Ryan Dilbert's 10-Count: Survivor Series Can't Be the John Cena Show

1. Survivor Series Is a Chance to Inject New Energy into WWE

WWE can't turn Survivor Series into a showcase of Cena's resiliency and uncanny ability to pull off a comeback. We've seen that movie before.

The company is looking to sell fans on the WWE Network and the product as a whole. Going with the script everyone can see coming won't do that.

You can see it unfolding already. Cena's team goes down one by one, leaving him to fight The Authority alone. He somehow overcomes four-to-one odds and is the one to bring The Authority's reign to an end.

Rather than have Cena do the Superman impression we've seen so many times, Team Cena vs. Team Authority is an opportunity to highlight WWE's rising talents, resurrect Ryback's career and/or elevate Dolph Ziggler to main event status.

Among the more daring options is to have Cena ousted early. No one is expecting that. Beyond creating a stunning moment, it would give whoever takes him out a huge rub.

WWE can have Rusev or Ryback go on a tear much like Roman Reigns did last year. It can have Erick Rowan vs. Luke Harper be a key part of this story. It can have Survivor Series propel Ziggler as it did for Randy Orton in years past.

The Viper began with a great record at the event, emerging as the sole survivor in 2004 and 2005 and being on the winning side of Team Bischoff vs. Team Austin in 2003. It's not the well-established Cena who needs feats like that.

Having Ziggler be the one to remove The Authority from power alters his career far more powerfully.

He already has one sole survivor win on his resume. Adding another one here, with the stakes this high, makes him a bigger star. And it leaves fans abuzz about seeing change, unsure of what to expect next.

2. Throwback Promo of the Week: Randy Savage

A man who competed in the first-ever Survivor Series match is getting some love from the WWE production team. WWE produced a feature on Savage's life and career entitled, Macho Man: The Randy Savage Story.

The WWE Network is offering a first look at it. It's fantastic.

A big part of the appeal of the special is reliving some of Savage's powerful mic work. He was captivating, unique and an elite trash-talker. Take his rant against Tito Santana in 1985 as evidence:

In one of his more subdued performances, Savage balances goofy and intense. He pulls out props to aid him, including a "crying towel" for his opponent. It's also noteworthy how important his pursuit of the Intercontinental Championship feels.

He says, "Nothing matters but the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship belt." That's something we need to here more often from today's stars.

3. A Look at Kane's Record at Survivor Series

Kane has been a steady presence at the pay-per-view, appearing in his first one back in 1995. He is set to wrestle for the 16th time at Survivor Series.

Year	Opponent(s)	Result	Notes
1995	Undertaker, Savio Vega, Henry Godwinn, Fatu	Loss	Wrestled as Isaac Yankem, Elimination match
1996	Flash Funk, Jimmy Snuka, Savio Vega, Yokozuna	Win	Wrestled as Diesel, Elimination match
1997	Mankind	Win
1998	Undertaker	Loss
1999	X-Pac	Win
2000	Y2J	Win
2001	Team Alliance	Win	Elimination match
2002	Shawn Michaels, Rob Van Dam, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Booker T	Loss	Elimination Chamber
2003	Shane McMahon	Win	Ambulance match
2005	Team SmackDown	Loss	Elimination match
2006	Team Big Show	Win	Elimination match
2007	Team Umaga	Win	Elimination match
2008	Team HBK	Loss	Elimination match
2010	Edge	Draw
2012	Team Ziggler	Loss	Elimination match

That's over half of the events in its history. 

His overall win-loss record (8-6-1) isn't as remarkable as the fact that he's been involved in so many of the most important Survivor Series matches to date.

He was on Team WWF when it toppled The Alliance. He battled in the first-ever Elimination Chamber match. He competed in the WWE title tournament at Survivor Series 1998.

Kane is the only man from that tourney who is still on the full-time roster today. His longevity continues to awe.

4. The Miz's School of Performance 

WWE is milking every drop of fun it can out of the The Miz and Damien Mizdow duo.

Fans are used to seeing them goof around in the ring, Mizdow stealing the spotlight in the process. The company put together its second video lesson from The Miz's School of Performance.

It's even better than the first edition. The twosome has shown some signs of tensions of late, but here's hoping WWE keeps them together for a good while longer. They remain one of the most entertaining elements in WWE right now. 

5. Tag Team Division Too Dependent on Comedy

If you have The Miz and Mizdow goofing around, you don't also need Los Matadores putting on cartoon voices while they provide commentary. If you have the amusingly dysfunctional duo of Heath Slater and Titus O'Neil, you don't also need a man in a bunny suit teaming with Adam Rose.

The four-team collision set for Survivor Series highlights just how much silliness is in the tag division right now.

It promises to have Mizdow's mirroring antics, Stardust hissing and hopping around and a mini-bull getting involved at ringside. That's an overload of comic relief.

Credit: WWE.com

There needs to be more warriors, more dark teams to balance all that out. Remember, WWE, you have The Ascension waiting down at NXT.

6. Sami Zayn vs. Adrian Neville, a Rivalry with a Long Shelf Life

Zayn and Neville put on another excellent showing together on last week's NXT. Thanks to Neville stealing a win by way of pinning his foe while the referee was checking on him, it's certain to not be the last time they meet.

That's welcome news. 

Their chemistry is the kind that WWE needs to tap into again and again. It's a rivalry that stretches back to both men's days on the indy circuit and has the potential to be one of those that the company turns to regularly over the course of several years.

Their ring styles mesh well—speed gelling with speed, mat wrestling merging with high-flying moves. They click together at a level we don't see often.

Years from now, when both men are well-established members of the WWE's top tier, we're going to see their unending feud in the same light as Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels.

7. Divas in Line for a Title Shot via Their Win-Loss Records

WWE certainly doesn't always decide the next title contender by who has been winning the most. Storylines and wanting to push a wrestler often take precedent.

Taking just the Divas' recent wins and losses into account, there's one clear option for who should take on the winner of Nikki Bella vs. AJ Lee at Survivor Series—Paige.

She may not get that chance because she's been in the title hunt so much lately, but WWE has booked her like a worthy challenger. She has the best record in singles competition since the beginning of September.

The top four Divas in terms of win-loss record from September to present are as follows:

• Paige: 8-3
• Brie Bella: 4-3
• Alicia Fox: 5-7
• Naomi: 4-5

If Nikki wins, Brie is the more obvious choice with as much focus as their rivalry has received. It would be fun, though, to see WWE give Naomi a bit more momentum with a winning streak and put her in the hunt.

We know for sure that the company isn't considering Cameron for a crack at the gold. She hasn't won a one-on-one match since Aug. 4.

All match statistics courtesy of CageMatch.net.

8. Underrated Survivor Series Matches

The Heartbreak Kid's emotional win inside the Elimination Chamber first pops up in many minds when thinking of the best Survivor Series matches.

With the WWE Network available for free, there's never been a better time to rediscover the less-lauded bouts in the pay-per-view's history.

Here are five to seek out and savor:

• The Ultimate Warriors vs. The Heenan Family (1989)
• The Underdogs vs. The BodyDonnas (1995)
• Billy Kidman vs. Jamie Noble (2002)
• Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton (2007)
• Dolph Ziggler vs. John Morrison (2011)

9. Armchair Booking: Fandango

Fandango is back from an unexplained break from action. He will return to the ring on the Survivor Series pre-show, per WWE.com.

This is a good opportunity to introduce the repackaged trio of Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E. Have Fandango come out to the ring and talk about no one having the grace that he does, that nobody is on his level.

In walks Woods and company. They outshine him with an entrance that includes a choir backing them. Woods tells Fandango that things will be different in WWE from now on. It's a new day, he says.

Woods gets an easy win and celebrates with Big E, Kingston and the choir. 

10. Edge on Short Matches

In an interview with AlternativeNation.net, Edge talked about The Attitude Era's penchant for short matches. He said, "It's not possible to have a good wrestling match in two minutes. You can't tell a story; you can tell a haiku."

Well said, sir. That's a truth WWE should take in, especially when it comes to Divas bouts.

10a. The Rise and Fall of the Ugandan Giant

Kamala was a barefoot savage adorned in face paint who terrorized wrestling's babyfaces for years. Peel back the persona and you find Jim Harris, a man from Mississippi who has a powerful story to tell.

Bleacher Report's Jason King wrote a fantastic article about Harris' career and current struggles.

Harris had both of his legs amputated due to complications from diabetes. As King details, Harris and his wife are struggling financially, the wrestler watching his medical bills accumulate. 

You can lend him a hand by donating to a GoFundMe page dedicated to helping Harris and his family.