Survivor Series 2010 Survivor Series 2010 was a professional wrestling pay - per - view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) , that took place on November 21 , 2010 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami , Florida . It was the 24th annual Survivor Series event . The Survivor Series chronology was originally set to end with the 2009 event when during a press conference held on February 11 , 2010 , WWE chairman Vince McMahon announced that WWE would drop the Survivor Series name and rebrand the event . However , the name was later reinstated and in June 2010 , WWE started to release tickets for a 2010 event . The Theme song was " Runaway " by Hail the Villain . Background . Survivor Series will feature professional wrestling matches involving different wrestlers from pre - existing scripted feuds , plots , and storylines that will be played out on World Wrestling Entertainment ' s ( WWE ) television programs . Wrestlers will portray villains or heroes as they follow a series of events that build tension and culminate into a wrestling match or series of matches . The main rivalry from Raw involves The Nexus leader Wade Barrett against champion Randy Orton for his WWE Championship with Nexus member John Cena as the Special Guest Referee . At Hell in a Cell two months ago , John Cena lost a match against Wade Barrett forcing Cena to join Nexus . His main priority as a member of Nexus is to help Barrett secure the WWE Championship from Randy Orton having Cena help Barrett during a Battle Royale to name a number one contender and forcing Cena to help him during his match against Orton at Bragging Rights . At that match , if Barrett did not win the match , he would have Cena fired for breaking their stipulation from their match at Hell in a Cell . However , Cena attacked Barrett during the match giving him the win via disqualification , though Orton still retains the title . The next day on Raw , when Cena won a match against Orton , Barrett named Cena the Special Guest Referee for their match at Survivor Series . Once again , if Barrett does not win the title , then he will have Cena fired , but as an incentive for Cena to perform his duty , if Barrett does win the title , Barrett will relieve Cena from his duty in Nexus . On the November 8th episode of Raw , the General Manager made the stipulation that the match can only be won via pinfall or submission , in addition the other members of The Nexus are banned from ringside . The main rivalry from SmackDown involves the World Heavyweight Champion Kane against Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship . After defeating his half - brother The Undertaker last month at Bragging Rights after their three month war , Alberto Del Rio , Rey Mysterio and Edge all interfered in Kane ' s " funeral " for the Undertaker . Afterwards , all three competed in a match against each other for a number one contender spot . At the end of the match , Edge came out victorious and thus becomes the number one contender against Kane at Survivor Series . Event . Prior to Survivor Series coming on the air , fans in attendance were shown a live , untelevised match . R - Truth ( with Eve Torres ) and Zack Ryder squared off in front of the live audience , in a contest which R - Truth won via pinfall . The first match that took place was Daniel Bryan defeating Ted DiBiase ( with Maryse ) for the WWE United States Championship using a LeBell Lock . In the second match , John Morrison defeated Sheamus in a non - title match , afeter Morrison made his signature move , the Flying Chuck . For the third match , Dolph Ziggler ( with Vickie Guerrero ) defeated and retained his WWE Intercontinental Championship against Kaval . Ziggler won the contest with a dropkick . In the fourth match , Team Mysterio ( Rey Mysterio , Kofi Kingston , Chris Masters , Big Show , and Montel Vontavious Porter ) defeated Team Del Rio ( Alberto Del Rio , Tyler Reks , Drew McIntyre , Jack Swagger , and Cody Rhodes ) in a Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match , being the sole survivors and winners the Big Show and Rey Mysterio . In the fifth match , Natalya defeated Team Lay - Cool ( Layla and Michelle McCool ) in a 2 - on - 1 handicap match for the WWE Divas Championship , winning the title for first time ever . For the sixth match , Kane and Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship fought to a draw which means the World Heavyweight Champion is still Kane . In the seventh match , the The Nexus ( Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater ) ( with David Otunga , Michael McGillicutty , and Husky Harris ) retained their WWE Tag Team Championship defeating Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov , after the Nexus interfered in the match . For the eight and final match , Randy Orton defeated and retained his WWE Championship against Wade Barrett in a free or fired Pinfall - and - submissions - only singles match with John Cena as a special referee . Cena pushed Barrett into a RKO , and , because of the stipulations of the match , ending ( kayfabe ) Cena ' s career in WWE . Aftermath . The following night on Raw , Wade Barrett demanded a rematch against Randy Orton for the WWE Championship . During the match , John Cena ( who had been fired the previous night ) attacked Barrett , costing him the match . Immediately after this match , The Miz cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase and defeated Orton to become the new WWE Champion . On the following edition of " SmackDown " , Kane granted Edge a rematch for the championship in return that his father Paul Bearer would be released from being hostage by Edge . Alberto Del Rio and Mysterio were added to the match , making it a fatal four way TLC match , which Edge would go on to win at the TLC PPV . Natalya and Beth Phoenix continued to feud with LayCool leading to their tag team Tables Match at TLC , which Natalya and Phoenix won . Reception . The event was generally well received by critics . The Sun called the main event a " measured affair " and not a " classic encounter " . They also praised the Morrison vs . Sheamus match saying it " featured the biggest surprise of the night " with Morrison defeating Sheamus . However , they said the match didn ' t live up to their expectations . They called the Divas Championship match " forgettable " . Overall , The Sun gave the event a 7 . 5 out of 10 , calling it a " pretty good show " . While Gawd Almighty . com gave WWE Survivor Series 2010 a 6 out of 10 , Gawd Almighty . com picked up on both world title matches being below - par . " Yet again , both Kane and Randy Orton failed to deliver in their title matches . " Gawd Almighty did , however , praise the first half of the show .