Survivor Series is the one pay-per-view of the year when Raw and SmackDown battle in head-to-head competition for brand supremacy. This year, the stakes have never been higher, as WWE’s fall classic will feature four monumental Champion vs. Champion clashes, including Universal Champion Brock Lesnar vs. WWE Champion AJ Styles and Raw Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss against SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair.
To get you ready for this pivotal event, WWE.com’s editors joined up with www.1wrestlingvideo.com'slegendary sports-entertainment journalist and author of "Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn’t Know It Was Broken" Bill Apter to offer their Survivor Series match predictions. See what you think about our picks, and let us know what you’re thinking in the comments.
Universal Champion Brock Lesnar vs. WWE Champion AJ Styles (match preview) BILL APTER: AJ will put in a spectacular showing, as he does in every match. He's never less than 100 percent. Letting him gain confidence early will be Lesnar's game, but after a few minutes, he'll swat AJ like a fly like he does to all his adversaries. Lesnar wins and AJ winds up as another resident in Suplex City! WINNER:Brock Lesnar
SCOTT TAYLOR: If AJ Styles can manage to survive past the first five minutes, I think The Phenomenal One will pull out a huge victory here. Styles has the offensive arsenal and pure talent necessary to topple The Beast. WINNER: AJ Styles
TONY BENIGNO: Nine times out of ten, Lesnar wins this in a walk. Call it a matter of faith, but it certainly feels like we are living in that 10th time. WINNER: AJ Styles
Men’s 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match (match preview) BILL APTER: The Raw team has a much stronger "kicka**" powerful team. They win. Tempers will be at the hottest boiling point, and rivalries spilling over from this match will continue for months to come. WINNER: Team Raw
SCOTT TAYLOR: The addition of John Cena to SmackDown and Triple H to Raw changed the entire landscape of this contest. The presence of Braun Strowman, however, will prove to be the difference-maker in this legend-filled showdown. WINNER: Team Raw
TONY BENIGNO: SmackDown has amassed a canny group of world-traveled Superstars, promising young talent and a battle-hardened Commissioner. But the youth movement of Raw is bigger, badder and hungrier. With Kurt Angle at the helm, they believe. WINNER: Team Raw
Women’s 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match (match preview) BILL APTER: The Raw team is still hurting from the horrid sneak attack by the Smackdown roster weeks ago. Although Raw made an impressive attack on Smackdown this week, I feel that the Blue team still holds a psychological edge and will win. WINNER: Team SmackDown
SCOTT TAYLOR: Raw’s stacked lineup, including the undefeated Asuka and the dominant Nia Jax, is just too good to pick against. WINNER: Team Raw
TONY BENIGNO: Long as Asuka is fighting for Team Red, Becky Lynch and Co. will be black and blue. WINNER: Team Raw
The Shield vs. The New Day (match preview) BILL APTER:Although I enjoy The New Day's work in the ring, the much more serious approach to defeating opponents in a business-like, no showmanship manner is the Shield style, and that will prove to be the deciding factor. WINNER: The Shield
SCOTT TAYLOR: The New Day will go down as one of the greatest trios in sports-entertainment history, but when looking back on The Shield, there is no doubt they will be viewed as THE greatest trio ever. WINNER: The Shield
TONY BENIGNO:New Day gets under anybody’s skin on the mic and shows them up in the ring. But The Shield work best when they’ve got a grudge to settle, and they have a big grudge to settle here. WINNER: The Shield
Raw Tag Team Champions Cesaro & Sheamus vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos (match preview) BILL APTER: This will be the Usos chance to finally show they can be as tough as the toughest on a national stage: Survivor Series. With millions of fans watching, they will prove that some needed maturity has set in, and that will lead them to victory in what will be the most grueling match they have ever endured.
WINNER: The Usos
SCOTT TAYLOR: This should be a very closely contested matchup, but The Usos have much more experience together in these big matchups and should prove to be the better tag team. WINNER: The Usos
TONY BENIGNO: Only one tag team can boast a greater self-reinvention than The Bar pulled off this year. Unfortunately for Sheamus & Cesaro, it’s the team standing across from them. WINNER: The Usos
Raw Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte (match preview) BILL APTER: Charlotte will wrestle some sense around the Raw Champion who is quite full of herself. It's time for a reality check, a Figure-Eight and a huge "Wooooo" as Charlotte lets this (very talented) ring-brat know who is supreme. WINNER: Charlotte Flair
SCOTT TAYLOR: Without ample time to get inside the head of her opponent, Alexa Bliss won’t be able to take full advantage of her usual mind games. As a result, look for Charlotte Flair’s athleticism and in-ring acumen to lead her to the win. WINNER: Charlotte Flair
TONY BENIGNO: Little Miss Bliss has been able to outlast and outwit all her challengers to date. But Charlotte did it all first; she’ll see Bliss’ sneakiness coming and react accordingly. WINNER: Charlotte Flair
Intercontinental Champion The Miz vs. United States Champion Baron Corbin (match preview) BILL APTER:Miz is at the top of his game in both his ring-skills and intimidating personality. The very tough style of Corbin won't be enough to beat this much too sly Intercontinental Champion with or without his Miztourage. WINNER: The Miz
SCOTT TAYLOR: Baron Corbin has the size and strength advantage, in addition to the more devastating finishing move. However, never underestimate The Miz’s shrewdness and his ability to find a way to win. WINNER: The Miz
TONY BENIGNO:Corbin puts up a better fight than most people give him credit for. That said, The Miz’s entire 2017 has been a forcible reclamation of respect. He’s come through in the clutch, and this is the biggest spotlight he’s had on himself and his title all year long. WINNER: The Miz
WWE Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore vs. Kalisto (Kickoff Match) (match preview) BILL APTER: I see a bit of distraction in Enzo recently. He seems to be more focused on acting like a tough guy and impressing the fans, which is not happening. Kalisto will take advantage of Enzo's distractions and snare an amazing title win. WINNER:Kalisto
SCOTT TAYLOR: The longer Enzo Amore holds on the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, the more his in-ring confidence grows. And the more confident Enzo becomes inside the squared circle, the more difficult he will be to overcome. WINNER: Enzo Amore
TONY BENIGNO:The dance continues between Enzo, who fights dirty but smart, and Kalisto, who fights bravely even when he comes up short. The King of Flight takes this one because Enzo can only play the same tricks for so long before he gets caught. WINNER: Kalisto
