It’s that time of year when we are approaching WWE Survivor Series. This PLE used to be one of the largest that WWE had to offer, but over the past few years, it has seemed to become an afterthought.
The anticipation among the fans for Survivor Series now is not the same as it was ten years ago. What is it that changed? The PLE still takes place every year. Why is it then that fans are less excited? Is this something that can be fixed?
2020: The Year of No Fans
2020 hit the world like a storm as the Coronavirus spread worldwide. The world was put on hold, but the WWE didn’t stop. The WWE never stops. The weekly shows would still take place, but there were no fans in the audience.
👋, @WWEUniverse!!! Welcome to #WWEThunderDome!!#SmackDown #MrMcMahon pic.twitter.com/ghiPLAyl6p
— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2020
It was terrific that they figured out ways to keep the show going, giving fans an outlet during that time of uncertainty. However, it still wasn’t the same. This is one of the first years where the excitement for Survivor Series wasn’t the same as in previous years.
There was both a men’s and a women’s elimination tag team match. However, these matches didn’t have the largest stories going into them. The Survivor Series PLEs that are remembered are the ones that have a significant elimination match. That is what Survivor Series is centered around. The most memorable feud from this time was Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre in the main event.
2020 was the beginning of the end of the anticipation of Survivor Series.
Survivor Series: WarGames
The WarGames match was initially introduced to the WWE Universe in NXT. WarGames was an exclusive NXT event from 2017-2021. From 2022 to now, WWE has combined the Survivor Series PLE and WarGames into what they hope will be a larger show.
WarGames matches have never left fans disappointed; however, it takes away from the classic Survivor Series tradition that we have all come to know and love. The idea of WarGames matches also seemed more popular when they were taking place in NXT.
Having WarGames in NXT also gave the upcoming stars a chance to show their abilities in a large stipulation match like that and prove that they can step up to main roster-level action.
Survivor Series and WarGames are great PLEs, but I believe both would become more successful if they were separated as they were before.
WELCOME
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𝑾𝑨𝑹𝑮𝑨𝑴𝑬𝑺!#NXTTakeOver #WarGames pic.twitter.com/PQOHbSTymu— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 7, 2020
How to Make Survivor Series Big Again
I think one of the biggest things the WWE can do to make Survivor Series one of the big 4 PLEs again is to bring back the classic 5 on 5 elimination tag team match. With the brand split still present, it can be brand vs. brand as before, with the champions from each brand facing each other as well. Such as Intercontinental Champion vs. United States Champion.
To still keep things exciting and to promote the NXT stars, NXT should also be included in Survivor Series to represent their brand. NXT has continuously grown, attracting incredible talent. This could be a minor addition to the tradition rather than a significant change by making it a WarGames match. Keeping WarGames in NXT would also be a better option, as the event was very successful from 2017-2021.
What do you think Survivor Series has been lacking? What do you want to see at WWE Survivor Series?
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