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LECLAIR’S WWE SURVIVOR SERIES 2025 REPORT
NOVEMBER 29, 2025
SAN DIEGO, CA AT PETCO PARK
AIRED LIVE ON ESPN UNLIMITED (U.S.), NETFLIX (Int.)
Announcers: Michael Cole & Wade Barrett
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-Michael Cole talked up the city of San Diego over drone shots of the city. He said WWE has invaded the home of the Padres, Petco Park. Various Superstars were shown arriving at the ballpark earlier in the day.
Inside the venue, sirens blared and flames shot up around the two rings. The double cage lowered into place. “Let the War Games begin!” Cole exclaimed, sending the broadcast to the opening video package.
Colored smoke shot from the entrance stage and fireworks exploded around it. “War Pigs” played over sweeping shots of Petco Park. Alicia Taylor introduced the women’s War Games match.
Charlotte Flair was first out, twirling in front of the stage to her signature fireworks. Cole said that Flair won the advantage for her team last night on Smackdown against Asuka. Flair was wearing new gear inspired by a young fan seated against the aisle. Asuka was introduced next, beginning the match for her team.
Michael Cole re-introduced the show from the desk at ringside, then welcomed his broadcast partner, Wade Barrett. He briefly tossed to the Spanish announce team, positioned to their left. Cole noted that there are no shark cages housing waiting entrants this year. Instead, they’re confined to the locker rooms until they join the match.
(1) RHEA RIPLEY & CHARLOTTE FLAIR & ALEXA BLISS & IYO SKY & AJ LEE vs. BECKY LYNCH & NIA JAX & LASH LEGEND & ASUKA & KAIRI SANE – Women’s War Games match
Charlotte Flair and Asuka circled each other slowly, then locked up. Flair missed wildly with a pair of punches, allowing Asuka to pepper her with a few quick kicks. Asuka tried to work Flair into the cage wall, but Charlotte used her size advantage to block and counter. Asuka caught her with a stiff kick to the temple, then settled in to a side headlock. A small Charlotte chant built within Petco Park. Flair downed Asuka with a shoulder, then kipped up. Asuka rolled to the bridge between the rings. Flair charged her and ate a kick to the forehead. Asuka followed up with several more out in no-woman’s-land.
Cole noted that both of these wrestlers are former Royal Rumble winners, and among the most decorated women in the whole company. Flair climbed to the middle rope and leapt, but Asuka caught her with a kick to the mid-section. Now in the right ring, Asuka began pelting Flair’s chest with hard kicks. Flair caught a kick, missed with an elbow, but knocked Asuka down with her free leg. Barrett reminded everyone that there are no pins or submissions until all ten women are in the ring. Asuka continued to wear down Flair with kicks. Flair hit the ropes and caught Asuka with a cartwheel lariat as the match crossed 4:30, closing in on the next entrant. Flair missed a clothesline and took a German Suplex for her trouble. Flair flipped herself onto the bridge off an Irish Whip. She tried to climb the southwest corner, but Asuka dumped her between the ropes and cage wall.
Iyo Sky entered after the 5:00 mark. She slapped hands with fans and carried a garbage can lid into the cage. Sky charged Asuka with it, but missed. She went for a second hit, but it was blocked. Asuka stole the lid. Sky flipped away from Asuka, then caught her with a big missile dropkick. Asuka took Flair down again, then got caught with a springboard clothesline from Sky off both ring’s top ropes. She hit the Bullet Train with the metal lid. Sky tossed Asuka into the cage wall and stomped away at her. The two battled on the steel of the ring bridge. Iyo swept Asuka onto the steel grate. Becky Lynch was introduced next, right around 9:00.
Lynch carried a Kendo stick into the ring, immediately going to work on Iyo Sky. She gave her a Russian Leg Sweep with the stick across Sky’s neck. She tossed Sky into Tree of Woe position against the turnbuckles, then hit a wind up shot with the Kendo stick. Flair returned, stealing the stick from The Man. Lynch begged off, offering her pinky finger to Charlotte. Flair shoved her off and the two began trading punches. Asuka rushed in, grabbing Flair’s arms and allowing Lynch some free shots. Becky hit Sky with a Bexploder. Flair hit one on Asuka. The two horsewomen battled into the right ring. Becky worked Flair against the cage wall as the clock counted down again.
Alexa Bliss was next out, giving her team a 3-on-2 advantage. Bliss wasted no time, running to the ring to assist her team. She dropped Asuka with a shoulder tackle, a hard elbow, and slam. Bliss dodged a shot from the metal lid and hit Asuka with a dropkick. Alexa turned her attention to Lynch, beating her down before helping Flair to her feet. They worked together to hit tandem Dragon Screws on Lynch and Asuka. The duo hit double Natural Selections, then worked their opponents into opposing corners for some punches. Iyo Sky returned and celebrated with her partners. Cole said all these women have mended fences at least for one evening.
The clock counted down from :20 again, bringing Kairi Sane out at 16:15. The other half of the tag team champions headed to the ring swinging a chain. Bliss and Flair surrounded her as she entered the ring. Sane wrapped the chain around her fist and clocked the former tag team champions. She leapt off Flair’s back to punch Bliss square in the cheek, then spider-wrapped Flair against the ropes. Sane hit a leaping fist off the top rope to Flair. She swung it wildly, celebrating her success. In the other ring, Sky and Asuka struggled on the top turnbuckle. Sky ran to assist. Sky tried to leap at her, but Sane cracked her with the metal lid right in the ribs. Lynch celebrated this development.
Becky, Asuka, and Kairi used the chain to tie up the babyfaces. They hit running dropkicks to all three women. The camera pulled back as the clock counted down again. AJ Lee was next to enter. She walked briskly toward the ring, then jogged to ringside when she caught sight of Lynch. Becky was trying desperately to hold the cage door shut, preventing Lee’s entry. AJ simply scaled the cage instead, entering through the top. She fought off Asuka and Kairi, then hit a cross body onto both of them. Lee turned to face Becky. Lynch tried to run away, but AJ quickly caught her by the hair. She slammed her into the ring post, then skipped merrily around the ring. Lee began tossing Becky repeatedly into the cage walls. She caught her with a Shining Wizard before being attacked from behind by Sane.
Sane mocked Lee’s skipping as the match crossed 22:30. AJ hit Sane with a missile dropkick, clearing the way for she and Asuka to lock up. Lynch cut it off by attacking Lee from behind. Bliss, Sky, and Flair returned to the fold as the crowd counted down the next entrant – Nia Jax. Cole said the complexion of the match just changed. “Get ready for carnage!” Barrett said. Jax cleaned house as soon as the cage door closed behind her. She sandwiched Flair and Bliss between the ropes and cage door and gave them both several hip checks. Jax dropped Sky with a hard right hand. Sky climbed the cage wall to avoid Nia’s attack initially. Lee temporarily slowed Jax, but Nia was able to easily thwart her. She ripped Sky off the cage wall and gave her a Powerbomb.
“This is just turning into a walk in the park for Nia Jax and company,” Barrett claimed. Jax invited her partners to join in on the attack. Jax jawed at the fans through the cage while her partners beat down their opponents. The crowd stood in anticipation of Rhea Ripley’s entrance. She emerged from the stage, towing a a trash can, and a bag filled with weapons. She had a custom mask, inspired by Art the Clown of the “Terrifier” series. Ripley gave Sane a boot, then tossed the trash can into the face of Jax. Becky Lynch was left staring into the masked face of Rhea.
Ripley gave Lynch a pair of short-arm clotheslines, then an Enziguri. Asuka hoisted Ripley between the rings, then ate a kick from Rhea. She dropped Jax with a missile dropkick, then slammed Sane. Ripley helped Iyo Sky to her feet. Ripley put Sane in the reverse Cloverleaf. Sky placed the trash can on Sane’s head and ran the ropes to pick up steam. She hit Sane with a dropkick. Jax wiped out Sky and Ripley from behind. Bliss hit Jax with a Tornado DDT off the top rope.
Cole noted that the match is about to become 5-on-5, marking the official beginning of the contest. Lash Legend headed to the ring for her first official match as a member of the main roster. Lash Legend slammed the cage door behind her. Alicia Taylor announced the official start of the match at 32:30. Referees had entered the cage to officiate. Lash Legend grabbed Bliss in a choke and rag dolled her. She gave Flair a Chokeslam. Sky flew at her from the top, but Legend dropped her with a shot to the gut. Ripley slid in the ring and waved. Legend missed with a pump kick. Ripley and Lash began trading hard right hands. Rhea blocked a Chokeslam but ate a back elbow. She tried to leap into Legend’s arms, but Lash dropped her with a pop-up Powerbomb, then a pump kick for a cover and near fall.
After a brief struggle, Rhea caught Legend with a headbutt. She set up for Riptide, but Jax flew into frame and tossed Ripley violently into the cage. Bliss leapt onto Nia’s back. Flair went for a boot to Legend, but wound up on her shoulders. Jax scooped up Bliss for a Powerbomb. They slammed their opponents into the cage, then the mat. Both covered, but AJ Lee flew in to break it up. Lynch hit Lee with a Man Handle Slam and covered for a two count, broken up by a Moonsault from Sky. Sky covered, but Lash Legend ripped her away.
Jax and Legend picked a leaping Iyo Sky out of the air and catapulted her across both rings onto her partners in the right ring. Asuka held Sky in place while Sane climbed to the top rope and hit the Kabuki Special. She covered, but Ripley bulldozed her way into the pin attempt to break it up just before 38:00. All five heels surrounded Ripley like sharks smelling blood. They held Ripley in place for Asuka to spit her mist. Flair shoved Ripley out of the way, causing Asuka to mist Lash Legend. Rhea and Charlotte gave the “suck it” taunt to Jax. They worked together to slam her. Bliss hit Twisted Bliss from the top.
Iyo was waiting on top of the cage. They handed her the trash can and she placed it on her head. She launched herself with a Swanton and took out everyone but Lynch. Becky looked on in horror. Bliss tried to give her Sister Abigail, but Lynch wiggled free and ran. She tried to escape the cage, but was quickly ripped down. Ripley hit her with Riptide. AJ Lee applied the Black Widow and Lynch tapped out.
WINNERS: AJ Lee, Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, Charlotte Flair, & Alexa Bliss in 40:49
(LeClair’s Analysis: These highly sanitized versions of War Games have sort of run their course with me. It was a novel concept at first, but every year, it feels a little harder to put together teams and scenarios that make sense. This was mostly fine, but it’s exactly the kind of sterilized version of a once violent affair you’d expect from WWE. It’s hard, especially, when we just saw AEW’s hyper-violent iteration of the same thing just a few weeks ago, rather than over the summer. I think the answer for the “right” way to run War Games lies somewhere in the middle of the two company’s approaches, and unfortunately, there just isn’t anyone doing that.
Most of the crowd noise seemed to be escaping out of the stadium, leading to a 40 minute match that didn’t sound like it had a whole lot of heat from the live crowd. There were pops for a couple of selected moments – namely Ripley’s entrance and Sky’s trash can spot, but otherwise, this felt distinctly less memorable than previous years.)
After the babyfaces celebrated together in the ring, Cole tossed to a video package for the Intercontinental Championship match.
-Dominik Mysterio sauntered confidently to the ring, flanked by Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez. Cole said history doesn’t bode well for the young Mysterio tonight, because the Intercontinental title hasn’t changed hands at Survivor Series for 24 years. Mysterio chomped on his gum with an arrogant smirk as he paced around the ring confidently, looking around Petco Park. A large, swelling ‘Cena” chant built up for several seconds while production held playing his music. When the familiar notes hit the speakers, the crowd erupted. Cena exploded onto the stage with excitement. He walked the length of the staging on both sides, slapping hands with fans and talking to Stu. “Last PLE, last time on ESPN,” Cena told the camera before running to the ring. The announcers laid out for the entire entrance.
Cena asked for his music to be cut so he could soak in the reaction from the crowd. A big “thank you Cena” chant broke out, then quieted to allow Alicia Taylor to make Championship introductions. Cole said it’s the 177th, and final time John Cena will compete at a Premium Live Event.
(2) JOHN CENA (c) vs. DOMINIK MYSTERIO (w/ Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez) – WWE Intercontinental Championship match
John Cena and Dominik Mysterio teased a test of strength to kick things off. Cena pulled Dominik into a side headlock and took him to the mat. A dueling chant for both wrestlers broke out early. Cena hit the ropes, but Roxanne Perez tripped him up. Dominik provided enough to distraction to keep her out of view of the official. He began stomping at Cena. Mysterio climbed the ropes, miming Cena’s “you can’t see me” gesture at the audience. Mysterio overwhelmed Cena in the corner, causing the referee to pull him away. The distraction allowed Raquel Rodriguez to leap onto the apron and punch Cena right in the face.
Dom took control with Three Amigos for a cover and two count just before 3:00. Mysterio begged for a faster count. He worked John into the northeast corner and stomped him to the mat. Cena battled out with some right hands. Dom rolled to the floor for a reprieve. Cena tired to give chase, but Perez and Rodriguez stepped between he and the AAA Mega Champion. Mysterio cut past his Judgment Day cohorts to blindside Cena. He walked him around ringside and slammed him against the Spanish announce desk. Cena was punching at air. Dom flexed on the steel steps, then continued slamming Cena’s head onto the ring apron and ringside barrier.
Mysterio leapt to the barricade, looking for a Hurricanrana on Cena. Dom landed awkwardly on his neck and shoulder. Cena rolled in the ring while the referee went to check on Dom. He called medical over to assist. Meanwhile, Perez and Rodriguez slid in the ring. Raquel gave Cena a Tejana Bomb. Roxanne followed up with Pop Rox. They placed Cena in place for the 619. Suddenly, Dom popped up and slid back in the ring. He hit Cena with the 619, then a frog splash from the top. Dom covered, but referee Chad Patten admonished him for faking the injury. He turned to Raquel and Roxanne and ejected them from ringside as the match crossed 8:00.
Cena worked to his feet, ducking a clothesline and catching Mysterio with his signature side drop. He hit the Five Knuckle Shuffle, then went for the Attitude Adjustment. Dom blocked, but Cena tripped him into the STFU. Mysterio managed to reach the bottom rope quickly. He unzipped his left boot. Cena tried to drag him by the foot, but the boot came off. Mysterio kicked Cena into the ropes and hit another 619. He followed up with a second Frog Splash and cover for a near fall just before 11:00. Mysterio put his boot back on and walked right into an Attitude Adjustment. John hooked the leg, but Dom just managed to kick out.
“Respect to Dirty Dom for digging deeper than he’s ever had to before,” Wade said. A “this is awesome” chant broke out in the San Diego crowd. Both men rose slowly, then began trading right hands. Cena got the better of the exchange. He hit one shoulder tackle, but Dom ducked the second. John collided with the referee, sending him crashing to the floor. Cena applied the STFU again. Finn Balor and JD McDonagh rushed to the ring and beat Cena down. McDonagh went for a Moonsault off the top, but Cena got his knees up. Finn immediately flew in for the Coup De Grace, but Cena rolled out of the way. He sent Finn and JD to the corner, then hoisted them both onto his shoulders for a double Attitude Adjustment.
John was down alone in the ring as the match ticked toward 14:30. On the outside, Dominik retrieved the Intercontinental title. Cena stumbled to his feet, but Dom missed the belt shot. Cena hit another A.A. He motioned toward the stage for another official. Instead, Liv Morgan’s music hit. Morgan sprinted to the ring. “Liv Morgan is back!” Cole exclaimed. She stood in front of Dom, smiling big. Dominik was ecstatic. Morgan slapped him in the face.
Liv turned to Cena, still smiling. She leapt into his arms. The camera zoomed in on her face. Liv’s eyes got wide. She leapt out of Cena’s arms and gave him a low blow. Cena fell into the ropes. Dom hit another 619, then Liv clocked Cena in the head with the Intercontinental title. Dom covered John and the referee returned to count to three.
WINNER: Dominik Mysterio in 16:47 to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship
(LeClair’s Analysis: This was fun, despite all of the wacky shenanigans and interference. It’s essentially what you’d expect from a Dominik Mysterio and late era Cena match. The Judgment Day interference seems far for the course, but that alone would’ve probably felt a little underwhelming had it been the action that cost Cena the Intercontinental title. The returning Liv Morgan fit that bill much better, and gave a slightly better excuse for Cena’s eventual demise. John’s wins and losses hardly matter at this point, but at least a big return precipitated this one.
It was undoubtedly a bit surreal knowing that this was Cena’s final Pay-Per-View/Premium Live Event performance. An end of an era, for sure. I’m glad these final few months of Cena’s farewell tour have produced a lot of fun matches and one-offs, and that they were largely able to effectively course-correct from the disastrous heel run earlier in the year.)
-Michael Cole teased the Women’s World title match, then tossed to a break.
After a video package and some plugs for WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nikki Bella headed to the ring. Cole and Barrett discussed her betrayal of the Women’s World Champion. Stephanie Vaquer entered next. Cole said it’s her first time defending her title in a stadium environment. Barrett said “life has changed very quickly for Stephanie” since winning the title. He said Nikki was the only friend she had in a locker room full of people looking for a title shot, but when the moment was right, she stabbed the champion in the back. Alicia Taylor delivered Championship introductions.
(3) STEPHANIE VAQUER (c) vs. NIKKI BELLA – Women’s World Championship match
Nikki Bella attacked Stephanie Vaquer from behind the moment the bell rang. Barrett said he loves the new approach from Bella, and is glad to see she’s hungry to take the gold. Cole talked up her title accolades. Bella shoved Stephanie toward the ropes. The champion bounced back with a quick dropkick. She downed Nikki in the northeast corner and slammed the back of her head repeatedly against the bottom turnbuckle. Vaquer gave Nikki a number of headbutts. She drove the heel of her boot into Nikki’s forehead, then charged. Nikki rolled to the floor to avoid. Vaquer gave chase.
Stephanie worked Bella against the ring apron near the announce desks. She went for a stomp to the head, but Nikki moved. She ripped Vaquer to the floor, then tossed her in the ring. “That’s right, bow down!” Nikki told the San Diego crowd. She worked Vaquer into the corner, hit her with a couple of shoulder thrusts, then a Suplex for a cover and quick one count. Nikki mounted Vaquer and elbowed at her. Bella continued to taunt the crowd, firmly in control. She drove her knee into Stephanie’s back and choked the champion with her own wrists. Vaquer worked her way to her feet, but Nikki slammed her back down as the match approached 4:00.
Bella hit a knee to the face and covered for a two count. Barrett said she’s “finding a new gear.” Bella sent Vaquer into the southwest corner and charged, but the champion managed to pull her in to a Tarantula. The referee forced a break. Nikki shook it off and dropped the champion again. She teased the Devil’s Kiss, but Vaquer blocked her. She hooked her legs around Bella’s neck and rolled her toward the apron for Devil’s Kiss on the outside, but Nikki grabbed the bottom rope. She briefly rolled to safety, then back in the ring. Vaquer caught her with a kick. Both women were down. After a beat, they rose to a knee and traded headbutts. Vaquer bested the challenger with a headbutt and pair of spinning clotheslines. Vaquer gave Nikki the S.V.B. and covered for a near fall at 8:30.
The champion sent Bella into the northeast corner and downed her. Vaquer delivered a running Meteora and headed to the top rope, but Nikki pulled her down. She gave her a kick off the middle rope, then hit Rack Attack 2.0. She covered, but Vaquer got her foot on the bottom rope. While Nikki complained to the referee, Vaquer rolled to the apron. Nikki followed her out there. The women traded blows on the edge. Stephanie sent Bella careening to the floor with a headbutt. Nikki stepped underneath her and tried to pull her in for a Powerbomb. Stephanie blocked it and caught Nikki with double knees across the chest.
Vaquer sat Bella on the announcers desk and climbed it herself. She hooked Bella and turned her over, delivering the Devil’s Kiss on the table. Stephanie returned the challenger to the ring at the count of seven. Bella fought back with a hard slap. Vaquer hit her own, then followed it up with a back Suplex. She gave Bella another round in the Devil’s Kiss, this time in the ring. Vaquer climbed the ropes and hit the Corkscrew Splash for a cover and three count.
WINNER: Stephanie Vaquer in 12:23 to retain the Women’s World Championship
(LeClair’s Analysis: The outcome of this one was never much in doubt, but I was intrigued by how these two would work together as opponents. I’ve been generally pleased with Nikki Bella’s work, both as friend and foe to Vaquer. The match was fine, but never really reached a third or fourth gear. I don’t think the crowd really bought Bella as a legitimate threat to the title, and so they mostly sat patiently for Vaquer’s major offense to come into play. Vaquer continues to build her resume, and this was fine for a B-level title defense on the undercard of a major show.)
-Cole talked over drone shots of Petco Park after the show returned from break. He introduced several celebrities and athletes seated at ringside. Alicia Taylor announced the attendance as 46,016. More fireworks shot from the stage. Cole said it’s the largest crowd ever for a Survivor Series. He talked up the Survivor Series post-show, beginning immediately after the main broadcast. Then, he and Wade tossed to a video package for the men’s War Games match.
Alicia Taylor explained the rules over an on-screen graphic. Cole said it’s an “all star game” for WWE tonight. “Cult of Personality” hit the speakers, and the crowd sang along to every world. World Heavyweight Champion, CM Punk, stepped through the entrance way and knelt in the aisle for a big response. Punk wore a jacket inscribed with “Larry’s Dad.” He slapped hands with fans on his way to the ring, then climbed over the top of the cage to enter the massive structure. Bron Breakker was first to enter for the heel team.
(4) CODY RHODES & CM PUNK & ROMAN REIGNS & JEY USO & JIMMY USO vs. BROCK LESNAR & LOGAN PAUL & DREW McINTYRE & BRON BREAKKER & BRONSON REED (w/ Paul Heyman) – Men’s War Games match
CM Punk and Bron Breakker marched slowly to the center of the ring and came face to face. Punk raised a single finger to the sky and the crowd chanted his name. The two locked up, and Breakker overpowered the champion, driving him into the mat. Punk stood quickly, but Breakker quickly took him down on another lockup. He barked at Punk. The champion stood confidently and grabbed a side headlock. Punk hit the ropes, looking for a shoulder tackle. Bron ate it and didn’t budge. He gave Punk a violent scoop slam, then worked him into the northwest corner. Breakker drove his shoulder into Punk’s ribs repeatedly, then sent him to the ropes. Punk hit a side kick out of nowhere, finally dropping Breakker.
Breakker and Punk worked back to center. Bron lifted him into the air, looking for a military press. Punk slid down the back and headed to the ropes. He caught Bron with a double axe handle. Punk went to the well a second time, but Breakker picked him out of the air and delivered a releasing overhead belly-to-belly as the match approached 3:30. “Breakker’s got everything but a World Championship,” Barrett said. Breakker charged at Punk, but got caught with a hard clothesline as the clock began ticking down toward the next entrant.
Help for Bron came in the form of Drew McIntyre. “Things just got real bad for CM Punk,” Cole surmised. Drew marched confidently to the ring. Punk charged at Drew as soon as he stepped in the ring. McIntyre quickly overpowered him with a kick and chop out of the corner. Bron joined in on the assault. Punk turned back and forth, trying to fight them both off. McIntyre shut it down with a Claymore. He clawed at Punk’s eyes, then threw him into the cage wall. McIntyre and Breakker talked strategy, then lifted Punk together. They lawn-darted him into the cage. Cole and Barrett explained McIntyre’s involvement in the match, despite his ongoing suspension. Drew mounted Punk and punched him repeatedly.
McIntyre scraped Punk’s face across the cage, then the bottom rope. The clock counted down again, bringing out WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes. He quickly removed his entrance gear and rushed to the ring to aid his partner. Drew McIntyre held the cage door shut to block Cody from entering. Rhodes just climbed the wall instead. Cody took McIntyre down with a cross body off the top of the cage. Breakker intervened. Cody flipped over his back and dropped Bron with a Cody Cutter. Rhodes felt someone behind him and threw an elbow. It was Punk. Punk was bleeding from the forehead. Cody apologized to his partner. Punk shoved him out of the way, avoiding attack from McIntyre.
Punk and Rhodes put their friendly fire aside and went to work, first toppling Drew, and then catching Breakker with a scary looking Doomsday Device off the top. Breakker landed awkwardly on his neck. Barrett pleaded with someone to check on Bron as the match crossed 12:00. Punk wiped blood from his eyes and let Cody work over Drew in the corner. They took turns delivering short jabs and bionic elbows. Cole said a doctor was checking on Breakker.
Logan Paul entered next. McIntyre shouted instructions at him as he reached ringside. Paul retrieved some steel chairs and slid them in the ring ahead of him. A recovering Bron Breakker held Punk up so Paul could hit a Buckshot Lariat across both rings. Rhodes hit Breakker in the ribs with a chair. Paul began climbing the cage, Cody followed. Straddled atop the cage wall, Rhodes and Paul traded right hands at the 15:00 mark. Breakker caught Cody in the leg with a steel chair. McIntyre kicked Punk in the head. Rhodes slumped back into the ring, sandwiched between the cage and ropes. Breakker scraped Cody’s face against the rope, then the steel. Drew cracked a chair over Punk’s back.
“This has been a masterclass of using the numbers game to your advantage,” Barrett explained. Paul and McIntyre took Punk down and then kipped up together. The heels continued to dominate as the clock ticked down again, bringing Jimmy Uso out at around 17:00. Cole said no one on Cody’s team has ever lost in War Games. Jimmy retrieved a table from underneath the ring before entering the chaos. He dropped Drew with a Superkick, then Breakker. He gave Paul a Samoan Drop. Jimmy flew off the top, taking down both Paul and Breakker. McIntyre exploded into frame with a Claymore. Punk kicked Drew in the head, then went to work on Paul. He hit a Suplex. The camera missed a top rope ‘rana from Breakker to Rhodes. Cody was busted open at the forehead.
0:00s on the clock opened the cage door for Bronson Reed to enter. He immediately hit the Tsunami on Punk, Rhodes, and Jimmy Uso. Barrett reminded the audience that this would be over if not for the inability to pin before all competitors enter the cage. The heels continued to beat down Rhodes and company. Drew laughed while chopping Punk viciously against the cage wall. Reed propped the table in the corner and tried to slam Jimmy into it, but Uso slid down the back and caught Reed with a Superkick to stagger him. Breakker stifled the comeback attempt, dropping Jimmy. “Finally, some help for Cody and company,” Cole said as the countdown appeared on screen again. Jey Uso was next out.
Jey skipped through the entrance way with 24:00 elapsed. He rushed to the ring, blocking shots from Breakker and connecting with several of his own. He kicked Reed in the gut, then sent him stumbling into the corner with an Enziguri. Jey helped his brother up. They hit tandem Superkicks to Reed, then Bron, and finally, McIntyre. Paul leapt into view. The Usos caught him with the 1-D. Jey turned to the camera, telling them to run it back. Jey’s music played again. He climbed the cage to “yeet” with the crowd. Jimmy, Punk, and Rhodes continued to beat down the heels in the ring.
“People should not be having this much fun inside War Games,” Barrett laughed. It foretold what was to come – Brock Lesnar’s music rang out, cutting the party short. Brock Lesnar emerged through the entrance, flanked by Paul Heyman. Cole noted that it’s the first time since 2004 that Brock Lesnar competes in a match with a partner of any kind. Brock entered the ring and began hitting German Suplexes indiscriminately. He tossed Rhodes violently into the cage. Lesnar hit Jey with an overhead belly-t0-belly, then gave Jimmy an F5. Punk walked into the next F5. Cody took one, too. Lesnar was left alone among a pile of bodies as the match approached 30:00.
The camera pulled back as the crowd chanted “OTC!” Lesnar gave Jey an F5. Punk used the ropes to steady himself. He grabbed a steel chair, but Brock easily kicked it out of his hands. Lesnar man-handled Rhodes into the corner, gave him a shoulder thrust, then a belly-to-belly. Cole said that Lesnar makes everything look easy. “It’s like being locked inside of a cage with a grizzly bear.” Brock cracked a chair over Punk’s back. The countdown returned to the screen, indicating the Tribal Chief’s arrival.
Roman Reigns sauntered into view, one to the sky. Brock left the cage and took up post on the steel steps, waiting his long time rival. Lesnar removed his gloves and stepped right into Roman’s way. Reigns charged, catching Lesnar with a Superman Punch. Brock stumbled, so Roman hit another one. Lesnar still didn’t go down. He hit a third. Reigns cocked his fist for a fourth and charged. Lesnar lifted Reigns into the air and gave him an F5 through the Spanish announce desk. Brock pulled Roman from the wreckage and tossed him into the cage wall. Lesnar walked Reigns around both rings and tossed him haphazardly into the steel steps. He forced him back in the ring and slammed the cage shut behind him. Alicia Taylor announced the official start of the match at 33:50.
Cole and Barrett wondered if it’d be the shortest War Games match in history. Lesnar gave Reigns an F5 and pinned him, but Cody broke it up. Punk hit Lesnar with a GTS. Cody followed up with Cross Rhodes. They covered Brock together, but Logan Paul came flying off the top with a splash to break it up. At ringside, Paul Heyman was shown fumbling through his pocket. He pulled out brass knuckles and handed them to Paul through the cage. Logan clocked Rhodes in the head, then Jimmy Uso. The crowd showered him in boos.
“Get up, Roman!’ Paul shouted. Reigns struggled to stand. Paul charged, but Reigns picked him off with a huge Spear. Reigns stole the brass knuckles from Paul’s fist. He put them on and hit a Superman Punch to Reed, then to McIntyre. Breakker came into view, pulling down his straps. He invited Reigns to charge. Roman hit him with a Spear. Jey dragged Lesnar to his feet. Brock hoisted Jey into the air for an F5. Reigns charged, spearing Lesnar through the propped table.
Breakker speared Jimmy. McIntyre gave Rhodes a low blow. Breakker speared Jey. Bron moved to the right ring. “You’ll never be better than a Steiner!’ he told Cody. Bron hit the ropes and dropped the WWE Champion with a spear. Breakker charged CM Punk, but Punk sidestepped and sent Breakker careening into the cage. Paul tried to attack Punk, but Punk countered and hit a GTS. He covered, but the camera cut to a man dressed in all black climbing the cage wall. He landed in the ring, gave Punk a Superkick and then a Stomp. Breakker looked on, shocked. The masked man climbed back up the cage and left. Breakker gave Punk another spear and pinned him for a three count.
WINNERS: Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed & Brock Lesnar & Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul in 39:26
After the match, the heels gathered in the entrance way and celebrated. Logan Paul slapped hands with some fans just off camera. Fireworks exploded from the stage. Back in the ring, Punk and Reigns came face to face. They shared a respectful nod and fist bump. Cody popped to his feet and got in Roman’s face. Reigns was less friendly with the WWE Champion. “That’s the last time we’ll ever team, just know that…” The show faded out.
(LeClair’s Analysis: There were fleeting moments of this that worked – Punk and Breakker’s early in-ring work, Punk & Cody’s teased dissension leading to reconciliation and solid babyface work, and Reigns’ brief onslaught after recovering from Lesnar’s attack on the outside. By and large, though, this just felt inconsequential, uneventful, and unremarkable. It wound up being over thirty minutes of trading off beat downs – long advantages for the heels, long advantages for the babyfaces. Jey’s run it back sequence felt completely out of place and out of touch in a match that is supposed to be as violent as War Games. For a match featuring so many big names and so many significant storylines, it just felt like very little actually happened.
The closing moments between Punk, Reigns, and Rhodes seemed to allude to bigger things ahead, but what? Punk and Reigns seem to be on good terms and are on separate courses. Reigns and Rhodes teased dissension for no viable reason – they barely interacted in the match at all. So much of this just felt disjointed.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: I thought this was one of the weakest PLEs of the year for WWE. Neither War Games match wound up being particularly memorable, with the latter especially seeming to fall flat in execution. The undercard was fine, with an enjoyable final appearance for John Cena, and a signature win for Stephanie Vaquer in a title defense against Nikki Bella. The intrigue and stakes were simply too low for these War Games matches to matter, and, as a result, this felt like a pretty meaningless affair. The stadium atmosphere looked good, but the crowd didn’t feel particularly engaged or hot at any point. I don’t know whether that’s an accurate depiction, or simply an issue with the open air baseball stadium. Barrett did remark that it was the “loudest Survivor Series crowd ever” at one point, but that was certainly not ascertainable on the broadcast. I think the company would be best served shelving this concept for a year or so, or only bringing it back the next time it feels like a logical end to a major feud between two warring factions.
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