The Sports Brief with Besse and Keefe: November 2016

The WWE All-Star game will take place in Toronto this Sunday, but it's being advertised as a fantasy showdown between two guys who were booed out of the building the last time they wrestled each other 12 years ago.. can't wait.
I know my blogs have sucked lately but that's because I've been visiting my friends at other colleges on the same weekends as the PPV's.. sick brag, I have friends, nbd. But I'm back now an I'm going to give this everything I've got. Of the six matches we have, three of them are traditional Survivor Series matches. It's one thing to predict the winner, but there will be so many superstars in the ring with so many eliminations, so I'll try and predict the general pattern of the match. We also have two singles matches for titles with huge stipulations. One can move an entire division to the opposing brand while the other could potentially send the second most prestigious title in the company packing to Raw. And then there is the main event that could easily be the worst match of the night, but I'll get to that at the end of the blog.. sadly.

Main Card

Brian Kendrick (c) vs. Kalisto -- Cruiserweight Championship*
*if Kalisto wins, the entire Cruiserweight Division moves to Smackdown

Here's an interesting one. Brian Kendrick's ugly Captian Hook looking headass is defending his title against Kalisto, who has kinda been on the outside looking in on the Cruiserweights since he's on Smackdown and literally everyone else is on Raw. This is a tough one to predict because I thought the Cruiserweights should have been on Smackdown to begin with and that Brian Kendrick is lame as hell and shouldn't be the champ. But now that they've gotten the ball rolling, why should they change it up? Yeah, Smackdown was supposed to be the brand that was all about giving superstars the opportunities they deserved but weren't getting on Raw, but why would you send them to the two hour show when they're barely getting slots on the three hour show? I just don't see how they can consistently fit it in (pause) and that's one strike against Kalisto for me. On top of that, the Cruiserweight belt has already had two champions in it's short life thus far, why add a third? And why should it be Kalisto and not one of the guys who are actually helping build the brand? Kalisto already had his big underdog push not too long ago, and I think we can wait a little longer for another one. And with a potential Baron Corbin interference to cost Kalisto the match, there is just too much against him.

Prediction: Brian Kendrick & Raw retain the Cruiserweight Championship

The Miz (c) vs. Sami Zayn -- Intercontinental Championship*
*if Sami Zayn wins, the Intercontinental Championship moves to Raw

I think this match entirely depends on how the Kendrick match goes, but I'm pretty confident in my prediction for that one, so lets roll with it. First of all, I am so happy The Miz got his title back. Dolph can kick rocks. But you have to be realistic when looking at this match and a Sami Zayn win just doesn't add up. Throws off the whole equilibrium. Bad! And let's not forget who his opponent is. I mean, I love the guy, but The Miz is the biggest snake in the company and with so much on the line he will make sure he doesn't lose this match.
You also can't rule out the chance of Dolph Ziggler interfering. He JUST lost the belt and is the reason this cross-brand championship match is happening anyways. He was feeling cocky and laid down the open challenge to Raw but couldn't even hold the belt and make it to the match. LMAOOOOOO. But seriously, if Zayn steals the belt then Ziggler loses any chance at a title shot due to how far out of the picture he is in the main event scene. So I guess it's time for me to introduce Besse's Mild Predictions Brought To You By Buffalo Wild Wings.
I basically just laid it all out for you right there but I'll make it official. I think Dolph interferes in the match to get back at Miz but to lowkey keep the belt on Smackdown as well. Sami Zayn is probably gunna start cooking in the match making a title change seem like a lock, and both Miz and Dolph will sense that danger resulting in a DQ or distraction to keep the belt on Smackdown.

Prediction: The Miz retains

Team Smackdown vs. Team Raw -- 10 vs. 10 Tag Team Elimination Match

What the fuck is this? Seriously. We have the champs from both brands (Rhyno & Slater/The New Day) serving as captains for their respective teams, backed by the top contenders from each show (American Alpha & The Usos/Gallows and Anderson & Enzo and Cass), which is something, I guess. But then we have the odd couple of Sheamus and Cesaro who are rivals that were turned into a tag team and are having issues communicating which is hindering their chances of being champs despite both being top competitors. Riveting stuff that I've NEVER seen be for and will NEVER see again.
We also have an unbelievable sub-plot where The Shining Stars convinced R-Truth to trade The Golden Truth's spot on the team for a time share in Puerto Rico. Hopefully that goes somewhere.
Smackdown has The Hype Bros and Breezango. I've been too much of a hater on this match so I'm gunna bite my tongue, because I know somebody I've talked shit about will end up playing a huge role in the match.
Team Raw is too top heavy to not be favored here. They have three of the top four teams in the match, and with how weak the teams bringing up the rear are, that will be huge, because those three teams will be safe for a long time in this match. The only issue is the chemistry between the team. Gallows and Anderson have both said they're willing to stab their teammates in the back while Cesaro and Sheamus have yet to agree on something and are sure to either disappear during the match or somehow get the other one pinned. What Smackdown has going for them is the fact that their brand related rivalries haven't really been brought up during the build for this.
I think Breezango will get eliminated instantly. Same with the Shining Stars.
I also think Slater and Rhyno will see a surprising early exit from this.
Cesaro and Sheamus will do something stupid to get themselves eliminated. Unless this is where they decide to figure it out but that's doubtful.
I predict it will come down to New Day, Enzo and Cass, and The Club vs. American Alpha and The Usos where Team Smackdown will have their backs against the walls before putting up an offensive showcase to steal the win from the favored team. Hopefully this will be a way to establish American Alpha as a true powerhouse up on the main roster.

Prediction: Team Smackdown w/ American Alpha & The Usos

Team Smackdown Women vs. Team Raw Women -- 5 on 5 Elimination Match
There are two things working against Team Smackdown here. For starters, Team Raw is way better. On top of that, the main event Survivor Series match will 100% be the tie breaker of the three and since I have Team Smackdown winning the 10 vs. 10 match, they have to lose the women's match.
Raw has Alicia Fox to offer up for tribute and I'll bet that a Nia Jax elimination will be used as some momentum for Nikki Bella, Alexa Bliss, and Becky Lynch to make a run before being stopped short by Bayley, Charlotte (who could get cocky and get herself eliminated) and Sasha Banks.
I don't think it's much of a fight.

Prediction: Team Raw w/ Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Bayley

Team Smackdown vs. Team Raw -- 5 on 5 Elimination Match

In what is surely to be the tie breaker for the night we see a heavily favored Team Raw with Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Braun Strowman take on Team Smackdown with AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton, and Shane McMahon.
Everything about this suggests that Team Smackdown will get the win to try and close the perceived gap between the brands, but nowadays I don't know. Raw is by far the flagship show now more than ever and it seems like whenever Smackdown is about to get a break, Vince McMahon swoops in and makes sure it doesn't happen. Not that I have an issue with that.
My main reasoning for picking Raw is because I'm thinking ahead. And also because I haven't made a Besse's Bold Prediction Brought To You By Butterfinger lately.
Yeah Steph McMahon threatened the jobs of Team Raw, but Undertaker threatened Smackdown's souls, and if he's coming back for one last run, this should be how he inserts himself into the picture.
I think Styles' cockiness is going to cost the team the match which will set the Undertaker off and set up a title match between the two at Wrestlemania. This will then set up the Cena/Undertaker showdown at Wrestle Mania 33 that everyone is expecting which will not only be Undertaker's last match but also Cena's record title win. Get two birds stoned at once.
I think Strowman will eventually eliminated both Wyatts and Shane-O-Mac because I know he hates him. But don't be surprised if Shane pins Braun for a huge pop.
This is also a chance to cause some tension in JeriKO by having one get the other eliminated, be it Jericho distracting KO and getting him rolled up, or Owens not helping his friend in need. But I would love to see the two of them stand tall at the end together. I love them so much.
Hopefully Roman Reigns gets eliminated right away, that would be sick. But knowing WWE Creative he will stage a huge comeback to save the day and I will puke.
My money is on the final 3 being The Shield and Rollins and Reigns power bomb Ambrose to end the match.

Prediction: Team Raw w/ Rollins and Reigns

Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar

I really have nothing to say about this. Lesnar is going to win. Goldberg will make it a fight. Buy WWE 2K17. Goldberg's son gets to see his dad wrestle and make it into the Hall of Fame. Everybody wins.

Prediction: Brock Lesnar

It'll be an interesting card and my picks could easily be flipped, so we will see.

Little Besse