11/22 WWE SURVIVOR SERIES KICKOFF SHOW REPORT: Dual Brand Battle Royal with Miz, Gable, Dominick, Ziggler, Hardy, Nakamura, more plus Panel Discussion

By Mike Meyers, PWTorch contributor


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WWE SURVIVOR SERIES KICKOFF REPORT
NOVEMBER 22, 2020
AIRED LIVE ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Kickoff Panel: Jerry Lawler, Booker T, Charly Caruso, JBL, Peter Rosenberg

-After an Undertaker tribute video, the panel discussed his career. Lawler talked about his debut in Memphis as “Mean Mark” more than 30 years ago. Booker spoke of his first WrestleMania appearance, and how Undertaker told him to “take it in.” Peter compared Undertaker to mega-crossover stars like Rock and Austin, and described Undertaker as “ours,” a wrestling fan’s wrestler.

-Kayla was backstage with Paul Heyman. Heyman laughed at Kayla’s offer for him to retract his statement that Reigns is “the champion,” while Drew McIntyre is merely a title holder.

-Kayla announced that Natalya has joined Team Smackdown for the women’s Survivor Series match. Bianca Belair joined the panel. Belair made some generic comments about being the best. Natalya appeared and interrupted the panel’s interview with Belair. Natalya and Belair bickered, since women are catty and incapable of coexisting.

-The panel pivoted to tonight’s tag match. Peter and JBL concurred that New Day are the best tag team of the last decade. Booker said Street Profits could become the greatest tag team since Harlem Heat.

-Rikishi was shown with Jey Uso who was warming up backstage, and the panel immediately switched to Lashley vs. Zayn. Zayn approached the panel. He said that all he wants is “a little respect – the respect I deserve.” Zayn reiterated that his Intercontinental championship represents every continent on the planet, whereas Lashley’s only represents a single country. Zayn said he “wasn’t even gonna go there” regarding the country in question. Zayn was listing the countries where his title is important, but Booker cut him off to say they had to take a break.

-R-Truth approached the panel. Truth made his own tribute video for the Gobbledy Gooker, another creature celebrating a 30-year career tonight. The panel told Truth they were actually celebrating the Undertaker’s career. Naturally, the Gooker appeared and danced with Truth. Truth said when Gooker appeared in 1990, he got so excited he almost dropped his John Cena action figure. JBL asked, “You had a John Cena action figure in the early 90s?” Truth said, “Yeah, but you couldn’t see it.” Gooker rolled up Truth for a pin and won the 24/7 Championship.

Announcers: Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe, Byron Saxton

(1) DUAL BRAND BATTLE ROYAL

Entrants: Miz, John Morrison, Humberto Carrillo, Angel Garza, Shelton Benjamin, Elias, Jeff Hardy, Ricochet; Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, Buddy Murphy, Rey Mysterio, Dominik Mysterio, Chad Gable, Apollo Crews, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kalisto

Most wrestlers started already in the ring. Murphy, Dominik, and Rey Mysterio entered together to Rey’s music. Miz entered with Morrison.

Eliminations:

  • Morrison by Dominik
  • Kalisto by Alexander
  • Mysterio by Ziggler
  • Carrillo by Garza
  • Garza by Alexander & Benjamin
  • Alexander by Ricochet
  • Ricochet by Benjamin
  • Benjamin by Crews
  • Murphy by Roode
  • Roode by Dominik
  • Ziggler by Dominik
  • Crews by Nakamura
  • Nakamura by Hardy
  • Elias by Hardy
  • Final four: Gable, Hardy, Miz, Dominik

Gable clotheslined Hardy over the top rope for the elimination. Dominik set up Miz for a 619, but Miz got up and delivered bicycle kicks to Dominik and Gable. Miz gestured to his USA tee shirt, then delivered “It kicks” to Dominik’s chest. He knocked him do the mat with the final blow. Dominik reversed Miz’s attempt to throw him over the top rope, then “eliminated” Miz with a baseball slide under the bottom rope. Meanwhile, Gable delivered a series of suplexes to Dominik. Gable landed forearm blows to Dominik in the corner. Dominik executed a springboard arm drag to Gable, then missed a 619 attempt. Dominik reversed out of a German suplex, then finally hit a 619 before tossing Gable over the top rope. Miz finally appeared from a hidden location to surprise Dominik from behind, throwing him over the top for the victory.

WINNER: Miz by elimination in 12:20.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Standard, skippable setup for most of this match leading to an endgame where Miz doubled down on being a heel, if anyone was wondering.)

-Owens was backstage with Corbin. Corbin declared their Smackdown team “a mess.” Corbin claimed he could set Owens up with opportunities down the road if he follows his lead in the ring tonight. Owens “thought about it” for three seconds, then said, “Nope!” Billie Kay appeared and gave a headshot and resume to Corbin. Corbin said nothing and handed the papers back.

Find Mike Meyers on Twitter: @themikeshow42

1 Comment on 11/22 WWE SURVIVOR SERIES KICKOFF SHOW REPORT: Dual Brand Battle Royal with Miz, Gable, Dominick, Ziggler, Hardy, Nakamura, more plus Panel Discussion

  1. I am not sure I understand the “because women are catty” comment when just about any Survivor Series team will have dissension in the ranks. The guys seem to argue over who is captain just the same. Even if that is a played out angle, the critique never seems to have anything to do with the fact that they are guys.

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