Final Survivor Series Hype Falls Flat, More WWE SmackDown Fallout

Just 48 hours from Survivor Series, WWE presented the final episode of Friday Night SmackDown before the annual spectacular, giving fans in Chicago's historic Allstate Arena a blockbuster broadcast that put the final touches on the build for Sunday's pay-per-view extravaganza.

Questionable booking and repetitive angles, though, ensured the last attempt to generate hype fell flat. 

The biggest takeaway from Friday's show was hardly the only one, though.

Dive deeper into it and the others with this recap of the November 22 episode, which also featured Bray Wyatt's message to Daniel Bryan and more in-ring action from the stars of NXT.

Repetition Hurts Last Chance for WWE to Make Impression Ahead of Survivor Series

A strong episode of WWE SmackDown was plagued by repetitive booking that ultimately rendered the final push before Sunday's Survivor Series pay-per-view underwhelming.

For the third time this week, one of the company's television shows ended with Superstars from Raw, SmackDown and NXT engaged in a chaotic brawl that faded to black just as it reached its climax.

Despite the company's best intentions, fans were left feeling as though they had been there, seen that. 

That the idea of brand supremacy as was so loosely introduced, with no real explanation for why half of the roster should be so loyal to a brand they just arrived on a month ago as part of the draft, only hampered the company's efforts to create genuine excitement about the event.

Had the company done more to explain to audiences why the Superstars were so concerned about fighting for their respective brands, like offering an incentive for them to want to lead their show to victory, the event and its preceding television broadcasts would have meant more.

Variety in angles rather than the same enormous brawl to end three consecutive broadcasts would have helped, too.

Win or Lose, Exposure Helps NXT's Brand and Superstars

One of the positives of the brand warfare storyline has been the exposure NXT's stars have gotten across Raw and SmackDown over the last month.

Adam Cole kicked things off with two stellar performances, and competitors such as Rhea Ripley, Shayna Baszler, Tommaso Ciampa and others followed in his footsteps. Friday on SmackDown, Cole led Undisputed Era to a victory over New Day and Heavy Machinery, while Baszler brawled with Bayley to put the finishing touches on the hype for their Triple Threat match against Becky Lynch Sunday night.

It was Keith Lee who had the night's most memorable moment, coming face-to-face with Braun Strowman, showing no fear as he confronted The Monster Among Men.

By featuring the NXT stars the way it has over the last month, WWE Creative has not only enhanced their stars exponentially, but it has also promoted the brand's Wednesday night show. Fans who may have been unfamiliar with Cole and Co. now may tune in to the USA Network each week to see what those men and women are up to way beyond Sunday's PPV.

Or, the audience's familiarity with them will make the transition to Raw or SmackDown seamless when their time comes.

Either way, the implementation of NXT in this year's battle for brand supremacy has been a major success from a booking standpoint.

Uncertainty Surrounding Daniel Bryan's Character Hurts Feud with The Fiend

There is absolutely no reason to believe Daniel Bryan and "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt will tear the house down Sunday in Chicago, but one can only wonder how hot the match could have been if Bryan's character was better defined.

A month ago, it appeared as though he was in the midst of a full-blown babyface turn as he teamed with Roman Reigns to battle Erick Rowan and Luke Harper. Since then, though, he has again exhibited heel tendencies, including a promo about mental instability two weeks ago that felt majorly out of place.

Throw in a match against the babyface Miz on Friday's show and Bryan's character became even more muddied.

Wyatt attacking him and laying him out with the mandible claw would seem to suggest Bryan is intended to be the hero in this morality play, but the shades of grey that have plagued his character have hurt the overall effectiveness of a story that could have, and should have, electrified audiences.

Mustafa Ali Should Break Out, Begin Significant Push at Survivor Series

The three-brand, 15-man tag team elimination match between Raw, SmackDown and NXT features a considerable amount of star power, but it is rising star Mustafa Ali who should shine brightest Sunday night.

Again showcasing the talents that made him one of wrestling's hottest young stars in a Six-Man Tag Team match that saw him team with Roman Reigns and Shorty G to defeat King Corbin, Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode, Ali is poised for that breakout opportunity.

Survivor Series takes place in Chicago, the popular babyface's hometown and the city in which he previously served as a police officer. Surrounded by some of the top names in the industry, and partnered with the top dog in the company, expect Ali to seize the moment and turn in a performance that has fans buzzing come Monday morning.

The question is whether WWE Creative will manage to parlay that performance into a push of any real significance.

We have seen Ali appear to be in the midst of a significant push, only to have it derailed for one reason or another. With a lack of consistently pushed babyfaces at the top of the card on Friday nights, Sunday's pay-per-view is the right time to heat Ali up and reward his hard work to this point with a renewed push.