It’s time once again to perform our monthly ritual of previewing a WWE PPV and predicting the results, but events since the Hell in a Cell PPV have made things much less predictable than usual. Thanks to Seth Rollins blowing out his knee at a WWE show in Dublin on their European tour, the WWE Heavyweight Title was vacated and a tournament began on Raw which was expected to culminate in crowning a new champion at Survivor Series. The betting odds would tell you that WWE has a plan in mind for who they want their next champion to be, but as I always do around this time I’ll remind you that the odds are not based on athletic skill but on Vince McMahon’s will. If he decides this tournament is too predictable, he can and WILL disrupt his own plans even if they are meant in theory to carry WWE all the way until WrestleMania 32 next year. If you want to know what story is meant to carry them through Survivor Series, the brackets of the tournament are going to make bitter enemies out of best friends. Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns have been best friends since the dissolution of The Shield, watching each other’s back in multiple matches and throughout Reigns’ feud with Bray Wyatt. Friendship will have to be put aside in the tournament finals if the odds play out as expected. Roman Reigns is a -2000 favorite to advance over Alberto Del Rio (+1000) and Dean Ambrose is a smaller -335 favorite over Kevin Owens (+245). Reigns is also the favorite to win the entire tournament (-295) over the field (+210). Who turns on who if it comes down to Reigns and Ambrose? Unfortunately there are no odds on that one – but I’d still bet on Ambrose going heel. While the focus is entirely on the tournament for this PPV, it is the 25th anniversary of The Undertaker’s debut, and he’s scheduled for a 2-on-2 match teaming with Kane against the Wyatt Family. Early on there were no odds though because Wyatt still hadn’t chosen WHICH two men will face him. Some sports books don’t want the action when they can’t determine what Vince McMahon is planning long term (and they’ve been burned on Undertaker before) but as of press time the “Brothers of Destruction” are -530 over any two random men. Bet cautiously if at all. There aren’t any odds on the traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series team match for the same reason – the teams have not even been decided with under 24 hours to go, so here are a few matches you CAN bet on. In the Dolph Ziggler vs. Tyler Breeze feud, Breeze is the -245 favorite over Ziggler (+175). The smart money is on Breeze since he needs a win on PPV to establish he’s worthy of being on the Raw roster. Charlotte is a -900 favorite over Paige (+500) to retain the Divas Title but the less said about that feud the better. As always remember that these previews are for entertainment purposes only and if you wager to only bet what you can afford. Enjoy the Survivor Series on Sunday night!
