Big Show vs. Randy Orton: 4 Bold Predictions for Survivor Series Fight
The 2013 Survivor Series pay-per-view will be headlined by Big Show challenging Randy Orton for the WWE Championship.
It is the culmination of the fall and subsequent rise of the World's Largest Athlete.
Big Show was manipulated earlier this fall, then stood up for himself and was fired as a result. He threatened a lawsuit that would bankrupt the company and not only received his job back but was also awarded a WWE title shot.
Regardless of whether the storyline makes sense or fans are incredibly excited about the prospects of Big Show filling a spot that should be occupied by Daniel Bryan, the match is easily the most intriguing on the card from a pure booking standpoint.
Who will walk out of Survivor Series as WWE Champion? Will the evil, corrupt The Authority make his presence felt? What cliffhangers will present themselves leading into Monday Night Raw?
In preparation for Sunday's big, main event, here is a look at four bold predictions for the WWE Championship bout.
Prediction #1: The Match Will Exceed Expectations
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Despite the negativity surrounding the main event of Survivor Series, Randy Orton and Big Show are two veteran performers who have been in high-profile matches in the past and delivered exceptional performances in those situations.
Most notably, Big Show did so in October 2012 at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view when he defeated Sheamus for the World Heavyweight Championship in a legitimate show-stealing performance.
Orton has long been one of the best workers in World Wrestling Entertainment, consistently excelling in matches against WWE Superstars of all sizes, shapes and styles.
With a strong story behind them, increased pressure to deliver in the top spot on the card and what is sure to be a hot, motivating crowd inside Boston's TD Garden, there is no reason to suspect that the two main-event veterans will not thrive in the headlining bout of one of WWE's most prestigious events.
Regardless of the direction The Authority angle has taken since its inception back in August or how it will resolve itself in the weeks and months that follow, the in-ring action involving Orton, Daniel Bryan and The Shield, among others, has been exemplary.
In the middle of the biggest, hottest babyface push of his career, Big Show will deliver a performance that not only exceeds expectations but goes down in history as one of the best of his career.
Prediction #2: The Authority Really Won't Get Involved
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On the November 18 episode of Raw, Triple H revealed to WWE Champion Randy Orton that there will be no help, nor will there be any interference on his behalf, when he defends his title this weekend.
Usually, that would hint at interference anyway, but do not expect to see Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, The Shield or Kane appear during the main event on Sunday night.
The latest element of the storyline that has developed in recent weeks is the desperation Orton has exhibited as he prepares for his latest title defense. He has reached out to The Shield, Brad Maddox, Vickie Guerrero, Kane, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon for help with his Big Show problem and even questioned his ability to beat Show on his own.
The anger he expressed in the trainer's room shortly after being on the receiving end of a spear from his Survivor Series opponent was further proof that Orton may be cracking.
By forcing Orton to go it alone against Big Show, The Authority is ensuring that one of two things happens.
One sees the champion successfully retain his title by pinfall, submission or getting himself disqualified or counted out. The other sees Orton lose the title and, more importantly, his spot as the face of WWE.
Based on the way he has been treated by management over the last two weeks, it is not a stretch to say The Viper may be falling out of favor with The Authority.
If he leaves the TD Garden this Sunday without his title intact, he may fall out of favor permanently.
Regardless, expect to see Orton go it alone, just as Triple H said he would.
Prediction #3: Big Show Will Win the WWE Championship
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The boldest prediction I will make for this Sunday's Survivor Series is that Big Show will capture the WWE Championship in the night's main event.
For whatever reason, the company doesn't want Daniel Bryan being the Superstar to deliver a knockout blow—even if it is temporary—to The Authority and his dominant reign over the company.
Someone somewhere suggested that Big Show should be the guy, and Vince McMahon, the final decision maker and major supporter of his main-event stars, agreed.
Given the build up and everything his character has been unto this point, the giant has to win the WWE title and celebrate to close out this weekend's pay-per-view extravaganza. If he does not, the company will once again run the risk of alienating a fanbase that is growing bored with the heels constantly getting the upper hand over the babyfaces.
That is why I believe the company will send fans home happy Sunday night.
By the end of Raw the following night, however, Orton will have regained the title and he and The Authority will celebrate to close out the show.
Why? Because the company has been treating pay-per-view events as setups for Raw. What better way to deliver ratings in the face of competition from Monday Night Football, featuring a matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins, than by booking a title change to cap off the show?
In this scenario, Big Show will get his feel-good moment to close out the pay-per-view, while Orton will get back the title he lost the night before.
The only person to look weak in the scenario is Orton, but, at this point, he has been made to look weak so many times in his latest heel run that it's essentially commonplace.
Prediction #4: Controversy Will Abound
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WWE has not met a controversial pay-per-view finish it has not liked over the last four months, and that will not change with the Survivor Series.
Yes, I predicted Big Show will win the WWE title, and yes, I predicted that no one will come to Orton's aid during the match. That does not mean, however, that a rough bump, a missed call or a foot on or under the rope cannot create enough doubt in the legitimacy of Show's win to warrant a title rematch the following night on Raw.
Perhaps fired referee Scott Armstrong plays a role in the match, counting Orton's shoulders to the mat and once again calling into question a decision going against The Viper.
Whatever the company decides is irrelevant in terms of supporting my argument.
With the history of the Survivor Series being a hotbed for controversial angles and finishes, a storyline that has been as controversial as the one involving Triple H and Stephanie McMahon's rise to power in WWE is just begging for an eventful finish that creates more questions than answers and has fans discussing the show the following morning.
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