SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
On Nov. 25, 2023, WWE Survivor Series: WarGames will emanate from the All-State Arena in Rosemont, Ill. It is the second time Survivor Series will feature the WarGames match. In a WarGames match, there are two rings surrounded by a cage. There will be two teams. Each team will choose a member to go in first and they will wrestle one-on-one for a specified period of time. Once time expires one new wrestler is added to the match. This repeats until all wrestlers have entered the match where the match officially begins.
Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins & Randy Orton & Sami Zayn & Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre & Damien Priest & Finn Balor & Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh – WarGames match
Story in a nutshell: The Judgment Day has been running roughshod over Raw bringing them into conflict with several wrestlers including Jey Uso who Drew McIntyre has unresolved issues with.
Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso had been dealing with Judgement Day’s, Damien Priest and Finn Balor over the tag team titles. JD McDonagh had been targeting Sami Zayn in an ultimately successful attempt to officially join Judgment Day. Drew McIntyre, who recently lost against Seth Rollins in a title match, is teaming with Judgment Day, using the animosity he harbors against Jey Uso for Jey’s role in the Bloodline when Drew was feuding with them. And everybody hates Dominik Mysterio. GM Adam Pearce decided to put them all in the Wargames match and told Cody’s team to find a fifth member. Cody alluded that their fifth member would be a returning Randy Orton.
Prediction and analysis: Priest ended up rubbing the rest of the Judgement Day the wrong way when he declared that he was the leader of the group (they claim they don’t have a leader). He later clarified to them that he meant it was just for the match. The others seemed dubious. A loss by team Judgment Day can further fan the flames of discontent.
Bianca Belair & Charlotte Flair & Shotzi & Becky Lynch vs. Bayley & Iyo Sky & Asuka & Kairi Sane – WarGames match
Story in a nutshell: Bianca Belair lost a chance to win back the WWE Women’s Championship from Iyo Sky when a returning interfered in the match and bolstered the ranks of Damage CTRL along with Asuka, which prompted Belair to find help from others.
After Bianca Belair lost her title to Iyo Sky, Damage CNTL injured Bianca, taking her out of action. Damage CNTL began feuding with Charlotte Flair who found help from Asuka. Both Charlotte and Asuka failed to win the championship from Iyo thanks to interference from the rest of Damage CTRL. Bianca returned but lost to Iyo when Kairi Sane returned to the WWE and cost her the match. The last time Kairi was seen was when Damage CTRL took her out a few years back. Kairi told Bayley everything was forgiven.
Wanting revenge, Charlotte, Bianca, and Asuka teamed up to take on Bayley, Kairi, and Iyo in a tag match only for Asuka to turn on her team and join up with Damage CTRL. A beatdown ensued. Shotzi, who had been occasionally teaming with Charlotte, tried to make the save, but was laid out too. Damage CTRL challenged the babyface trio to a Wargames match and then began attacking all the women on Smackdown so that the babyfaces would be unable to find a partner. Damage CTRL, smugly believing that they had outsmarted their opponents, were surprised when Raw’s Becky Lynch was revealed as the fourth member of the team.
Prediction and analysis: Much like with Damien Priest, there is a ticking clock on Bayley time in Damage CTRL, that is if Damage CTRL doesn’t collapse completely. A loss by them might expedite the process. Otherwise, if the expanded Damage CTRL wins, Bayley can take all of the credit as a way to further alienate herself from the group.
Gunther (c) vs. The Miz – WWE Intercontinental Championship match
Story in a nutshell: WWE Intercontinental Champion, Gunther, shirked off appearing on Miz TV, announcing that he does not respect the Miz as a wrestler, prompting Miz to win a four-way match to get a shot at Gunther and his title.
Miz was supposed to interview the WWE Intercontinental Champion, Gunther, on his talk show, Miz TV. Giovani Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser showed up instead and told Miz that Gunther would not be showing up. Eventually Gunther did and told Miz that he does not respect Miz as a wrestler, although he did enjoy his antics as an entertainer. An incensed Miz demanded that GM Adam Pearce give him a title shot against Gunther. Since several other wrestlers have been angling to get a shot at the IC Title, Pearce refused but did put Miz in a four-way match to determine Gunther’s next challenger. Despite some confusion due to Ricochet getting (legitimately) hurt in the match, Miz ultimately won.
Prediction and analysis: Miz winning here would be hilariously funny, considering the epic IC Title run Gunther has been on. And there is always a chance since Gunther is due to move on to bigger things. But I won’t bet on Gunter losing this. I do think Miz will try to win over the audience though so I’m expecting a good match.
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Zoey Stark – Women’s World Championship match
Story in a nutshell: Zoey Stark won a battle royale to become the next challenger for Rhea Ripley’s Women’s Championship.
Zoey Stark was one of several women who went after Rhea Ripley leading to a five-way match at Crown Jewel where Ripley retained. A battle royale was set up to determine Ripley’s next opponent. Zoey Starks won the match.
Prediction and analysis: Rhea retains.
Carlito vs. Santos Escobar
Story in a nutshell: Carlito accused Santos Escobar of helping Logan Paul beat Rey Mysterio at Crown Jewel which prompted Santos to attack and injure Rey, starting up a war between Santos and the L.W.O.
At Crown Jewel, Logan Paul faced L.W.O’s Rey Mysterio for the WWE United States Championship. One of Logan’s goon tried helping Logan by passing him brass knuckles. L.W.O’s Santos Escobar ran the goon off but “accidentally” left the knuckles where Logan could get them. Logan used them to win the championship. Later, Carlito called out Santos who denied the accusation and left. Santos would return later and attack Rey’s knee, injuring him. When confronted by his former L.W.O stablemates, Santos took out (the useless) Joaquin Wilde and (equally useless) Cruz del Toro. Carlito came out to make the save. Then this match was made.
Prediction and analysis: Santos wins but I’d like to see him get some help. Maybe join Lashley’s group? Or maybe call up Humberto Carillo and Angel Garza since I prefer Santos as a leader.
(This was written before the Smackdown go-home show. And since this event is taking place in Chicago, if a certain “punk” shows up, I may be out.)
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Powell’s WWE Raw Hit List: Randy Orton’s return hype, Drew McIntyre, Gunther and The Miz, Raquel Rodriguez vs. Nia Jax, Becky Lynch vs. Xia Li
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