Last night the 18th annual Survivor Series took place with the future of Raw for the next month the line. John Cena would also make his return and The Undertaker would go face to face with Heidenreich. Going into this year’s Survivor Series, fans seem to be less interested than years before. No surprises or dramatic moments were expected but rather a predictable night. Although there weren’t any major shockers, the WWE did score with a solid and entertaining show.
Headlining the show from the Gund Arena in Cleveland was the Raw brand’s Survivor Series Match pitting Team HHH against Team Randy Orton with the winners having control of Raw for the next month. Earlier on in the evening Maven was attacked, laid out and busted open by an angry Gene Snitsky. This attack would take Maven out of the match leaving Orton’s team at a one-man deficit. When Eric Bischoff was asked about the possibility for a replacement, he replied “No.”
Orton’s team was literally fighting for survival. Overwhelmed, Chris Benoit was eliminated by HHH’s team after being beaten down and laid out with the Pedigree followed by Edge taking the pin. Now a four on two effort, Team HHH seemingly had it all under control until some interference from Ric Flair caused his ejection. Batista would be caught off guard, hit with a belt shot by Orton and pinned by Jericho after an enziguri. A bloody and bandaged Maven hit ringside and tagged in, going right after Snitsky. Some right hands to the face busted Snitsky wide open. Seeing his own blood, Snitsky grabbed a chair and leveled Maven right in the head resulting in a disqualification, but that did not stop him from bashing Jericho and Orton with the chair. Maven, out cold, was then pinned by “The Game,” leaving the match at two on two. Jericho was thrown into the ring and double-teamed and the odds became too much; he was speared by Edge and pinned leaving Orton to carry the bag for his team. Orton survived a beating and connected with an RKO on Edge. It was now one on one, “The Game” vs “The Legend Killer.” HHH fought his hardest and Orton likewise, backdropping out of a pedigree and connecting on the champ with the RKO, leaving Team Orton the winners and Randy Orton the sole survivor for his second year in the row.
The next WWE pay per view is “Armageddon” on December 12
SURVIVOR SERIES 2004 RESULTS
Match 1: WWE Cruiserweight Championship Fatal Four Way Match: – Spike Dudley (Champion) vs. Billy Kidman (Challenger), Rey Mysterio (Challenger) and Chavo Guerrero Jr.(Challenger)
The match got the crowd riled up, which is exactly what you want out of an opener. Spike is a good champion, but this really should have been Kidman or Chavo’s time, as the belt could have added to their current feud. Chavo seemed to have the champion beat after the Gory bomb but Kidman sling-shot legdropped Chavo during the pin attempt. Rey took Kidman out with a headscissors, allowing Spike pinned Guerrero.
Winner:… and still WWE Cruiserweight Champion… Spike Dudley at 9:03
Rating: 7/10
Backstage Heindenreich and Snitsky came face to face. Snitsky: I like your poetry. Heindenreich: I like what you do to babies.
Match 2: WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Shelton Benjamin (Champion) vs. Christian (Challenger)
The second match of the card was also very good. Shelton has a bright future indeed. Christian had some new entrance music and a new ring jacket, prompting me to wonder why everyone these days seems to be wearing the AJ Styles hoodie. The two started off slowly before picking up the pace with Christian taking control on the floor. The veteran challenger repeatedly stopped the champion’s comebacks, and sidestepped the corner splash, connecting with a inverted DDT for a near fall. Tyson Tomko tried to slide the IC belt to Christian but Benjamin kicked the belt into Christian and connected with a bodypress for a near fall. As the referee disposed of the belt, Tomko took Benjamin’s head off with a boot and many in the crowd thought we had a new champion. Benjamin sent Tomko flying off the apron and dropped Christian with the t-bone suplex for the win.
Winner:… and still Intercontinental Champion… Shelton Benjamin at 13:20
Rating: 6/10
In another cross-promotional moment, Edge and Kurt Angle met face to face, with Angle getting angry about what Edge wrote about him in his book. Angle made fun of Edge never winning the world title, Edge responded by saying he took Shawn Michaels out, something Angle could never do. The two split and Angle ran into Eugene, who ran down Kurt’s list of accomplishments before chanting “You suck.”
The hype began for Wrestlemania 21 in Los Angeles with a “Wrestlemania Rebound” with Steve Austin and Mike Tyson from Wrestlemania 14.
Match 3: Smackdown Survivor Series Match: Team Guerrero (Eddie Guerrero, John Cena, Rob Van Dam and The Big Show) vs. Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Carlito Carribean Cool, Mark Jindrak and Luther Reigns)
As expected with his recent arm injury, Carlito didn’t even step into the ring, as John Cena chased Carlito and Jesus to the back where they jacked a lady’s car and took off. Cena must have a hell of a plastic surgeon, you can’t tell at all he was stabbed! Angle rolled up Rob Van Dam, using the ropes for leverage, to eliminate him, but Guerrero showed two could play that game by doing the same to Jindrak. From there it went downhill for Team Angle, as Luther Reigns was chokeslammed by Big Show minutes later. Angle tried to flee his three foes but RVD cut him off, resulting in an F-U from Cena, a frogsplash from Guerrero and Big Show taking the pin, allowing Team Guerrero to steamroll to a victory.
Winners: Team Guerrero at 12:17
Survivors: Eddie Guerrero, John Cena & The Big Show
Rating: 5/10
The Coach insulted Maven by asking if he really belonged in the main event. Maven offered to give him a demonstration of why he belonged when Snitsky assaulted him and left him bloody.
Match 4: The Undertaker vs. Heidenreich
The two had a lengthy staredown before Taker started in with a flurry of fists. Heidenreich delivered and received quite a beating, in the match and both Cole and Tazz really pushed the fact that he was able to absorb so much punishment throughout the match. Heidenreich even narrowly avoided defeated from “The Last Ride” powerbomb, getting his arms under the rope at two. Heidenreich locked in a sleeper but Taker reversed into a back suplex, putting both men down. Taker rose from the dead and hit a flying clothesline, chokeslam and a tombstone to prove that despite the beating, in the end “The Deadman” rules.
Winner: The Undertaker at 15:44
Rating: 5/10
Maria interviewed Bischoff, who said that Maven may not be able to compete but Team Orton could not name a replacement.
Match 5: WWE Women’s Championship Match:… Trish Stratus (Champion) vs. Lita (Challenger)
Lita let her emotions take over, blasting Trish in the face with a chair a minute into the match. The lovely Trish received a bloodied nose and was helped to the back by trainers.
Winner: … and still WWE Women’s Champion: Trish Stratus via DQ at 1:05
Rating: 0/10
Theodore Long told John Cena that Carlito would be forced to defend the US title against him on Smackdown Thursday night. If he doesn’t show up he will be stripped of the belt.
Match 6: WWE Championship Match: John “Bradshaw” Layfield (Champion) vs. Booker T
Booker T had the title won about ten times during the match, but constant interference from Orlando Jordan kept the belt out of the five-time WCW champion’s hands. The fans were solidly behind Booker as he dusted off the missile dropkick for a two count, and missed the Houston Hangover top rope sommersault legdrop. The referee was knocked out as Josh Matthews got fed up with Jordan’s interference and hit the ring, only to be taken out by the champion. Booker connected with the scissors kick and a second referee hit the ring, being pulled out by Jordan just before his hand hit the mat a third time. Orlando ran into the ring with the belt, but ended up planted with the bookend. The distraction was enough for JBL to blast Booker with the belt and cover him to retain the belt in an excellent match.
Winner:… and still WWE Champion: John “Bradshaw” Layfield at 14:48
Rating: 8/10
Match 7: Survivor Series Match- Team Orton (Randy Orton, Maven, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit) vs. Team HHH (HHH, Gene Snitsky, Batista and Edge)
Winners: Team Orton at 24:30
Survivor: Randy Orton
Rating: 7/10
OVERALL EVENT RATING 6/10
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