Comparing WWE Survivor Series 2016 To NXT TakeOver: Toronto

The Elimination Tag Team match at Survivor Series was really a tale of two matches. The bout started out with an issue that plagues elimination matches, as both The New Day and Breezango were eliminated by things that would not usually end a match in normal competition. Both sides lost another tag team in short order, and the match was in danger of becoming a rushed affair that did nothing for any of the participants.

However, when the match had been whittled down to a 6-on-6 affair, the action suddenly picked up, and the series of big spots brought the crowd to their feet. The match from there was a lot of fast paced fun, showcasing the best of both tag divisions.

Unfortunately, their competition the previous evening was a near-perfect 2-Out-Of-3 Falls Match between The Revival and #DIY. These two teams have fantastic chemistry and pulled out all the stops for NXT’s signature match, giving perfect callbacks to their previous encounters, such as the submission holds focusing on the knee of Johnny Gargano, and some wonderful near falls. When #DIY avoided being hit with their own finisher, then hit Dash and Dawson with a Shatter Machine, every person watching (including myself) thought the match was over.

Unlike the Survivor Series matches, each fall happened with something that could have ended a regular match, so nothing felt cheap. I could heap superlatives on this match all day, but I will have to content myself with simply describing it as a top contender for match of the year. Survivor Series had no chance on this one.

Winner: NXT