“Sports Entertainment Solidified” is a pro wrestling column by Maddy Myer.
The impossible was done in the WWE on Saturday, November 25. The company put on one of its best premium live events in terms of matches, while also exceeding expectations with surprises. The event advertised the return of Randy Orton, who had been out of action for over a year and a half, but one legendary return wasn’t enough for WWE. R-Truth, who has been off of screens for a year, also made his return in a backstage segment.
With the event hailing from Chicago, it would only make sense that Chicago royalty, CM Punk, would be on the minds of fans. And after his firing in AEW, Punk had the opportunity to make a new move in his career. Just as the WWE logo appeared on my screen, signaling the end of the event, Punk’s music started blasting, and the infamous star made his return.
I was in a public place, so I couldn’t react how I did when Punk debuted in AEW back in 2021 (screaming my head off), returning to wrestling for the first time since 2014. But the reaction he got from his hometown crowd was deafening, even watching on a screen. The king is back where he belongs for the first time since 2014, aside from his small stint as an FS1 talk show host.
WWE has already been so hot as of late, so it will be great to see how the return of these icons will contribute to that rise. Even without this jaw-dropping Punk return, this would have been a 10/10 event for WWE, so here are the top pro wrestling matches from Survivor Series: WarGames.
Women’s WarGames Match (WWE Survivor Series, November 25)
This match featured the babyface team comprising of Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair and Shotzi, versus Damage CTRL — consisting of members Asuka, Bayley, Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane. The story was the typical good versus evil battle, but it also had a sub-story with Flair and Lynch trying to reconcile their friendship and work together as teammates. This all made for a great storytelling build leading up to the match that did not disappoint. The ring was specially designed to be a double ring surrounded by a steel cage. Things started off with only Bayley and Lynch in the ring for five minutes, while their other teammates were locked in a cell outside the ring, waiting to enter one by one from each team until all members from each side were in the ring and the match could officially begin. Weapons were also legal in this match, with everything from kendo sticks and steel chairs to metal chains and trash cans being used. There were so many incredible moments in this matchup, but there were two, aside from the finisher, that took the cake. At one point, Sky climbed to the top of the steel cage with the steel trash can and launched herself from the top, knocking down all of the babyface team. On the other end, Flair also climbed to the top of the steel cage delivering a moonsault to knock out all of Damage CTRL. The baby faces won the match after all of them contributed to Bayley’s demise. First, Flair speared her, then Shotzi hit her with a senton, then Belair hit her finisher, the K.O.D. and then Becky hit the Manhandle Slam through a table.
Men’s WarGames Match (WWE Survivor Series, November 25)
With the same rules as the women’s WarGames match, Seth Rollins and Finn Bálor began in the ring for an incredible match. The other teammates on the babyface team accompanying Rollins were Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso and the returning Randy Orton. Bálor’s teammates included the rest of The Judgment Day: Dominik Mysterio, Damian Priest, JD McDonagh and Drew McIntyre. Similarly to the women’s match, there was a story within a story. Uso was previously a member of the Bloodline, a heel faction, but recently became a babyface; conversely, McIntyre was recently a babyface that turned heel, so both sides had some trust issues to deal with. The weapons in this match were even more creative, including a steel pipe, cowbell and more. When Judgment Day and McIntyre had the upper hand, Priest decided he wanted to cash in his money in the bank briefcase against Rollins. Thankfully, Orton made his return just in time and thwarted those plans. Once Orton came in, the team chemistry jelled, with all of them hitting one of Orton’s signature moves, a DDT off the second rope. The babyface team seemed like they’d end the match with Orton RKOing McDonagh mid-air after Rollins and Zayn threw him from the top of the steel cage. However, Orton let Rhodes do his own finisher on Priest, Cross Rhodes, to pick up the victory for the team. CM Punk’s music hit right after this, with everyone still inside the cage, to make for an insane night for WWE.
“Sports Entertainment Solidified” runs every Monday.