WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2023 Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction, Highlights
WWE returned to Allstate Arena in Chicago Saturday for Survivor Series, headlined by a pair of intriguing WarGames matches.
Add two championship clashes, a heated rivalry clash, the return of Randy Orton, a red-hot WWE Universe and the potential for several surprises, and the final WWE main roster premium live event of 2023 promised plenty of buzz and excitement.
What went down, who emerged victorious and what do the results mean for WWE as it enters the final stretch of the calendar year?
Find out with this recap of the event, complete with grades and analysis for each of the night's matches and top moments.
Match Card
1 of 7Announced in advance for Saturday's show:
- Men's WarGames match: Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn and Randy Orton vs. Damian Priest, Finn Bálor, Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh and Drew McIntyre
- Women's WarGames match: Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch and Shotzi vs. Bayley, Asuka, Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky
- Women's World Championship: Zoey Stark vs. Rhea Ripley (c)
- Intercontinental Championship: The Miz vs. Gunther (c)
- Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar
Women's WarGames Match
2 of 7
WarGames Rules
Bayley faced scrutiny for her recent losses and questions about her role in the new and improved Damage CTRL, but gave of herself for her team inside WarGames Saturday night.
Unfortunately, her all was not enough as she found herself driven through a table and beaten as the opposition secured an emotionally charged victory to kick off the show.
Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair and Shotzi defeated Bayley, Asuka, Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky in a harder-hitting match than many may have expected, with some quality high spots and nasty bumps to really escalate the stakes.
Bayley repeatedly saved the match for her team, breaking up pins and going the distance as the first competitor to enter on the heel side. Ultimately, she was battered and beaten enough that Belair could down her with the KOD and Lynch could add a uranage through a table for the win.
This was the appropriate feud-closer, with a finish that should propel the Damage CTRL story forward, presumably to the point where her teammates excommunicate Bayley from the group she founded.
And set up a babyface turn for the once-beloved underdog in the process.
Result
Lynch, Flair, Belair and Shotzi defeated Bayley, Sane, Sky and Asuka
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
- The heels entered wearing different masks, creating a cool visual.
- Dakota Kai interfered, allowing Bayley to gain the upper hand on Lynch before Shotzi joined the match to give the babyfaces the advantage.
- Speaking of which, babyfaces having the advantage in this particular match goes against the psychology of it, but that doesn't stop WWE from booking it in at least one of the two bouts every year.
- Belair whipped the life out of Sky with her braid, causing the champion to let out a blood-curdling scream.
- Sky in a trash can, jumping off the top of the cage will forever be awesome.
- Lynch and Flair popped the crowd big time with a mid-ring hug, putting their tumultuous history behind them.
- Cool spot alert: Asuka tried to mist Shotzi for the second time, but The Ballsy Badass ducked and Belair sprayed The Empress of Tomorrow with a fire extinguisher.
Intercontinental Championship: The Miz vs. Gunther
3 of 7
Gunther will never underestimate The Miz again following Saturday's grueling Intercontinental Championship defense.
Luckily, despite his early hubris, The Ring General found himself in a fight against the scrappy, resilient veteran, enduring a low blow and nearly dropping the match following a Skull-Crushing Finale.
Ultimately, Gunther overcame the tenacity of his challenger and tapped him out with a half Boston crab while digging his knee in the back.
The Miz's toughness was on display here as he absorbed everything thrown at him and still mustered enough to nearly beat the champion on more than one occasion. The fans were hot for him and wanted to see him win the title, but Gunther snuffed out their hope.
Who will eventually dethrone the champion? Who knows, and as long as he has matches of this quality, who cares?
Gunther is the best wrestler on the planet and long may he reign.
Result
Gunther defeated The Miz to retain the title
Grade
B+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Prior to the match, Jey Uso and Sami Zayn met up backstage, where the latter revealed Randy Orton had yet to arrive at the arena, creating doubt that he would compete. Cue the "CM Punk" chants.
- The Miz dug into his bag of tricks and broke out a Bret Hart-inspired Figure Four around the ring post, to which Michael Cole expressed The A-Lister's love for The Hitman when he was a child.
- Great false finish alert: The Miz pulled the turnbuckle pad off, booted Gunther in the knee and followed with a low blow before delivering the Skull-Crushing Finale for a very close two-count.
- Commentator Corey Graves covered up for an ugly top-rope splash from the champ, claiming his injured knee would not allow him to execute it properly.
Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar
4 of 7
Santos Escobar is riding a wave of momentum following his betrayal of Rey Mysterio, and he built on it with a hard-fought victory over Dragon Lee.
The match was excellent for the time it was given, with each man showcasing their talents as two potential faces of WWE's bright future.
At one point, Lee looked to have Escobar beaten with a sit-out powerbomb, but the former face of Legado Del Fantasma kicked out at two. Moments later, he delivered a destroyer and added the Phantom Driver for the win.
This may have been the first showdown on the main roster between these two, but it won't be the last. If they continue trending upward, they will clash on a stage as large as this for years to come when they will have more time to work with.
Result
Escobar pinned Lee
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- The commentary team retelling the story of Mysterio calling Lee the future of lucha libre will only help the masked competitor as he embarks on his journey to superstardom.
- A few more minutes and this may have been a classic as both guys were just starting to cook.
Women's World Championship: Zoey Stark vs. Rhea Ripley
5 of 7
Like Gunther earlier in the night, Rhea Ripley's overconfidence was met with the challenge of a driven competitor looking to dethrone her, as Zoey Stark rose to the occasion and gave The Eradicator everything she could handle.
Stark was great, matching Ripley's physical intensity and giving her the type of fight that will only elevate her in the eyes of fans.
The titleholder ultimately countered the Z360 and delivered Riptide for the win, continuing the best year of her career and a reign that has been utterly dominant.
How Triple H and the rest of WWE Creative follow up with Stark will ultimately determine how successful this was or if it was merely another opportunity to put Ripley over strong.
Result
Ripley defeated Stark to retain
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Cole called Ripley a star during her entrance, simply reiterating something everyone with eyes and a feel for aura already knew. She carries herself like one and knows she is, and the fans treat her accordingly.
- Stark was great here in her first individual opportunity to win the title and the biggest match of her young career.
Men's WarGames Match
6 of 7
WarGames Rules
Pro wrestling, when done right, is the best.
The main event of Survivor Series was done right.
The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre were in a dominant position late in WarGames, with Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn and Seth Rollins reeling. Enter Randy Orton, who made his way to the ring amid a roaring crowd.
From there, the babyfaces fought their way back into the match, each delivering their signature offense before The American Nightmare planted Damian Priest with Cross Rhodes for the win.
The victorious babyfaces stood tall and the arena greeted their win with a celebratory pop. The copyright logo appeared on screen...but then, Living Colour's "Cult of Personality" played over the PA system and CM Punk walked back onto WWE television as a wrestler for the first time in a nearly a decade.
The images of the Chicago fans giddily jumping up and down, chanting his name, and embracing him were the perfect out for the show. That he did not target anyone, or get physically involved, made for an extraordinary cliffhanger to close out the night's show.
A fantastic, Match of the Year candidate main event and an unforgettable return for Punk made this as buzzworthy and fan-serving a finale as there has been in recent memory.
Result
Rhodes, Uso, Zayn, Rollins and Orton defeated The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Big-time tension early as Priest and McIntyre stared each other down, neither really trusting the other despite being on the same team.
- WWE went with the "Randy's not here" storyline, presumably to preserve the pop for later in the match.
- Uso and McIntyre teed off on each other midway through the match, a logical spot that had fans red-hot. An extended feud should be up next for the pair.
- "On July 4, 1987 at the Omni in Atlanta, 'The American Dream' Dusty Rhodes created WarGames. He never lost that match and tonight, Cody Rhodes enters it for the first time in his career," Cole said in his best call of the night. He added: "Cody also created an event in this city," a reference to the industry-altering All In for All Elite Wrestling in 2019.
- Rhodes. Cowbell. It just feels appropriate.
- The babyfaces beat down Dominik Mysterio to an enormous pop from the fans.
- The Orton reaction blew the roof off Allstate Arena.
- The tease of an RKO to Uso was great, mostly because it created drama and simultaneously teased the logical tension between the two.
Overall Grade
7 of 7There was an incredible amount of buzz entering the Survivor Series: WarGames pay-per-view.
Not only was it the return of WarGames in Chicago, with the return of Randy Orton in the night's main event, but there was a pregnant cloud residing over the show in the form of CM Punk and a potential return to the company he walked out on in 2014.
WWE delivered everything fans could have wanted and then some, with both the men's and women's WarGames matches exceeding expectations and instantly ranking among the best it has produced.
From there, Orton's return was magical as Orton hit the ring and showed that raw energy (and the world's best snap powerslam) while joining Rhodes, Uso, Zayn and Rollins in dispatching The Judgment Day.
Then, Triple H and Co. masterminded the greatest surprise in modern wrestling history with the return of Punk, a moment that some will love and others will hate, but everyone will be talking about for a long time.
There may be other shows that were consistently better from top to bottom, but this was not only great between the ropes but also delivered the happenings fans demand from a PPV.
This was an easy 'A' all the way.
Grade: A
