A – Excellent
B – Good
C – Mediocre
D – Avoid
Release Date: 11th March 2013
Available From: www.wwedvd.co.uk
Price:
DVD £12.99
Blu-ray £13.99
Format Reviewed: DVD
(Also Available on Blu-ray)
What It’s About:
WWE's Survivor Series 2012 event, from the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Indiana on November 18th 2012. Featuring the Team Foley vs Team Ziggler traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match, the triple threat match for the WWE Championship plus much, much more.
Strengths:
Starting with the most competitive match on the card, Team Ziggler vs Team Foley is one of the most spirited matches at Survivor Series 2012 boasting a huge amount of talent, even if some don’t get the exposure they deserve. These include Damien Sandow who is once again portrayed as a coward to the detriment of Team Rhodes Scholars and dispatched by Kane far too easily. The traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match does of course play host to some questionable and frail moments, such as the sight of Mick Foley ambling to ringside, barely able to walk thanks to a knee injury dating back years which he still hasn’t had fixed; David Otunga is a bum choice to replace an injured Cody Rhodes, the spot should have gone to someone who needed the exposure and who could have made the best of the allocated chance and the footage of Cody Rhodes’ injury and awkward landing on The Main Event at the hands of a botched Kane backdrop makes for uncomfortable viewing. These though are the only minor grievances from a brilliant outing. Kofi Kingston is mightily impressive and his monkey flip which sends Dolph Ziggler almost three sixty head over heels looks fabulous. However Kingston should have been allowed to put up more of a fight before his elimination at the hands of Wade Barrett. The Miz shows unlimited potential and spirit in one of his first real outings as a face, hitting some great moves and turning the pace of the action up a notch. It’s obvious though that Randy Orton’s heel turn should have happened here, walking out on the Miz and leaving him to put up a valiant effort against Del Rio and Ziggler before being eliminated. This would have gotten the Miz over much more effectively than his actual face turn and Orton would automatically been hated for it. Miz would have been respected for fighting the odds and Orton despised for leaving his partner when Miz most needed him. Like Kofi Kingston though, the Miz should have been allowed more fight before his eventual elimination; Mr. Socko gets a huge nostalgic pop which harks back to days gone by; there is a radiant near fall towards the end of the match between Ziggler and Orton and the match comprises a very good ending and a huge win for Dolph Ziggler. Overall Team Ziggler vs Team Foley regresses us back to the good old days of classic Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Matches, with great action, vigorous performances and a whole load of promise for some whose careers have stalled hideously.
Big Show vs Sheamus for the World Heavyweight Championship isn’t as good as their Hell in a Cell barn burner but it comes mightily close. Big Show’s spear in mid air looks classy as does Sheamus’ striking electric chair which you get the impression from the strain on the Irishman’s face took a hell of a toll on the challenger’s body. Both men turn it on once again and despite the disqualification finish which is weak the match has hardly any faults. Sheamus battering Big Show with countless steel chair shots to end the match is necessary to set up their chairs match at TLC the following month and also allows Sheamus to find some of that ruthless aggression that he desperately needs to allow him to take the next step in 2013. The match also emphasizes the fact that if Big Show lost some more weight and got himself back into his WCW shape, he could be awesome for another five or six years before nature takes its course on his body.
The impromptu bonus traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match is a welcome addition even though the heel team are used as cannon fodder. Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara, Tyson Kidd, Justin Gabriel and Brodus Clay vs Tensai, the Prime Time Players and Primo and Epico is a fast paced opener and an involving fight. Granted, it does stall slightly in parts but it’s never going to be enough to detract from a respectable gala which showcases some potential new talent if WWE were to run with them. Impressively, there are no blown spots by Sin Cara and there’s evidence that the once hero in Mexico is adapting his style to fit in with WWE and not relying on WWE competitors to adapt to him. Cara displays some moves which are both unexpected and a treat to watch. To WWE’s credit they carry on the tradition of mentioning wrestler’s pasts in other companies, giving JBL permission to mention Tensai’s past glories in the New Japan Cup and his reigns as NJPW tag team champion; unfortunately they don’t go the whole hog and mention his WWE history as Albert even though there are rousing chants of ‘Albert’ during the match and said strategy backfires on WWE this time, as mentioning his glories in other companies highlights WWE’s poor treatment of the character and man. Brodus Clay is his usual self in this outing and is the only weak link in the face team. Botching a suplex on Tensai, Clay could have done some real damage to both himself and the man formerly known as Albert. When you see it you’ll wince when the move goes wrong. Speaking of Clay, the girth of his mid-section becomes horrifically real when during his tiresome dance number which is shown on the hard camera, he totally eclipses Naomi who dances behind him. Thankfully, Tensai makes short work of the bumbling Clay who should have been fired months ago. Sadly Tensai and the team of Primo and Epico are eliminated effortlessly damaging their aura and the Colon’s future involvement in the WWE Tag Team Championship rankings. Nevertheless, it is a very good match that even JBL’s incongruous comment about Titus O’Neil that he has “all the potential in the world” can’t dampen.
C.M Punk’s victory and retention of the WWE Championship in the triple threat match against Ryback and John Cena is much better than expected, deliberating on who his opponents were and how very limited they are. Of course, Punk holds the match together like super glue and WWE book the encounter well making sure Ryback is only in the ring for the necessary moments. This is a wise strategy by WWE seeing as when Ryback does feature his shortcomings are on show for all to see. The man who WWE hoped would be the next main event player neglects to sell an alarming majority of his moves including the effects of a double suplex through the announcers table. I’m afraid to say that Ryback is this generations Ultimate Warrior, in that he’s so jacked up he blows up executing the easiest of manoeuvres, finds it difficult to bump when needed and can only put on a show when he has an opponent who is capable of carrying him. C.M Punk should be given a ton of credit for this match seeing that towards the end, the knee that he wrestled injured on for months and that ruled him out of the TLC main event and a month of action, visibly begins to bother him. Yet not once does he begin to phone it in. Punk may have retained the WWE Championship here but the real winners of the match were the debutant faction of the Shield. This may have been one of WWE’s best decisions of the year, having the trio of Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns make the huge step up from NXT to WWE’s main roster. Unfortunately, due to WWE NXT only being available on WWE.Com in the United States their sudden invasion and beat down of Ryback is met with silence as only a majority of people knew who they were. It took Michael Cole to explain they were from NXT for most Americans watching to realise. This though is offset by a good looking power bomb through the announce table on Ryback allowing Punk to cover Cena and retain the gold. A credible match with a great debut. What more can you ask for?
For the third pay per view running, JBL is on pleasant form at the commentary table spouting such nuggets as, during the opening traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match, talking about Primo’s father Carlos Colon JBL pitches in with; “He still owes me money!” The same match gives us yet another laugh out loud moment, when Tyson Kidd eliminates Epico via submission with the sharpshooter and Michael Cole states that Kidd eliminated Epico with the sharpshooter at the anniversary of the Montreal screw job, JBL comically blurts out; “And I’m sure Bret will be mad about that too!” The last notable JBL quip comes during the United States Championship Match when talking about R-Truth’s imaginary fried, Little Jimmy. You can imagine the look on JBL’s face as he retorts; “That’s one more friend that someone on this panel has right now!” It’s outbursts like this that made JBL WWE’s best commentator of 2012.
A segment involving Team Foley before their Survivor Series Elimination Match improves the mood of the pay per view, as it sees Mick Foley try to rally his team with a group “Bang, Bang!” Randy Orton is on wicked form and his comedy timing has improved greatly as he glares at Foley and affirms “I hate you!” and walks away. Mick Foley does more to hype Dolph Ziggler in one sentence than WWE have done in months and it’s unforgivable that in 2013, well after his retirement, Mick Foley still looks he’s just come in off the street and is sleeping in a shop doorway.
The DVD extra which comprises C.M Punk and Paul Heyman speaking their mind after the WWE Championship, triple threat match may only be two minutes in length but is wholly passionate and concentrated. Both Champion and advisor are on fine form, seeing Heyman rattle of a stimulating promo whilst C.M Punk remains stoically and chillingly silent. When he does speak he’s brilliantly conceited and somewhat sinister.
Weaknesses:
After having the Jerry Lawler heart attack shoved down our throats for months and then WWE’s repulsive treatment of Lawler and the whole real life and death situation upon his return with C.M Punk, Survivor Series isn’t even twelve minutes old before the commentary team of JBL, Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler bring his heart attack up again. This is something WWE should have left out of the pay per view and consigned to history.
The angle involving Aksana, Kaitlyn and Eve before the WWE Divas Championship Match is wooden. After Aksana attacks Kaitlyn, the confrontation between Eve and Kaitlyn is falsely acted and predictable. Eve comes across as if she’s completely given up and WWE should have forbade Kaitlyn from acting ever again on their product after her pathetic attempt to cry and sell an attack at Night of Champions.
As per usual the WWE Divas Championship Match is a total mess. The action plods as if both women are stuck in mud and mostly every decision they make doesn’t make sense. For example, when Eve has Kaitlyn in a headscissors, Kaitlyn makes her way to the ropes with her outstretched arm. Instead of trying to grab the arm, which was well within her reach and deny her opponent escape, Eve simply sits there and does nothing. The beginning of the match sees both women spend a ludicrous amount of time rolling around the ring on top of each other. There are plenty of websites you can visit to quench your appetite if you wish to see that. To top it all, Eve’s reaction when she pins Kaitlyn and retains the Championship is cringy and once again false. Everyone knew she was a heel; there was no need for WWE to portray her as anything else. All this match seems to convey is that Kaitlyn is the girl you want but can never have.
Antonio Cesaro’s WWE United States Championship defence against R-Truth is respectable but warrants an inclusion down here for its mind numbing rest holds which use up a great deal of the time. Two long reverse bear hugs zap all enthusiasm and sparkle from the match and instead of being something that set the United States Championship division alight; it resembles the pudding you’re given after a heavy meal. Stodgy and doesn’t go down as well as you’d have liked. The match does heat up towards the finish and it’s by no means an awful effort, however by the time it does get going it’s already too late. The audience has lost the little interest it once held and have switched off, saving their energy for matches still to come. WWE should have done better booking this match and eradicated the two bear hugs when they came up in the pre-match discussion. The ending is also a problem, as it’s never in doubt from the beginning of the match. Anyone with any wrestling knowledge would have known that R-Truth is no longer in favour with WWE management and that Cesaro was on a path that would lead to a feud with the Miz. When you know the outcome before the match begins and the contest isn’t exciting enough to hold your attention, then you begin to think it probably could have either been rearranged or left out completely.
Even at Survivor Series we don’t get a rest from the ‘A.J Scandal’ which never seemed to end when it took up a regular spot on Raw. At Survivor Series, this should have been totally left off of the card and saved for the next night on Raw. Instead of A.J providing promised evidence that Vicki had been having an affair instead of the other way around, all we got were photo-shopped images of Vickie with different wrestling personalities. The whole angle was deeply unfunny and took up too much pay per view time. As if it wasn’t bad enough we have to put up with Guerrero’s screeching tone on Raw, WWE effectively force feed it to us here. Have your finger on the ‘Fast Forward’ button for this one.
WWE’s obsession with social networking is beginning to get out of control and not in a good way. When we buy a pay per view event, we do so for wrestling and not to see what people have tweeted or sit through precious minutes whilst WWE stream pointless Touts on the show and other subjects. Here though we’re subject to people who clearly know nothing about wrestling, Touting their thoughts on who the Rock should face at the Royal Rumble. It’s clear these people have no knowledge of what they’re talking about and have only recently jumped on the wrestling bandwagon as one guy suggests the Rock should face Ryback. Had he had any know how of how wrestling worked then he’d have known Ryback vs the Rock would be a huge disaster at the box office and a match WWE will never book. Also, every Tout feels like the person making it is hoping to catch the eye of a casting agent in Hollywood. Each feels put on and acted instead of natural. WWE need to stop doing this through every broadcast of every show and certainly through a pay per view event which people in America have to pay out to watch. Vince needs to keep WWE’s social networking interaction to an absolute minimum and only show tweets from wrestlers when it advances a feud or storyline. Although I’m betting WWE show Touts through Wrestlemania.
DVD and Blu-ray Special Features:
C.M Punk and Paul Heyman share their thoughts: Survivor Series, November 18th 2012.
Blu-ray Exclusive Features:
Monday Night Raw: 12th November 2012
Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero accuse AJ Lee
Ryback vs Brad Maddox
Kane and The Miz vs Team Rhodes Scholars
Non Title Match
C.M Punk vs John Cena
Smackdown: 16th November 2012
Miz TV with Mick Foley
Randy Orton and the Miz vs Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler
Conclusion:
For most people Survivor Series has lost the uniqueness it once possessed. The event used to consist of nothing but exciting Survivor Series Elimination Matches which elevated talent through association and advanced feuds and storylines for the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania. In recent years it has lost its sparkle and everything that made it unique. However 2012 should be given some credit for at least attempting to put the sins of previous years right.
Putting aside the obvious flaws Survivor Series displayed, it was a successful night on many levels. Dolph Ziggler shone as the sole survivor and gained one his biggest victories up to this point in time, over Randy Orton. Both traditional Survivor Series Elimination Matches are either very good or better and the duo of Heavyweight Championship matches worth a viewing even if you’ve seen them once before.
The pay per view and indeed this release belongs to The Shield, who sparkled in their debut and weren’t subject to WWE’s lack of attention and draining enthusiasm three weeks later which can only be a plus. If you’re looking for reasons to buy this DVD or Blu-ray and don’t believe the above is sufficient enough, then look no further than the three debutants who will be huge in a few years. To own the night they effectively changed the WWE landscape should be reason enough.
Rating: B
Onwards and upwards...
