WWE Survivor Series 2007 Review

Match 1: ECW Championship - CM Punk (c) vs. John Morrison vs. The Miz
Somewhere along in my life, I feel like I have reviewed this match and maybe even this entire event. Nonetheless, here I am as I dive into 2007, my freshman year of high school and give you guys my thoughts on this show. This is one of my favorite WWECW matches of all time. It wasn't the best match from a technical standpoint but it delivered on so many different levels. This was the perfect spot for this match on the card, any other spot and this match would have gone completely forgotten. There was never a dull moment as John Morrison teamed with The Miz to eliminate CM Punk before they eventually threw the plans out the window and things turned into a legit triple threat match. They had some really creative spots and the Miami crowd was really into the action, a rarity in 2007 for most ECW Championship matches. Punk scored the win after hitting Miz with the GTS. Would have loved for this match to have gone a little bit longer but it was great for what it was. Punk finally scores another credible PPV win.
Winner: CM Punk
Rating: ***1/2

Match 2: Traditional Survivor Series Elimination - Team Mickie James (Mickie James, Maria, Torrie Wilson, Michelle McCool & Kelly Kelly) vs. Team Beth Phoenix (Beth Phoenix, Jillian, Melina, Victoria & Layla)
This is the first Traditional Survivor Series match to feature ten Divas since 1997 and thankfully, it's a sudden death situation. Meaning, no eliminations as the first pin scores the win for the team. You get your typical Divas fun with everybody coming in at the very end to get in their offense as Mickie James was left alone in the ring with Melina. James plants a kiss on Melina and kicks her to score the win. Better than expected but what could you really say about a match that was this short?
Winners: Team Mickie James
Rating: *1/4

Match 3: World Tag Team Championships - Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch (c) Cody Rhodes & Hardcore Holly
I always liked the pair of Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch, it oddly worked and their gimmick was pretty over. The established champs took on the team of the veteran in Hardcore Holly and the rookie in Cody Rhodes. Just a basic tag team match that featured some slow action but more importantly, got both teams over with the audience. Cade & Murdoch continued to look like a well-oiled machine while the audience gets to know the new team of Rhodes & Holly. Murdoch scored the pin over Rhodes in a pretty cool flipping sit-out powerbomb. Holly looked disappointed in Rhodes afterwards but still gave him a pat on the side for his efforts.
Winners: Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
Rating: *1/4

Match 4: Traditional Survivor Series Elimination - Team Triple H (Triple H, Kane, Jeff Hardy & Rey Mysterio) vs. Team Umaga (Umaga, Mr. Kennedy, MVP, Finlay & Big Daddy V)
It is now 2015, count how many guys in this match are still in the WWE. Unfortunately, two of them have passed away. Matt Hardy was also scheduled to be in this match before MVP took him out on an edition of SmackDown which then made this match a 5 vs. 4 situation. Team Triple H found themselves in a pickle as Kane was eliminated first and soon after, so was Rey Mysterio via Umaga. It's down to Triple H & Jeff Hardy against the entire Team Umaga. One by one, Triple H & Hardy narrow it down until it is finally only Umaga remaining. Hardy hits his Swanton Bomb and seals the win for his team. This is what Survivor Series is all about, this was a great Tradition Survivor Series match that showcased the correlating feuds and got nearly everyone over pretty nicely. Sure, Triple H & Jeff Hardy eliminated the entire Team Umaga, it made sense to the story. The guys from Team Umaga looked like dominant heels and when it came down to it, the two main faces rose to the occasion and Hardy got the big rub. Got to love Survivor Series!
Winners: Team Triple H
Rating: ***3/4

Match 5: Hornswoggle vs. The Great Khali
Vince McMahon tells Hornswoggle that he book him in a match against The Great Khali because Hornswoggle is a McMahon and must defy the odds. Shane McMahon makes an appearance to side with little Horny. Hornswoggle takes off his playful attire and looks ready to fight before Khali swats him away to the dismay of Shane. Finlay then runs out to make the save and beats down Khali as Vince is now the one to look in dismay. The McMahons walk away after as Vince has a subtle, yet pissed look in his face. Don't even know where to start with that. Why exactly did this have to be on PPV? At least it didn't eat up that much time.
Winner: n/a
Rating: n/a

Match 6: WWE Championship - Randy Orton (c) vs. Shawn Michaels
I gave this match **** back in the day so let's see how that score holds up. If Shawn Michaels uses the Sweet Chin Music, he will be disqualified from the match and will no longer be able to challenge for the WWE Championship against Randy Orton. However, an Orton disqualification will lead to the title switching hands. Pretty odd stipulations but if anyone can make it work, it's HBK. Guess what, he made it work. The two were forced to build the match around these stipulations so there was more technical wrestling than what we are accustomed to seeing. The legendary Jim Ross was brilliant in making that aware to the audience. Michaels brought some fancy tricks out of the bag like the controversial sharpshooter, the controversial crossface, and the always controversial ankle lock. See the pattern here? Every different submission added a new layer and new dimension to the match and Orton looked like he had no counter for them. But ultimately, it was Michaels' instincts that led him to his downfall when he was ready to hit the Sweet Chin Music, he cocked it back and got nailed with an RKO. Orton then taunts Michaels afterwards before Michaels finally plants one on the jaw to Orton who sells it brilliantly. Great WWE Championship match and Orton gets a cool win over Michaels on a big stage in Survivor Series, even with the odd stipulations. The **** holds but it could have been more if they stretched it out a couple minutes or so.
Winner: Randy Orton
Rating: ****

Match 7: World Heavyweight Championship - Hell in a Cell - Batista (c) vs. The Undertaker
2007's best and most epic rivalry comes to a conclusion inside Hell in a Cell. They each have a win under their belts along with two draws, this is the rubber match. Even in 2015, this match holds up as one of my personal favorites in Survivor Series history. You could feel the hate between the two and everything was spaced out perfectly. While the crowd could have been livelier, it didn't detract me from the action in the ring as both men were on the top of their games respectively. Everything action done was done with purpose, no wasted spots or motions from the two. They emphasized how brutal the structure was early on as the blood flowed hard. The Undertaker driving Batista's neck with a steel chair onto the steel steps and Batista smashing Undertaker's head in with the steel steps were both sights to be seen. Every fall felt like it could have been the legit finish and when Batista wasn't able to finish off Undertaker with a Batista Bomb through a table, things got even more interesting. Batista later kicked out of a Tombstone and when Undertaker hit another one, Edge appeared out of nowhere disguised as a cameraman. He hit a shocked Undertaker with the camera and then hit his famous Con-Chair-To before lifting Batista's lifeless body onto Undertaker's lifeless body where he forced the referee to make the count. Batista retains. Afterwards, Edge smashes Undertaker's face in with a steel chair to close out the night. What. A. War. An incredible end to their rivalry which ultimately got overshadowed by the return of Edge. While this match could have done without Edge, his return still added another layer to this contest. Regardless, this was the ultimate main event for the night and maybe even for the entire year.
Winner: Batista
Rating: ****1/2

Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Far and away one of my favorite Survivor Series shows of all time. There was no John Cena but the WWE had more than enough star power here to push it over the edge. From the opening match, to the Team Triple H vs. Team Umaga match, to the WWE Championship and to the main event, this was a great show and definitely one that tends to get overlooked.
Rating: 9/10