Glitzy house post-show stopgap crown jewelWWE programming has found its way back to more meaningful storytelling survivor series PLE contains two WarGames games.
The women’s match was pure entertainment, the men’s match was full of stories, and the other three matches on the card were solid enough and most importantly not overcooked to fill the gaps in between.
WarGames – Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Naomi, Bayley and Iyo Sky def. Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Nia Jax, Tiffany Stratton and Candace LeRae: There wasn’t much of a story to this match outside of the Ripley/Morgan feud, but the women’s War Games match brought chaos, unpredictability, a bit of fun (dumpster yo!) and almost no Intermittent excitement. There were a few moments where clues of the production became visible due to some missed cues or camera work, giving away the impending opportunity, but each contestant gave their all and worked together to create an all-encompassing, crowd-pleasing spectacle.
Each upcoming wrestler pulls a different weapon from under the ring before entering the cage, this match really utilizes the countdown feature of War Games and allows each wrestler to be drawn into different exciting spots Live audience. Ripley ended up catching Morgan and getting the pin after an avalanche rip through the table, which was a great ending – and it was also cleverly booked later in the night Roman Reigns regain victory solo sheet music.
like Bronson Reed On the men’s side, but for different reasons, it’s great to see Candice LeRae here. She’s an experienced and versatile performer, and bonus points are gained when her gear matches Nia’s, which Tiffany Stratton clearly doesn’t (!).
United States Championship – Shinsuke Nakamura Def. Los Angeles Knights (c): To be honest, this title change was quite unexpected and feels a bit like a vote of no confidence in the Los Angeles Cavaliers. I’m ready to make mistakes and see him pop up with challenges Cody Rhodes Next up, a WWE Championship match, but after Knight became the odd man out in a triple threat match with him Andrade and Carmelo Hayes (Even within their broader story and rivalry), it feels a bit hateful.
Even though Shinsuke Nakamura has been underutilized throughout his WWE career, he’s still an in-ring talent capable of delivering solid performances in thirty-minute wrestling masterpieces. Nakamura winning the belt here actually puts the United States Championship more in line with the Intercontinental Championship, not just as a minor men’s title, but as the Super Workman’s title.
It will be interesting to see where Nakamura goes next and whether he ends up being an interim champion. Now saddled with a more Orientalist moodiness Ronin His repackaged speech, while gimmicky and no longer his eccentric true self, doesn’t inspire much confidence – but there’s hope.
Intercontinental Championship – Brown Breaker def. Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser: The commentary team was very keen to play up the “main force” / “worker title” element of the Intercontinental Championship throughout the game, and the three players used this method to tell a story that was not exaggerated. Kaiser’s hasty take advantage of WWE’s “all triple threat matches are essentially DQ-free” rule was hilarious.
Sheamus’ failure to capture the elusive IC Title due to weapons shenanigans has made his long run at the belt a relative hit, and he’ll deserve a lot of praise if he finally manages to capture the title – ideally in wrestling mania?
World Heavyweight Championship – Gunther (c) def. Pastor Damian: After his clean loss to Cody Rhodes crown jewel And the crisis of confidence angle with Priest is building up to this game, which is the best story-driven game since Gunther wrestling mania. Alongside the priest, he has been Discover His confidence on the mic and the real swagger he brings to his in-ring work here, the match was crisp, hard hitting and actually well-served by a finish involving interference Finn Balor.
In his growing confidence, Priest fails to consider the possibility that his grumpy, noble former friend will show up to harass him. Despite slamming Balor at the time, Gunther still needed help to win the title. Gunther retained the belt, but the tainted victory only fueled his fire of self-doubt. Heavyweights tell good stories – may they have a long run.
WarGames – Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, “Main Event” Jey Uso, Sami Zayn and CM Punk def. Solo sheet music, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and Bronson Reed:
Mandatory monthly racist callout…
“If anyone is crazy enough to get in the ring with these animals, it’s CM Punk” – Michael Cole
“Jacob Fatou looks like a savage, he competes like a savage, but that guy is not a savage, he is a very cerebral man” – Corey Graves
Graves’ disclaimer functionally does nothing to counteract the pervasive racism in these remarks. To suggest that Samoan Americans “look like savages” is to reenact the historical (and ongoing) language of colonialism. No meaningful disruption is taking place, and IMHO none of these commentators have the relevant authority or tradition to do so.
To be clear, the racism that persists in The New Blood commentary isn’t Cole and Graves’ sole responsibility – it’s an issue with the entire product, and one that, I suspect, speaks to the shortage of leads for people of color in WWE creative role.
Back to wrestling, the second War Games match of the night was driven almost entirely by story, character, and intrigue. Could Reigns and Punk work together? what is favor Paul Heyman Credit to punk now? yes rock Will it appear? Wait wait wait
Throne and Punk The small, passive-aggressive interactions in the holding cells leading into the game were brilliant. Whatever these two are doing is going to be spectacular.
Huge thanks to Jimmy Uso for his performance here. He was on fire throughout the match, full of energy and enthusiasm, while also hitting big moves like the “Whisper in the Wind” and, of course, a huge “Uso Splash” from the top of the cage. There’s something special about veterans, they continue to deepen their craft, add new moves and explore new ideas.
The match was well scheduled and well paced, with an isolated Sikoa taking everyone’s finisher, a perfect end to this phase of OG vs. New Bloodline. That this sequence performed so well with a live audience is a testament to the hard work everyone put into what was undoubtedly a tough game, and a testament to the fantastic character work Sikoa has done this year. Considering all the feelings that this match evokes, not bringing The Rock on board at this stage is the right decision.
Finally, Bronson Reed, get down from there! Seriously, here’s hoping Reid makes a full recovery from his gunshot injury tsunami attempt from the top of the cage. He’s been having a really good year and it’s great to see him competing in this high-profile game. Big things are going to happen in the future, so get well soon, Auszilla!
take a bow: It remains to be seen whether hosting two war games on the same night every year as a guarantee will become tiring. But those years hell in a cell The annual PLE has definitely outdated this concept. Its return as a one-off tournament type this year is perfect for Punk/ McIntyre But the story. Elimination Chamber takes the perspective of the #1 contender, helping the game stay relevant and positioning it as a meaningful (rather than arbitrary) stop on the “road to the future.” wrestling mania‘. WarGames racing doesn’t really mean much at the moment, but it’s very, very fun (albeit quite dangerous).
All in all, a big round of applause to everyone who attended both WarGames games. These double-cage, ten-man matches are certainly some of the most intensive in terms of production and planning, and although the format takes place twice in one night, with the women’s division opening and the men’s division finishing, the two matches are booked differently , enough to make each of them feel unique.
