Survivor Series 2020 Odds & Predictions

In this edition of The Wrestling Estate roundtable, we give our predictions for Survivor Series 2020.

Does the Undertaker’s farewell add any appeal to Survivor Series 2020 for you?

David Gibb: No. There are only so many farewells and network specials a person can take.

Neal Wagner: Of course. He was a childhood hero for me. I honestly believe that this could be the last time he is in the spotlight. He’ll likely have one last match once fans are back in full attendance just for a proper sendoff, but this will be the last time there is any kind of Undertaker special event. It’s the only reason I’ll go out of my way to check out a WWE show.

John Corrigan: Co-sign what Neal said. Undertaker’s farewell is the only reason I’ll be watching Survivor Series 2020. It’s a shame the event means nothing because all of the matches look good on paper. Even the clash between the Intercontinental and United States Champions, where odds have Bobby Lashley (-325) as the favorite to beat Sami Zayn (+215) (source for odds).

Chad Gelfand: It doesn’t. Undertaker has lost his luster and done nothing but damage his legacy since losing The Streak at WrestleMania XXX. Undertaker said he never wanted to be a guy who hung on for too long in his career, and the unfortunate part is that he has by about six years.

Jack Goodwillie: Not really. I’ve been a vocal opponent of how WWE’s been doing Survivor Series for probably the last five years now. It’s a grave mistake to continually build it around the brands when the brand split isn’t even taken that seriously. If it was and WWE could create some believable stakes for the matches, sure. But even the stakes aren’t honored in these matches. Lest we forget when Team Cena beat Team Authority to overthrow The Authority, only to cede its power back to Triple H and Stephanie three weeks later.

Do you wish NXT was back in the “battle for brand supremacy” at Survivor Series 2020?

Gibb: No. The best thing about NXT is it’s substantively different from Raw and SmackDown.

Wagner: Realistically, NXT is the defending champion of the brand supremacy game. This is a true showing of what Vince and Co. actually think of NXT. The show is only on USA to counteract AEW because Vince is scared of competition. NXT needs to be in the main picture. Imagine Reigns vs. McIntrye vs. Balor. Why not give McAfee’s group a spotlight by having the Tag Team Champs compete with New Day and Street Profits? After all, it’s a pick em as The New Day and The Street Profits have the same opening odds (-120).

Corrigan: I haven’t seen a full episode of NXT all year. I was tempted when Killer Kross joined, but then he got hurt and my interest vanished like freedom under Mayor Kenney. The battle for brand supremacy means zilch and it’s probably for the best that NXT avoids it.

Gelfand: I’m fine with NXT being left out this year. SmackDown vs. Raw is the classic rivalry. Well, classic for me, I loved those mid-2000s SmackDown vs. Raw Survivor Series matches.

Goodwillie: I don’t really know what to make of NXT these days. It SHOULD be an alternative brand to Raw and SmackDown and thus totally excluded from all main roster affairs, but it’s still marketed as an inferior third rung on the ladder because of how we as viewers have been conditioned to view those two brands as the major leagues. But because of how poorly run both shows have become, you have NXT as the preferred destination of many of the top wrestlers in the company, and that makes for a very weird dynamic. Should NXT be in the battle for brand supremacy? Who cares? It doesn’t matter in the grand scheme and no matter how it’s made to come off in the presence of SmackDown and Raw, people are always going to see NXT as the critically superior show until they’re given reason to believe otherwise. Put it this way: There’s a reason Pat McAfee is on NXT and not Raw.

Who wins at Survivor Series 2020: Asuka or Sasha Banks?

Gibb: Sasha Banks. She’s a Legit Disney Boss now.

Wagner: Sasha. She needs a good win other than against Bayley to establish herself as a dominate champion. Asuka doesn’t need the win now considering that she’s been champion for months and has had no major storyline on Raw for a while.

Corrigan: I’m a betting man and opening odds have Sasha Banks (-160) as the favorite to beat Asuka (+120), so I’m throwing my shekels on The Boss.

Gelfand: This is going to be a great match, although I wish these two were separated for longer before facing again. Sasha just won her title, and she has more momentum than Asuka right now, so she should get the win here.

Goodwillie: Sasha Banks. I’m not going to go out on a limb and say that Sasha Banks is the greatest women’s performer of all time, or even of HER time, but she’s pretty, pretty good as Larry David would say. And this is her time. Even though she’s the current champion on Raw, Asuka’s time came last year, and it may one day come again. But this is a chance for Sasha to get a quality win on her resume not named Bayley, and it should make for a badass match, as well as a dark horse for match of the night.

Who wins the men’s elimination match at Survivor Series 2020: Team Raw or Team SmackDown?

Gibb: There are years when Survivor Series teams almost make sense and years where they just don’t. This year is the latter. I think that sneaky Seth Rollins finds some way to pull out a victory for SmackDown.

Wagner: I want to go with SmackDown because there is more that can be done storyline wise with a win for the team. Yes, Seth leaves after Survivor Series 2020 to become a dad, but Jey Uso can bring more to the stable with him and Roman with a win, KO can get himself into the main event scene and maybe Corbin can turn face and challenge Roman? Yes, I know what I just suggested.

Corrigan: Although history has shown otherwise, Vince McMahon will try to even the score throughout the night to add more drama to Reigns vs. McIntyre. Looking at the 5-on-5 Women’s Elimination Match, odds have Team SmackDown (-170) as favorites to beat Team Raw (+130). As for the 5-on-5 Men’s Elimination Match, odds have Team Raw (-180) as favorites to beat Team SmackDown (+140). Therefore, I choose Team Raw.

Gelfand: The storyline is that Team AJ can’t get along, so going by WWE logic in the buildup, that means they’re going to somehow work as a cohesive unit and win at Survivor Series.

Goodwillie: Again, it doesn’t matter. In its preview for the show, Bleacher Report wrote, “While the build to both the men’s and women’s Survivor Series elimination matches has been lackluster at best, there is something special about watching a contest with a stipulation that takes you back to childhood.” This is exactly what WWE wants you to think. WWE wants you to believe that Joe Schmo, Thing 1, Thing 2, John Doe and Mike Rotch can team up in a match only seen in late November and pique your interest without any prior stakes or extra effort, but it’s simply not the case. It’s not special and WWE is entirely to blame for this because I do enjoy these types of matches. There’s just no buzz to be found.

And again, maybe I’d think differently if the brand split was actually observed a bit stricter than it is and we got some actual stakes beyond this “brand supremacy” rhetoric. But the reality is it’s just a match and there is no mystique to watching wrestlers from different shows going against one another in 2020. 2003? 2004? 2005? That’s a different story. But hey, credit to the performers for attempting to make each of their teams as entertaining as possible heading into the match. It’s not their fault, and as the great philosopher Paul Green once said, “I don’t really have anything against the talent, but the BOOKING is really off the wall.” It seems I haven’t really answered the question here at all…so Team Raw is the pick!

Who wins at Survivor Series 2020: Drew McIntyre or Roman Reigns?

Gibb: Reigns. He’s the main character of the show.

Wagner: I don’t know how this is supposed to play out. I heard that Miz might cash in mid match and either McIntrye or Roman win by pinning him. Makes sense to me and probably the only way out. Drew can’t lose now that he just won the title and Roman is way too valuable to the company right now to be losing. At least whoever does lose, loses to the other brand’s champion.

Corrigan: As for the main event of Survivor Series 2020, odds have Roman Reigns (-200) as the favorite to beat Drew McIntyre (+150). Even though McIntyre just won the WWE Championship back, he’s putting over the Tribal Chief this Sunday.

Gelfand: Roman Reigns has been phenomenal as the “Tribal Chief.” Drew McIntyre has had a great year, too, and has been a very good WWE Champion, but Roman Reigns shouldn’t be losing any time soon, so I’m going with Reigns.

Goodwillie: I had a response to this written up, but lo and behold I had a funny feeling we’d be seeing Drew McIntyre get the belt back on Raw. Why? Well, The Solomonster speculated over the weekend that we could be seeing Drew McIntyre vs. Roman Reigns at…WrestleMania. Unfortunately, Jason forgot that this is WWE we’re dealing with and Vince McMahon just doesn’t do long-term storytelling anymore. That said, my choice at Survivor Series 2020 is still Roman Reigns. I expect Randy Orton, now without a match, to get involved somehow. Reigns on the other hand made an ally out of his toughest challenger, using his family as a force field to protect him and the Universal Championship. So, whether the finish is clean or dirty, the Tribal Chief is still going over. Probably.