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Our latest Rumor Roundup brought news that WWE’s current plans call for a bit of a King of the Ring 2001 throwback feel to this year’s Survivor Series, as Shane McMahon is set to work November’s ‘Big 4’ pay-per-view (PPV) for the second year in a row. The SmackDown commissioner will reportedly captain his team against Raw General Manager Kurt Angle’s.
But that’s not the only information PWInsider had on the company’s current plans for one of Nov. 19’s biggest bouts.
We already know that Randy Orton is on Team Blue, so with Shane an official participant, that leaves three openings. The report says Shinsuke Nakamura will join them - presumably by beating Kevin Owens in their qualifier tonight (Oct. 31) - along with AJ Styles and Bobby Roode.
Leaving Owens and his friend Sami Zayn off the team would be interesting. It could mean KO’s PPV streak is at risk. Or it could leave the disgruntled heels as wild cards who mess things up for their brand-mates.
Over on Mondays, Insider says Angle will be joined by a veritable cabinet of rivals: Finn Bálor, Roman Reigns, Samoa Joe and Braun Strowman. Three of those guys were opponents in a Fatal 4Way for the Universal title at SummerSlam (which is to say nothing of the animus between Reigns and Strowman), Bálor wants a future shot at getting that belt back, Finn and Joe’s feud goes back to NXT... no matter how you slice it, being on the same show is about the only thing these guys have in common.
Will it be enough to get them to play nicely for a few weeks?
We’ll find out, if this report is correct - and Roman gets cleared as hoped, and Vince McMahon doesn’t change his mind.