It’s been a while since I’ve made a wrestling post on my blog and that’s not for lack of trying or keeping up. Being in the midst of Halloween season horror viewing and all the new horror that has been released as of late (and this being half a horror dedicated blog) has kind of stepped in the way of my wrestling writing and weekly viewing. Not trying to make excuses or complain, I love horror and I love wrestling, hence the reason for this blog in the first place. Just explaining why it has been a minute. It’s bothered me and my mental much more than it would ever bother anyone else’s I know. I’ve been attempting to really keep up again weekly watching since around Crown Jewel weekend and I certainly couldn’t miss Survivor Series War Games, are you kidding me? So, I guess what I’m trying to say after my long winded, no one asked for this explanation, is I’m back to talk more wrestling again Bay-Bay!
War Games match: Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane, and Asuka) vs Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Shotzi, and Becky Lynch
The match started with Bayley and Becky Lynch fighting for their respective teams. Bayley gained the first heavy momentum, suplexing Becky onto the metal plate between the 2 rings and tossing her into the cage. Becky quickly fought back though, locking Bayley into the Dis-Arm-Her early in the match, but Damage CTRL’s little cheat code Dakota Kai stuck a kendo stick through the cage and stabbed it into Becky forcing her to break the hold. Shotzi was the next woman out and tossed a trash can and several chairs into the ring before stepping in herself. Becky and Shotzi put the double team work on Bayley before the champ Iyo Sky entered next to her Damage CTRL member’s aid, wielding a steel chain alongside her. Iyo brought the fight to both Shotzi and Lynch, with help from Bayley, bringing the momentum back to Damage CTRL’s side. Before Bianca ran to the ring next, sporting 2 braids instead of the patented 1, that she used to whip the absolute hell out of Bayley and Iyo. Momentum continued to sway back and forth for each team as the new members entered until the final women from each respective team (Charlotte and Asuka) entered the match. Asuka was the final entrant and brought along 4 kendo sticks, a fire extinguisher, and a table with her. Damage CTRL ran the gauntlet for a while as Asuka misted Shotzi and Iyo used herself as a human torpedo and covered herself with a trash can before splashing onto all the women from the top of the cage. Shortly after the faces fought back into it, leading to another highlight moment as Charlotte hit a moonsault from the top of the cage onto all the Damage CTRL members. A flurry of close near falls began to follow letting you know the match was in it’s final stride, Asuka attempted a second mist onto Shotzi who dodged it this time, leading to Belair blasting her in the face with the fire extinguisher. Bayley shoved Kairi out of the way of a spear, eating it herself before being ganged up on by all the women as her Damage CTRL members were all down and out. The women all hit their signature big moves, before Lynch hit Bayley with the Manhandle Slam from the 2nd rope through a table for the pinfall.
Result: Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Shotzi, and Becky Lynch win War Games via pinfall
Intercontinental Championship match: Gunther (c) vs The Miz
The Miz wisely immediately took the fight to Gunther, wasting no time laying in chops and strikes to his head and torso before ducking out of the ring and attacking the champ’s legs. Miz locked in a figure 4 on the ring post before being forced to break and attempting to go to the top rope but was blasted with a kick by Gunther. Things continued this way, with Gunther attempting to bring the physical fight to Miz as he attempted to run and outsmart the brute champ. Miz attempting to fight out of the onslaught by Gunther grabbed the turnbuckle, tearing the pad off in the process, and used the distraction to his advantage. As the ref fumbled with getting the pad back on Miz hit 2 low blows on the champ and his Skull Crushing Finale before a very near 2 fall. Miz attempted another Skull Crushing Finale but Gunther fought out, locking in a sleeper hold. Miz powered out of it by ramming Gunther into the exposed top turnbuckle and attempting a roll up pin for another near fall. Gunther angrily came back putting a beating on Miz before connecting with a top rope splash to his back and locking in a Boston Crab, driving his knee into Miz’s back and forcing him to tap out.
Result: Gunther retains via submission
Santos Escobar vs Dragon Lee
Santos jumped on offense early, going for early pinfalls before throwing Lee to the outside of the ring. Lee quickly fought back after the early onslaught and hit Escobar with a rana from the top rope off of the apron to the outside, following up with a big dive onto him from the ring. Escobar fought back after a few with a rana of his own to Lee from the top rope, securing another near fall. Big moves, back and forth action, and near falls continued between the two men. At one point, Escobar attempted to tear the mask off of Lee’s face screaming to the crowd “This is who you cheer for!?” really playing up his newly found heel persona. Escobar hit a Phantom Driver onto Lee after a hard, back and forth battle brought on by both men to seal the victory.
Result: Santos Escobar wins via pinfall
Women’s World Championship match: Rhea Ripley (c) vs Zoey Stark
This match started with a chaotic, back and forth brawl until Zoey was able to connect with a dropkick sending the champ to the outside. Rhea quickly regrouped herself hitting power moves onto her opponent in an attempt to ground Stark. Zoey attempted a rally on multiple occasions but was met with knees and strikes from the champ, until she found an opening. Stark connected with a big dropkick to Rhea’s face for a near fall, then countering Riptide into a suplex for another near fall. With the momentum built up Stark attempted her finisher, the Z-360, but Rhea was able to counter. Wiggling out and hitting her with a thunderous headbutt before connecting with her signature Riptide for the 3 count.
Result: Rhea Ripley retains via pinfall
War Games match: Judgment Day (Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, Dominik Mysterio, Damian Priest) and Drew McIntyre vs Seth Rollins, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, Cody Rhodes, and Randy Orton
The match opened with Rollins and Balor starting for their respective teams. After a back-and-forth brawl, Rollins gained the momentum slinging Balor into the cage in an attempt to gain the upper hand before the next man came in, knowing he would be at a numbers disadvantage. JD was the next man out, with Rollins knocking him away with kicks and strikes at the cage door before he could ever enter. He eventually did enter though with a pair of kendo sticks that he and Balor used to beat down Seth with before the next man could enter from his team, Jey Uso. Uso offered some reprieve for his teammate, fighting off the Judgment Day members as Drew looked on desperately chomping at the bit to get his hands on Jey. When the time for the next man to enter came though, Priest stopped McIntyre from entering telling him “We’re sticking to the plan” before marching towards the ring himself. Priest went after both Uso and Rollins, laying them out with a baton he pulled from the ring and firmly putting the match back in the hands of the Judgment Day before Sami Zayn entered next. Sami hit JD with a kendo stick on the outside and smashed the cage door into Balor’s head before entering with a table and focusing on Priest, grabbing a lead pipe from the cage and using it on JD and Priest to take advantage back over. Momentum continued to shift each team’s way as a new man entered, with a bull rope being used by Rhodes and Rollins at one point to rack and take out multiple members of Judgment Day, and a 4 on 1 beatdown onto Dom upon his entrance to the match, much to the crowd’s pleasure. The last man to enter and yet to be seen was the returning from an 18-month hiatus, Randy Orton, with his team speculating all night if he would show up or not. When it was time for his entrance, Rhea Ripley’s music hit instead and she stormed towards the ring with Priest’s briefcase attempting a cash in on the downed champ Rollins, inside of War Games. Before the plan could officially get off the ground though, Orton’s music hit and he made his triumphant return inside War Games to officially start the match and help his weakened team. Orton ran through the Judgment Day members who were on their heels, culminating in all 5 members hitting his signature hanging DDT onto their opponents. Orton stared Uso down for a minute before hitting Mysterio with an RKO, staring off a series of finishers as the match wound down. JD attempted to flee the cage but was caught at the top by Rollins and Zayn who sent him flying back towards the ring where he was met with an RKO, and Rhodes dropped Priest with a Cross Rhodes to seal the deal.
Result: Seth Rollins, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, Cody Rhodes, and Randy Orton win War Games
CM Punk returns to WWE
After the match, as the men stood in the ring celebrating, Cult of Personality boomed over the loudspeakers and the crowd came unhinged as CM Punk made his way onto the entrance ramp. His first time in nearly 9 years being in front of a WWE audience. He celebrated and posed with his Chicago faithful as the show went off air. Truly a never say never moment.
Best match of the night: War Games: Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane, and Asuka) vs Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Shotzi, and Becky Lynch
Both the War Games matches delivered in what they set out to do but I feel like the men’s match almost had too much focus on if Randy would or would not return, whereas the women’s match was just a chaotic, weapons filled hodgepodge as a War Games should be and delivered on some very highlight moments and spots. Notably Iyo’s trash can dive and Charlotte’s moonsault from the top of the cage just to name a couple. It was a great way to start the show and it didn’t get much better than what those women had to offer. A close runner up, was Gunther vs The Miz as I felt like they delivered in a real big way and I wasn’t expecting that necessarily. That match was also highly entertaining and kept my interest throughout, even leading me to believe at times The Miz was going to steal one and win the belt when I originally thought he had no chance coming into the match.
Most forgettable match of the night: Santos Escobar vs Dragon Lee
There was nothing necessarily wrong with this match, both men hit some big spots and delivered with the time they had. It just felt like both these men’s talents were limited given their time slot and this was mainly used to fill the extra time needed on the card. There wasn’t much about this match that didn’t seem like something we wouldn’t just get on a weekly Smackdown in a lot of ways. Rhea vs Zoey was a close runner up for this spot as that was a very cut and dry, predictable match as well but the title being on the line at least saved it in some capacity.
