WWE Survivor Series 2014: Best Finishes for Each Match on the Card

The main event at Survivor Series on Sunday will be all about the finish.

WWE has made this much clear, because by night's end Team Authority will no longer be the Authority, or each member of Team Cena will be fired. 

Whether these stipulations hold up is anybody's guess, but they should be enough to draw a healthy audience for a free show. A free crowd looking for a reason to subscribe to the WWE Network for pay-per-views should discourage WWE from any ambiguous finishes.

That audience will also enjoy a host of matches that should exceed mediocre buildups due to the Survivor Series elimination main event.

Bray Wyatt and Dean Ambrose should be safe bets to steal the show, while the feud between the Bellas will make for a compelling backstory for a Divas Championship match that, in and of itself, may be the real subplot.

The success of Survivor Series will ultimately be judged by how it finishes. And the right finishes for each match will contribute to an entertaining show.

Pre-Show: Fandango vs. TBA

WWE has announced the return of a "new and improved" Fandango, who will be resurfacing on WWE programming after falling off the grid for months.

After such a long absence, it would behoove the young star to reinvent himself, with a departure from his ballroom dancer gimmick that gradually burned out after a hot start.

Regardless of Fandango's opponent—my guess is Heath Slater—Fandango should be showcased in a new light, possibly as a tougher and more aggressive heel. 

Best Finish: Fandango shows up in traditional wrestling gear and wins with a flying leg drop.

Divas Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match

WWE has thrown together its annual default Survivor Series elimination match with the Divas division.

With no strong babyfaces or heels on either side, fans won't be connected to this match, and it is destined to be slotted in a popcorn role.

Compared to the Team Cena vs. Team Authority main event, there are minimal storylines to draw from in this match. Even the feud between Alicia Fox and Paige, the de facto team captains, is in its early stages.

This should be quick and painless at best.

Best Finish: Team Paige wins. Paige is the sole survivor after attacking her own teammates at one point.

Gold and Stardust vs. the Miz and Damien Mizdow vs. the Usos vs. Los Matadores

WWE currently has three tag teams that are more than capable of carrying the championships, plus Los Matadores.

Gold and Stardust are recent champions and still have a lot of juice left in their current reigns, but Miz and Damien Mizdow are quickly gaining momentum as potential tag team champions behind the growing popularity of Miz's stunt double. Meanwhile, the Usos can already make a case as being the greatest tag team of the copper-belt era.

This match would be a better fit for Survivor Series, and could build more drama, as an elimination-style tag team match. But despite being announced on the go-home show, this showdown doesn't seem quite as rushed given the cohesiveness of each team.

Best Finish: Gold and Stardust retain the tag team title after a miscue from Miz and Mizdow.

AJ Lee vs. Nikki Bella

The feud between AJ Lee and Nikki Bella has been underwhelming, but the Bella feud has been much more interesting as Brie continues to serve as Nikki's servant. In fact, the Divas Championship match seems to serve as a backdrop for the Bellas, as Brie's actions will likely decide the outcome.

Brie is becoming less subordinate as her servitude nears its end, even pinning Nikki Monday on Raw. WWE looks to be gearing up for another Bellas match as the two continue to be at odds even during a time period when Brie must obey everything Nikki says.

Regardless of the outcome, the story of this match will center on the more intriguing Bella storyline rather than the Divas Championship. 

Best Finish: Brie Bella costs Nikki Bella the Divas Championship by screwing up a twin magic spot.

Bray Wyatt vs. Dean Ambrose

Bray Wyatt and Dean Ambrose have tried to do the most with what they've been given, but this just isn't their pay-per-view.

WWE's Team Cena vs. Team Authority has affected the entire locker room, as The Authority rules with an iron fist and threatens those who go against it.

This creates a weird dynamic for the Wyatt-Ambrose storyline, as the two have basically operated in a separate, parallel world where neither faction (Team Cena or Team Authority) exists. The result is an awkward feud that hasn't seemed to click yet.

The best bet for these two rising stars is to have the best match on the show, so fans can further invest in their feud moving forward. A case could be made for either WWE Superstar winning the first singles pay-per-view match between these two.

Best Finish: Bray Wyatt wins with smoke, mirrors and Sister Abigail.

Team Cena vs. Team Authority

WWE has done the best job it can to build gang warfare into a potential game-changing main event. According to stipulations, either Team Authority will be out of power, or every member of Team Cena will be fired.

The best finish for this match comes down to what will create the more intriguing storyline. It seems too early to see Stephanie McMahon and Triple H eat crow, especially because they did just that following WrestleMania XXX earlier this year.

By the same token, fans have been conditioned not to take "firing" storylines seriously, as most main eventers who are fired are reinstated weeks later.

Should each member of Team Cena be fired, expect a subsequent (non-Cena) heel turn or two among the team in order to justify reinstatement.

Don't cry for Cena if he gets fired. He'd be reinstated too, simply for being John Cena.

Best Finish: Team Authority wins after outside interference from Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble.

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