Survivor Series: Brand supremacy goes to Raw

Braun Strowman stands tall for Team Raw to end Survivor Series. Photo by WWE.com

On a night where superstars from Raw and SmackDown clashed for brand supremacy, it was the red brand which came out on top winning the interpromotional duels, 4-3.

But in the end, only Braun Strowman stood tall at the center of the ring after Team Raw topped Team SmackDown in the traditional 5-on-5 main event match at Survivor Series Sunday (Monday Manila time) in Houston.

Strowman decimated fellow survivor Triple H after the red team topped the blue side in a confusing ending to what was billed as an all-star clash.

Team Raw was poised to finish the match with three survivors as Raw team captain Kurt Angle had SmackDown team captain Shane McMahon locked into the Ankle Lock.

Triple H, however, interjected himself in the fray and turned on Angle, hitting a Pedigree and allowing McMahon to score the elimination.

Puzzled looks were abound after the incident as the WWE COO looked like he would side with his brother-in-law, but Triple H then nailed another Pedigree to score the winning pinfall for his team.

Strowman didn’t hide his confusion after the victory that even after Triple H celebrated the win, he threatened the executive, “If you ever try to cross me again, you will never play this game again.” The Monster Among Men then nailed the Cerebral Assassin with a pair of Running Powerslams before leaving the ring.

It was an action-packed main event that lived up to the hype as the stars delivered for their own shows.

Shinsuke Nakamura and Bobby Roode had their chance to mount their offense, but Strowman quickly eliminated the two SmackDown stars. John Cena nailed two Attitude Adjustments on Samoa Joe to take a member out of the red crew, but the 16-time world champion was the next to go after Angle connected with two Angle Slams and Finn Balor dropped the Coup de Grace.

The blue side tried on its earnest to recover from the deficit, with Randy Orton taking out Balor with an RKO. But just when the Apex Predator was about to tag McMahon, the unruly duo of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn distracted the SmackDown commissioner, allowing Strowman to also eliminate Orton with another Running Powerslam to set up the 3-to-1 lead for Team Raw and the crazy finish.

The main event wasn’t alone in backing up the hype as the pay-per-view delivered on its promise.

Asuka was the sole survivor in the women’s traditional 5-on-5 match to lead Team Raw to victory.

The Empress of Tomorrow bucked a 1-on-2 disadvantage as she made Tamina tap out to a flying cross armbar before submitting Natalya with the Asuka Lock.

Team SmackDown suffered early casualties as team captain Becky Lynch, Money In The Bank holder Carmella, and Naomi all bowed out early, while Team Raw lost Bayley, Nia Jax, Alicia Fox, and Sasha Banks earlier in the match.

In the champion-versus-champion duel, Universal Champion Brock Lesnar fended off a gallant stand from WWE Champion AJ Styles and a sore right ankle, scoring the pinfall after hitting an F-5.

SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair also submitted Raw Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss with the Figure Eight to reign supreme in the women’s duel.

United States Champion Baron Corbin silenced Intercontinental Champion The Miz, catching him on his third corner dropkick attempt and turning it to an End of Days.

SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos showed that they are the better team, topping Raw Tag Team Champions The Bar after Jey Uso connected with a splash on Sheamus.

The Shield also proved to be the better trio, topping The New Day in their six-man tag team match to open the show as the Hounds of Justice put Kofi Kingston in its signature triple powerbomb from the top turnbuckle.

In the kickoff show, WWE Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore retained his title after pulled challenger Kalisto to an exposed turnbuckle before connecting with the JawdonZo.

Owens and Zayn also trumped Breezango in a tag team match after the Prizefighter hit a Pop-up Powerbomb on Fandango, while Elias beat Matt Hardy with a Drift Away to open the night.