WWE Survivor Series 2011: Why Team Orton Will Topple Team Barrett

On Nov. 20, 2011, at the 25th annual Survivor Series, Team Orton will battle Team Barrett in the one and only traditional elimination match of the night.

Madison Square Garden will bear witness to 10 men split between two alliances. The first is the babyface team, who will consist of Randy Orton, Kofi Kingston, Sin Cara, Sheamus and Mason Ryan. The second is the heel team, who will be comprised of Wade Barrett, Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, Cody Rhodes and Hunico.

Although Barrett's battalion of evildoers will put up a challenging fight, Orton's squadron will eventually overcome their enemies.

In fact, one can argue Team Orton's triumph is not only inevitable, it is a predestined outcome.

Eight reasons, in particular, spell doom for Barrett and his men.

The Heel Team Has Lost a Lot of Steam Heading into the Show

In the last year, every member of Barrett's team, including the former Nexus leader himself, has been languishing in the WWE.

For instance, Jack Swagger, who used to be the world heavyweight champion, has plummeted down the card, relegated to being Dolph Ziggler or Vickie Guerrero's lackey.

Ziggler, who was champion this past January, has reverted to the mid-card as the current U.S. Champion.

Cody Rhodes, who took the WWE by storm as a modern day "Phantom," has lost his dignity and mask.

Hunico, the erstwhile Sin Cara Negra, has gone from a dark super luchador to merely a generic thug.

And Barrett, too, who was on top of the WWE universe just one year ago as the leader of the almighty Nexus, is currently trying to reestablish his place in the company.

The booking of these individuals in the weeks leading up to the Survivor Series has not been favorable, either.

Case in point, on last Monday's Raw, Ziggler was manhandled by Mason Ryan, Barrett lost by DQ to Orton and Swagger succumbed to Sheamus' sheer power.

Suffice to say, the five heels have very little going for them at the moment.

It's the Only Elimination Match Highlighted at the Event's 25th Anniversary

Team Barrett vs. Team Orton is scheduled to be the only traditional Survivor Series elimination contest at this year's pay-per-view.

One can make a reasonable claim that the WWE isn't going to highlight the only match of this kind at the event's 25th anniversary—emanating from the "world's most famous arena," Madison Square Garden—by having the heels go "over."

It will be a night of celebration that will pay homage to the fall classic, which means the babyfaces will reign supreme.

There's Too Much Star Power on the Babyface Team

Four of Team Orton's members, including "The Viper" himself, are immensely popular with the WWE fanbase.

The fifth, Mason Ryan, is a work in progress with raw potential.

Moreover, every wrestler on the babyface team has accrued a staggering amount of momentum heading into the extravaganza.

For example, Orton just got done decimating Cody Rhodes in their feud; Sheamus has become an effective fan favorite; Kofi Kingston is one-half of the tag-team champions; Sin Cara is a major draw in the Latino community; and, Mason Ryan is being presented as the second coming of Batista.

All in all, because of the constructive way in which they've been utilized, every single one of these five men is a commodity from a marketing standpoint.

Dolph Ziggler Will Be "Exhausted"

With the recent announcement that Dolph Ziggler will be pulling double duty at Survivor Series by defending the U.S. title, one has to wonder if the man who exemplifies "perfection" will be too "tired" to compete in the elimination bout.

Of course, this implies that the U.S. championship match will precede the 5-on-5 affair, which is a good bet considering the former will likely be the opener.

Thus, Dolph Ziggler being too "worn" to compete in the 10-man tag match could serve as an excuse for the heels' demise. In addition, it could also be a way to protect Ziggler's character since he arguably has more to lose than anyone else on his squad.

Mason Ryan Is in the Middle of a "Push"

According to a report that came out a few days ago, Vince McMahon is adamant about "pushing" Mason Ryan down the fans' throats despite several WWE agents being against the idea.

The agents may have a point or two—Ryan is an inexperienced worker who could be a liability to himself and others.

That being said, if the WWE Chairman is in favor of making the musclebound titan into a star, then it will happen with the blessing or dissent of others in the organization.

At Survivor Series 2011, Mason Ryan will not only look dominant, but will be one of the survivors for his team.

Survivor Series Has Been Kind to Randy Orton

Randy Orton doesn't normally lose at Survivor Series; in fact, he has a phenomenal track record, especially in traditional elimination matches.

"The Viper" has failed only twice to carry his team to victory—in 2006 and 2009.

In 2003, '04, '05, however, Orton had been the sole survivor for his team. He holds the record for being the sole survivor on more occasions than any other wrestler in WWE history.

In 2008, Orton's experience in the annual match paid off, but on that night he shared the team honors with Cody Rhodes.

This year, he and Rhodes are on opposite sides of what will prove to be an underwhelming night for the "dashing" one and a continuation of the legacy Orton has carved for himself at the prestigious event.

WWE '12, Featuring Orton or Sin Cara on the Cover, Is Sponsoring the Event

Survivor Series 2011 is being brought to you by WWE '12, a video game picking up where the renowned Raw vs. SmackDown series left off.

The latest iteration spotlights two SmackDown superstars.

In the United States, Randy Orton dons the cover of the game for all three major consoles—Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the Wii.

In Mexico, Sin Cara graces the front of the video game packaging.

Therefore, logic would dictate that, at an event that is being sponsored by WWE '12, its two cover stars—who also happen to be on the same team—are going to be depicted in a very flattering light.

And with the anticipated game to hit shelves two days after the Survivor Series—on Nov. 22—Team Orton will be victorious if only as a marketing ploy to promote the product.

A Team Orton Win Will Keep the MSG Crowd Hyped for the Main-Event

Survivor Series will mark The Rock's return to in-ring action for the first time in seven years. His reluctant partnership with John Cena against the dastardly duo of The Miz and R-Truth has the potential to be one of the WWE's most memorable and historically significant main-events in years.

Now that the WWE brass has done everything they could do to publicize the tag-team encounter, it's incumbent upon them to build positive momentum throughout the evening of Nov. 20, culminating in a crescendo that blows the roof off Madison Square Garden.

Consequently, a large part of that entails not deflating the crowd with "downer" finishes. And in an elimination contest that will have ample time to get the audience invested, the coda will carry a much greater value—impacting the vibe in the arena for better or worse afterwards.

Common sense suggests that Team Orton will walk out as winners at the 25th annual Survivor Series.