We are just over 24 hours away from the second longest running extravaganza in WWE history, the Survivor Series. Following an unforgettable finale of this week’s Monday Night Raw and even more stipulations added on Smackdown, we are all but positive as to who will comprise both main event teams. With John Cena set to do battle against a an alliance of wrestling super villains, there’s no time better than the present to begin pondering what may or may not come to the WWE Universe following this Sunday’s monumentous showdown.
The rules are simple: Ten men enter and are eliminated one by one until a single team stands tall. But this year, there’s more than just pride on the line. Like ‘Series 2001, this year’s main event could completely alter the path of the WWE for the foreseeable future. If The Authority wins, then Stephanie McMahon and Triple H will continue their tyrannical reign over the WWE Universe and it’s Superstars–but not everyone. Should Team Cena lose, then each of it’s members will be subsequently fired. However, as declared by Vince McMahon, if Team Cena can topple the odds, the Authority will no longer control the WWE. But what then?
I’m operating under the impression that The Authority is going to come out on top, leading to a brief exodus of main event baby faces. But if Cena and his band of misfits can vanquish their evil overlords, then the WWE will be left without an authority figure for the first time in recent memory. Who might emerge from the woodwork when the Craigslist ad gets posted Monday morning for a new General Manager or Commissioner? Might it even be someone new all together?
There are several viable candidates inside the WWE as we speak, without having to cast the net into the Legend’s contract pool. WWE Hall of Famer Jerry the King Lawler has been used in a far less then prominent way for years now, and mere alterations to the King’s character might do wonders to reinvigorate what’s become sort of a stale act. How about JBL, who most recently acted as the General Manager on NXT before being replaced by William Regal? John Bradshaw Layfield is an interesting character; a self-made millionaire, resident of Bermuda, mountain-climber, radio show host, and most importantly former WWE Heavyweight Champion. There’s Paul Heyman, the advocate for the current WWE World Heavyweight champion, who’s got less then a packed schedule aside from six appearances with Brock Lesnar set for the next two months. It might be someone completely out of left field like the time Raw was left in the control of AJ Lee. That sort of thinking opens up the imagination and allows cases to be made for guys like Heath Slater!
Quite a few people think that Vince McMahon might return to run the company himself, which I personally find to be sort of far-fetched. While I’m sure Vince will return to Raw the Monday following Survivor Series, should The Authority lose, I’m fairly certain it’ll only be to declare a successor to his daughter and son-in-law. We could see the return of John Laurinitis, should Vince decide it’s time for “People Power,” or perhaps even Eric Biscoff! The possibilities are endless. Who do I think the WWE Chairman will name as the new law in town? In a perfect world? Stone Cold Steve Austin.
It’s been rumored that the 1996 King of the Ring will be taking a more active role in WWE programming during the 2015 calendar year. Speculation has since commenced in regards to a WWE return or even a potential final match. I’m under the impression that Steve Austin is permanently retired, and if he does return I don’t think it’s going to be six months from now. So what could the WWE have in store for the rumored returning ‘Rattlesnake? Perhaps a return to law and order. If you recall, Stone Cold has had his share of experience working in authoritative roles; he is the former Co-GM of Raw alongside Eric Bishoff and served as the self-proclaimed “Sheriff” of the WWE.
Aside from the colorful altercations he’s sure to have with the current roster, Stone Cold could serve as an ambassador to draw older fans back to the modern product. Believe it or not, there are casual-enough viewers that hear about celebrity appearances on Raw, and that’s why they tune in. It happened with Grumpy Cat, it will happen with Stone Cold Steve Austin. The WWE is an interesting place right now, where they’ve dubbed themselves “The Reality Era,” but in essence could be known as the “Nostalgia Era.” The entire year of 2014 seems to of been built around unveiling the WWE Network, a wonderful product that I love and use daily. So much effort has been put into the Monday Night Wars, Rivalries, and Wrestlemania Rewinds that it’s not completely unfathomable to expect the WWE to inject their number one rated program with a blast from the past. We see it on a monthly basis now with Hulk Hogan, and even Sting makes appearances on behalf of the WWE. Who better to come to the aid of Vincent Kennedy McMahon then his former adversary turned best friend Steve Austin?
Once Steve is in power, the story can go in any number of directions. Maybe Steve Austin is the same old rough-and-rugged badass that rides around on an ATV and books matches to make the WWE Universe happy? Or maybe he’s less of an instigator, and more of a comedian just as he was during the Invasion Angle, strapped with a guitar? Whatever creative choices might be made should Stone Cold return as The New Authority, I think he is certainly the most logical and qualified man for the job.
I’m obviously getting ahead of myself, going into storyline details that may or may not come to fruition in the spring of 2015. No matter what happens at or after the Survivor Series, the event has a lot of people talking. I’ve personally written more than a handful of blogs relating to potential outcomes and booking strategies, because this pay per view is unlike any we’ve ever seen before. It’s free, which means it will primarily serve as an advertisement for what is in store at TLC and the Royal Rumble. So keeping that in mind, one has to wonder what might happen in this explosive main event to keep the more casual viewer subscribed at $9.99 for the month of December? We will find out together on Sunday. Until then, this has been Mark Haggerty with another exclusive entry here at Cheap-Heat.
