5 Things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown: Rumors of backstage heat confirmed, Former Champion to make men's team lose at Survivor Series?

#4. Could Sami Zayn being removed from Team SmackDown prove costly?

Sami Zayn wasn't the leader of Team SmackDown, but he certainly was the most vocal one. He was preparing a speech in front of the mirror in the locker room, and Jeff Hardy, his fellow team member, was seen looking at him.

Adam Pearce, next to NXT Superstar Von Wagner, told the two men that either one of them was going to get removed from the Blue brand's Survivor Series team.

It was Jeff Hardy vs. Sami Zayn to preserve the spot, and the WWE legend walked out with the victory. Zayn watched in disbelief as his face was removed from the Team SmackDown graphic.

We're not sure we understand this logic of removing people from the Survivor Series team and having matches with this kind of a stipulation. It's almost like reverse qualification in a way, and it makes little to no sense.

Either way, Sami Zayn losing out on the Survivor Series spot means that he could come back to cost the team during the match. It could be a decision that comes back to bite the team at the pay-per-view.