9 Minor WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Changes That Would Make A Major Difference
3. Survivor Series Stakes
RAW and SmackDown did battle at the 2017 Survivor Series, but absolutely nothing was at stake. ‘Brand supremacy’ was the theme of the entire show, but both red and blue brands came out of the Thanksgiving extravaganza with no wounds and no successes. It was a total waste of time, in truth.
It was said by many at the time, but would it not have made sense for something, anything to be riding on the 5-on-5 match that headlined Survivor Series? RAW won that night, with Triple H and Braun Strowman surviving. If WWE had some sense, this would have meant that Hunter and Strowman gained the final two spots in the Rumble match itself.
As it was. the Survivor Series matches counted for nothing, and the placement of Rumble entries remains a mystery. That itself is fine, but WWE had a chance to add a bit of spice to a Survivor Series show that sorely needed it, creating early interest in the Royal Rumble itself. If proof was needed that WWE believes these shows sell themselves through name value alone, this was it.