4 Past battles for Survivor Series brand supremacy

#2 Survivor Series 2017

Team RAW vs Team SmackDown

The lead-up to Survivor Series 2017 centered around SmackDown's attempt to avenge their defeat a year prior. Commissioner Shane McMahon fired the first punch in a heralded angle which saw the Blue Brand decimate the RAW roster on their own show.

It was an attack that wasn’t reciprocated until the go-home edition of SmackDown, and the final invasion did a fantastic job building anticipation toward Survivor Series.

As they did the previous year, WWE stuck to a simpler formula to decide which of their brand’s was the best. Four of the seven matches would pit champion vs champion: Universal vs WWE, Intercontinental vs US, RAW Womens and Tag Champions vs Smackdown’s. Survivor Series 2017 also featured two Five-on-Five traditional bouts featuring the best of each show.

The only exception to this came in the event’s opener where two of the best stables of the modern era faced off for the first time in The Shield and The New Day. The much-anticipated contest between the six didn’t disappoint, and arguably stole the show with The Shield scoring an early win for Team RAW.

It appeared as though it would start a pattern for Monday nights, with Asuka continuing her WWE/NXT unbeaten streak by lastly besting Natalya to make it 2-0 RAW.

SmackDown fought back though, scoring three straight wins to take the lead on the night. First, US Champion Baron Corbin successfully defeated Intercontinental Champion The Miz. Next, The Usos vanquished their demons from 2016 by gaining revenge on The Bar before Charlotte Flair put SmackDown ahead by forcing Alexa Bliss to tap-out. Another dream match would even the score once again when Universal Champion Brock Lesnar beat WWE Champion AJ Styles. Styles forced his way into the match 12 days prior when he won the championship from Jinder Mahal in Manchester.

Bragging rights would be decided in the men’s multi match, which sadly failed to live up to the heights of the equivalent match the year before. This was mostly due to the overuse of part-time wrestlers, such as Shane McMahon, John Cena, Kurt Angle and Triple H, the latter leading Team RAW to a 4-3 overall victory for the night alongside Braun Strowman.

It was a finish that led many to believe that WWE were leading towards a WrestleMania bout between ‘The Game’ and Strowman. So with that not coming to fruition, this match certainly isn’t one to look back on fondly.

RAW vs SmackDown scores: 4-3 RAW

The Shield (RAW) defeats The New Day (SmackDown)

Women’s Division - Team RAW (Alicia Fox, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Asuka and Nia Jax) defeat Team SmackDown (Becky Lynch, Naomi, Carmella, Natalya and Tamina)

Baron Corbin (SmackDown) defeats The Miz (RAW)

The Usos (SmackDown) defeat The Bar (RAW)

Charlotte Flair (SmackDown) defeats Alexa Bliss (RAW)

Brock Lesnar (RAW) defeats AJ Styles (SmackDown)

Men’s Division - Team RAW (Kurt Angle, Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, Triple H and Samoa Joe) defeat Team SmackDown (Shane McMahon, Randy Orton, Bobby Roode, Shinsuke Nakamura and John Cena)