WWE fans are gearing up for the return of the iconic double steel cage WarGames match at Survivor Series. CM Punk will lead his team against The Vision and others, while Rhea Ripley’s group of women will face off against the Kabuki Warriors and other heels in their own WarGames battle. Although these matches promise excitement due to the unique rules and the involvement of top talent, there’s concern that they may feel forced rather than organic, reflecting a broader challenge WWE faces with this stipulation.
When Triple H reintroduced WarGames in 2017, it was a perfect fit for NXT’s compelling storyline with The Undisputed Era. However, this year’s Survivor Series feels different, as the matches seem shoehorned into the WarGames format without strong narrative reasons. Injuries and random team selections, such as including Brock Lesnar, Drew McIntyre, and Logan Paul with little meaningful connection, undermine fan investment. Even the women’s match struggles to justify the WarGames structure, threatening to dilute the stipulation’s prestige.
This issue echoes WWE’s earlier problem with Hell in a Cell matches, which also suffered from being annual fixtures rather than story-driven climaxes. The overuse of such iconic match types risks making them feel routine and less significant. The Hell in a Cell match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre, for example, was successful because it had real emotional stakes, a standard WarGames should strive to meet to maintain its allure.
Given these challenges, WWE should consider removing WarGames from its scheduled place at Survivor Series and reserve the match type for storylines that genuinely demand it. This would protect both the integrity of WarGames and the overall appeal of Survivor Series, which has struggled to maintain interest despite being one of WWE’s major annual events.
Fan Take: WWE fans crave authenticity and storytelling in their favorite matches, especially with signature stipulations like WarGames. If WWE continues to force these matches without proper build-up, fans may lose enthusiasm, ultimately harming the excitement and legacy of both WarGames and Survivor Series.
