WWE Survivor Series 2016 Matches: Full Card Breakdown, Bold Predictions and More
For the first time since the Montreal Screwjob in 1997, Survivor Series returns to Canada, this time at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. WWE Survivor Series 2016 is heavily defined by the recent brand split, with Raw and SmackDown going to war to prove which brand is superior.
The best of the men, women and tag teams will face off while SmackDown and Raw put the Intercontinental Championship and Cruiserweight Championship, respectively, on the line against a member of the opposite brand. If that wasn't enough for this pay-per-view, Goldberg returns to the ring for one more match against the most dominant monster in WWE today, Brock Lesnar.
This is the current WWE Survivor Series 2016 card:
- The Brian Kendrick vs. Kalisto (Cruiserweight Championship)
- The Miz vs. Sami Zayn (Intercontinental Championship)
- Team Raw (The New Day, Enzo Amore and Big Cass, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, Cesaro and Sheamus and The Shining Stars) vs. Team SmackDown (Heath Slater and Rhyno, American Alpha, The Usos, The Hype Bros and Breezango) in a 10-on-10 Elimination Match
- Team Raw (Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Nia Jax and Alicia Fox) vs. Team SmackDown (Nikki Bella, Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, Carmella and Naomi) in a Five-on-Five Elimination Match
- Team Raw (Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman) vs. Team SmackDown (AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton and Shane McMahon) in a Five-on-Five Elimination Match
- Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg
This card is fairly short for an apparent four-hour event, so this will force WWE to put full effort into highlighting every match. The elimination matches may each be 30 minutes long, with Goldberg vs. Lesnar also being heavily highlighted.
The following is a complete breakdown of the Survivor Series 2016 card, including overviews, story breakdowns and predictions based on the past few weeks of Raw and SmackDown.
The Brian Kendrick vs. Kalisto (WWE Cruiserweight Championship)
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Overview
The cruiserweight division has been in need of a change. Even with Raw's three hours, the division has not gotten a real spotlight. This match could give the division the kick it needs, regardless of result. The Brian Kendrick vs. Kalisto is the biggest bout for the division since it debuted on Raw.
Kendrick needs a win here to better solidify his reign, while Kalisto needs a victory just to bring some meaning back to his career. Whatever the end result, one brand will have made a stronger champion and proved it is worthy of a unique division of stars. Plus, we should witness a great match between great competitors.
Story
In an agreement between Raw and SmackDown, Raw's Kendrick must put his championship and the division's future on the line against SmackDown's Kalisto. Returning from a back injury suffered at the hands of Baron Corbin, Kalisto now has a chance to make a radical change to the structure of both brands in his first big match back.
Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon have both expressed interest in a cruiserweight division since the Cruiserweight Classic; however, Stephanie McMahon stepped in and declared the division will be the property of Raw. A win for Kalisto would give Bryan the chance to work with many wrestlers he admires and respects and give KalistoĀ the huge spotlight he has been missing.
Predicted Result: Kendrick will use multiple tricks to steal a victory from Kalisto.
Bold Prediction: Kalisto and Corbin will both fight for the IC title in the coming months as part of their renewed feud.
The Miz (c) vs. Sami Zayn (WWE Intercontinental Championship)
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Overview
Until Tuesday, this looked like it would the first clash between Dolph Ziggler and Sami Zayn. Instead, it will now be The Miz vs. Zayn. While Ziggler vs. Zayn was enticing, particularly because of their comparable styles, there has been no better performer these past few months than Miz.
Yes, we have seen Zayn fight the A-ListerĀ before, but this is not the same Miz as he was before the summer's brand split. He has grownĀ leaps and bounds as an in-ring performer. In Canada, Zayn's home country, this match should perfectly work the lines of face vs. heel, as MizĀ plays up in front of a crowd that will be begging for a Zayn victory.
Story
Miz has seemed unstoppable lately, using every trick in the book to steal wins, and he has helped define the Intercontinental Championship. The only man to be able to pull out a victory on Miz was Ziggler, who was fighting for his career at the time. Miz quickly won back the title once he had a gameplan for the crafty veteran.
While Ziggler was champion though, he issued an open challenge to Raw, putting the IC Title up against anyone who could earn an opportunity. Zayn won the chance to fight for the title, and now he will face Miz, who will be going into this match with only a few days to prepare after regaining his gold. It will once more be a battle of wits vs. tenacity as SmackDown and Raw both try to gain a championship.
Predicted Result: Miz will retain the Intercontinental Championship despite seeming to be outmatched by ZaynĀ with the help of the Spirit Squad and Maryse.
Bold Prediction: Zayn and Miz will switch brands by the end of the year in a blockbuster trade after Miz loses the championship once more to Ziggler at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.
Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown (Tag Team Elimination Match)
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Overview
Traditional elimination matches that feature 20 wrestlers are a rare sight at Survivor Series, but this was once a common practice that led to some of the best matches in the show's history. Having this many wrestlers at ringside can lead to hard-to-follow chaos or organized mayhem as each team gets a chance to shine.
This year, the tag teams will need to prove their worth in one of the most difficult matches ever conceived to execute. With so many wrestlers and stories, it will be up to all 20 men to decide on the story and psychology of this contest. If they can, this has all the potential to steal the show and allow a few teams to make names for themselves.
Story
SmackDown laid down a challenge to Raw for Survivor Series: the best vs. the best in every division. That included the tag teams, with SmackDown's young crew of talent competing against Raw's superstar lineup, including The New Day, who is now mere weeks away from breaking the all-time WWE record for longest tag team title reign.
The New Day may struggle to lead Team Raw, though, as the crew is so heavily driven by egos, with Gallows and Anderson even promising to stab their teammates in the back. On the other side, Team SmackDown is a group of wrestlers who have earned their spots through competition, and they all seem to have gained each other's respect along the way.
Predicted Result: Team SmackDown will take the win, thanks to sole survivors American Alpha.
Bold Prediction: Heath Slater and Rhyno will be the first team eliminated in the match in a shocking move that leaves Team SmackDown without its leaders.
Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown (Women's Elimination Match)
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Overview
Recently, the women have been putting on quality matches on repeat, and they have an equal chance to steal the show again at Survivor Series. In a match that includes all Four Horsewomen, as well as quality newcomers and veterans, there will be quality athleticism on display, but this match will also need to find a driving story.
The one point that WWE will need to protect in this match is Charlotte's impressive PPV win streak. Charlotte has never lost a singles match on PPV, her only defeat being a tag team match with Dana Brooke at Battleground. If Charlotte ends up being eliminated, WWE must make it feel like a big deal.
Story
WWE has gone through a concerted effort to push the women's division to another level with high-profile matches for newcomers. Now, 10 of the most intriguing and talented women in WWE will face off to prove which division is better. However, each team will need to find some common ground.
For Team Raw, Charlotte will lead a team that includes her current top rivals in Bayley and Sasha Banks, while Nikki Bella will try to lead Team SmackDown with her rival, Carmella, and championship competitors Becky Lynch and Alexa Bliss. Each woman has a beef with the rest of her teammates, which makes for a tumultuous situation.
Predicted Result: Team Raw will win, with Bayley and Charlotte both surviving the match.
Bold Prediction: Nia Jax will dominate Team SmackDown until she is disqualified for going too far in her viciousness.
Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown (Men's Elimination Match)
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Overview
Even more than the previous elimination matches, this men's elimination match seems entirely focused on the two world champions. Every potential challenger for Kevin Owens right now is on his team, and how this match breaks down should determine who he faces at WWE Roadblock.
Meanwhile, AJ Styles may just find a new challenger after WWE TLC in Bray Wyatt or Randy Orton based on this match. The only wrestler who doesn't quite fit in this bout is the last-minute addition, Shane McMahon. The SmackDown commissioner was inserted in Baron Corbin's place, but his dynamic with the rest of Team SmackDown is hard to pin down.
Regardless, this match has huge potential to be the best of the night, as many of the competitors have been putting on Match of the Year contenders on a consistent basis. Just the potential of Styles matching up against every member of Team Raw is enticing on its own.
Story
The final of SmackDown's three proposed matches to determine which brand is better, the top men of Raw and SmackDown will face off to prove who is the best. In the midst of these teams, Owens and Jericho must work with their current rivals, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, and Styles and Dean Ambrose also somehow need to find common ground.
Owens and Styles will both look to prove who is the true top champion of WWE, and this may just end up being the deciding match to break up a 2-2 tie between the brands. However, the real implications of this match come down to the promises of two peopleāStephanie McMahon and The Undertaker both promised consequences if their teams fail.
Predicted Result: Team Raw will win, with Reigns being the lone survivor, last eliminating Styles, who helps Ambrose get eliminated in order to be his team's sole survivor.
Bold Prediction: Braun Strowman will eliminate two men and only be eliminated himself by count-out.
Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg
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Overview
It's hard to decide if a clash between Goldberg vs. Lesnar is an exciting prospect. The last time the two wrestled, which was at WrestleMania XX, Lesnar and Goldberg could not be bothered to try, so this may just be their redemption. Still, neither man has shown that he can put on a serious performance in his waning age.
Goldberg seems excited to wrestle again, but his body may not comply with his passion. For the sake of a successful show, where these two behemoths will likely main-event, hopefully this ends up being a quality final performance from Goldberg, pulling out the old physicality and explosiveness that made him such a star.
Story
Reminiscing over his years in WWE on SportsCenter, Goldberg made a side comment about how much he would like to get one more shot at Lesnar. The Beast took that offer personally, giving Goldberg a free shot any time he wanted. This got Goldberg thinking even more about the idea of one last match, and he accepted a showdown against Lesnar at Survivor Series.
Now, we are set to see two similar beasts clash for the last time, as Goldberg has the chance to show his son what he could once do, hoping Lesnar doesn't ruin that moment by putting him down for good. Can Goldberg conquer Lesnar as so few have before, or will he just end his legacy as another footnote on Lesnar's career?
Predicted Result: Lesnar will defeat Goldbergābut just barelyāthanks to a distraction from Paul Heyman.
Bold Prediction: WWE's plans for a long run with Goldberg will be dashed when this match falls apart, as Goldberg can't sustain the pace, causing a reshuffling of early plans for WrestleMania that end with John Cena facing Undertaker instead of Goldberg.
