iFight365.com will have live WWE Survivor Series coverage from 8pm EST/1am GMT…

John Cena (C) vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWE title

Mark Bright: So the top three babyfaces on the RAW brand are in a triple threat match for the first time ever, and the entire build has been comedy centred around a fucking midget? It’s no wonder the WWE are in the shitter. This is the prime match selling the PPV and they’ve done that fucking pathetic build.

When you see this, it really makes you wish Shawn was the complete asshole he was in the mid-90s, because there’s no way the old HBK would have stood for something so terrible.  HHH is family, and Cena is the ultimate company man who will defend anything they ever do so it’s not like they’d ever stand up to Vince’s uncreative bullcrap.  That said, the match itself will be given time and be heavily scripted enough – and hyped enough on commentary – that I’m sure WWE have decided this match will be pushed as an all-time classic before it’s even happened.  It won’t be, but it will be good enough.

As for the result, I think, despite the fact that he won on RAW, Cena retains the title here.  I think DX is a money-machine and a DX split necessitates a DX feud which doesn’t need the title to support it.  I just wish Shawn hadn’t read the parts of the bible that say you can’t turn heel or work Tuesdays because he’d be a much better heel than HHH and his “I’m a bad guy but I’m not going to try to get people to boo me because I’m such a big star and probably couldn’t get booed anyway” egofuck bullshit.

Michael Campbell: Like the Smackdown gold, this strap has been traded back and forward more often than not this year, and it really needs some consistency. Right now, John Cena is the right man for the job, and more to the point, if he were to lose it here, what the hell is he gonna do for the next couple of months?

Regardless, despite the stale side of HHH/Cena, Michaels’ presence makes this a whole lot more palatable, and it’s he alone that makes this interesting. I’d imagine they’ll have a great effort, with some first-class storytelling, and this will almost certainly close the show. Chances are, much of the more clever multi-person spots will be saved for this thanks to the players, and it should keep the crowd entertained. Personally, I’d expect to see Michaels take on Cena in a singles match next month, so for me, Hunter does the rare job here, then turns on HBK next month, setting up an eventual match between the two at WrestleMania. Where Cena goes from there though, I am not sure. This is perhaps why it’s imperative that guys like Swagger head into the New Year with some genuine momentum. Winner: John Cena.

The Undertaker (C) vs. Big Show vs. Chris Jericho for the World Heavyweight Title

Mark Bright: I’m calling a title change here.  I personally have loved Undertaker using the World Title as soul bait. I think it’s a great addition to his character and a great line he can bring into his promos.  But Jericho has been awesome lately, and if the rumours are true that Edge is looking healthy in his recent media appearances, my thinking is that perhaps the talk of his injury taking a long time to recover from is just talk and therefore the time is right to put the World Title on Jericho to begin building towards Jericho vs. Edge at WrestleMania – possibly with Edge returning as a babyface surprise entrant and wining the Royal Rumble.

I think doing World Champion vs. Top Tag Team as the main event of both shows has significantly diluted the effect of this match since the RAW one has the bigger star power, and Jericho v. Big Show and ESPECIALLY Jericho v. Undertaker are both a much bigger deal than a triple threat match, and both those singles bouts would’ve been more than worthy of main eventing this PPV.

Michael Campbell: Snore. I couldn’t be less interested in this effort. Big Show and Taker have been battling each other since 1999 and it got old quick a decade ago, let alone heading into 2010. And worse, they’ve botched the first-time potential of Chris Jericho vs. Taker by giving away a competitive one-on-one match between the two in the build-up to this. How dumb is that? Still, the tag champs here should be able to make it watchable, thanks to their strong characters, and decent dynamic as partners in competition.

I really am not in favour of another title change from the perspective that there’s been far too many, and Taker has not been wearing gold for very long. That said, it’s TLC next month, and I cannot fathom how they could possibly book a clearly injured Undertaker in that environment. Of course, nobody said that he has to defend it at that event in such a stip- it could be reserved for an IC title, or Tag title effort. But the chances are slim- the WWE are prone to throwing all their efforts upon one or two matches, and leaving the rest to sink. So I’m going to guess the world title will be on the line with some ladders next month… and it will be Jericho to defend it. There’s just so much more potential on the Blue Brand with him holding it right now- dissension with Big Show, a feud with Taker for Mania (if Edge is not back), a rivalry with the returning Edge, Morrison or Hardy (hah!) being elevated…the list goes on. Winner: Chris Jericho

Batista vs. Rey Mysterio

Mark Bright: This is the match i’m most interested in seeing tonight.  Batista seems to have been revitalised in his promo work since turning heel, but his only match was a total borefest against Matt Hardy.  I think being in the ring with a real-life friend like Rey will motivate Batista to put in a killer performance and with Konnan stating in interviews that Rey is scheduled for knee surgery, it pretty much guarantees that Batista will come out of this match looking extremely strong. But i’m not picking him to win.  I think Dave dominates, but Rey plays the classic underdog and pulls out a victory as the WWE do one of those “even though it makes no sense we’re changing the finish to try to fool the internet” deals that they do from time to time because they’re retarded.  And then look for Batista to snap and either injure Rey postmatch or the following week on TV.

Michael Campbell: This is rather the predictable outcome isn’t it? With Rey being the walking wounded once more, he requires time off, so what could be more appropriate than newly turned bad-boy Big Dave, completely demolishing him and taking him out? Expect some cheers for Dave though, given that the PPV is in his hometown – and it doesn’t take much for fans to turn on Rey a lot of the time. Winner: Batista

Team Orton (Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase, Cody Rhodes, CM Punk & William Regal) vs. Team Kofi (Kofi Kingston, Christian, MVP, R-Truth, & Mark Henry) in a Survivor Series Elimination Match

Mark Bright: The return of traditional Survivor Series matches is something that I think is very welcome and in fact I wouldn’t have minded the eight guys in the top three matches being put into Survivor Series matches on this show and delaying the singles and 3-way matches until a later time.  To me, this match seems a perfect set up to continue building towards Ted Dibiase’s breakup from Legacy, and it’s for that reason that i’m calling Ted to be the sole survivor here.  I think Orton and Kofi may continue brawling through the crowd and both get counted out, then I’d have someone from the babyface team left 2-on-1 with Legacy and do the underdog fighting against the numbers bit, have Cody get pinned but then Ted wins.

Michael Campbell: The Elimination bouts here are completely what make this card. Never mind the dullness of the two title matches, these efforts are stuffed to the gills with talent that doesn’t often be rewarded with the PPV pay-offs that they deserve.

This effort has a particularly great dynamic, because the booking of Kofi Kingston has been utterly sublime. The focus of this match has to be on his feud with Orton. From all the reports and hints of a Legacy split, it would suggest that here would be a great time to instigate this- however, we’ve all been predicting that every PPV for months. And now, actually isn’t the time, because it would prematurely kill the heat of Kingston/Orton. Therefore, I’d expect their feud to continue until the next PPV. And the great thing is, it can do so, regardless of who wins this. If Orton uses nefarious means to survive, Kofi can seek revenge. But on the other hand, if Kingston eliminates him, it gives Orton cause to target him, and also for Kofi to plump for a big singles match. Punk’s inclusion has been something of a waste, given his ability, however, as he once held the Tag Titles with Kofi, it adds an extra layer of intrigue.

My guess will be that Punk is eliminated early by Kofi in a shocker, but causes a gloating Christian to be pinned by Regal, thus continuing their angle. DiBiase will be eliminated towards the end, perhaps with the notion that Orton could save him, but doesn’t, and it will come down to Orton, Rhodes and Regal against Kingston. Kofi will make a heroic come back, but be cut off by DiBiase who enables Orton the win. Winners: Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes.

John Morrison, Matt Hardy, Shelton Benjamin, Evan Bourne & Finlay vs. The Miz, Jack Swagger, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Dolph Ziggler in a Survivor Series Elimination Match

Mark Bright: I think this is where Morrison gets his win back on Miz for the Bragging Rights match, and probably gets another pinfall over Ziggler while he’s at it.  This should be the faster paced and more athletic of the undercard matches, so I expect it to open the show, unless something new is added like Hart Dynasty v. Cryme Tyme (that seems to be the only option on this stacked show that sees every other major name already appear on the card, with the notable exception of Kane).

Michael Campbell: This is quite the fresh line-up indeed. Those of us who have been crying out for the unfamiliar will be looking forward to this, providing the guys are allowed the time to really dazzle. The heels here are much weaker than the faces, in terms of experience, but there should be enough going on to cover for that, and allow for an exciting bout. I just hope though, that they do resist the temptation to have Sheamus squash Bourne and eliminate him right off the bat. This is a real opportunity for him, Ziggler, Sheamus, and McIntyre to truly shine. Sheamus, especially, will be protected, and possibly be eliminated via Disqualification. I also expect big laughs when professional jobber Matt Hardy is pinned rather easily by one of the up-and-coming heels. It should also open the show, and for money, either Swagger or Morrison needs to be a sole survivor on their respective team. I’ll go for Morrison, given that I’m guessing the heels will win the other big elimination bout. Winner: John Morrison

Mickie James, Eve Torres, Kelly Kelly, Gail Kim & Melina vs. Michelle McCool, Jillian Hall, Alicia Fox, Beth Phoenix & Layla in a Survivor Series Elimination Match

Mark Bright: I think Team Mickie wins, maybe continuing the old style monster push of Beth Phoenix by having her destroy everyone and be a survivor, possibly alongside Mickie since they seem to be building to a McCool v. Mickie match where the one who looks normal is a pig and the Anorexia Annie is the picture of health, at least in the eyes of the WWE!

Michael Campbell: Beth and Michelle McCool to win wit for the heels. What else can we say really? It doesn’t really matter who wins this, providing they do enough of interest to advance a couple of storylines and bring some life back to the ladies in WWE right now. Winners: Michelle McCool & Beth Phoenix

Buyrate prediction

Michael Campbell: Thanks to their repetitive booking amongst the top feuds (mainly on Raw), and their insistence on not putting as much effort into the Survivor Series gimmick as they should, expectations are lower than in previous years for this event. Like King of the Ring, SS suffers greatly from it’s format being undervalued by the bigwigs in charge. Even though entire PPVs are now being sold on the gimmick concepts that they feature (TLC, Elimination Chamber, Hell In a Cell, etc), KOTR and SS are seemingly deemed as different entities altogether. But the Series does not have the casual brand value that WrestleMania has increasingly earned itself over the past decade, and combined with Summerslam’s dismal buyrate, it’s a bad omen for tonight’s show. Survivor Series usually does not do in Summerslam’s ball-park, and even though it’s consistently dropped in numbers since 2006, it’s not going to be an enormous difference here.

That said, I don’t think this will flop, and I think a lot of households ignored Bragging Rights, well aware that this was on the horizon. I think we’re looking at less than Summerslam this year, but more than last year’s series- so my guess would be at around the 360,000 mark.

Phil Lowe will have live coverage of tonight’s Survivor Series PPV up on the site tonight from shortly before 8pm EST/1am GMT.