Dear WWE Creative,
I understand that you’ve had a hectic few weeks. Not only have you had to reorganize storylines around your top superstar, Roman Reigns, being out of commission and relinquishing his Universal Championship; you’ve been busy building up Evolution, which took weeks of storylines, not to mention dealing with the mess around the Crown Jewel pay-per-view (PPV).
Alas, here we are: one week away from one of the WWE’s Big Four PPVs, and there has been barely any buildup to the event. RAW did an incredibly sloppy job of trying to pull things together this past Monday night, and while SmackDown LIVE this week did an okay job when it came to crafty storylines, it was mediocre at best.
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@baroncorbinwwe names @alexa_bliss_wwe_ the captain of the Women’s #SurvivorSeries team! #Raw
The Ronda Rousey versus Becky Lynch match has been flawlessly building on the heels of the first-ever WWE all-women’s PPV Evolution. The ladies have not only worked hard in the ring, but are also going the extra mile on social media. It’s been fantastic. Having said that, the Intercontinental title versus United States Championship match is lagging; the male Champion versus Champion bout does not interest me (it was done last year after all with both of the same competitors); the Tag Titles match lacks luster completely; and all three of the Survivor Series traditional matches don’t even have confirmed participants – and the event is only seven days away.
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@beckylynchwwe has a message for #RAW Women’s Champion @rondarousey. #SurvivorSeries #WWENottingham
I was but a young child when the first Survivor Series was announced. Back then, there wasn’t a PPV on the horizon almost every week (or every other week), so WWE’s creative spectrum, storylines, and buildup factors were far different. Because of this nostalgia, and that first Survivor Series event knocking it out of the park, I have such a strong connection to the PPV; I look forward to seeing it, year-in and year-out.
Not this year so much. With the exception of the women’s championship match, I haven’t been hooked yet, and it’s a darn shame that such a huge yearly event, and one with so much WWE history weaved within, was whittled away thanks to the train wreck of Crown Jewel. I’m not imply that Jewel should’ve been dropped, or not moved forward with, but the powers that be who schedule all these events to happen should’ve seen there would simply not be enough time to truly place emphasis on Survivor Series with Evolution and Crown Jewel only a week apart, and then a Big Four PPV mere two weeks later.
So, maybe it’s not entirely your fault, but the good news is that you still have two go-home shows to focus on, and it’s game face time.
I want to see SmackDown superstars at RAW this week; I want to see Team Red invade Team Blue on Tuesday (okay, not to the capacity that it was done last year, but you do get my drift). I want to see Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey come face to face; I want a true anchor between Brock Lesnar and AJ Styles so I can once again get excited about these two locking up … again. Seth Rollins and Shinsuke will tear the roof down at Survivor Series, so an emphasis around this being a dream match may be all that is needed for these two.
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@shinsukenakamura promises to give @wwerollins a “special gift” only found in NakAmerica! #SDLive
I have no doubt that all the teams will have secured names attached to them on both shows; however, let’s add a little story and animosity within the tag team match (both SS and champion versus champion). These men will undoubtedly steal the show through fast-paced action and high-flying moves, and I don’t want their Survivor Series program to be an afterthought.
Moreover, tell this adult female wrestling fan, who’s loved your brand for years and remains loyal to you all, why she should tune in on Sunday and get excited about it. Survivor Series isn’t just another PPV; it symbolizes true competition between WWE superstars and teams over the years; whether battling for brand supremacy or simple bragging rights within a feud. Don’t tarnish the legacy and historical significance of this Big Four show; don’t drop the ball and just scrape things together when it comes to your televised shows this week.
Go big, WWE Creative, or just go home.
Signed,
Me.