WWE Survivor Series 2011 Review

United States Championship
Dolph Ziggler Vs John Morrison

I find it funny that Zack Ryder is always so popular with the crowd when he's not wrestling, but then when he actually performs the response is lukewarm. The smarky Madison Square Garden audience boo John Morrison from the get go, upset that Ryder did not get his rematch against the champion. Their reaction overwhelms the match completely, especially when Morrison is on the offensive. They love Dolph Ziggler though, so I'm sure they're happy that for the second PPV in a row he'll be working two matches tonight. The company is starting to get behind the champion, and he's responding by showing more charisma than ever before. His cocky jog around the ring to kick Morrison in the face was hilarious and he uses the atmosphere of the unhappy crowd to his advantage throughout. I'm impressed that these guys eventually managed to grab the attention away from Ryder for the finish, an exciting series of near-falls. The post-match promo segment was welcome, but only really demonstrated why it ought to have been Ryder's night. Forgettable in the long run.

Rating: 3 Stars

Survivor Series Match
Team Barrett Vs Team Orton

The traditional elimination match has always been a bit awkward. In recent years they're usually thrown together without stakes or any friction between the teams, then performed in the mid-card where there isn't enough time to tell much of a story. Being a mid-card attraction also creates time limits, causing fast eliminations that don't feel earned and make the participants look bad. This match has all of that, and despite some quality young names taking part it never quite clicks. Ziggler is eliminated in moments, making me question why they'd even bother to promote him being involved when the rub could have gone to somebody else. Soon after, Sin Cara embarrasses himself, injuring his ankle on his first spot of the match. This forces a break in the action and really hurts the flow in the early goings. After building up Mason Ryan he gets taken out after a short combo by Rhodes, then Kingston puts on a nice sequence before being pinned by Barrett. Sheamus then gets himself disqualified for no reason I could discern, leaving Orton who pins Swagger with no drama whatsoever. The 3-on-1 scenario brings back some intrigue, but this is fleeting. Hunico takes the predictable RKO counter spot, then Barrett hits Orton with Wasteland for a surprisingly easy win. The match just plods along for the most part, it has well performed moments but they don't add up to anything. The eliminations lack tension or build-up and although it's a good win for Barrett and Rhodes, with nothing on the line it's hard to say this was a memorable contest.

Rating: 3 Stars

World Heavyweight Championship
Mark Henry Vs Big Show

I was pleasantly surprised last month when Show and Henry managed to put on a memorable match for the World Heavyweight Championship. Their first PPV match this year at Money in the Bank was nothing special, and I feared their rematch would be much the same. Thanks to a recycled spot from 2003 however, the match was a success and has even been called a MOTY candidate by some critics. As such, people have been anticipating this third instalment and I can only imagine their disappointment. This is the sloppy type of match Mark Henry has built a career out of and is everything I feared last month's encounter would be. It might just be the first flicker, but it looks like the fire that's been raging within Henry this year is starting to go out. The crowd chant for anyone but the men in the ring – Daniel Bryan, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Randy Savage – just whoever it entertains them to think about I suppose. Finally the match picks up when Show goes up top (!) and hits a flying elbow, but all the good faith and energy it creates is flushed down the toilet when Henry hits a low blow for the DQ. Madison Square Garden is rightly PISSED. Henry goes to break Show's ankle again with a chair, but Show turns it around and attacks Henry's instead. It's all just obvious set up for a Chairs Match at TLC, and once again anyone who thinks Daniel Bryan is on his way is in fantasy land.

Rating: 2 Stars

WWE Championship
CM Punk Vs Alberto Del Rio

Unbelievably, after his big win at Money in the Bank, CM Punk has actually lost at every PPV this year. He even took the fall in matches where there were others to do so, including last month's tag encounter with Awesome Truth. Despite his popularity and even though he's been featured in the main-event all year, WWE have failed to really make him a mega star. The issue has always been that Punk's sudden rise was unexpected and not part of the year's plan – which was clearly to push Alberto Del Rio instead. This has had the unfortunate impact of making Raw a mess, with the WWE Championship moving between more people than it has in a very long time. It's never a good sign when a world title is like a hot potato, the final days of WCW stand as testament to that, and once again we see it change hands here.

This was always going to be an interesting match, the two fresh faces of the WWE competing not so much for the world title but for the endorsement of WWE management as THE star going forwards. Neither man could really afford a loss, which I figured was fair warning for some shenanigans and yet another dusty finish. With the belt moving around so often right now, I assumed Del Rio would be given the nod to bring some stability back and enjoy a fairly long reign as The Miz did this time last year. Instead I was wrong, and it looks like that nod has been given to Punk which could be a good sign as long as now they turn that loosing streak around and keep him as the champion for at least the next few months. There is still time to turn Punk into the star he ought to be before WrestleMania, where he must surely be involved with the WWE Championship or, ideally, Stone Cold Steve Austin.

The match itself was a show stealer, the best either man has had since July. From the awesome return of Howard Finkel as the “personal ring announcer” for CM Punk, the crowd were rabid and into every moment. Unlike previous matches tonight they were focused and really gave it the proper atmosphere. Both men are skilled technicians, and crafted a contest with great pace and plenty of solid near-falls. As bland as Del Rio is on the mic, in the ring he is crisp, confident and surprisingly full of character. Paired with the right opponent as he is here, I think he has real potential to be a legend in this business. What he needs is more work on his total persona, the kind that happens when new stars spend time in the mid-card as we're seeing now with talent like Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes. Being rushed into the main-event, as with Sheamus, Jack Swagger and The Miz last year, is hurting Del Rio's standing with fans and I'm sure this title change is “punishment” for the bad ratings Raw has been getting this autumn. The state of Raw is down to bad booking, not bad talent. I hope we get a good feud now between these two, although ultimately Punk must come out on top to salvage his credibility. If they can top this, they'll have a MOTY candidate for certain. Oh and am I reading too much into the cut from Punk holding the belt to an ad for the new Stone Cold DVD? I hope not!

Rating: 4 Stars

The Rock and John Cena Vs The Awesome Truth

When it was announced that The Rock would return to the ring at Survivor Series in a traditional elimination match, like anyone I was excited. At first I worried it would take the shine off of WrestleMania XXVIII, but after a while I accepted that it would be good for him to shake any ring rust after 7 years away. I thought he'd be sheltered by being on a 5 man team, part of some broader focus maybe as the climax of the feud between the stars of Raw and John Laurenitis. Instead plans changed and now he takes a more prominent role in just a straight up tag bout teaming with John Cena. Their opponents are just a pair of broomsticks – they play their part but offer nothing of value to the equation. As much as I was looking forward to his return, I wish it had been against more worthy opponents. I have no interest in watching The Rock face The Miz or R-Truth in particular and clearly Madison Square Garden agrees with me. From the moment he walked down the ramp this was The Rock Show, and gosh darn it that's enough. Sure, this could have been an all-time classic moment, but as it stands it still sends chills up your spine.

Rock electrifies early with some great arm drags to Miz and Truth before laying some smacketh down on both of them. Miz demands he tag in Cena and what follows is - to quote Michael Cole; “textbook” tag team wrestling, which is to say generic. Cena was obviously going to be the 'face-in-peril' and is beaten back and forth for ages, being booed out of the building every time he attempts a comeback. They hold back The Rock to build up the crowd until finally he makes the tag, hits all of his signature moves and finishes The Miz with the People's Elbow. Was I entertained? Yes. It's The Rock, it's the Garden, it was always going to be enjoyable TV. However, was this good? Not really. Everything about the match was run-of-the-mill aside from Rock's charisma, which as always if off the charts. The crowd loved it and that adds a lot, but Miz and Truth just don't have the talent to hang with Cena, let alone The Rock. It's hard to settle on a score, so I'll be generous. Any time the WWE can stir real excitement from their audience is a job well done, and it might have been the laziest way possible but they achieved that here.

Rating: 4 Stars

WWE Survivor Series 2011 Final Score: 3 Stars

Back in July the WWE were building some huge momentum in the quality of their product. Since August they've dropped the ball and continue to fumble it creatively at the main-event level. It's embarrassing to watch, and if it wasn't for their world class production team and wealth of athletic talent they'd be much worse off than they are. This was a chance to make the Survivor Series brand relevant again and recapture some of the magic that's been lost this year. Instead we get another average show, entertaining but held up by the historic arena and a group of stars that attract a response despite the best efforts of WWE Creative. Sights need to be on WrestleMania XXVIII now, and the WWE is on the right path in that regard with Cena and Rock already at breaking point and CM Punk as the WWE Champion. The outcomes of TLC and the Royal Rumble will be crucial to the success of their biggest event, and at this point things really could go either way.