Survivor Series (2010)

Survivor Series
Survivor Series
	Promotional poster featuringWade Barrett
Promotion	World Wrestling Entertainment
Brand(s)	Raw; SmackDown
Date	November 21, 2010
City	Miami,Florida
Venue	American Airlines Arena
Attendance	18,000
Buy rate	244,000
Pay-per-view chronology
←Previous; Bragging Rights	Next→; TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs
Survivor Serieschronology
←Previous; 2009	Next→; 2011

The 2010Survivor Serieswas the 24th annualSurvivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view(PPV)eventproduced byWorld Wrestling Entertainment(WWE). It was held for wrestlers from the promotion'sRawandSmackDown brand divisions.The event took place on November 21, 2010, at theAmerican Airlines ArenainMiami,Florida.It was the last Survivor Series held under the first brand split, which ended in August 2011, but was reinstated in July 2016.

Eight matches were contested at the event. In the main event,Randy OrtondefeatedWade Barrettto retain theWWE ChampionshipwithJohn Cenaas thespecial guest referee.As per the stipulation of the match, since Orton won, Cena was (kayfabe) fired from WWE.

Production

Background

The event was held at theAmerican Airlines ArenainMiami,Florida.

Survivor Seriesis an annualgimmick pay-per-view(PPV) produced every November byWorld Wrestling Entertainment(WWE) since 1987. In what has become the second longest running pay-per-view event in history (behind WWE'sWrestleMania), it is one of the promotion's original four pay-per-views, along with WrestleMania,Royal Rumble,andSummerSlam,referred to as the "Big Four".^[2]The event is traditionally characterized by havingSurvivor Series matches,which aretag team elimination matchesthat typically pits teams of four or five wrestlers against each other. The 2010 event was the 24th event in the Survivor Series chronology and featured wrestlers from theRawandSmackDownbrands. It was scheduled to be held on November 21, 2010, at theAmerican Airlines ArenainMiami,Florida.^[3]^[4]^[5]

The Survivor Series chronology was originally set to end with the2009 eventwhen during a press conference held on February 11, 2010, WWE Chief Executive Officer and ChairmanVince McMahonannounced that WWE would drop the Survivor Series name and rebrand the event.^[6]^[7]However, following public outcry and several differentfan petitions,the name was later reinstated, and in June 2010, WWE started to release tickets for the 2010 event.^[8]

Storylines

Survivor Series featuredprofessional wrestling matchesinvolving different wrestlers from pre-existingscriptedfeuds,plots,andstorylinesthat were played out on WWE's television programs,RawandSmackDown.Wrestlers portrayedheroesorvillainsas they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.^[9]^[10]

The mainrivalryfrom Raw involvedThe NexusleaderWade Barrettagainst championRandy Ortonfor hisWWE Championshipwith Nexus memberJohn Cenaas the special guest referee. AtHell in a Cell,two months earlier, Cena lost a match against Barrett, forcing Cena to join Nexus. His main priority as a member of Nexus was to help Barrett secure the WWE Championship from Randy Orton, having Cena help Barrett during a Battle Royal to name a number one contender and forcing Cena to help him during his match against Orton atBragging Rights.At that match, if Barrett did not win the match, he would have Cena fired for breaking their stipulation from their match at Hell in a Cell. However, Cena attacked Barrett during the match giving him the win via disqualification, though Orton still retained the title. The next day onRaw,when Cena won a match against Orton via disqualification, Barrett named Cena the special guest referee for their match at Survivor Series. This time, if Barrett did not win the title, then he would have Cena fired, but as an incentive for Cena to perform his duty, if Barrett did win the title, Barrett would relieve Cena from his obligation to Nexus. On the November 8 episode ofRaw,theAnonymous Raw General Managermade the stipulation that the match could only be won via pinfall or submission; in addition, the other members of The Nexus would be banned from ringside.

The main rivalry from SmackDown involved the World Heavyweight ChampionKaneagainstEdgefor theWorld Heavyweight Championship.After defeating his half-brotherThe Undertakerlast month atBragging Rightsafter their three-month war,Alberto Del Rio,Rey Mysterioand Edge all interfered in Kane's "funeral" for the Undertaker. Afterwards, all three competed in a match against each other for a number one contender spot. At the end of the match, Edge came out victorious and thus became the number one contender against Kane at Survivor Series. Over the next weeks, Edge kidnapped and psychologically tormented Kane's storyline fatherPaul Bearer.

Event

**Other on-screen personnel**
Role:	Name:
Englishcommentators	Michael Cole
	Jerry Lawler
	Matt Striker
Spanish commentators	Carlos Cabrera
Spanish commentators	Hugo Savinovich
Interviewer	Josh Matthews
Ring announcer	Justin Roberts
Referees	Mike Chioda
	Charles Robinson
	John Cone
	Jack Doan
	Justin King
	Chad Patton
	John Cena(Orton vs. Barrett)

Prior to Survivor Series coming on the air,R-Truth(withEve Torres) defeatedZack Ryderin a dark match.

Preliminary matches

In the first match,Daniel BryanfacedTed DiBiase(withMaryse) for theUnited States Championship.DiBiase dominated in the beginning utilizing various veteran moves. He then threw Bryan to the outside with a suplex off the apron. Back in the ring, DiBiase attempted Dream Street but Bryan countered and locked in the LeBell Lock, and made DiBiase submit.

Next,John MorrisonfacedSheamus.The two opponents exchanged punches and kicks, until Sheamus missed a Bicycle Kick, which landed his legs between the top rope. Morrison capitalized, delivering the Flying Chuck. With Sheamus in a seated position, Morrison delivered a running knee to Sheamus and pinned him for the win.

After that,Dolph Ziggler(withVickie Guerrero) defended theIntercontinental ChampionshipagainstKaval.Kaval dominated at first with a series of kicks and even almost put Ziggler away with a diving Moonsault. Ziggler came back after delivering a leg drop bulldog, yet only got a two count. Kaval then attempted an inverted roll-up pin, but Ziggler countered by rolling him up, grabbing his tights for leverage and retained the title.

Later, Team Mysterio (Rey Mysterio,Kofi Kingston,Chris Masters,Big Show,andMontel Vontavious Porter) faced Team Del Rio (Alberto Del Rio,Tyler Reks,Drew McIntyre,Jack Swagger,andCody Rhodes) in a5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match.McIntyre eliminated MVP after Del Rio held MVP's foot down. Del Rio eliminated Masters after Masters tapped out to the Cross Armbreaker. Del Rio was eliminated after Big Show hit him with a KO Punch, knocking out Del Rio and making him unable to continue the match, causing him to be carried to the back of the arena by WWE officials. Big Show pinned Rhodes after a KO Punch, eliminating Rhodes. Kingston eliminated Reks with a Schoolboy pin. Swagger eliminated Kingston after Kingston submitted to the Ankle Lock. Mysterio eliminated Swagger after a 619 and an aided Splash with Big Show. Big Show eliminated McIntyre after a 619 by Mysterio and a Chokeslam. As a result, Team Mysterio won the match.

In the fifth match,NatalyadefeatedLay-Cool(LaylaandMichelle McCool) in a two-on-onehandicap matchfor theDivas Championship,winning the title for the first time. After the match,Beth Phoenixreturned to WWE and rescued Natalya from Lay-Cool, who attacked Natalya.

Next, Kane and Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship fought to a draw after both competitors had their shoulders pinned down on the canvas. As a result, Kane retained the title. After the match, Edge attacked Kane by putting him in a wheelchair and pushing him through the fan barrier.

In the seventh match, The Nexus (Justin GabrielandHeath Slater) (withDavid Otunga,Michael McGillicutty,andHusky Harris) retained theirTag Team ChampionshipdefeatingSantino MarellaandVladimir Kozlov,after The Nexus interfered in the match.

Main event

The main event was Randy Orton defending the WWE Championship against Wade Barrett with John Cena as the special guest referee in a free or fired match. The match can only be won by pinfall or submission, and The Nexus was banned from ringside. In the end, Cena pushed Barrett into aRKO,allowing Orton to retain the title, and because of the stipulations of the match, John Cena was fired. Cena thankedMichael Coleand the fans on his way to the back to close the show.

Reception

The event was generally well received by critics. Thepay-per-viewdrew 244,000 buys, up from the 235,000 thatthe previous year's eventreceived.^[11]

Aftermath

The following night onRaw,Cena thanked the WWE Universe and was given an ovation by other wrestlers backstage as he exited the arena. Barrett taunted him on his way out. Also on that episode, Wade Barrett demanded a rematch against Randy Orton for the WWE Championship. During the match, John Cena (who had been fired the previous night) attacked Barrett, costing him the match. Immediately after this match,The Mizcashed in hisMoney in the Bankbriefcase and defeated Orton to become the new WWE Champion. AtTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs,The Miz successfully defended his title against Orton in atables match.

With The Nexus having assaulted security, John Cena was free to enter the arena and attack any and all members of The Nexus. Eventually a mutiny formed within The Nexus, and they threatened to kick Wade Barrett out unless he rehired John Cena. Along with that, the rehiring of Cena was met under the condition that Barrett would face him in a Chairs match at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs. Cena would go on to win the match at the pay-per-view.

On the following episode ofSmackDown,Kane granted Edge a rematch for the championship in return that hisstorylinefather Paul Bearer would be released from being hostage by Edge. Edge took the opportunity; however, Bearer would still be held hostage. Before the pay-per-view, Kane pushed what he thought was another dummy off of a ladder, only to discover it was actually Paul Bearer himself. At TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Kane was scheduled to defend his title in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match against Edge; However, Rey Mysterio and Alberto Del Rio, who were in a feud of their own, were added to the match courtesy of SmackDown GM Theodore Long, thus making it a fatal four-way. At TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Edge would go on to win the World Heavyweight Championship.

Natalya and Beth Phoenix's feud with LayCool led to a tag team tables match at TLC, which Natalya and Phoenix won.

After Survivor Series, the 2010 King of the Ring tournament took place, with John Morrison and Sheamus making their way to the finals. Sheamus would win, becoming the 2010 King of the Ring; he and Morrison would wrestle at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs in a ladder match to determine the #1 contender for the WWE Championship, which Morrison would win.

Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater would lose the WWE Tag Team Championship to Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov. A rematch was granted at TLC: Tables, Ladders, & Chairs, but Marella and Kozlov would retain the titles.

The 2010 event was the last Survivor Series held under the firstbrand split,which ended in August 2011.^[12]However, the brand split would be reintroduced in July 2016,^[13]and the theme of Survivor Series became brand supremacy, featuring the brands in direct competition with each other.^[14]Additionally, in April 2011, the promotion ceased using its full name with the "WWE" abbreviation becoming anorphaned initialism.^[15]

Results

No.

Results^[25]

Stipulations

Times^[25]

1^D

R-Truth(withEve Torres) defeatedZack Ryderbypinfall

Singles match^[16]

—

2

Daniel Bryan(c) defeatedTed DiBiase Jr.(withMaryse) bysubmission

Singles matchfor theWWE United States Championship^[17]