Thanks to reader Mike U for sending this in:
Hey, just got back from Survivor Series… few things (Oh before I forget, the pre-show WOO’s were INSANE. I cannot believe there were so many every 2-3 minutes throughout the arena, and Flair wasn’t even there. Nothing like ’06 Rumble.)
Before the show, they just aired the Wrestlemania 23 highlight video (then plugged the dvd), and during the video everyone would either boo or cheer accordingly when one of the wrestlers came on screen. The fans went absolutely ape shit for Cena, but even more so at the gong of the Undertaker. The pop for ‘Takers gong before the show event went on the air beat Triple H’s in the elimination match. Also, as the announcers made their way to the ring, JR got a TREMENDOUS ovation, King too. Lilian singing the national anthem went over well with the crowd too. They loved her.
Dunno how well it played off on TV, but The Miz got alot of heat, and John Morrison got nothing at first, then some. CM Punk was extremely over with the Miami crowd, and ate up the end of that match, pretty good opener. Besides Mickie, every Diva got a baseline reaction. Melina‘s botched split got some “You fucked up” chants, but I doubt any made it on TV. The little kid in front of me wearing a Rey Mysterio mask looked at the guys chanting as if he was lost.
Some little kids cheered for Cody and Holly, but other than that, the crowd sat in silence during this match, I thought it was decent, but hey. Jeff Hardy was over as hell, as was Kane, Rey surprisingly got less cheers. Umaga, Big Daddy, and Finlay all got a borderline dead reaction, which is a shame for Finlay seeing as he’s just awesome. MVP got boo’d every time he was on camera, and Matt Hardy got tremendous cheers during the Smackdown Rewind. Kenndy got a mixed reaction, but for the most part, everyone in unison sang his “Misterrrr Kennedy” tune. Triple H’s pop was less than enthusiastic, but still rather epic.
Hardy getting the pin shocked everyone, but the reception was amazing. My ears still hurt. (Mostly because of this woman sitting behind me buying into every one of their moves…”CMON TRIPS! TAG IN! TAG IN TRIPS!”
Alot of the males cheered for Shane, and everyone in my section was bowing to Vince. The we want Shaq chants were pretty hilarious. This match was the piss break, quite literally across from me I could see people coming in and out like it was an office building.
HBK was over, as expected. Orton got a mixed reaction, but it is funny to note that when he got in the ring and did his “raise the belt above my head” taunt thing, they raised the volume of his music very distinctively. The fans ate up the Sharpshooter, and the crossface. Some low tuned Beniot chants… Loads of HBK chants during the match, when he lost for the most part, within the boos, people didn’t really know what to do, I’m surprised everyone didn’t see it coming. (A big guy behind me made a funny comment as well during the start of the match, “This is professional wrestling, what the hell are they doing?”…lol
Y2J chants all during the video package for ‘Tista and ‘Taker. The fans went bonkers for Batista, but even that was outdone by ‘Takers entrance. They wouldn’t stop cheering his whole 3 hour walk to the ring, which is great considering how inactive the crowd was the whole night. Undertaker and Let’s Go ‘Taker chants lasted the whole match. Every person as far as the eye can see got on their feet after the first tombstone. The crowd I could tell really felt it after the second, even I thought he had it, but I knew Edge was yet to return… at first the crowd didn’t know what really happened, the Ref just disappeared. Then once it became more clear they went INSANE. Batista going over got a very negative reaction.
After the show went off the air, ‘Taker chants filled the arena again as Batista left for the lockeroom and ‘Taker sat up, bloodied, beat up, hardly able to move, etc etc. The gong played and ‘Takers music rolled, many people turned around to look while they were leaving.
All in all, good show, less than great crowd.
Biggest pops:
Undertaker
Triple H
Jeff Hardy
Batista
CM Punk
MVP got the most heat, then Edge, but other than that it’s hard to say. Maybe The Miz? Batista going over definately stired some peoples tempers.
