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Friday, November 16, 2007

Survivor Series Retro Including First Confirmation Of A WWE Superstar Returing

Courtesy of Adam Lebow:

Here is the Dish Network Survivor Series Retro program that is airing for free right now on the satellite provider. The big news is in the bottom of the report.

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Survivor Series Countdown Show
Hosted by Josh Matthews (sporting a new buzzcut)

WWE Intro opens the show, followed by the 60-second Survivor Series promo from Cyber Sunday where Edge says he is just a little bitter.

We then get an intro for the Survivor Series Retro show, showing highlights of the Survivor Series over the years, including the Goobly Gooker.

Josh welcomes us and says we will re-live some of the best moments and matches from over the last 20 years. This year’s fall classic is the 21st annual Survivor Series from sunny Miami Florida. Josh says Survivor Series has brought us exciting matches, but nothing more unique than the traditional Survivor Series match. He goes over the rules of the 5 on 5 elimination match, saying the cool thing is the scenarios of 3 on 2, 5 on 1 and such.

We go to Survivor Series 2006. Its Team D-X vs. Team RKO.

We join in progress, it is 5 (Punk, Hardys, DX) on 3 (Helms, Orton, Edge) HHH has just hot tagged in, and goes at it on Helms. Edge comes in from behind and lays out HHH. Suddenly, both Jeff Hardy and HBK go and jump over the top rope, landing on Edge and Orton. Matt Hardy tags in, Twist of Fate on Helms, followed by Jeff hitting the Swanton to eliminate Gregory Helms. At this point it is 5 on 2, so the WWE Tag Champs decide to walk out, but The Hardy Boyz bring Rated RKO back to the ring. JR says if Edge and Orton can comeback, it will be one of the greatest upsets in Survivor Series history. After throwing Orton back out of the ring, The Hardys hit some poetry in motion, followed by Shawn hitting Sweet Chin Music, to eliminate Edge. It is not 5 on 1 and Orton goes running into the crowd, trying to escape. Eventually the Hardy Boyz and CM Punk bring him back to the ring. One Sweet Chin Music and Pedigree later, and Orton is eliminated. Survivors – All of Team DX.

Jerry Lawler says this may be the first time in history that someone has been shutout (which it wasn’t) as Team D-X celebrates in the ring.

We go back to Josh Matthews who says it was an impressive showing, and then we get another pitch by Matthews to order the Survivor Series.

Survivor Series Legends – Survivor Series 1991 Undertaker vs. Hulk Hogan highlights. Undertaker hits the tombstone, Bobby Hennan says Hulkamania is dead and Hogan Hulks up. Hogan hits the big boot and goes for the leg drop, but Paul Barrier grabs Hogan’s leg. Ric Flair, who came out during all of this, puts a chair in the ring, Undertaker hits the tombstone, and we have a new WWF Champion.

Matthews says not only are Hogan and Undertaker legends in the WWE, but both have reached their goals of winning the WWE Championship. Speaking of top talent reaching their goals, we see Batista on the January 10th edition of Smackdown giving up the World Heavyweight Championship. Matthews moves us into last year’s Survivor Series, as it is World Heavyweight Champion King Booker vs. Batista.

We join in progress; Booker has Batista in the corner and gives him a few chops. Batista hits a sidewalk slam as Michael Cole talks about Batista’s history in Evolution. Batista hits a Goldberg style Jackhammer, but Booker kicks out at 2. JBL says in a championship match, you always should go for a cover because it still uses up the opponents injury. We then cut ahead in the match, where King Booker has Batista in a chin hold. Cole asks JBL about losing the WWE Championship and what that does to ones psyche, but JBL says he retired a wrestling god (funny commentary there by JBL). Batista powers out and throws Booker into the corner, but Booker hits an elbow, and then gets caught in a belly-to-belly slam. Batista throws some punches, and hits a few close lines. The crowd is dead at this point. Batista with a big splash in the corner, and a big boot that knocks Booker out of the ring. Batista throws Booker into the stairs. Batista throws Booker in the ring, climbs up to the top and hits a flying tackle. Cole says he has never seen that, as Batista gets a 2. JBL says he loves that because it shows how much the title means to him. Batista hits a spine buster for another 2 count. Batista throws Booker into the ropes but out of nowhere Batista hits The Bookend for a 2 count. Booker goes for the Axe Kick, but gets caught with a kick in the gut followed by a Batista Bomb, for a 2 count when King Booker gets into the ropes. Queen Sharmel gives Booker the World Heavyweight Title and she gets into the ring. Batista gets his hands on her and is going to Batista Bomb her but Nick Patrick says he will DQ Batista if he does. Batista turns around and ducks Booker hitting him with the title. Batista grabs the title, hits Booker and gets the 3 to win the World Heavyweight Championship, as JBL is saying that Batista cheated.

Matthews chimes in, saying this match was a highlight in Batista’s career, and is a memorable Survivor Series Moment. In addition, if you want to see this year’s moments, get the PPV says Matthews, as he pitches it again.

We once again get the Survivor Series promo from Cyber Sunday.

Survivor Series Legends – November 1990. Mean Gene is there and we got the big egg that is ready to blow. Oh my. It’s the Gobbly Gooker. We get Mean Gene and the Gooker dancing in the middle of the ring. Rowdy Piper on the mic says the Gooker should be the official mascot of the Survivor Series.

Matthews says he can’t imagine that, that thing was in the egg. Mathews says thank god it was Mean Gene and not him who was in the ring. We move from classic moments to classic matches. Matthews again talks about the uniqueness of the Survivor Series match, saying you never know what you will get. Matthews says we will see the 2005 Survivor Series match of Team RAW vs Team Smackdown. It is 4 for Raw and 3 for Smackdown, as Lashley and Batista are gone for Smackdown, and Kane gone on Raw.

This is the Survivor Series Match where JBL and Tazz (Smackdown) don’t let The King or Joey Styles (Raw) get any commentary in. Big Show is in the ring and Misterio goes off the top, only to get caught and throw into the turnbuckle. Orton gets hung up on the top rope and JBL gives Big Show the close line from hell, but Big Show is getting backup. Misterio hits a 619 and he tags in Orton who hits the RKO. Orton tags Bradshaw back in, another close line from hell on Big Show, but Show is still getting up, so Mistero hits a sitting senton on Big show to eliminate Big Show. Suddenly Chris Masters, Carlito and HBK hit the ring and a big brawl ensues. JBL gives HBK a fall away slam, and then we cut ahead in the match, where Carlito gets a close line from hell from JBL and is eliminated. Masters comes in and JBL works over him, until Masters hits a suplex on JBL. HBK is out on the floor from the fall away slam earlier in the match. Misterio gets caught in mid-air on a hot tag, but JBL hits a big boot on Masters for a 2 count. Masters hits a big spear on Misterio in the corner, but misses it on the 2nd time. Rey hits a close line to Masters knees, a 619 and a springboard leg drop and Masters is eliminated, so it is 3-on-1. JBL brings HBK into the ring and Misterio hits a 619. Misterio goes for the West Coast Pop but gets nailed in the air with Sweet Chin Music. JBL into the ring, goes for the close line from hell, but misses, Sweet Chin Music, and in 30 seconds it is now a 1-on-1 match. Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels. Orton stocks HBK and sets up for the RKO, but HBK throws him off, Orton holds up in the ropes as HBK goes for Sweet Chin Music. Orton goes to the outside and HBK goes over the top for a flying cross body. HBK and Orton in the ring, and HBK hits the flying forearm. He nips up and hits an inverted atomic drop. HBK hits some body slams and close lines, goes to the outside and gets to the top rope to hit the flying elbow. JBL is still outside the ring and he grabs a chair. HBK tunes up the band but JBL comes in with the chair, swings and misses, only to get Sweet Chin Music into the chair and JBL’s face. HBK turns around and Orton hits the RKO. Smackdown beats Raw. Sole Survivor – Randy Orton. Michael Cole says for the 3rd straight year, Smackdown has won the Survivor Series. The Smackdown roster comes out to congratulate Randy Orton, including his father Cowboy Bob Orton.

Matthews said for the 3rd year in a row, Orton was a survivor. Matthews asks what will happen this year when the three worlds of Raw, ECW and Smackdown collide. Matthews does another sell for Survivor Series, and says he hopes we enjoyed looking back at falls classic moments. Matthews says this year we will get a classic survivor series matchup, and all superstars want to be at Survivor Series INCLUDING EDGE, who will return at Survivor Series. He asks what will happen when the Rated R Superstar returns to the ring?

We get one more Cyber Sunday Survivor Series promo, WWE logo and that is a rap.

Note from Ric: At one point, Edge was definitely due for an in-ring return at Survivor Series, but with WWE recently being more concerned with television ratings, not sure if that's still the case. I'd like to think, if it were, the company would be smart enough to push it for all its worth, and they definitely haven't been doing that.