WWE 'Survivor Series' 2012 PPV predictions and preview

For the 26th year in a row, WWE's seminal autumn classic, the Survivor Series pay-per-view (PPV) event is back! And TONIGHT, (Sun., Nov. 18) for the first time ever, it is being produced from none other than, The Circle City, The Crossroads of America, Naptown, The Racing Capital of the World, The Amateur Sports Capital of the World...

INDY!!!

That's right, it's coming to us live on pay-per-view (PPV) from Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. That is the happening place to be tonight, folks. But if you don't have tickets, well then clearly, THIS is the second best place to be, right here with all of your favorite peeps on Cageside Seats!

WWE will also be offering a free Survivor Series Pre-Show, which will stream live on WWE.com, Facebook.com/WWE and YouTube.com/WWE, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT, just before the PPV.

According to WWE, this fall's three-hour epic PPV event features these highlights:

This year, the act of survival turns into an all-out quest for total domination... and respect! So much for Team Punk: at Survivor Series, The Second City Saint will put his WWE Title up for grabs in a tremendous Triple Threat Match against both John Cena and Ryback! Don't miss an incredible event featuring all your favorite WWE Superstars!

Tonight's show will feature a traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series elimination match between Team Mick Foley and Team CM Punk Ziggler.

Team Ziggler currently consists of:

• Team Captain: CM Punk Dolph Ziggler
• The Miz Wade Barrett
• Team Rhodes Scholars (Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow)
• Alberto Del Rio

Team Foley currently consists of:

• Ringside Captain: Mick Foley
• Kofi Kingston
• Team Hell No (Kane and Daniel Bryan)
• Randy Orton
• Ryback The Miz

In addition to the elimination match, this PPV also features a rematch from Hell in a Cell between Sheamus and Big Show for the World Heavyweight Championship, with former champion Sheamus invoking his rematch clause; a triple threat match for the WWE Championship, in which CM Punk will defend his title against Ryback and John Cena. A brief refresher on this one according to wikipedia:

"... the story lines over the past two months were played-on to hype this match, as it was focused on the fact that Ryback was screwed out of his match with Punk at Hell in a Cell and Punk fought Cena to a draw at Night of Champions. The match was announced after WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon, questioned Vickie Guerrero's decision to place Punk in a match in which he does not need to defend his title and can hide behind several partners."

Luckily for you Cagesiders, our CSS staff of learned wrestling blowhards is faithfully here for you yet again, in order to help you all figure out just how this latest PPV event is gonna play out.

We've got staff predictions for each and every match on the WWE <em>Survivor Series 2012</em> card coming up next!

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WWE SURVIVOR SERIES 2012 MATCH CARD:

• WWE Pre-Show Tag Team Match: 3MB (Jinder Mahal & Heath Slater) (likely withOUT Drew McIntyre) vs. Team CoBro International Airstrike (Tyson Kidd & Justin Gabriel)
• WWE Survivor Series Elimination Match: Team Ziggler vs. Team Foley / Team Ziggler: Dolph Ziggler, Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow & Cody Rhodes), Wade Barrett and Alberto Del Rio / Team Foley:The Miz, Kofi Kingston, Team Hell No (Kane & Daniel Bryan) and Randy Orton
• WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Big Show (c) vs. Sheamus
• WWE Championship (Triple Threat Match): CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena vs. Ryback
• WWE Divas Championship: Eve (c) vs. Kaitlyn
• WWE United States Championship: Antonio Cesaro (c) vs. R-Truth

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CSS STAFF PREDICTIONS:

3MB vs. International Airstrike (Pre-show)

• The General: It's a pre-show match, so the babyfaces get the edge. Pick: International Airstrike
• Keith Harris: It's the battle of the one note joke, tone deaf comedy stable and the going nowhere, white meat babyfaces, paired together to add a little extra depth to the tag team division. The creative team loves beating their jokes into the ground, so One Man Band clearly goes over here. Pick: 3MB
• Nolan Howell: 3MB baybayyyy! Pick: 3MB
• C. J. Bradford: 3MB is a group that will be topping the charts; International Airstrike is a group that will remain grounded for the foreseeable future. 3MB picks up the quick win before the real action starts. Pick: 3MB
• Hollywood Wallace: Tough call here, but I think 3MB is inspired by the absence of their brother, Drew McIntyre, rather than hindered. Pick: 3MB
• J.M. 'Cr8vly' Williams: Maybe I am Crrrraaazzzzy Cr8vly tonight, or maybe it's all the steroids they put me on for my pneumonia, but regardless, I am gonna be totally off the wall this time out and simply write each competitor's name onto a pouch of cat food and then hold them up for my crazy cat to headbutt whichever one of the two he apparently senses to be the shit. (He really does this, folks, he is a headbutting maniac.) His name is "Silver", so Silver's pick is: 3MB! (cool, I concur with this cat)

Team Ziggler vs. Team Foley (Elimination Match)

• The General: I'm a huge mark for matches like this and wish they would actually go back to the format they used to use where a series of teams would compete against each other with the winners going on to the survivor's match later in the night. I would lean babyface in this match because I think Ziggler could be cashing in the briefcase later and WWE might be planning an Orton vs. Miz feud with Orton turning heel and Miz going face. I think they both survive, but it's an uneasy alliance and breaks down quickly after the match. Pick: Team Foley
• Keith Harris: With the heels retaining the titles in the top two matches and Foley supposedly headlining TLC in December, I'd expect a babyface team victory here, especially as the injured Cody Rhodes is likely to be replaced by the no longer lording it up Tensai. My guess would be Orton will be the sole survivor picking up the final fall on Ziggler thanks to Foley's help. Pick: Team Foley
• Nolan Howell: I believe that Foley's team will get the nod here. Ziggler's team has been so hodgepodge with injuries and what not that it seems like creative was just plugging in whomever, with Foley to win always in mind. Pick: Team Foley
• C. J. Bradford: For a match that has only had two weeks of buildup and a revolving door of participants, I am at a complete loss as to what WWE plans to do here. This could be a jumping off point for Dolph Ziggler into the main event. This could be a way of bringing Randy Orton back into prominence. This could be a chance to really cement The Miz's face turn. Or, if WWE was really creative, this could be an opportunity for all three, and then some. As far as predictions go, I suspect Team Foley wins to send the live crowd home happy. Pick: Team Foley
• Hollywood Wallace: I predict that Mick Foley will have some kind off hand in this match and will ensure a team victory. Pick: Team Foley
• J.M. 'Cr8vly' Williams: This is a tough pick, there are a lot of pouches to be sniffed and investigated and swiped at with hungry paws. And, here comes the headbutt... Silver's pick is: Team Ziggler (oooh, Silver, we are in the minority on this one, I may have to veto this... what the hell, let's go for the upset, Ziggler it is.)

Big Show (c) vs. Sheamus (Heavyweight Championship)

• The General: I wouldn't be surprised at all if Sheamus wins here because they can't be confident in Show as world heavyweight champion. Unless they're thinking of having them do another match at TLC, in which case Sheamus could win via disqualification. I would hate that, though, and it doesn't feel like that's where this is headed. I'm actually thinking we're slowly working towards Ziggler cashing in the Money in the Bank briefcase and feuding into WrestleMania with Randy Orton. That might actually happen after this match. Pick: Big Show
• Keith Harris: I think it would benefit Sheamus more if he chased the belt longer rather than getting it back at the first available opportunity, though I don't think Big Show will pin him clean in two consecutive pay-per-views. My hunch would be Big Show winning by disqualification after Sheamus' Irish temper gets the better of him, allowing him to be protected while falling short of winning the championship. Pick: Big Show (by DQ)
• Nolan Howell: It would be pretty ludicrous to have Show lose the strap immediately. Also, Sheamus makes Ben Stein sound lively on the mic, as bad as he is. Show retains. Pick: Big Show
• C. J. Bradford: Big Show took all that Sheamus could give at Hell in a Cell and stood strong to win the World Heavyweight Championship. To flip the title back onto "The Great White" would be a huge step backwards. Although, it certainly is not impossible. I think WWE is looking forward to the future, though. Show retains, and we get closer and closer to a Dolph Ziggler cash in. Pick: Big Show
• Hollywood Wallace: Big Show over Sheamus, because, as I said on the podcast, Big Show isbigger. Pick: Big Show
• J.M. 'Cr8vly' Williams: Well, well, well you guys, NO hesitation whatsoever by the Silver cat on this one, he went right for The Great White like he was a Human Jar of Mayonnaise and rammed the freak out of that pouch. Silver is not a ginger cat, but apparently he digs the Celtic Warrior enough to go against the odds here. Silver's pick is: Sheamus (I am gonna back him up on this one because he was so emphatic. #SilverLogic = #WWELogic?)

CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena vs. Ryback (Triple Threat Match)

• The General: Punk retains because I still think the plan is to have him work with The Rock at Royal Rumble, though a part of me hopes Cena wins here because that would likely mean Punk is closing outWrestleMania by winning the title back from The Rock. I just don't think that will happen. Cena wants his win back, and he wants it back on the biggest stage. Ryback is a wildcard, but they just have to get him in and out without losing too much heat. Shouldn't be a big problem. Pick: CM Punk
• Keith Harris: John Cena beat CM Punk clean with the Attitude Adjustment in a non-title match on Monday Night Raw. We all know what that means in WWE's world of pass the parcel booking, Cena's the one getting pinned on Sunday night. As well he should; his expected WWE title match against The Rock at WrestleMania 29 will mean more if he doesn't hold the title briefly before then. Similarly, Punk is the right guy to face The Rock at Royal Rumble, as the verbal dynamic between the two should be pitch perfect, while Ryback has nothing to give, apart from a three word catchphrase, so any title changes before then would just be pointless. Ryback needs to be kept strong, so expect him to land the killer blow on Cena, only for Punk to steal the pin. Sometimes the most obvious and clichéd finish is still the right way to go. Pick: CM Punk
• Nolan Howell: Although Survivor Series is a big PPV, I think nothing big is going to happen until The Rock returns at Royal Rumble. If they are aiming for Rock-Cena II, they'll let Rock get the title at Rumble, etc... Punk retains. Pick: CM Punk
• C. J. Bradford: CM Punk has never defeated either John Cena or Ryback clean. (Yes, he only has one win over Ryback. The point still stands.) With Punk on the cusp of holding the WWE Championship for a full year, it seems almost insane for him to lose it in a match with two weeks of buildup. A Triple Threat match means no DQ, so Punk will have to find some other means to protect his strap. How will WWE book this? Who knows? The key is that the champion retains. Pick: CM Punk
• Hollywood Wallace: CM Punk's lack of scruples will allow him to prevail over the honorable Cena and the bull-in-a-china-shop Ryback. Pick: CM Punk
• J.M. 'Cr8vly' Williams: Man oh man, this is a night of craaazziness coming from Cr8's feline phenom. Apparently, the big Silver Beast predicts CM Punk is going over by way of Beef Mode Maddox making a return appearance in his ref gear so he can take out the ref while Heyman distracts Cena and Punk pins the Ryback when he's distracted by the feeding frenzy. Don't ask me how the Rodent Predator conveyed this scenario to me, but let's just say, I am totally down with any scenario allowing Maddox more time to appear on my TV screen. Silver's pick is: CM Punk

Eve (c) vs. Kaitlyn (Diva's Match)

• The General: I'm sure Eve will win because I think we're headed for an Eve vs. AJ program here shortly, but I'm going with Kaitlyn because she has to get some resolution sometime and WWE is prone to doing random title changes like this, especially when there aren't plans to change any other title on a show. Pick: Kaitlyn
• Keith Harris: This women's match being booked again on pay-per-view shows the complete lack of depth in the Divas division, as Kaitlyn really has nothing going for her, so Eve Torres wins by default. Pick: Eve
• Nolan Howell: Kaitlyn seems to be getting the push, so why not? Pick: Kaitlyn
• C. J. Bradford: With two of the nicest looking Divas on the roster battling it out, we are all winners. When push comes to shove, though, I believe it will be Eve who proves she is a little bit more of a winner. The Divas champion retains, and we all celebrate by jumping up and down. Pick: Eve
• Hollywood Wallace: Kaitlyn is primed to take over the division. Pick: Kaitlyn
• J.M. 'Cr8vly' Williams: This pussycat is truly my kindred spirit tonight. The Fur-ocious Silver One indicated by way of multiple headbutts to each pouch back and forth, that both of these ladies are delectably divalicious. Silver seems conflicted here folks. I will make a tie breaker here and go with Eve, just because, who cares anyhow. Pick: Eve

Antonio Cesaro (c) vs. R-Truth (US Championship)

• The General: This feud is still getting its legs under it, so there's no reason to think a title switch is in order. Plus, that would only serve to kill Cesaro while he's in the midst of being built up, which would make zero sense. Hopefully, they do the right thing here. Pick: Antonio Cesaro
• Keith Harris: I expect Antonio Cesaro to pin R-Truth and keep the U.S. title, as the writing team seems pretty high on him, while Truth was just put into this feud to give him something to do after his tag team with Kofi Kingston was broken up to give the latter another singles push. Cesaro's act has long term potential, while Truth is stale and seems doomed to slide into an undercard comedy role, so this would be the right decision too. Pick: Antonio Cesaro
• Nolan Howell: The truth... is that R-Truth is mediocre and Cesaro is on another level. Pick: Antonio Cesaro
• C. J. Bradford: Antonio Cesaro is a damn good wrestler, but has yet to really get any heat from the fans. It is possible that those in the back want to flip the US Championship to someone who has gotten over. I think Cesaro will be given a little more time, though, and retains. Pick: Antonio Cesaro
• Hollywood Wallace: R-Truth isn't good enough to hang with Cesaro. Pick: Antonio Cesaro
• J.M. 'Cr8vly' Williams: Well, here we come to the end of this crazy predictions experiment and Silver is getting pissed none of these food pouches have been getting opened after he makes a selection. Instead, he has just been rewarded with a little salmon-flavored tartar control treat. Bummer. Now he is eyeing the catnip plant up on the shelf with serious intent, so we better get on with this while he is still coherent enough to pick somewhat accurately without being under the influence. Let me give you a clue which way this went down... Knock Knock... Who's There?... It's me, R-Truth!... Knock Knock... Who's There??!!! Have you forgotten me already? Silver's Pick: Not R-Truth

Those are our picks and predictions, Cagesiders. What are yours?