WarGames are now in the books for another year, so it’s time to discuss WWE Survivor Series 2024 with the report card because the grades are in!
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Match 1: Women’s WarGames Match
In our first match, we get team Rhea versus team Liv. Or is it Team Nia? Can I be honest here? I miss it when someone in WWE (then WWF) had a job to come up with a name for the mash-up team. Some were easy, like the Hulkamaniacs. Some were less so, like the Foreign Fanatics (with a man from Hawaii).
But I digress. The last woman to join the faces-Bayley-kicked things off against Nia Jax. That went about as well as you’d expect. But the faces did have the advantage, so things weren’t always so bleak.
Plenty of weapons, plenty of spots. Handcuffs were involved, as was a fire extinguisher. On top of that, we had stereo high spots from the top of the structure. Tiffany Stratton and IYO SKY delivered a highlight of the evening with those moves.
Speaking of Tiffy Time? We very nearly saw a cash-in. Or at least one was moderately teased.
In the end, it came down to Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley, with Ripley getting the win when she nailed Rip Tide through a table from the top rope. I was no fan of the hype work the women did on SmackDown, but this one delivered. Solid B+ from me.
Match 2: LA Knight versus Shinsuke Nakamura-United States Championship Match
This was a fun match that, as of about a month ago, you couldn’t have predicted. Specifically, because we had not seen Nakamura in months.
But the Japanese Superstar returned a few weeks back and had a laser focus on Knight and his title. That focus paid off, as we got a new champion with Nakamura pinning Knight to become our new United States Champion. I am easy to please tonight, giving this one a B.
Match 3: Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat
Bron Breakker had his hands full, defending against not one, but two Superstars. Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser had the opportunity tonight. For Sheamus, it was one more chance to get that one elusive singles title.
I felt like this could have gone longer, but it was an action-packed event, as you’d expect. All three delivered. Each of them looked good and had a good story along the way. Sheamus’ quest continues. Kaiser is rising. But in the end, Bron Breakker is still your Intercontinental Champion.
Solid B+ for me, bordering on an A
Match 4: Gunther versus Damian Priest-World Heavyweight Championship Match
I was looking forward to this one, and it did not disappoint. Gunther had his doubts coming in, Priest looked like a legit threat because he is.
The match was a banger. As violent as you’d expect from two heavy hitters. Plus, considering how gifted Gunther is, an excellent in ring story. Taking away Priest’s arm strength was certainly a critical story for the match.
In the end, Gunther-and some Finn Balor interference-was too much. Gunther retains, though he was none too happy about Balor showing up. I gave it a B+, wanted to go higher but the interference knocked it down a peg.
Match 5: Men’s WarGames Match
New Bloodline versus Old Bloodline. Solo’s team, plus Bronson Reed, against Roman’s reunion tour plus CM Punk. And half of the entrants in this one have never been in the Match Beyond.
Drama almost from the jump. We knew tension existed between Reigns and Punk. That’s surely setting up 2025. But Reigns stopped Punk from going in, instead sending Sami. That caused more tension. But then when Roman was heading in, Punk cut him off. Plenty more twists and turns here, with a Reigns spear on Punk accidentally, but Punk later saves Reigns from a massive Tsunami.
But that led to the two mending fences to a nice mid-match pop. Not the pop for WWE Survivor Series 2024, but certainly a nice moment.
From there, we hit the spot fest portion of things, with the biggest single one being Jimmy hitting a splash on Jacob through the table from the top of the cage.
But the best of the best? Sami got up, got the Usos back up, got Punk and Reigns back up. And then the five hit Solo with everything they had. With Reigns hitting the big spear, he pinned his cousin and the Original Bloodline left Vancouver with a big win. My grade? Easy A, for the action and the drama and it just hit.
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Aftermath?
After WWE Survivor Series 2024, where do we go from here? What do we think of what we just saw?
It was a situation where both groups had good reason for getting the win, but there were no draws in WarGames. Next, at some point, we find out whatever the favor owed by Heyman to Punk is. And, unlike 2023 when Punk returned to close that show? No show-closing surprises for us, though it sure felt like they milked that a bit just because.
