.
Winner – LayCool
Raffi Shamir: If Natalya doesn’t win here, then she’ll be branded as one of the biggest losers in the WWE. She had chance after chance and with the breakup of the Hart Dynasty, it’s time for her to stand on her own as the Divas champion and not the valet of Smith & Kidd.
Winner: Natalya

Kyle Sparks: Look for LayCool to win here and for the title(s) to be on the line in some kind of tag match next month where the winner of the fall wins the undisputed title.
Winner: LayCool

William Shakespeare: “The fault… is not in our stars, / But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” (Julius Caesar, Act 1, Sc 2)
Steven Gepp: At least we get one! This is the ‘put as many undercard guys on the show for the payday as possible’ match, usually reserved for a battle royal. Some great dynamics here. Rhodes and McIntyre on the same team. Del Rio has an issue with half the Mysterio team. Big Show in there. Yeah, I’m looking forward to this match and I don’t care who knows it.
Winner: Tough call, but: Team Mysterio

Chris Biscuiti: I am very happy that WWE has at least one traditional Survivor Series match on the card. This one’s for Bragging Rights, right? Actually, I am pretty happy with Alberto Del Rio’s schtick thus far, and I absolutely love Cody Rhodes’ “Dashing” rebirth. In fact, SmackDown has shown some real signs of life on the mid-card front, and everyone in this match can be a difference-maker, outside of Chris Masters and Tyler Reks, of course. I like Alberto and Company in a statement victory that Del Rio could use more than Mysterio on the Survivor Series stage.
Winners: Team Del Rio

Mark Allen: Love, love, love that there is actually an elimination match on the namesake show for elimination matches. The teams are actually pretty fun too, but I wonder why there isn’t a RAW elimination match too.
Winners – Team Mysterio

Raffi Shamir: Ditto on the “happy there’s at least one of those matches” front. Is it racist to wish that Alberto’s team will all come out of the trunk of his car? Regardless, his team looks much better than Rey’s, even with Big Show there. Del Rio needs a solid PPV victory and to eliminate some WWE big names, so I predict he’ll get rid of both Rey and Show and lead his team to victory.
Winners: Team Del Rio

Kyle Sparks: Yuck. No idea. Lots of heels going over here, so call for Team Mysterio to get the win after they get Del Rio’s team down to about a 3-on-1 and Del Rio walks off for the countout.
Winner: Team Mysterio (Mysterio, Show & MVP survive)

William Shakespeare: “There is a tide in the affairs of men. / Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; / Omitted, all the voyage of their life / Is bound in shallows and in miseries.” (Julius Caesar, Act 4, Sc 3)
Steven Gepp: Sheamus has been one of the great break-out WWE stars of the past few years, and it looks like Morrison is finally going to step up to the plate. This is going to be his make or break match for a while, I think, and as such I don’t think he’s going to mess it up. I fully expect to be thoroughly entertained by this match, to see one starship pain that misses, and to see an intense brawl from these two.
Winner: Sheamus (but Morrison will win in other ways)

Chris Biscuiti: Speaking of the mid-card front, this match has potential to elevate Morrison while keeping Sheamus as a mid-card / main event “tweener” who can move up and down as needed. After weeks of Morrison getting the upper hand, I think Sheamus gets the win but they both come out looking like stars.
Winner: Sheamus

Mark Allen: If John Morrison can break on through to the other side (sorry I had to say it) he needs to win this match. With TLC right around the corner they have an easy option for a rematch down the line. But Sheamus still needs to get a hold of Santino to truly blow this whole thing off. JoMo wins this one thanks to Santino, which leads to Sheamus killing Santino on RAW and a rematch at TLC.
Winner – JoMo

Raffi Shamir: Sadly, I’ve been getting “Samoa Joe” vibes from John Morrison, in that just like TNA kept having false pushes for Joe and when they finally gave him the championship it was too little too late, Morrison might be in the same position in WWE. After WWE failed to push him properly in 2009, it’s hard for me to get excited about his current push because I don’t want to be disappointed again. As successful as his recent run on top has been, I’m not sure that Sheamus has reached a position where he can lose and still maintain his status, so I think this will not end here and that he will get at least one pin on Morrison before the tables turn.
Winner: Sheamus

Kyle Sparks: I know Sheamus is established and all, but Morrison has gotten the best of him at LITERALLY every turn. Morrison simply can’t win here.
Winner: Sheamus

William Shakespeare: “With too much blood and too little brain these two may / run mad…” (Troilus And Cressida, Act 5, Sc 1)
Steven Gepp: Dolph has improved greatly, Kaval is well known and well schooled in the indies, this should be a great match! If they are going to unite titles, who better then than Kaval to take it and then fight Daniel Bryan (US Champ) for the whole kit and caboodle. Which, if they give them time, will probably steal WM27. So let’s hope they give them real time, not Punk-Mysterio WM time. Potential MOTN. Looking forward to this one!
Winner: Kaval

Chris Biscuiti: Kaval cashing in his guaranteed PPV title match opportunity against Dolph Ziggler might not make much sense when he could save that chance for World Heavyweight Championship match down the line, but I am still looking forward to this one nonetheless. I think Ziggler retains because Kaval has absolutely no momentum right now (has he even won a match on SmackDown yet?) while Dolph has had a pretty successful run as Intercontinental Champ.
Winner and still champion: Dolph Ziggler

Mark Allen: Talk about a stellar build to this match (cough). This is just an excuse to get rid of Kaval’s NXT Championship clause. Dolph’s too hot to lose the belt right now.
Winner – Dolph

Raffi Shamir: Last month Dolph stole the show with Daniel Bryan and now he gets a chance to do it again with another indi darling in Kaval. After all of Dolph’s losses to Bryan, Kaval will pay the price in order to keep Ziggler as hot as he is.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Kyle Sparks: As much as I’d love to say Kaval, I just don’t see them putting the title on him yet. At least, not this month.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler – STILL IC Champion

William Shakespeare: “…what would you undertake, / To show yourself your father’s son in deed / More than in words?” (Hamlet, Act 4 Sc 7)
Steven Gepp: I actually thought Ted Jr was going to be another breakout star, but he has seen his star fade as Cody’s has (strangely) risen, and then to be taken over by Barrett, Kaval, Bryan… Poor guy. I also get the feeling that Bryan is now being used to help get some guys just to lift their game in the ring. A feud against him seems to be the way of getting some people looking and reacting better. Of course, I don ‘t really know, and it’s probably too early to tell. However, I expect this to be more than just watchable and hopefully Ted is up to the challenge.
Winner: Daniel Bryan

Chris Biscuiti: Ted DiBiase Jr. FINALLY can move forward now that he got rid of the Million Dollar Belt by giving it back to its rightful owner. It’s almost as if that Belt was his Albatross, his burden, his “Pearl” (Steinbeck anyone?). With that said, I think Ted still has a lot of refocusing to do, and Bryan has been too impressive to have him give up the U.S. strap at the moment. Besides, doesn’t anyone else think a Bryan-Ziggler title unification match is in the works?
Winner and still champion: Daniel Bryan

Mark Allen: This feud is literally days old. Ted shouldn’t win yet. Build it up a bit.
Winner – Bryan

Raffi Shamir: How good was it to hear Jim Ross (try to overcome Michael Cole’s ramblings and) call a Daniel Bryan match? I wish we had more opportunities like that. With the absolutely no build-up that this match had (And it might not even make it to the card), it would be a shame to switch the title since it would not mean a thing. Besides, Daniel Bryan is on fore as US champion so I want to see his run go as long as possible.
Winner: Daniel Bryan

Kyle Sparks: Bryan’s in great shape, getting solid pops, and there’s no reason to derail him here.
Winner: Daniel Bryan – STILL US Champion

That’s it for this roundtable. Be sure to visit Pulse Wrestling on Sunday night for live, up to the minute coverage of WWE Survivor Series 2010.