Survivor Series is being labeled as “Fantasy Warfare” this year thanks to the recent brand split. The matches are all focused on Team RAW versus Team Smackdown, aside from the Goldberg versus Brock Lesnar match. Today, we will take a look at the 10-team tag team elimination match.
Survivor Series Preview: Tag Team Elimination Match
The build to the tag team elimination match has focused a lot more on the in-fighting than it has the cross promotion between the two brands like the other elimination matches has. On one hand, you have the RAW team that consists of the New Day, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson, Enzo Amore & Big Cass, Sheamus & Cesaro, and the Shining Stars. Leading into this match, the focus has been on Gallows & Anderson feuding with New Day, plus Enzo & Cass feuding with the Shining Stars while also having beef with Gallows & Anderson. Also toss in the fact that Sheamus and Cesaro still are not entirely on the same page. On the other hand, the Smackdown team, which consists of Smackdown Tag Team Champions Heath Slater & Rhyno, The Usos, American Alpha, The Hype Bros and Breezango, and all of these teams are busy getting along and beating up the other tag teams on Smackdown despite the fact that just a few short weeks ago the Uso brothers were trying to take out the knees Slater and Chad Gable of American Alpha. One thing about this match to keep in mind going forward is that if one member of a tag team is pinned, then both members are out of the match. So if Tyler Breeze is pinned, then both he and Fandango are eliminated from the match.
There are a few things that are obvious going into this match, and that is the teams like the Shining Stars and Breezango will not be around very long. These are teams that are in there for filler. WWE likes to keep Zack Ryder of the Hype Bros around to pop the crowd when it is needed, but one should expect he takes the pinfall for his team as they work to protect Mojo Rawley. After that, it gets a little murky.
The RAW team has better individual performs on their team, but the in-fighting has lead to some assuming this team will lose. Don’t expect Gallows & Anderson to play nice with the rest of their team and go into business for themselves, which will likely end up costing them a chance at being a part of the surviving members. On the Smackdown side, it seems like the Uso’s being nice has been too much and perhaps a setup for the team to walk out on the blue team towards the end of the match.
Prediction: Gallows & Anderson eliminate Breezango. Gallows & Anderson eliminate The Hype Bros. American Alpha eliminate Gallows & Anderson. The Usos eliminate the Shining Stars. American Alpha eliminate Enzo & Cass. New Day eliminates American Alpha. The Usos turn on Slater & Rhyno, injuring Slater, then walk out to be counted out. New Day eliminate Slater & Rhyno. Survivors of the tag team match are New Day and Sheamus & Cesaro.
