The Piledriver Report 11.11.09: The Road to WrestleMania Begins at the Survivor Series

Posted by Ronny Sarnecky on 11.11.2009

The Survivor Series has created a tradition over the years. Now, not the art of the screw job, but the show plants early seeds for potential WrestleMania matches. This week, “The Piledriver Report” examines what wrestlers should headline the two World singles title matches at WrestleMania XXVI.

On Sunday, November 22nd, World Wrestling Entertainment presents the 23rd annual Survivor Series. The Survivor Series pay per view is often viewed as the show that starts to set the wheels in motion for next year's WrestleMania. While the Royal Rumble is the official Road to WrestleMania, the Survivor Series plants the mortar for what will eventually become that road.

SMACKDOWN WORLD TITLE MATCH



Currently, this year's Survivor Series is headlined by two World Championship Triple Threat matches. The first being for the World Heavyweight title featuring the Undertaker vs. Chris Jericho vs. The Big Show. Since the Undertaker has been working a limited house show schedule, combined with the fact that he has countless injuries, the "Deadman" should have only short title reigns, if any at all. A triple threat match is the perfect way to get the title off of the Undertaker without having him job in the match.

A perfect scenario would to use a similar ending that was used in the World title Fatal Four way match at last month's Bragging Rights pay per view. Have the Big Show cover the Undertaker for the pin, only to have Chris Jericho attack the Big Show from behind to pin him for the title. This would set up a winter's full of matches involving the Big Show and Chris Jericho. First, they would face each other at the Tables, Ladders, and Chairs pay per view, as well as the Royal Rumble. At the same time, they would be forced to defend the tag team titles against various opponents.

THE TITLE VS. THE STREAK, AGAIN.



Once the Big Show/Chris Jericho feud was over, the WWE could start to build up a match between the Undertaker and Chris Jericho for the World title at WrestleMania XXVI. In this scenario, the Undertaker could lay claim that he was never pinned for the World title. At the same time, Chris Jericho could start to talk about how he will do something that no one has done before, and that's end the Undetaker's WrestleMania winning streak. He would bring up the times in the past where he was counted out in the past. However, he did something that no one else thought possible. He defeated both the Rock and Steve Austin in the same night for the Undisputed World Championship. Of course, if Edge is back and ready to go, I would have the long awaited Edge/Chris Jericho feud that the WWE has been leaning towards from the time they had Jericho and Edge form a tag team.

THE WWE WORLD TITLE MATCH



In the WWE World title match, John Cena is defending against Triple H and Shawn Michaels at the Survivor Series. I'm not sure exactly where the WWE is taking this storyline. When you look at the RAW roster, after Randy Orton, the Monday night show does not offer a viable heel contender to John Cena's title. Since Randy Orton can no longer fight John Cena for the WWE title due to storyline reasons, where else can the WWE turn for a serious challenger at WrestleMania? Unless Randy Orton wins the Rumble, that is the only way I can see the "Viper" inserted into the WWE World title match. If that's the case, we would have to see yet another John Cena vs. Randy Orton match, or worse yet, Orton vs. Triple H, if Hunter Hearst Helmsley wins the Triple Threat match at the Survivor Series.

If I were to book the show, I would have Shawn Michaels win the title at the Survivor Series. Out of the three competitors in the match, it would make the most sense for the "Heartbreak Kid" to capture the gold. The last time Shawn Michaels won a World title was back at the 2002 Survivor Series. That was SEVEN long years ago. Since that time, Triple H had 4 World title reigns equaling 540 days, and 3 WWE World title reigns totaling 280 days. A grand total of 7 title reigns lasting 820 days, or 2 years and 90 days. John Cena had 2 World title reigns totaling 105 days, and 5 WWE World tile reigns equaling 830 days and counting. His grand total during this time is also 7 reigns lasting 925 days, or 2 years and 195 days. When you combine John Cena and Triple H's reigns of terror, they have held 14 World championships for a grand total of 4 years and 300 days. Meanwhile, Shawn Michaels hasn't had one run with a singles title since his last reign ended on December 15th, 2002. That reign lasted only 28 days.

While Shawn Michaels has maintained his spot in the main event scene, the "Heartbreak Kid" hasn't been a fixture in World championship title matches. Sure, Michaels has participated in several high profile title matches during that time, such as the WrestleMania XX World title main event against Chris Benoit and Triple H, as well as his WrestleMania 23 singles contest against the WWE World champion John Cena. Now is the time for the next Shawn Michaels' World title reign. Even though a Shawn Michaels title victory wouldn't exactly be a passing of the torch like his first WWF title victory was supposed to be, a WWE World Champion Shawn Michaels would be a refreshing change for a RAW brand that has become stale with the three-headed championship monster that is Triple H, John Cena, and Randy Orton.

WHO GOES TO WRESTLEMAINA?



After Shawn Michaels captures the title, the question would be, where do you go from there? The first series of matches would have to be rematches against the now former champion John Cena. Since RAW is lacking for main event level opponents that are fit to carry a WrestleMania World title match, there are only two possible opponents for the "Heartbreak Kid." The first would be a match against Randy Orton. However, I see his WrestleMania opponent as someone else that he is very familiar with. Shawn's other possible opponent for the WrestleMania WWE World title match would be against Triple H.

Triple H has been a baby face since June 12th, 2006. That's an eternity in the world of professional wrestling. It's probably time for a Triple H heel turn. If Shawn fought Triple H at WrestleMania XXVI, odds are that Triple H would be a heel in the match. However, I would do something a little different. In keeping with the idea of freshness in the World title picture, I would turn Shawn Michaels heel, and not Triple H. While Triple H has been a face for just over 3 years, he was a heel for most of the seven years before that. Shawn Michaels, on the other hand, except for a two-month heel stint in 2005, the "Heartbreak Kid" has remained a face ever since Triple H turned on him shortly after Michaels' return in 2002.

When Michaels had his two-month heel run in 2005 against Hulk Hogan, his performance was incredible. Shawn delivered some great heel promos against the "Immortal One." Having a heel Shawn Michaels take on a face Triple H would be a nice twist to the story. Everybody would have assumed that Triple H would be the heel in the feud. In the past, Shawn Michaels did some of his best work as a heel performer. When Shawn was pitted against the Undertaker at this past WrestleMania, he played the subtle heel in the build-up to their soon to be classic match. He was classic, or a Michael Cole would say, "vintage" Shawn Michaels. It would be interesting to see the heel Shawn Michaels from 1997 return, minus the backstage attitude that caused Vince McMahon migraines. While Shawn may not be willing to play the role of the heel for an extended period of time, if he could be convinced, I would start the heel turn following his WWE World title victory at the Survivor Series. It would be the spark that the WWE, and especially RAW needs right now.

With the two World title matches at WrestleMania XXVI now set, next week "The Piledriver Report" returns with a possible WrestleMania XXVI undercard.