5 superstars that could have replaced Shane McMahon at Survivor Series 2018
The build for Survivor Series is finally underway as WWE has started building towards the Champion vs Champion matches and more importantly the brand warfare battles that determine which brand is better, Raw or Smackdown Live.
If WWE were honest with themselves, they would know that in terms of overall quality Smackdown Live has outclassed Raw in every single aspect this year, while Raw has probably been one of the worst wrestling shows in the company this year.
But WWE won't address their flaws, so matches at Survivor Series will have to, and while fans usually get excited about these clashes, this year it feels like the company don't know how to build these matches up anymore, so they just reuse the same tired old formula that we have seen a million times.
The formula of 'teammates don't get along but have to co-exist for the greater good of their brand' is overdone, but we as fans don't have a choice but to sit through this format for another year.
However, one of the worst things about this year's Survivor Series pay-per-view is the fact that Shane McMahon is once again part of the brand warfare match. Now look, in 2016, Shane was a revelation in the match, as he added was a fun element in the chaos, while in 2017 he overtook every other deserving star in his team to go all the way.
And after winning the WWE Wolrd Cup and proclaiming himself as the best in the world, fans disdain for the Smackdown Live commissioner taking a spot on the Smackdown Live team is at an all-time high. So if Shane was not part of the show, who could his place?
#1 Andrade "Cien" Almas
What can be said about Andrade "Cien" Almas that has not been said already, the man is the future, as his look, in-ring skills and charisma have been well polished in NXT, and now on Smackdown Live Almas is showing why he is a future Wolrd Champion.
And for many young stars, Survivor Series has been their ticket to the next level, as stars such as Randy Orton and Roman Reigns have shown that having a standout performance in the Survivor Series elimination match can help you take your career to that next level.
Almas should have been given that opportunity as he is one of the young wrestlers that WWE should be considering as the face of the company in the near future. Moreover, reports have indicated that Vince McMahon is impressed with Almas, so there is no reason why he shouldn't have been on this team, as it is a good breeding ground for success.
#2 Eric Young
The fact that SAnitY has been on Smackdown Live for so many months now and have not done a single thing of importance is one of WWE's biggest mistakes of the year, and while most people might say they are just a rip off of everything that was successful in faction wrestling in the past, Eric Young and his crew are as deserving as ever to get an opportunity to shine.
Young, Wolfe and Dain are immensely talented in the ring, and as wrestlers that have embraced their characters, Survivor Series could have been the best place for them to get the recognition they deserve and it could have seen them get another push.