'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE Survivor Series WarGames had just five matches on the card. However, quality trumped quantity as nearly all matches delivered and entertained fans to the max.
AJ Styles and Finn Balor competed in a singles match in one of the best contests of the night. Seth Rollins defended his United States Championship in a Triple Threat Match against Bobby Lashley and Austin Theory.
Ronda Rousey put Shotzi away to retain her SmackDown Women’s Championship. It was arguably the weakest match WWE had booked for the show.
The men’s and women’s Survivor Series WarGames matches were the highlights of the show, and both contests delivered.
Check out the five things WWE Survivor Series WarGames got right in its first show.
#5. Team Belair taught the heels a lesson at WWE Survivor Series WarGames
The first match of the show was the women’s Survivor Series WarGames match. Bianca Belair teamed up with Becky Lynch, Asuka, Alexa Bliss, and Mia Yim to fight Damage CTRL, Nikki Cross, and Rhea Ripley.
Belair and Kai kicked off the contest inside the steel structure and the heel took advantage early on. IYO SKY joined Kai in the cage, and the two worked on the RAW Women’s Champion. The match ticked on as Nikki Cross brought along a whole lot of weapons with her inside the steel structure.
Bayley too added some ladders and tables to the match to make things even more brutal. The final two members to enter the cage were Ripley and Lynch. The Man’s entry officially got the match going, and both teams dished out a lot of punishment to each other.
The match was absolute mayhem, and Lynch got the pin for her team after hitting a huge leg drop onto Kai through a table. The match was off the charts as it had everything one could ask for. WWE did well with the contest to introduce WarGames to a wider fanbase on Saturday.
Lynch picking up the win for her team was the right move as she needed the momentum after returning just one night before the event. She will become one of RAW’s top superstars right away.
#4. AJ Styles and Finn Balor put on a solid show
The veterans of WWE RAW took center stage for the second match of WWE Survivor Series WarGames. AJ Styles represented The O.C. against The Judgment Day's Finn Balor in the contest. Both men came out wearing rather weird masks before the match kicked off.
The Phenomenal One took control early on, but Balor came prepared and countered some of Styles’ best moves with his own. The match descended into madness when The O.C. and The Judgment Day began to brawl outside the ring and fought into the crowd.
This left an even playing field for Styles and Balor in the ring who looked to rip each other apart. Both men put on an excellent show, and a 450 splash from Styles stole the show.
The Phenomenal One failed to make Balor tap out to the Calf Crusher but put him away with the Phenomenal Forearm moments later.
It was Styles’ first win at a Premium Live Event after a long time. The O.C. needed the win to stay relevant and continue their rivalry. WWE did a good job with this contest at Survivor Series WarGames.
#3. Austin Theory became a two-time United States Champion
Bobby Lashley and Austin Theory challenged Seth Rollins for the United States Championship in a Triple Threat Match at WWE Survivor Series WarGames. Lashley looked to steamroll through the other superstars and knocked Theory out of the ring after the opening bell.
Rollins and Lashley fought for some time before Theory eventually made his way back into the ring. All three men traded some great strikes, with Lashley showcasing his superior strength whenever he got a chance.
The match was choreographed well as fans also got moments of two wrestlers fighting each other in the ring while the third was recovering outside it. The All Mighty looked to lock Rollins in the Hurt Lock, but Theory got a Sleeper Hold on him.
Rollins hit Theory with a Superplex before taking a Spear from Lashley. However, Theory got the pin on The Visionary to take the title home.
The match had its highs and lows, but the result was good. Theory needed the win after losing his Money in the Bank briefcase not too long ago. His new aggressive side will help him become a bigger star on RAW.
#2. The Bloodline proved its dominance at WWE Survivor Series WarGames
The main event of WWE Survivor Series WarGames was the men’s match with Roman Reigns, The Usos, Solo Sikoa, and Sami Zayn taking on Sheamus, Ridge Holland, Kevin Owens, Drew McIntyre, and Butch inside the cage.
Jey and Butch took to the ring to start the fight and traded insults before getting physically involved. Holland joined his partner in the cage before Reigns stopped Jimmy and sent Zayn to join Jey.
Holland and Butch took control for some time before Jimmy came in and brought some tables with him. Zayn and Jey almost got into a fight before Jimmy had to calm them down. One by one, the superstars entered the cage before Reigns joined them as the final member of the heel team and the match got underway.
Both sides hit their best moves in hopes of winning the match as quickly as possible. In the end, Jey Uso hit Owens with a big splash to score the win for his team.
This match was all about storytelling, especially within The Bloodline, rather than anything else. It wasn’t better in teams of spots as compared to the women’s match. However, the result was the right one as The Bloodline stood tall to cement itself as the top faction in the company.
#1. Sami Zayn avoided turning on The Bloodline
One of the biggest angles fans were waiting for at WWE Survivor Series WarGames was Sami Zayn’s potential turn. The Honorary Uce was pulled aside by Kevin Owens before the show to ask him to turn on his partners.
During the contest, there were several moments at which it looked like Zayn would turn on The Bloodline. A superkick from Jey Uso landed on Sami by mistake, but The Master Strategist still didn’t break.
In the end, he took down Kevin Owens and set up the final splash from Jey Uso, who awarded The Bloodline a massive win at Survivor Series WarGames. Jey embraced him and the rest of the faction after the contest.
It was great to see how most of the match revolved around Sami Zayn. He has become an absolute star over the past few months, and he has shown that he can carry the biggest matches on the card on his own.
Not turning him against his faction at Survivor Series WarGames was a great way for the creative team to tell the fans that it will happen when they least expect it. Headlines will be made when The Honorary Uce finally splits from The Bloodline.
