SmackDown LIVE Commissioner Shane McMahon and General Manager Daniel Bryan lay down the Survivor Series gauntlet.

SmackDown LIVE issues huge Survivor Series challenge to Raw

The battle for supremacy between SmackDown LIVE and Raw is heating up, and it could have major implications for WWE Survivor Series.

SmackDown LIVE Commissioner Shane McMahon and General Manager Daniel Bryan have formally challenged Raw to three separate Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Matches at WWE’s fall classic, which takes place Sunday, Nov. 20, live on WWE Network.

Each match would pit Raw Superstars against SmackDown LIVE Superstars. Team Blue management proposed the following:

• a 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match featuring male Superstars;
• a 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match featuring female Superstars;
• and a 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination Match.
   

The Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match is a longtime hallmark of the Survivor Series event, dating back to its inaugural edition in 1987.

Team Blue’s challenge comes one day after Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon promised that WWE Hell in a Cell, Team Red’s next pay-per-view, would “blow No Mercy away,” referring to SmackDown LIVE’s most recent brand-exclusive event.

How will Raw respond to McMahon and Bryan’s opening salvo?