WWE is always searching for the next great concept Pay Per View show. Extreme Rules, Money in the Bank, Night of Champions, Hell in a Cell, and others are all a testament to the fact that WWE doesn't seem to believe that compelling personalities and competitive matches are enough to stage a major wrestling card.
Perhaps they're right, but if so, then why has the original concept PPV abandoned it's concept?
Survivor Series debuted in 1987 as an event that focused solely on elimination tag team matches. As the years progressed, major singles matches such as 1991's Gravest Challenge pitting Undertaker against World Wrestling Federation Champion Hulk Hogan were introduced. Later the whole elimination tag match format was scrapped altogether, save for the occasional token match.
This is most unfortunate because the elimination tag match is among the most unpredictable and fun match stipulations in the lexicon of professional wrestling, often creating strange bedfellows and unexpected confrontations.
That brings us to this week's episode of RAW which featured a hot elimination tag match between The Shield and the combination of Kane, Daniel Bryan, and John Cena. Though the match ended in a disqualification, it featured all the hallmarks of a classic elimination tag match. All 6 men had a chance to shine at various points and each team's odds of victory shifted dramatically with each elimination. This is the exact type of match than we need in an era of predictable matchmaking and tired personalities. Please WWE, give us more elimination tag matches, especially at Survivor Series!
Another reason to appreciate this match was that it could be the end of an era. With Dean Ambrose apparently shifting his focus to singles competition and Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns seemingly forming a proper tag team duo, it would seem this this initial three headed version of The Shield may be at it's end. It was fun while it lasted.
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OFFICIAL WRESTLER WRANKINGS FORMULA
ANY WIN = 2 POINTS
US OR INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE BOUT = 1 POINT
WWE OR WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE BOUT = 3 POINTS
NON "BIG 4" PPV BONUS = 1.5X
SUMMERSLAM, SURVIVOR SERIES, ROYAL RUMBLE = 2X BONUS
WRESTLEMANIA = 3X BONUS
The WWE season begins on the day after WrestleMania 29 and culminates with WrestleMania 30. The wrestler who accumulates the most points over the course of the season, wins the coveted Wrankings Championship!
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Monday Night Raw -- 5/13/13
- Kofi Kingston - 2 points (win)
- Randy Orton - 2 points (win)
- Jack Swagger - 2 points (win)
- Ryback - 2 points (win)
- Miz - 2 points (win)
Main Event -- 5/15/13
- Kane - 2 points (win)
- Sin Cara - 2 points (win)
- Cody Rhodes - 2 points (win)
SmackDown -- 5/17/13
- Miz - 2 points (win)
- Chris Jericho - 2 points (win)
WRESTLER WRANKINGS, WEEK 6 *TOP TEN*
1. KOFI KINGSTON -- 14 points
2. Randy Orton -- 12
T3. Dolph Ziggler -- 11
T3. Alberto Del Rio -- 11
T5. Wade Barrett -- 10
T5. Fandango -- 10
T5. Jack Swagger -- 10
T8. Big E. Langston -- 8
T8. Mark Henry -- 8
T10. Sheamus -- 6
T10. R-Truth -- 6
T10. Ryback -- 6
Thanks for reading Cagesiders. We'll see you back here next week!