Despite the event taking place in less than three weeks, the first match for WWE Survivor Series 2018 was only announced last night. That’s a tremendously short turnaround between pay-per-view events, especially when Survivor Series has traditionally been places as one of the “big four” alongside the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, and SummerSlam. The match that was announced is undoubtedly a dream match, as Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey are two of the biggest female stars on the roster, but it doesn’t seem right to waste such a huge match with next to no build or storyline.
As I wrote yesterday, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair put on one of the best WWE matches of the year at WWE Evolution this past weekend. However, it wasn’t just their technical talent that made the match so special. It was a great example of WWE’s long-term storytelling payoff, and that satisfying conclusion was only made possible due to fans being invested in a great storyline for several months. That isn’t possible for a one-off Survivor Series match that just has champions going at it for no real reason.
Becky Lynch vs Ronda Rousey Is The Right Match At The Wrong Time
Don’t get me wrong. Becky Lynch vs Ronda Rousey is absolutely a match that should happen down the line. It’s just not the match that should be happening in three weeks. Neither star is in a position where they should be losing matches at the moment. Rousey has only had five televised matches (two of which were tag team affairs) since winning the title, and is supposed to have an invincible aura from her MMA background (despite the fact that she got quickly and brutally knocked out in her last two fights). Meanwhile, Lynch has only just finished her first feud since recapturing the SmackDown Women’s Championship and shouldn’t be losing with no real storyline purpose considering how she ended WWE Evolution by screaming that she was “the man.”
Further complicating matters is that while Becky Lynch has been booked as a heel the fans are steadfast in their support for her. Even mocking Edge’s career ending injury couldn’t get Lynch booed by the audience, so how does putting her up against Rousey (a star that WWE is trying to push as their biggest babyface) help? It will likely result in the Survivor Series crowd cheering for Lynch and booing Rousey, and that isn’t the dynamic WWE wants.
So, what will wind up happening at Survivor Series? Will the highly sought after match of Becky Lynch vs Ronda Rousey end in a messy finish that leaves nobody happy? Or will one of the champions have their aura diminished for what was ultimately a meaningless match to fill airtime on a pay-per-view? Either way, I don’t see a satisfying outcome happening.
