7 Major Problems With RAW Vs. SmackDown At WWE Survivor Series

1. There Are No Consequences

The main problem with RAW vs. SmackDown matches is an issue that is true of practically all of WWE programming. On November 19, the stars of red and blue will do battle for brand supremacy, thrilling the WWE Universe in a series of matches that will end with one brand just beating out the other. If there are seven matches, a brand will win 4-3.

But then what? RAW will take place on 20 November and everything will simply carry on as before. The champions will move into their new feuds. The winners and losers from the night previous will fall back into their old grooves, as the next story cycle begins ahead of the 2018 Royal Rumble.

How hard would it be to introduce some consequences into these matches? The respective general managers should be motivating their performers with promises of championship matches and more. The losers should be punished, the winners rewarded. Instead, Survivor Series will take place and everything will stay the same. When the next draft is held, will this night have anything to do with it?

RAW and SmackDown will be bloodthirsty rivals for a night, before reverting back to being two sides of the same coin. It is a huge waste of everyone’s time, a self-imposed holding pattern that comes about only when a writing team is out of ideas.

This is wrestling’s version of ‘and it was all a dream’.