WWE Survivor Series PPV Results: 11-18-18
Results courtesy of
PWTorch.com (direct link to Keller's real-time report).
Kickoff Show: The Usos won the 5 on 5 Raw vs. SmackDown Tag Team Survivor Series Match
(1) CARMELLA & NAOMI & ASUKA & MANDY ROSE & SONYA DEVILLE vs. MICKIE JAMES & TAMINA & NIA JAX & SASHA BANKS & BAYLEY (w/Alexa Bliss)
The Smackdown women came out one at a time. The announcers were shown on camera briefly, then commented on the Smackdown women’s invasion of Raw last week which led to the Becky Lynch injury. Then the Raw women made their ring entrances one at a time. Gigantic boos for Jax as she came out, of course not due to WWE’s booking of her as a heel or her heel promos, but rather her legit KO’ing of Becky. She blew on her fist and smiled. Cole said she has been bragging about what she did to Becky. Cole noted that due to a fight backstage between Natalya and Ruby Riott on the Kickoff Show, Alexa threw both of them off of her team and put Bayley and Sasha on Team Raw as their replacements.
Everyone fought five-on-five early as the ref tried to restore order. When Naomi kicked Jax, the crowd popped. Tamina superkicked Naomi and pinned her quickly. (ELIMINATION: Naomi via Tamina.)
Carmella then rolled up Tamina and eliminated her seconds later (ELIMINATION: Tamina via Carmella.)
Carmella then went into a dance break music played. Nia entered the ring. Cole said it’s #FaceBreaker in the ring. She went to schoolgirl Nia, but Nia didn’t budge. She lifted Carmella, then dropped her. Carmella tagged in Mandy. Cole asked Graves whether he was pro-Raw or pro-Smackdown. He said he’s objective except when it comes to Mandy Rose; he said he’s on her side no matter what. Naomi tagged in against Mickie next. Mickie scored a two count on Sonya after a Thesz Press. Sasha tagged herself in, with Mickie didn’t like. Mickie then tagged herself back in. Sonya landed a running knee, but Rose tagged herself in and scored the pin. (ELIMINATION: Mickie via Rose.)
Sonya seemed upset with the pin being stolen. alley then snuck in and schoolgirled Rose. When Cole said this was the first match in determining whether Raw or Smackdown would win, Graves pointed out there was a match on the Kickoff Show already. Bayley gave Carmella her Bayley-to-Belly for a three count. (ELIMINATION: Carmella via Bayley.)
It was back to three-on-three. Banks made Mandy tap to the bank Statement. (ELIMINATION: Rose via Banks.)
The good news the not-the-least-bit-entertaining “obsession” Graves has with Mandy Rose ends with that tapout. Sonya immediate charged in and went after Bayley. Bayley made a comeback and landed a running knee lift and eventually scored a two count. Jax broke up a pin attempt by Sonya seconds later. Lots of boos. Nia charged in the corner, but Sonya moved and Jax fell through the ropes to the floor. Asuka tacked her. Banks leaped onto Asuka at ringside. Bayley suplexed Sonja for a two count back in the ring at 10:00. Bayley and Sonya were counted out. (DOUBLE ELIMINATION: Bayley and Sonya.)
More boos for anything Nia did, and cheers when Asuka hip attacked her off the ring apron. Back in the ring, Asuka hit Sasha with a missile dropkick off the top rope for a two count. Fans chanted “Let’s Go Asuka!” No counter-chant for Sasha. They went through a nice sequence of counter moves as Nia rested at ringside. Sasha landed running double knees in the corner. Nia shoved Sasha off the top rope, and that gave Asuka an easy Asuka Lock opportunity for the tapout. (ELIMINATION: Sasha via Asuka.)
Nia entered and went after Asuka immediately with three leg drops. Lots of boos. Nia looked around. The camera showed a fan stand up and give er double middle fingers, then cut away quickly. Nia gave Asuka a Samoan Drop for the win. (ELIMINATION: Asuka via Jax.)
Alexa celebrated with Nia afterward, raising her arm in the air as Nia’s music played.
WINNER: Nia Jax “survived” to give Team Raw the winners in 15:00. (**3/4)
Solid action start to finish. Not super-memorable, but they delivered some solid chapters and the emphasis was on Nia. If there was any concern she’d be punished for hurting Becky and others in the past, or if WWE would try to capitalize on her KO rep and fan heat for the miscue as she marches toward a match with Ronda Rousey, this eliminated that.
(2) SETH ROLLINS vs. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA – Raw IC Champ vs. Smackdown U.S. Champ
Seth wore a half Raw t-shirt and half Seth t-shirt. Nakamura wore a Smackdown t-shirt and a blue Smurf-like jumpsuit underneath. Nakamura played psychological games early with Seth. Seth absorbed it and looked to adjust his mindset. Nakamura backdropped Seth onto the ring apron. Seth leg dropped the back of Nakamura’s neck and drove him head-first onto the ring apron. Seth went for a running dive, but Nakamura caught him mid-air with a round kick to the face. Graves said he doesn’t think Seth’s head is in this match because of the Dean Ambrose factor. Seth eventually dumped Nakamura over the top rope and then struck with a dive through the ropes, which connected this time. He did it again and hit it a second time. Fans chanted “One more time!” Seth went for it and hit it. Nakamura made a comeback and dominate for a couple minutes until Seth surprised him with a superkick for a two count.
Seth set up a buckle bomb, but Nakamura punched out of it and might have poked Seth’s eyes. He then stomped away at the back of Seth’s head. Seth snapped and went after Nakamura with a barrage of slaps to Nakamura’s head. Nakamura countered a Seth clothesline and rolled into a triangle. He had Seth’s arm stretched and head wrapped up with his legs. Seth lifted Nakamura and threw him into the turnbuckles in the corner. Seth stomped the mat and fans chanted “Burn it Down!” He kicked Nakamura. Nakamura head-butted Seth and then delivered a landslide for a two count. Seth climbed to the top rope, but Seth met him up there and delivered a quick superplex. He rolled through and landed the Falcon Arrow for a near fall.
They exchanged punches mid-ring. Nakamura stood and told Seth to bring it on. Nakamura countered with an elbow to the head and an axe kick followed by a sudden reverse exploder. Seth avoided a Kinshasa and then landed his Ripcord Knee for a two count. Both were slow to get up. Seth leaped off the top rope with a frog splash, but Nakamura moved. Nakamura landed a Kinshasa from behind for a believable near fall, which the crowd popped for. Things picked up quickly with back and forth big movers and counters including a Nakamura kick, but Seth avoiding a Kinshasa and landing the Stomp for the win.
WINNER: Rollins (representing Raw) in 22:00. (**3/4)
I had higher hopes, but I knew this was a possibility considering Nakamura’s inconsistent in-ring performances on the main roster and the lack of a personal issue between these two. This was probably five or so minutes longer than it should have been all things considered.
(3) THE BAR (Sheamus & Cesaro) vs. THE AUTHORS OF PAIN (Rezar & Aikem w/Drake Maverick)
AOP isolated Cesaro early in the match for a stretch. Sheamus then tagged in and dominated for a while. Drake stood on the ring apron to distract Sheamus as he was signaling for a Brogue Kick. Cesaro gave Rezar an uppercut and then Sheamus turned and delivered the planned Brogue Kick. Drake put Rezar’s foot on the bottom rope. Cesaro chased Drake at ringside until he bumped into Big Show. Show lifted Drake onto the ring apron and squeezed his throat. Drake pushed down on his pubic bone and suddenly it appeared he was peeing his pants. AOP then then powerbombed a distracted Sheamus for the win.
WINNERS: AOP.
That’s just groan-inducing. One of the dumbest finishes of all time. I think there was supposed to be more evidence of Drake peeing his pants. Drake kept rubbing the front of his pants in embarrassment as he retreated up the stage. Ugh. That match itself was a disappointment and nobody came out better off than when they entered.)
(4) BUDDY MURPHY vs. MUSTAFA ALI – WWE Cruiserweight Title match
Why not have the G.M.s from Raw and Smackdown “sponsor” one of the wrestlers to give this some stakes in the Survivor Series? A few minutes in, after a flip dive by Murphy outside of the ring, Ali rallied inside the ring with a head scissors spike and scored a near fall. Murphy shoved Ali off the top rope. Ali grabbed his jaw in pain. Ali took Murphy off the announce table with a Spanish Fly. He threw Murphy back into the ring and set up a 054. Murphy, though, countered with a kick and a running powerbomb followed by an unreleased sitout powerbomb for a near fall. “What a match!” declared Joseph. Fans gave them a “This is awesome!” chant. Murphy kneed Ali out of mid-air and then scored the pin.
WINNER: Murphy in 12:00 to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Title. (***)
Good action start to finish.