For the 38th time, WWE Survivor Series took place to continue the run of the second-longest PPV in company history.
The marquee “Big 4” event on the calendar emanated from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and once again saw the return of WarGames for the 3rd consecutive year. Additionally, Survivor Series saw Gunther, LA Knight and Bron Breakker all put their respective championships on the line in what is the second-longest PPV in company history.
WWE Survivor Series 2024 Review
Rhea Ripley, Bayley, Iyo Sky, Bianca Belair and Naomi defeated Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton, Nia Jax, Raquel Rodriguez and Nia Jax inside WarGames – Bayley and Nia Jax started the match to rekindle their rivalry from over the summer. Jax used her power to gain the upper hand in the opening stage. Bayley used her jacket as a weapon but Jax control again. Naomi was out next to provide backup for Bayley, bringing in a kendo stick and a toilet seat into the match with her. Unfortunately, the match doesn’t quite hit the same when the babyface team has the advantage. Bayley and Naomi hit double team moves onto Jax as the crowd chanted Happy Birthday for Naomi. Jax had a toilet seat placed on her head and Naomi hit the stink face for reasons? Stratton looked to be out next but LeRae barged her way past and stormed to the ring. A chair was brought into the ring and Jax hit some of the weakest chair shots in recent memory that they were comical. Belair was in next and brought in a trash can, a fire extinguisher and a table. Stratton entered next and grabbed more weapons. So far, no one has just entered the match with everyone grabbing something from under the ring beforehand. Team Jax took control. More weapon shots until Sky entered the match next. Grabbing a trash can, Sky climbed the WarGames cage but LeRae met her up there. Sky continued to take control until Jax took her out. Rodriguez entered next, took a table out but left it outside before getting into the match. Jax and Rodriguez used their power to take out the babyfaces before Ripley entered the match as the final entrant for her team. Ripley was taken down by the heels, Sky looked to get involved but held back, seemingly mistiming the spot. Team babyface took control with a wild sequence of weapon spots. Morgan hesitantly made her way out of the cage but instead went to the back, returning with a baseball bat, officially starting WarGames. Ripley was ganged up on by the heels and hit by the heels. A fun sequence took place with everyone getting their spots in. Sky and Stratton each scaled the cage, Sky did her garbage can dive and Stratton did a swanton off the cage. Stratton brought out her Money in the Bank briefcase and thought about cashing in before Sky brought out the fire extinguisher. Ripley and Morgan brawled and made their way to the top rope. Ripley hit an avalanche Riptide onto Morgan through a table to win the match.
This was at times convoluted in the early stages and the chair shots are something that needs to be addressed as many were guilty of making them look weak, but the big spots bumped the match quality up towards the end – *** 1/2
Shinsuke Nakamura defeated LA Knight to become the new United States Champion – Nakamura took control briefly in the early stages but Knight quickly shifted the momentum. Nakamura hit a stiff elbow and shifted the momentum. Knight attempted to get back in the match but was repeatedly cut off by Nakamura. Nakamura hit a top rope suplex. Nakamura hit a reverse DDT on the steel grating between the two rings and a Kinshasha to win the match and the title.
The crowd were not into the match given the WarGames match that took place before and no one believed that Nakamura would win the match – **
Bron Breakker defeated Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser to retain the Intercontinental Championship – Kaiser exited the ring quickly to allow Sheamus and Breakker to fight it out. Kaiser brought in a chair but was taken out by Breakker. Kaiser was attacked by Breakker and Sheamus. All 3 men brawled on the outside of the ring. Back in the ring and Breakker took control. Back on the outside and Breakker hit a dive from the apron to send both Kaiser and Sheamus over the announce table. Sheamus regained control of the match and sent Kaiser into the timekeeper’s area before brawling with Breakker in the ring. Breakker collided with a chair and Sheamus hit the brogue kick but Kaiser dragged the referee out at the last second. Kaiser beat Sheamus with the shillelagh followed by a great near fall from Sheamus. At this point the crowd really want Sheamus to win the match. Breakker hit a huge spear onto Kaiser onto Sheamus to win the match and retain the title.
A fun match with a lot of big spots from Breakker and everyone looking better when all was said and done – ***1/2
Gunther defeated Damian Priest to retain the World Heavyweight Championship– Priest got the upper hand early, playing into the story that Gunther is now doubting himself at this stage of his World Title reign. Gunther targeted Priest’s arm. Priest managed to fight back leading to a double down following a physical exchange. Gunther hit a powerbomb onto Priest but the challenger kicked out. Priest hit the Razor’s Edge but Gunther kicked out. Gunther applied the Kimura but Priest survived. Gunther attempted a superplex but Priest countered. Priest fell to the outside and may have hurt his other arm in the process. With the referee distracted, Finn Balor hit Priest with the stomp on the outside. Gunther got Priest back in the ring and hit the powerbomb and sleeper to win the match.
The Finn Balor interference gave Priest an out for the loss but Gunther needs some dominant wins soon to restore some credibility – ***
The OG Bloodline defeated The New Bloodline in WarGames – Tama Tonga and Jey Uso started the match. Following an early flurry from Uso, Tonga took over as the opening period expired. Bronson Reed entered next and threw multiple chairs into the ring. Uso attempted to fight off Reed but was overpowered by the big man. Yes, the chair shots looked better in the match than the opener. Jimmy Uso entered the match next and went right for the heels, not opting to grab more weapons. The Usos reminded fans why they are one of the best tag teams in the modern era with their signature offence. Tama Tonga looked to be next but Sikoa intervened, instead sending Fatu. The Samoan Werewolf dominated The Usos. Zayn was sent out next on the orders of Reigns as an angry Punk looked on. Zayn briefly took control but Fatu remained the X factor that the babyfaces could not take out. Tonga Loa was in next and brought in multiple tables. Punk barged his way past Rreigns to enter the match next, much to the annoyance of The OTC. Punk brought in a toolbox to take out The Bloodline before Fatu once again switched the momentum back. Sikoa was the final entrant for The New Bloodline. The group used the man advantage to take out the 4 men in the ring. Sikoa locked the cage before Reigns got in the match. Reigns climbed the cage to get into the match, fighting off The New Bloodline in the process and officially beginning the match. Heyman made his way to ringside and pleaded Punk and Reigns to get on the same page. A chaotic brawl ensued with Fatu seemingly injuring his knee off a moonsault. Reed attempted to his a top cage Tsunami onto Reigns but Punk saved Reigns at the last second. A load of finisher exchanges occurred with Jimmy Uso hitting a splash from the top of the cage onto Fatu. With everyone else down, The OG Bloodline surrounded Sikoa. Sikoa was hit with everyone’s finisher to allow Reigns to pin Sikoa and win the match.
With logical storytelling, more believable physicality and a great showing from Fatu, this could be the best WarGames match since the concept was introduced on the main roster – ****
Overall the show will of course be remembered for the main event and this being the show that Nakamura won the United States Championship, but the opener and World Title match felt like they could have been on Raw and SmackDown instead.
Featured image: WWE
