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Another year, another WWE Survivor Series. That is the impression I get when I first glance at the lineup. The card is finally taking shape with less than two weeks ago and if you wanted a free month of WWE Network, this is the kind of a show you’re going to get.

The Survivor Series used to be one of the biggest events of the year. As a fan in the 80s and early 90s, the Survivor Series was heralded as one of the big four pay per view events along with the Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, and WrestleMania. Somewhere along the way the show lost its luster and if you were waiting for it to return in 2014, think again.

The current card as reported in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter looks more like a SmackDown or RAW special than it does a special event. The show is nothing more than a placeholder to keep things going between now and the Rumble. It’s certainly the can-miss special event of the year.

The main-event features an elimination match with the power in WWE at stake between Team Authority (Rollins & Kane & Henry & Rusev & Harper) vs. Team Cena (Cena & Show & Ziggler & Sheamus & Ryback). The stipulation here is that Vince McMahon deemed that the Authority would lose power if their team lost the match. How original?

I don’t see anything in this match to get excited about. I wouldn’t be surprised if this changed with Triple H inserting himself into the match. Quite frankly why wouldn’t he if his power is on the line? The only intrigue here is for a first-ever Rusev vs. John Cena meeting. I suppose this could kick off their Mania feud which will likely peak with Rusev costing Cena the title at the Rumble. Past Cena vs. Rusev I don’t see anything worth selling here.

Dean Ambrose will wrestle Bray Wyatt in what will likely be billed as a semi-main event. I may be in the minority here but I had higher expectations for this feud. Thus far it has been pretty underwhelming. The lure of great promos in exchange for the garbage finish last month hasn’t panned out. Now that said, these two could go out there and tear the house down. The potential is there, yet I have to wonder whether they will be allowed to shine and out-perform the headliner.

A.J. vs. Nikki Bella for the Divas title and Goldust & Stardust vs. Usos vs. Los Matadores vs. Miz & Mizdow in a Four-Way for the tag team titles will fill out the card. I would imagine that there will be one or two more matches announced. Adam Rose will also wrestle the Bunny on the pre-show. I thought the pre-show match was supposed to get people excited?

I think it is incredibly disappointing and a bit misguided of the WWE to throw away this show under the guise that it is free. Yes it is free, but why wouldn’t you want to go out there and put something special together and draw more interest to the network? Maybe those fans stick around or maybe you wind up bringing in new fans that otherwise passed?

Not only is this show out of the big four, it doesn’t even make the big ten. A sad state of affairs in 2014 for what used to be a classic event.

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