Superstars pick their Survivor Series dream teams
It’s that time of year again. Just like we did last November, WWE.com cornered some of your favorite Superstars (and Fandango) in the locker room and asked them to choose the four members of their dream Survivor Series teams. The playing field was wide open. Superstars could pick any competitors, past or present, just as long as they gave us a reason why they’d like to tag up with them.
Check out last year's dream teams, featuring Kaitlyn, Booker T and more!
As usual, their answers ranged from awesome to downright baffling. (Michael Cole? Really?) All quibbles aside, here are the 2013 Survivor Series dream teams, as chosen by a British villain, the strongest dude we ever shared an elevator with and an adult man painted gold. Check out their picks and tell us what Superstars would be on your side in the comments below.
Fandango captains "The Dreamboats"
It may come as a shock, but Fandango didn’t let his Big Show-sized ego get in the way of putting together a dream team that exploited the history of the ring’s most self-centered performers.
“Number one would be Shawn Michaels, because he’s a flamboyant, charismatic and handsome individual much like myself,” an arrogant Fandango said, unabashedly comparing himself to, perhaps, the greatest WWE Superstar of all time.
“Number two would be Rick ‘The Model’ Martel,” he continued. “Similar to HBK, with a very symmetrical face and a good tan. Ladies love him. And I would have to go with Pat Patterson. First Intercontinental Champion of all time, very aggressive in the ring with a really good mean streak.”
As if there wasn’t enough male vanity on his side, Fandango went all the way to England for his final partner.
“I’m going to go with Adrian Street, who a lot of fans might not know,” the obnoxious Superstar said. “He was one of the original flamboyant, eccentric performers of the late ’70s and ’80s.”
To take things even further over the top, Fandango conjured up an appropriate name and entrance for his team.
“Our team would be ‘The Dreamboats,’ and we would come to the ring in a boat.”
Jack Swagger captains "Team Shoot"
As a former All-American wrestler at the University of Oklahoma, Jack Swagger came to WWE with the type of amateur credentials that put him in league with some of the ring’s elite. When choosing his Survivor Series dream team, the former World Heavyweight Champion drafted four Superstars who excelled on the mats of the NCAA, the cages of the UFC and even the world stage of the Olympic Games.
“We’re going to go ‘Team Shoot,’” Swagger said, referring to a sports-entertainment term for Superstars with serious amateur backgrounds. “Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, Shelton Benjamin and Ken Shamrock.”
The Real American’s team boasted two former UFC Champions in Lesnar and Shamrock, an All-American wrestler in Benjamin and, of course, Angle’s ubiquitous gold medal. Still, Swagger was more interested in discussing the team uniform.
“I’m going to make everyone wear a singlet,” he said. “Even Lesnar will have to heed to me. I’m the team captain. Put the singlet on!”
Big E Langston captains "The Biggs"
Big E Langston isn’t the type of guy who has to worry about being overshadowed. So when picking his dream Survivor Series team, your new Intercontinental Champion chose four guys who would have a hard time fitting comfortably in a midsized sedan.
“Goldberg,” Langston said first, opting for the most dominant competitor in WCW history. “He was my favorite as a kid. He was one of the most awe-inspiring men ever to step inside a ring.”
Big E’s second and third choices — Vader and Ron Simmons — were every bit as domineering, and, like Goldberg, former WCW Champions.
“‘The Mastodon’ was one of the most impressive, surprisingly agile big men you’ll ever see,” Langston said. “And Ron Simmons was a nose tackle [at Florida State] who was in the Heisman running and that never happens. I was a big fan as a kid.”
Langston mulled over his fourth choice for some time before making a strategic decision.
“I’m thinking we need some agility on our team,” Big E said. “Let’s go with Jimmy Snuka. We need a good highflier and I don’t know if there was a better highflier. And he was jacked too.”
William Regal captains "The Grafters"
As something of a locker room sage, William Regal is respected as a vital link between sports-entertainment’s past, present and future. That integral position was apparent in the British villain’s choices for his Survivor Series team, beginning with three of WWE’s most talented competitors in CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and Antonio Cesaro.
“CM Punk, because of his tenacity and his ring smarts,” Regal said of the man he beat for the 2008 King of the Ring crown.
“Daniel Bryan is one of the few people in the world I would stand toe-to-toe with in any situation and know that we would do the same for me,” he continued. “And Antonio Cesaro, you couldn’t want for another man to stand next to you.”
Filling out his side, Regal chose a bruiser who influenced — and battered — him early in his career.
“I would have to throw in Fit Finlay, because of how good he is and how vicious and ruthless he can be,” the four-time European Champion said.
As for the curious name of Regal’s team?
“That’s an old English term for the top working people in the world,” Regal said. “Very few people get into that category of being a good grafter. And looking at that lineup, I honestly don’t think there’s a team in the world that can beat that crew.”
Goldust captains "Team Roots"
With his recent career revival as a WWE Tag Team Champion alongside Cody Rhodes, Goldust’s choice of his brother and his father, Dusty Rhodes, for his dream Survivor Series team came as little surprise. It was the two men who rounded out his squad that gave more insight into the unique mind of The Bizarre One.
“Barry Windham is like a brother to me,” Goldust said of his former tag team partner and one of the best pure athletes in ring history. “I learned everything from him. I tried to mimic my style after Barry Windham. I grew up with him. He’s like family.”
For some added enforcement, The Bizarre One chose a competitor who he — like his father before him — once warred with in the rings of WCW.
“The fifth and final member of my Survivor Series dream team would be ‘Double A’ Arn Anderson,” the WWE Tag Team Champion said. “Arn Anderson is the man! He broke my arm once. Now we’re tighter than ever. I want him on my team!”
Noting the deep–seated bonds of the men on his side, Goldust guaranteed victory for his dream team.
“That’s five right there that would take you to the top and come out shining,” he said.
JBL captains "The JBLs"
JBL’s days as the most hated Superstar in a cowboy hat may be behind him, but the big Texan was still game for picking a dream Survivor Series team, albeit it a ridiculous one.
“I’d have to have Andre the Giant, because the party afterwards would be a lot of fun,” he began. “And I’d need King Kong Bundy, because if Hornswoggle shows up Bundy could drop an elbow on him.”
The former WWE Champion’s reasoning behind picking two of the most intimidating big men of the ’80s may have been absurd, but there’s no denying their ability. As for JBL’s third pick? That one was harder to figure.
“I’d have to have Michael Cole,” the Texan said of the man he sits next to at the Raw broadcast table. “Michael Cole is undefeated at WrestleMania. He’s phenomenal at big pay-per-views. Michael Cole is Mr. Pay-Per-View.”
If the thought of seeing Michael Cole in his orange singlet again gave you shivers, JBL made up for that choice with the addition of his former APA running buddy, Ron Simmons. Still, despite their tight friendship, it was a decision that JBL admitted could upset the balance of his team.
“If Ron wanted to be captain, I’d let him be captain, because I couldn’t do anything about it anyway,” the Texan said. “But I’d prefer to be captain.”
Curtis Axel captains "Team Bad@$$"
Like Goldust, Curtis Axel drew on familial ties when putting together his dream Survivor Series team. But with a bloodline that includes his father, “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, and grandfather, Larry “The Ax” Hennig, who could blame him?
“My father was one of the best technical wrestlers in the history of WWE,” Axel said. “And everyone knows my grandfather’s reputation for being a big bad @$$. He can go in there and kick some @$$.”
Outside of the family tree, the former Intercontinental Champion turned to two competitors with short tempers and lethal right hands.
“Harley Race is known as one of the toughest guys ever,” Axel said. “He’s an old-school tough guy and that’s what I’m trying to add to my repertoire these days. And Brock Lesnar is a former NCAA World Champion, WWE Champion and a bad @$$.”
Without realizing it, the third-generation Superstar had stumbled upon a unifying theme for his dangerous squad.
“Look at all those guys. They’re all bad @$$,” Axel said. “Then there’s me, probably the biggest bad @$$ of them all.”
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