WWE Survivor Series 2011: 2 Matches That Will Steal the Show

As usual, the titular match of tomorrow’s WWE Survivor Series—pitting Randy Orton’s five-man team against Wade Barrett’s—will be overshadowed by a full slate of title matches around it. Of course, in this year’s edition, even the title matches will take a back seat to a tag-team duel featuring the event’s two biggest headliners on the same side.

Here’s a look at the two highest-profile matchups for the pay-per-view event:

Alberto Del Rio vs. CM Punk

Of the four title matches set for tomorrow, this showdown for the WWE heavyweight belt looks likely to be the most entertaining. Del Rio won his title from John Cena in a Triple Threat match in which Punk was also on the losing end.

Del Rio’s star appears to be on the rise, and it’s probably too early (not yet two months after he won the belt) for him to go down here. Even so, Punk is more likely to win this one (or at least make a good showing of it) than The Big Show is against Mark Henry in the other top title bout.

John Cena/The Rock vs. The Miz/R-Truth

The marquee event at Survivor Series, this match will mark The Rock’s return from an eight-year absence. On the anniversary of his WWE debut (also at Madison Square Garden), he’ll be paired with erstwhile rival John Cena in a tag match.

It’s entirely possible that the much-built-up bad blood between these two tag partners—including The Rock's interference at WrestleMania that cost Cena his title—will help set up a betrayal (by either wrestler) that gives the win to their opponents. However, with The Rock being such a draw for fans even after his long absence, it seems like the better move for the WWE would be a Cena/Rock win here, followed by a blowup of the partnership down the road.

Either way, this match is going to have the most fireworks of the night, without a doubt.