‘WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2024’ PPV Review

Welcome to this review of 2024’s Survivor Series, which delivers yet another WarGames pay-per-view rather than the traditional show of yesteryear. Hopefully this year’s PPV lives up to the standard set by the previous two Survivor Series: WarGames! Let’s see shall we…

Match #1: Women’s WarGames Match – Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Naomi, Bayley & IYO SKY def. Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, Raquel Rodriguez, Tiffany Stratton & Candice LeRae

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Jax and Bayley started the match, renewing their rivalry from the summer. With Team Ripley earning the advantage, Naomi entered the cage next and celebrated her birthday by teaming with Bayley as they tried to take down Jax. Jax, however, literally flushed her competition by using a toilet seat to inflict damage. Jax’s toilet seat usage backfired, as Naomi used the seat to give a stinkface to Jax. With the field almost set, IYO SKY, entering her record sixth WarGames Match, attached a colorful garbage can to herself and scaled the outside of the structure, but LeRae intercepted her before she could use it. Jax, LeRae, Stratton and Rodriguez took control of the match, but they were no match for an unrelenting Ripley as she and her teammates teed off on their competitors. Morgan, the final entrant, initially retreated to retrieve a baseball bat, the same weapon used to injure Ripley’s face. Ripley looked to gain retribution on Morgan, but Jax saved Morgan from suffering a Riptide. Morgan then relentlessly used the baseball bat to damage Ripley’s ribs. Stratton and SKY climbed to the top on opposite sides of the cage, SKY covering herself with the trash can and soaring to hit Over the Moonsault while Stratton executed a swanton bomb to leave everyone in a heap on the mat. After producing her custom-made briefcase, Stratton seemingly contemplated cashing in her Money in the Bank contract, but SKY sprayed everyone with the fire extinguisher while Ripley handcuffed Rodriguez to the ropes. Absolute chaos ensued, as Jax went through a table, and Morgan hit a chair-assisted Oblivion on Bayley and followed up with a codebreaker on Ripley with a chair. Ripley and Morgan clattered each other as they scaled the structure, and Ripley hit an earthshattering Riptide on the Women’s World Champion from the top rope through a table to win the match for her team.

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #2: United States Championship – Shinsuke Nakamura def. LA Knight

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Back with a new unnerving style, Shinsuke Nakamura locked his target onto LA Knight’s United States Championship. Knight and Nakamura blitzed each other with kicks and strikes as Knight hit a torture rack slam that almost ended Nakamura’s quest to become champion. Nakamura got inside the head of Knight, as The Megastar could not make his momentum last. Nakamura raked Knight’s eyes and used a reverse suplex to drop the titleholder head-first onto the hard steel that was separating the two rings. Seconds later, Nakamura nailed Knight with the Kinshasa to capture his third United States Title.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #3: Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat Match – Bron Breakker def. Sheamus & Ludwig Kaiser

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Sheamus looked to win the Intercontinental Title, the one championship that has eluded him in his career, but Bron Breakker and Ludwig Kaiser had other ideas. Breakker used his other-worldly athleticism, leaping onto Sheamus and Kaiser like an out-of-control bus as all three cracked through the announce table area. Sheamus hit 10 Beats of the Bodhran on Breakker and Kaiser, then landed a Celtic Cross on Breakker that nearly won The Celtic Warrior his first Intercontinental Title. Sheamus wrecked Breakker with the Brogue Kick and went for the cover, but Kaiser yanked the referee out of the ring to cost The Celtic Warrior a golden opportunity to win the title. Kaiser then used the shillelagh to whip Sheamus, leaving welts on his back. As Kaiser and Sheamus were bruising each other, Breakker suddenly exploded back into the picture, dissecting Kaiser with a Spear before leveling The Celtic Warrior with a Spear to leave Vancouver with his title.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #4: World Heavyweight Championship – Gunther def. Damian Priest

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

World Heavyweight Champion Gunther entered Survivor Series seemingly out of his element, as Damian Priest has recently succeeded in getting inside the champion’s head and leaving him rattled. Priest hit a huge tackle but looked to have tweaked his shoulder, giving Gunther a target. Despite the searing pain in The Archer of Infamy’s shoulder, Priest survived by blasting Gunther with a brutal enzuigiri to quell the King of the Ring winner. Priest landed the Razor’s Edge after a flurry of offense, but Priest once again couldn’t lock the pinfall completely due to his shoulder injury. Priest tried to go for the South of Heaven twice, but his shoulder gave out both times as Gunther reversed the second attempt into a Kimura that left The Archer of Infamy in agony. Priest and Gunther waged war on the top rope, but both competitors fell, as Priest writhed in pain on the ringside floor. Without warning, Priest was suddenly assaulted by Finn Bálor, who hit a Coup de Grace from the ringside steps to inflict more misery on his former Judgment Day brother. Gunther wrecked Bálor with a boot to the face at ringside, but he took advantage of the interference by getting Priest back into the ring, nearly driving him through the mat with a powerbomb, and forcing him to pass out in the Sleeper to retain his title.

My Score: 4 out of 5

Match #5: Men’s WarGames Match – Roman Reigns, CM Punk, The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) & Sami Zayn def. Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa & “Big” Bronson Reed

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

“Main Event” Jey Uso and Tonga began the match as Jey got Vancouver Yeeting in unison. When Zayn entered the match, there was clear tension between Punk and Reigns, as The Original Tribal Chief stopped Punk from entering, leaving the two Superstars in the holding cage. Reigns was set to enter next for his team, but Punk pushed his way past The Head of the Table to enter the fray, bringing a toolbox with him. After Sikoa entered last for his team, he locked the door to prevent Reigns from entering the match. This did not stops Reigns, however, as The Original Tribal Chief scaled the cage and delivered an incredible crossbody to The Bloodline. With Reigns and Punk continuing to air their grievances, Paul Heyman made his way to ringside to convince The Best in the World and The Original Tribal Chief to work together. After a miscue, Reigns Speared Punk inadvertently, allowing Sikoa to hit a Spear of his own that nearly won the match. Reed put Reigns’ career in jeopardy after he went for a Tsunami from the top of the cage, but Punk pulled Reigns out of the way, leaving Reed to crash straight through the table. Sikoa treed to put down Reigns with multiple Samoan Spikes, but The Usos intervened before connecting with the 1-D on Fatu. Jimmy Uso went to the heavens to deliver a brutal Uso Splash from the very top of the cage onto Fatu, taking The Samoan Werewolf out of the equation. With the rest of The Bloodline down, Sikoa was picked apart by The OG Bloodline. The Usos hit two Superkicks, Zayn struck with the Helluva Kick, and Punk nailed the GTS before Reigns clobbered Sikoa with the Spear for the three-count.

My Score: 4.5 out of 5

Final Verdict: 4/5

Well, well, it looks like the WWE have another hit pay-per-view, sorry PLE, on their hands with this year’s WarGames. Yes, there were some issues during the titular WarGames matches – some botched moves and some terrible chair shots from Nia Jax (I’m sorry, there’s no way anyone missed how badly she botched those) – but overall this year’s Survivor Series really delivered, including the men’s title match which proved, once and for all, that Damian Priest IS a main event talent (because apparently some people STILL thought he wasn’t). Plus we got Shinsuke Nakamura picking up a title once again, which is always great to see!