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World’s Most Dangerous Column 11.24.13: 5 Bold WWE Survivor Series Predictions

November 24, 2013 | Posted by Greg De Marco

Welcome to the third edition of the WMDC, my first on a pay-per-view Sunday! As a planned tradition, I will bring you five bold predictions—these are not your normal match by match predictions but rather a collection of bold predictions that are not likely to come true. But occasionally, I nail one. I also have some—GASP!—nice things to say about one Dixie Carter.

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John Cena returned at the 2013 Hell In A Cell pay-per-view and captured his third World Heavyweight Championship (14th world title overall) by defeating Alberto Del Rio. He steps back into the ring with Del Rio at Survivor Series, in what isn’t really an inspiring main event.

But neither is Randy Orton vs. The Big Show.

It’s easy to assume that Orton’s WWE Championship defense will go on last, but it’s also easy to see why it won’t.

The World Heavyweight Championship is a pet of Triple H’s. He was handed the championship during the early part of the brand extension era, and it holds an important part of WWE history for the past 10 years. Randy Orton might be the WWE Champion today, but he also held the World Heavyweight Championship multiple times and once said he prefers it over the WWE version (granted, he said that because it weighs 10 pounds, and the WWE Championship—at the time—weighed 40). Retired WWE Hall of Famer Edge’s name is synonymous with the World Heavyweight Championship, and he faced the Undertaker the last time “Big Goldie” was defended in the main event at WrestleMania.

The WWE wants to “restore the glory” to the World Heavyweight Championship, and part of that has to be allowing it to occupy the main event of a WWE pay-per-view. May 20, 2012 was the date of the WWE Over The Limit pay-per-view that was main evented by a terrible John Cena vs. John Laurinaitis match that “Big Johnny” actually won. Also on the card was WWE Champion CM Punk defending opposite Daniel Bryan and Sheamus defending the World Heavyweight Championship in a Fatal-Four-Way against Alberto Del Rio, Randy Orton and Chris Jericho. I truly believe that four-way could have main evented the show, and represents what is likely the last time the World Heavyweight Championship could have main evented a pay-per-view.

Fast forward to November 24, 2013, and Survivor Series 2013. The WWE wants to make the World Heavyweight Championship important again and the true “face of the company” (regardless of Randy Orton’s gimmick) is holding the title.

Sadly, it isn’t really the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event, it’s John Cena in the main event. But for the big gold belt (which WCW actually once called it), it’s a step in the right direction.

Randy Orton Will Retain—Thanks to Interference
During Monday’s Raw, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon said they had confidence in Randy Orton as the Face of the WWE. An often forgotten element of “The Authority” is that they’re manipulating everyone, including and especially Randy Orton, Kane and The Shield. As part of their vote of confidence, Triple H informed the WWE Champion that he’d be defending his championship against The Big Show without the assistance of outside interference.

I do believe Randy Orton will leave Boston as the WWE Champion, but I don’t think he does it alone. And I see that playing out one of two ways:

Triple H sends out The Shield: In a complete turn from what he claimed on Monday’s Raw, Triple H sends out The Shield to assist Randy Orton, saving him from the jaws of defeat. Hell, Orton could actually lose in either of my scenarios, by disqualification, and it works. In this case, Trips saves Orton’s ass “once again” (as he’d claim), further driving doubt in his choice for the Face of the WWE. To me, this is the most viable and least interesting option.

The Wyatt Family saves Randy Orton: In a different turn of events, Triple H keeps his promise and doesn’t offer any assistance to Randy Orton. Orton takes those matters into his own hands, as The Wyatt Family attacks The Big Show. Maybe Orton wins, maybe he loses by disqualification. Either way, he’s still WWE Champion. The final blow is landed with Sistar Abagail on Show, as Bray once again claims “The Devil Made Me Do It.” That devil? Randy Orton.

Big E Langston Will Destroy Curtis Axel
Last week on WWE Raw, Big E Langston got the biggest win of his young career when he defeated Curtis Axel to become the new WWE Intercontinental Champion. The rematch is set for Survivor Series 2013, as Big E walks in as champion for the first time on pay-per-view. Much like the aforementioned John Cena, I am a Big E supporter, and I see big (pun kinda intended) things for him in the coming years.

On the flip side you former Intercontinental Champion, Curtis Axel. The fact that Axel’s 155 days as champion aren’t the least significant in the title’s history says nothing about Axel and more about some of the past champions—regardless, Axel’s reign still sucked. In fact, with Paul Heyman playing a less significant role on television at the current time, I see no reason why Axel’s role won’t be further diminished until he becomes Michael McGillicutty with a better name.

Add in the fact that, according to recent reports, Big E Langston is among three talents the WWE wants to elevate over the next year. Are these reports to be believed? Maybe, but either way you slice it, things are looking up for Big E Langston. Putting those together, why not have him destroy Axel at Survivor Series?

CM Punk & Daniel Bryan vs. Erick Rowan & Luke Harper Steals The Show
As of this writing, there are two Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Matches set for Sunday’s pay-per-view event in Boston, one for the Divas (7 on 7) and one for the Superstars (Cody Rhodes, Goldust, The Usos & a returning Rey Mysterio vs. The Shield and The Real Americans). The superstar version has show-stealing potential written all over it, but is not my pick to steal the show.

CM Punk & Daniel Bryan are two of the best wrestlers the WWE has on the roster, and they’ve been seemingly de-pushed over the last few weeks (although that’s debatable). Opposing them are Erick Rowan and Luke Harper, two superstars who have debuted over the past few months and have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

The Superstar elimination match features an injured Rey Mysterio and many variables that could hold it back. The Divas are the Divas. The Intercontinental Championship match features Curtis Freakin’ Axel. Neither world title match is primed to steal the show. Combine those with the fact that four of the most motivated guys on the card are in this match, and I believe the tag team match will be the match we’re all talking about after Survivor Series goes off the air.

You Will Love This PPV!
In what could be a big surprise, this will go down as an entertaining and enjoyable pay-per-view event. Cena and Del Rio can pull out a good match, I already said I think Punk/Bryan-Harper/Rowan will deliver, the Superstar elimination tag will be great, and Show/Orton could surprise us. Big E’s dominating win will be fun, and overall this card can be a great one. So I think it will exceed expectations and entertain a mass audience.

You Decide: The future of the Survivor Series PPV!

Each year, long-time fans complain about the format of the WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view event. They (we?) want it to return to the traditional format with all Survivor Series elimination tag team matches. Newer fans might only know the current format, with one or two traditional Survivor Series matches and others featuring current storylines. And we always hear rumors of Vince McMahon looking to discontinue the event altogether. I know what I’d like to see—but I’ll let You Decide!


Voting is open through Wednesday night, and you can vote once per hour!
Share your comments below!

Dixie Carter Shocker: Smarter Than You Think!

Dixie Carter was recently featured in an article for Sports Illustrated, rare mainstream exposure for TNA, a company that can really benefit from such a thing. The article is a great read, but even reading the synopsis (provided at our 411Mania homebase here) it gives you a better indication of Dixie’s acumen for the business—and business in general.

On taking Impact on the road: “We went on the road thinking if we could sell 1,500-2,000 tickets, we’d be good. We went in with a very conservative budget. We didn’t come out here thinking we’d sell out arenas. The truth is we exceeded those budget numbers. We hit our revenue numbers, but we overspent when it came to loading out of the Universal studio. There was a two-month overlap that cost us…We have to try different things. Going on the road to see if this is the thing that changes the whole feel and vibe of the show, if it works, you stick with it. I think we’ve learned a lot from this. We learned that the show has to be shaken up, not the venue.”

If you take a close look at this past week’s Impact Wrestling, you can see this is true. The venue looked like a mini-arena, whereas the old Impact Zone looked like a set. There was a vibe to Impact that matched what we see on the road, and I think the move could be a good one.

On the talent that was released due to budget cuts: “They didn’t resonate. They didn’t move the needle or the contract they wanted wasn’t something that was good for this company. Sorry, but this company has to be in business 10, 20 years from now. I have to run a company and grow it. I’m to the point right now where things have to be a certain way for us.”

I’ve been among those heavily critical towards TNA for how they handled their relaeses, but the truth is they have been smart in their roster decisions. You can’t dump every “big name” star, and you can keep every independent stand out, either. You can’t pay people to stay home, and you can’t fit but so many people on a 2-hour show. The current rumors indicate a move towards more independent talent coming into the company, so 2014 could be a very telling year. I still think they missed the boat with people like Joey Ryan and Taeler Hendrix, but I also think there’s some value in former WWE stars that can still be utilized in a new and exciting way (Elijah Burke/D’Angelo Dinero immediately comes to mind).

But hey, they still (inexplicably) have Abyss under contract!

On Hulk Hogan: “I think Hulk has been worth it. He’s opened a lot of doors for us. When you’re about to lose a deal in an international territory and one phone call from Hulk Hogan makes a man who doesn’t even speak your language melt and you get your deal back, that carries a lot of weight. There’s not another guy out there who could do that. If we did anything wrong with him, we used him too much on television. If he stayed with us, you’d probably see less of him.”

This is the comment that impresses me the most. Dixie eloquently shows us a way that Hulk Hogan benefited the company that we likely never considered, and admitted the key flaw in his participation to begin with—he got too much TV time. When he wasn’t around, the product was better. I have no clue how much backstage power he had. If I had to guess, I’d say it was a lot when he started and it gradually decreased. This also explains why he promoted the company less and less as it went on. Hogan has a huge ego, and power feeds that ego. But his having power also hurt the company.

On incorporating “reality” into TNA storylines: “Fans want to see things they think they aren’t supposed to be seeing.” Specific to her heel turn, Carter said she and TNA Creative “thought it would be best to let a little more of the company’s reality bleed into the show.”

Dixie and the creative team is 100% right here. We loved to bitch about Dixie Carter on Twitter, and they ran with it. I think heel Dixie and the Dixie Train doesn’t get the credit it deserves, as it’s been a breath of fresh air in the product. And that product has largely been reset since Bound For Glory, and it’s become quite entertaining—the best wrestling show on television for each of the past three weeks.

There are more great points in the interview, but what’s most apparent to me is that Dixie Carter “gets it” more than we give her credit for. I don’t know if the company is up for sale, if they’re looking for minority stakeholders to raise capital or if it’s all speculation with no basis.

I can tell you this: TNA couldn’t continue the way they had over the past few years. There were some brilliant moments (Austin Aries’ creation and execution of “Option C” stands out—and it made a big stage main eventer out of Aries) but the bad outweighed the good. The “new” Impact Wrestling direction is sustainable, and different. We all want an alternative to WWE, and “#IMPACT365,” a return to Orlando and a refreshing influx of new talent can only help TNA achieve Dixie’s goal of remaining in business for the next 10 and 20 years.

Hear Former WWE Superstar Michael Tarver!

Last week, former WWE Superstar Michael Tarver joined Greg, Patrick and Heather to discuss his time in FCW/NXT, on the NXT program, in The Nexus, his prior issues with John Cena and more!

Click here to listen or listen below:

This week, tune in for our Survivor Series reaction show at 11 pm eastern Sunday night! And stick around as DeMarcette Jessie Belle joins the program in hour #2! Don’t miss out as Greg DeMarco, Patrick O’Dowd, Heather Lynn, Su Yung, Tony Acero and the entire #GDMS crew hit the air Sunday night at 11 pm eastern, right after Survivor Series!

Listen live: www.vocnation.com
Call in: 855-VOC-Radio

The Greg DeMarco Show with Patrick O’Dowd, Heather Lynn and Su Yung airs every Sunday night, WORLDWIDE on the VOC Nation! Originally built as an extension of their near daily banter, the pair have grown into some of the most respected wrestling analysts on the ‘net. Add in sexy DeMarcettes Heather Lynn and Su Yung, who bring in their years of experience in and out of the ring—and your ears may not be able to handle this!

The GDMS guest list includes appearances by TNA’s Christopher Daniels, former WWE Superstar Chris “Masters” Mordetzky, ECW/WWF/WCW legend “The Franchise” Shane Douglas, 5-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce and many of today’s top independent talent including former Ring of Honor World Champion Kevin Steen, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Champion Adam Cole, Dragon Gate USA Open The Freedom Gate Champion Johnny Gargano and independent wrestling’s #1 female star, Shine Champion Rain.

The show also features appearances by The DeMarcettes, the hottest upcoming talent in all of women’s wrestling. Former WWE/NXT and show cohost Su Yung, independent wrestling talent and show cohost Heather Lynn, former WWE/NXT Diva Buggy Nova, Ring of Honor Hoopla Hottie Scarlett Bordeaux, Barbi Hayden, Veda Scott, Terra Calaway, Allie Parker, Cherry Bomb, Jessie Belle, Leah Von Dutch, Nikki St. John, The Blossom Twins (Hannah & Holly) and former TNA Knockout Taeler Hendrix entertain fans on a regular basis during The Greg DeMarco Show!

Just As The Tag Line Says…A Girl!

This week, you’re graced with the presence of Greg DeMarco Show cohost and card carrying DeMarcette, the beautiful and #32Fantastic Heather Lynn!

Heather Lynn on Facebook: facebook.com/HeatherLynn1024
Heather Lynn on Twitter: twitter.com/HeatherLynn1024

And you can hear Heather Lynn breaking the product down like no other women can each Sunday night on The Greg DeMarco Show!

Closing Time…

Plenty of items to discuss in the comments below, but here are a few suggestions:
– What are your bold Survivor Series predictions?
– What should happen to the Survivor Series format?
– Does Dixie Carter get the credit she deserves?
– Surprised by anything Michael Tarver said?

Also of note, I am considering a “5 Up, 5 Down” feature starting next week. This would replace the Power Rankings, and I’d list five entities who see their stock go up based on the past week, and five that see it go down. For example, this week you’d have seen Big E. Langston as part of “5 Up” and Curtis Axel as part of “5 Down.”

What do you think? If you’d like to see me give it a shot, let me know in the comments section!

About The Author…

Greg DeMarco is a graduate of Virginia Tech (Bachelor’s in Business Management) and Arizona State (Master’s in Higher & Post-Secondary Education). He works in online higher education. Greg started in improv comedy in 2001, making his stand-up debut in 2004.

Greg first appeared as a ring announcer for Rising Phoenix Wrestling in Phoenix Arizona in 2006 and served many promotions in both on-stage and back-stage roles for over six years, most notably Ring of Honor in 2010. He began writing for 411Mania in October 2010, founded The Greg DeMarco Show in May 2011 and joined the VOC Nation in November 2011. Greg’s writing credits include Bleacher Report, Yahoo, Wrestling Inc and Pro Wrestling Powerhouse. Greg returned home to both 411Mania and the VOC Nation in November 2013.

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Until next week…

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