Smark Out Moment

Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.

This week, Dallas Allsopp, Chris King and Robert DeFelice will be giving their opinions on the upcoming Survivor Series pay-per-view.

This year’s Survivor Series has differed from the usual tired and played out storylines, mainly due to the inclusion of NXT as a viable third brand. This new form of brand warfare has provided some of the most compelling television in years, but will NXT actually have an impact on the results?


ALLSOPP: This match has since been advertised as no holds barred, which means Brock Lesnar could decide to obliterate Rey Mysterio with weapons, or just use his bare hands whilst Mysterio attempts to even the odds with weapons or even outside interference. The visual of Lesnar throwing around a smaller wrestler remains as effective as it has always been, and I suspect this particular match will be highly entertaining.

KING: I am very excited to see this match on Sunday. Everyone knows the end result, but it will be telling to see if WWE lets Rey Mysterio shine in his first WWE Championship match since returning. I'm quite surprised that there has been no mention of their history from back in 2002-2003 on SmackDown. I do think Brock Lesnar is going to throw Mysterio around like a rag doll, but I am hoping for several near falls, and possibly a run-in from Dominick.

DeFELICE: The key to these matches with older talent always depends on whether or not they come to play. With these 2 in particular, if they bring their best efforts, it can be the best match that we've seen all year from Brock Lesnar. I feel like the conclusion is a foregone one. Lesnar has to win here, as nobody gains anything from seeing Rey Mysterio beat him. Perhaps Dominick gets a little overzealous, and this kickstarts his wrestling career. Mostly, I’m just hoping for a good match between 2 of my favorites from my childhood.


KING: This has definitely been one of my favorite builds for this year's event. It has been done fantastically, but I'm sure I'm not alone in hating how Bayley has been made to feel like an afterthought, despite getting some revenge over the last few weeks. This triple threat has the best chance of being match of the night, and I'm expecting an all out war between all 3 champions. Shayna Baszler should take the victory here to solidify herself as a real badass. In reading other people's concerns, I think we all know who is losing here. My biggest question is whether or not this is leading to Baszler vs Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 36, or if this is a way for Ronda Rousey to make her return and get her revenge on The Man.

DeFELICE: Of all the brand supremacy matches going into this Sunday's show, this appears to be the most well built. One criticism I have of the match is the positioning of Bayley as an afterthought. They’ve done a great job in utilizing this in the storyline, and even though I think this may lead to more of Shayna Baszler and Becky Lynch, I think Bayley wins the match when she rolls up Lynch and runs away to prove she’s not an afterthought.

ALLSOPP: I have no doubt this will be the best match of the night, however I have concerns over how the finish will go down. In terms of the build for this match, Shayna Baszler has been elevated to the same level as Becky Lynch, whilst Bayley remains an afterthought, despite the fact she has an interesting new heel character. To me, this indicates she will be taking the loss, but the winner could easily be Baszler or Lynch. My head says that Lynch will win as she is positioned as the strongest woman on the main roster, however Baszler is an absolute machine who could, and perhaps should, win the match to underline her own dominance. I’ll go out on a limb and say Baszler will submit Bayley for the victory, in what will be the best match of the night.


DeFELICE: The NXT inclusion in the story has led to some of the most exciting and captivating television in WWE this year. Specifically, the initial episode of SmackDown which featured Adam Cole vs Daniel Bryan may have been my favorite main roster television show of the year. I'm not keen on the intermingling of the main roster and NXT, and I hope that it's sticking strictly to Survivor Series, with heavy moving of the TakeOver schedule for next year so that there's no overlapping of ongoing issues. I do want to see this next year as it’s too good of a hook for Survivor Series to have it go away. NXT has grown so much in 2019, and I can only imagine this multiplying by a factor of 10 in 2020.

ALLSOPP: The build to Raw vs SmackDown vs NXT at Survivor Series has been almost flawless. Adam Cole has been promoted heavily, with Tommaso Ciampa and Keith Lee also having an impact during their appearances. Rhea Ripley and Shayna Baszler have benefitted from their main roster exposure, and the whole invasion storyline has led to compelling and unpredictable viewing. My issue is that this should not be repeated next year, as it will seem old hat and lack the punch that this year’s invasion has. NXT has solidified itself as a competent brand in their own right, therefore it is only fair they continue to produce amazing TakeOver shows and stand out from the main roster.

KING: Why have NXT not been included in Survivor Series events in previous years? Even though they weren't advertised as the equivalent to the main roster, they've always been primed for this spot. We definitely have been treated to some terrific matches, with my personal favorite being The OC vs Tommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee and Matt Riddle on NXT. The moment The OC attacked The Undisputed Era, I was hooked. I fully support NXT being included in not only Survivor Series next year, but the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 36. It's about time that the NXT Championship is defended on the Grandest Stage of Them All.