WWE Survivor Series weekend is here, and with it comes four straight nights at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. The company will be producing their thirty-second event promoted under the WWE Survivor Series chronology on Sunday night, as WWE Survivor Series 2018 goes down live on pay-per-view and via the WWE Network.
Sunday’s big PPV features a stacked lineup with multiple world championship matches, as well as the best talents and rivalries from the RAW, SmackDown Live and 205 Live brands. The main event for WWE Survivor Series will feature WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar going one-on-one against WWE Champion Daniel Bryan in a “Champion vs. Champion” non-title showdown. For years now, Bryan has described “The Beast Incarnate” as a “dream opponent” for him, and after pulling off the shocking upset over A.J. Styles to capture the WWE Championship on the WWE Survivor Series “go-home” edition of SmackDown Live. In other featured bouts at the big event this Sunday, RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey meets Charlotte Flair in somewhat of another “dream match” pairing on a high-profile event. The match was put together days before the show due to Becky Lynch pulling out of the match after suffering injuries as a result of a stiff punch from Nia Jax on the “go-home” RAW show for the PPV on Monday night.
The traditional Survivor Series elimination matches will be featured this Sunday night as well, as there are the men’s singles, men’s tag-team and women’s singles bouts all scheduled for the show, and the men’s tag-team bout on the “Kickoff Show” pre-show leading into the PPV on the WWE Network.
Finally, rounding out the card will be a RAW Tag-Team Championship bout with The Bar defending against The Authors Of Pain, a WWE Cruiserweight Championship match with Buddy Murphy defending against Mustafa Ali and another “Champion vs. Champion” non-title showdown, as WWE Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins meets WWE United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura in what is sure to be a candidate for “Match of the Night.”
As is the case before every high-profile WWE and NXT event, SEScoops.com has you covered from all-angles with pre-show news and coverage leading right up to the event. Writers Andrew Ravens, Ian Carey and Jeff Moss have collaborated to produce their predictions and in-depth analysis for each match on the WWE Survivor Series PPV card. Without any further adieu, let’s jump into the SEScoops.com predictions roundtable for this year’s WWE Survivor Series PPV.
WWE SURVIVOR SERIES
The Bar vs. Authors Of Pain (RAW Tag Titles)
Andrew Ravens: A real toss-up here. Either team could go over in this contest but with the way that the WWE has been booking AOP since making their main roster debuts, they’ve kept them strong, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon especially with there not being any clear-cut challengers on the red brand. (Prediction: Authors Of Pain)
Ian Carey: The Bar can lose and it won’t be a big deal. The Authors of Pain, however, are being built up as monsters so it wouldn’t be advised to have them lose. The Bar will have Big Show on the outside, as he has seemingly become their 3rd member. Unless the match ends via DQ or count-out, I can’t see them having AOP lose. (Prediction: Authors Of Pain)
Jeff Moss: The part of this match that has to, no, NEEDS to happen is outside the ring when Big Show puts Drake Maverick in between two pieces of bread and devours him as part of his crazy giant-with-a-six-pack diet. Aside from that, I expect this match to be a good ol’ fashioned slobber-knocker. 3/4 participants are big dudes who like to hit stuff and Cesaro rounds out the foursome with his amazing ability to be, well, amazing. The Bar is going to take this simply because they have the dynamic of a brawler/wrestler as opposed to brawler/brawler. Also, experience plays a factor and the AOP are still pretty green on the Main Roster. I reserve the right to be surprised, but The Bar wins. (Prediction: The Bar)
CONSENSUS: 2-1, Authors Of Pain
Buddy Murphy vs. Mustafa Ali (WWE Cruiserweight Title)
Andrew: Buddy Murphy just won the title from Cedric Alexander at Super Show-Down, and it’s too early for him to drop the title especially to Mustafa Ali. I could be wrong with Ali, but he appears to be some who is in the title picture for a short amount of time before WWE goes in a different direction whether that means Alexander being back in the fold or having a new challenger. (Prediction: Buddy Murphy)
Ian: This is a tough one. I feel confident that title is eventually going on Lio Rush but that doesn’t appear to be the plan for the near-future. Rush suffered his first single’s loss on 205 Live this week when he was pinned by Cedric Alexander. It feels like you have to put the title on Ali at some point just because he has become the workhorse of the division. I just don’t see it happening on Sunday, however. (Prediction: Buddy Murphy)
Jeff: Does the winner of this match count as a win for Smackdown or Raw? I honestly don’t know. Bit, with the Tag-Team Elimination match taking place on the Kickoff show, could it be possible that the Cruiserweight title might be defended on an actual PPV? If it does, I hope these guys go out and completely blow the roof off the joint and show people that 205 Live is worth checking out. Murphy has re-invented himself so well in 205 and Ali is a terrific scrappy babyface. Give them 15 minutes and let them go. In terms of winners though, Murphy retains here to continue building him as a dominant champion and the King of The Cru— uh, the Man That Gravity Forg— er, … Buddy Murphy! (Prediction: Buddy Murphy)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Buddy Murphy
Men’s Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match
(TEAM RAW: Braun Strowman, Bobby Lashley, Finn Balor, Drew McIntyre & Dolph Ziggler vs. TEAM SMACKDOWN: Shane McMahon, Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy, Samoa Joe & The Miz)
Andrew: Another year with another Team RAW win. Yes,, that does sound like a broken record but that’s the way that Vince McMahon sees the brands with RAW being the top show at least until October of 2019 when SmackDown moves to FOX. Although, you have to give WWE credit for stacking both of these teams, which should make for a fun match. Strowman should have an outstanding performance and even might get physical with Baron Corbin, who is expected to be the team captain. (Prediction: Team RAW)
Ian: If Team Raw wins, Braun Strowman will be granted another Universal title opportunity and a match with Baron Corbin. If Smackdown wins…uh, Shane McMahon will be happy. The lack of stipulations surrounding a Smackdown win leaves me to believe Raw will pick up the victory here. We should find out more about what Shane McMahon’s future holds in this match as well. If he is going heel and is to play a bigger role in storylines moving forward, this will become apparent on Sunday. (Prediction: Team RAW)
Jeff: I should preface this by saying that I’ve never been a huge fan of the “traditional” Survivor Series matches. They rarely have any stakes or urgency and slapping the prize of “BRAND SUPREMACY” on them makes it sound like it’s a match between Disney and Coke. That said though, when I look at the members of these two teams, I can see some great matchups like Samoa Joe/Drew McIntyre, Finn Balor/Rey Mysterio and THE BEST WRESTLER IN THE WORLD Shane McMahon/The receiving end of Braun Strowman’s fist. RAW has won this matchup two years in a row and I think they’ve got the better team again this year. Unless there’s some shenanigans afoot, RAW’s going to win this and continue to… supremely brand themselves? I guess? (Prediction: Team RAW)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Team RAW
Women’s Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match
(TEAM RAW: Natalya, Mickie James, Nia Jax, Ruby Riott & Tamina vs. TEAM SMACKDOWN: Asuka, Carmella, Naomi, Sonya Deville & TBD)
Andrew: Another year with another Team RAW win. In last year’s match seeing the RAW brand winning, I don’t think anything changes. RAW is the flagship show of the company and really, the teams just have filler names on it. I think Asuka has a really good performance in this match but the numbers will get the best of her in order to allow RAW to prevail. (Prediction: Team RAW)
Ian: Team Smackdown will win this match after Team Raw implodes. Natalya and Ruby Riott will be on the same team this Sunday, and one of those two owes the other a nice pair of sunglasses. They will likely ditch the match and start fighting with each other. Tamina and Nia Jax could abandon the match altogether, as WWE won’t want either of them getting pinned for a while. I’m expecting the two of them to walk out on their partners, get counted out, or otherwise get eliminated from the match without getting pinned or submitted. Team Smackdown still has a member yet to be named. It could be Mandy Rose, it could be someone from NXT. Whoever it is, however, they are likely in line for a push if they are being kept secret. (Prediction: Team SmackDown)
Jeff: Given how much has happened in the last week within the women’s division on both shows, this is the one 5-on-5 match that I’m actually looking forward to. The seem really pissed off at each other and there’s some genuine excitement at the thought of these two teams squaring off. Will Nia Jax have to pay for what she did? Will Sonya Deville be the breakout star of the match? Will Tamina be able to get into the ring with out tripping? These are all interesting questions. While I’m usually firmly in the “Anything with Ruby Riott is the best” camp, I can only see Smackdown taking this one. Especially if we are keeping “score” on those Brand vs Brand matches. (Prediction: Team SmackDown)
CONSENSUS: 2-1, Team SmackDown
Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (Champion vs. Champion)
Andrew: This could be the best-worked match of the night and steal the show from a wrestling point of view. Rollins has been one of the most interesting star to follow thus far this year and although many would pick him to win, I think there is one factor missing, which is Dean Ambrose, who doesn’t have a match booked here. Thus, I have Nakamura going over with the help from Ambrose. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)
Ian: One guy is in a rivalry with another Superstar and one is not. Shinsuke Nakamura should pick up the victory here but only after some outside interference from Dean Ambrose. Ultimately, WWE will be able to keep both guys strong here as Nakamura will win the match and Rollins will only lose because of Ambrose, giving him motivation in his ongoing feud on Raw. Rollins really wanted this match which means he’s likely motivated to put on a good show. Expect this to be the show-stealer. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)
Jeff: If there is one match on the card that SHOULD be great, it’s this one. Rollins is easily the best thing going on RAW right now and we know what Nakamura is capable of when he shows up and the leash is loosened a bit. Nak has been in the background on Smackdown for too long and this is a great chance to remind people what he can do with someone who can keep up with him. Rollins can take the loss here (Either clean or via Ambrose interference) and still be the best thing on RAW, so it makes sense for Shinske to get the pin. If allowed to be, this could be another Nakamura/Zayn level match, we’ll just have to wait and see what they put into it. (Prediction: Shinske Nakamura)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Shinsuke Nakamura
Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair
Andrew: Well, Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair is happening earlier than originally expected and it’s a shame as many fans were looking forward to seeing Lynch take on Rousey. However, we have to deal with that. I actually think that Flair vs. Rousey is going to be a better match as Flair is arguably the best in-ring wrestler that the WWE has right now in the women’s division. Flair puts up a heck of a fight but falls to Rousey. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)
Ian: I have to imagine Rousey is going to pick up the victory here. It’s too early to have her lose, especially if they are hoping to put her in the WrestleMania main event this spring. Flair is on a losing streak as it is, having lost the title to Lynch and then failing to win it back again. Her drop in confidence has also been made a part of storyline, where she initially turned down a spot on the Smackdown Survivor Series team. A loss to Rousey simply allows them to continue with that story while Rousey moves her attention to Nia Jax before ultimately placing it back on Lynch before Mania. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)
Jeff: I was very surprised when Charlotte was named as Becky Lynch’s replacement in this match. WWE had been teasing and talking about Flair/Rousey being a Wrestlemania Main Event. This isn’t to say it still couldn’t be, but it seems strange to pit them against each other now if that’s still the plan for April. Then again, given how, uh, fluid, things have been with this show, I guess they felt they needed a big matchup like this to make up for losing the hottest performer in the company (Lynch). Rousey has shown she can be entertaining in the ring when she has someone to help her out a bit (She’s only been a pro wrestler for 10 months or sol) and Charlotte has developed into a cagey veteran who can do that. I expect Becky to be involved in the finish of the match to keep her in the spotlight, but in the end WWE’s not ready to hand Ronda her first singles loss just yet. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Ronda Rousey
Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Bryan (Champion vs. Champion)
Andrew: Daniel Bryan will finally get to take part in his dream match against Brock Lesnar, but unfortunately, I don’t see a way that he wins this match nor do I think he should. Yes, Bryan just turned heel and needs as much momentum as possible but no one is giving him a chance to win. Like it or not, being the Universal Champion means that you’re the top star in the company and currently, Lesnar is just that. (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Ian: Daniel Bryan was moved into this match after winning the WWE Championship and turning heel all in the same night on Tuesday. It seemed like Vince Russo was booking WWE again there were so many things happening at once. Once upon a time, Brock Lesnar was too squash Daniel Bryan in the SummerSlam main event. Something tells me that plan gets put back into place on Sunday only at Survivor Series instead. I’m expecting Lesnar to roll through Bryan without giving up much offense in return. (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Jeff: A dream matchup if there ever was one, and a matchup that Bryan has lobbied for a LOT. While the size difference between the two puts Bryan at a disadvantage, this is Heel Bryan we’re talking about, so he could find a way to win. Unfortunately for him, WWE isn’t going to let Brock eat a pin in a situation like this, so I think he will take the win in the end. But, that said, if anyone can pull a decent match out of Brock Lesnar at this point, it’s Daniel Bryan. Hopefully it’s not a straight-up squash and they can both look good in the end. (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Brock Lesnar
What do the experts think is going to happen on Sunday evening? Check out the official WWE Survivor Series betting odds. What do you think of the above WWE Survivor Series predictions? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section below, and make sure to join us here on Sunday evening for live play-by-play results coverage of the entire event.