The road to WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2026 is shaping up to be an interesting one in light of recent events on Raw and SmackDown.
Crown Jewel is the next major event on Nov. 7, and what transpires there is sure to set the stage for Survivor Series at the end of the month. Three matches are currently confirmed for Crown Jewel and more are expected to be added over the next two weeks.
In the meantime, WWE is advertising several major matches for upcoming episodes of the red and blue brands including CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens and Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria in a No Disqualification match. The results of those bouts should have a direct impact on the build for Survivor Series as well.
With this being the time of year that WWE tends to phone in creatively, it's imperative that they heat up their programming in a major way and give viewers more of an incentive to tune in. Whether that means continuing certain feuds or starting new ones, the next month-plus of WWE TV must be meaningful to ensure the Thanksgiving week classic feels as special as it should be.
These are six predictions for the remainder of the road to Survivor Series: WarGames.
CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens Ends Without a Winner
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On the Oct. 23 edition of SmackDown, it was announced that CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens will take place on the final episode before Crown Jewel.
Although it would have been a logical addition to the event itself, it will also make for a marquee matchup in the main event of SmackDown, much like their original encounter back in August.
Punk and Owens have been at odds since soon after SummerSlam but have yet to settle their score decisively. Their upcoming clash set for SmackDown could be the blow-off, but more than likely, it will simply serve as the next chapter in their story.
Recently, Sami Zayn has been busy rekindling his rivalries with Roman Reigns and Trick Williams. As such, he hasn't been as involved in Punk and Owens' affairs as he was prior to Money in the Bank.
A Triple Threat between the three of them for the Undisputed WWE Championship should be the endgame at Survivor Series, and that can only happen if Punk and Owens' rematch ends without a proper finish.
WWE just did something similar with the Raw women's division, so it would hardly feel fresh, but neither Punk nor Owens should be losing their match.
Both should be in line for a title opportunity at Survivor Series, so perhaps Zayn can lay them both out to send a message to Reigns ahead of Crown Jewel and create the need for a Triple Threat that way.
Bayley Sets Sights on Women's World Championship
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Bayley and Lyra Valkyria's rivalry has lasted long enough, but thankfully it is expected to culminate when they collide in a No Disqualification match on Monday's Raw.
With Valkyria having won their first two encounters, Bayley looks like the logical pick to win the finale.
In theory, that should set up The Role Model for an opportunity at the Women's World Championship.
Of course, the odds of her actually taking the title from Liv Morgan at this stage are slim to none, but if nothing else, she'd be a credible challenger to keep the titleholder busy until Morgan's next major storyline, which should ideally be with Roxanne Perez.
The Judgment Day should be featured in the 2026 women's WarGames match, and Bayley should find herself among their opponents for the bout. A big win for the Grand Slam champion inside the double cage can put her in immediate championship contention.
Bayley's pursuit of the title will begin after she conquers Valkyria and shifts her focus back to holding gold again.
Oba Femi Resumes Rivalry with The Vision
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Oba Femi disposed of Bronson Reed with relative ease at Money in the Bank. On the subsequent Raw, he seemed to deny the assistance of Paul Heyman, who has been fixated on Femi since the two-time NXT champion retired his previous client, Brock Lesnar, at SummerSlam.
Heyman hasn't been officially aligned with The Vision in some time, but he could still send them to do his dirty work in the next week or two. Femi was absent from the Oct. 19 edition of Raw, so there's been no indication on what else could be next for him.
If The Ruler isn't going after the World Heavyweight Championship until closer to WrestleMania 43, the simplest solution would be to have him resume his rivalry with The Vision on the road to Survivor Series.
Femi may have beaten Reed clean, but he and Bron Breakker have unfinished business from Sunday Night's Main Event in early September. Regardless of who from The Vision he faces again, there aren't many other options for him to work with for the rest of 2026.
The Ruler stealing the tag titles from them could be an intriguing direction for him, potentially alongside Je'Von Evans, but another team should be back soon to do that instead.
The Street Profits Return to Target Tag Titles
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It's easy to forget The Street Profits have been away from WWE TV for almost four months. They haven't been seen since losing the World Tag Team Championship back to The Vision on the July 6 edition of Raw.
Although no reason has been reported for their extended absence, Ford and Dawkins should be brought back sooner rather than later.
Once they do resurface on Raw, they should pick up where they left off by targeting the tag titles.
It's not as if the red brand has much of a division to speak of, anyway. In fact, Bron Breakker and Austin Theory haven't defended the belts a single time on television since winning them.
Oba Femi is by no means in dire need of backup, but the Profits joining forces with him and Je'Von Evans to rid Raw of The Vision would be a fine use of all involved.
Tiffany Stratton Announces Money in the Bank Cash-In
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After enduring a scary fall at Money in the Bank but still managing to win the women's Money in the Bank ladder match, Tiffany Stratton resurfaced on SmackDown this past Friday to save Chelsea Green and Iyo Sky from The Judgment Day.
Stratton even teased cashing in her newly won briefcase on women's world champion Liv Morgan (much like she attempted to two years ago during her last stint as Ms. Money in the Bank). However, it couldn't be more obvious that she will eventually be cashing in on her new bestie Green.
The question is more how and when she intends to do it. Having her announce it ahead of time would be more effective than a surprise cash-in where it might be more ambiguous as to whether she was turning heel or not.
Stratton giving Green the chance to prepare for their title match would make Stratton's loss hit that much harder and serve as the perfect catalyst for her heel turn. Green still has a title defense scheduled against Nikki Bella for the Oct. 30 edition of SmackDown, so Stratton vs. Green shouldn't be until Survivor Series at the earliest.
Penta's Money in the Bank intentions are bound to remain a mystery for many more months, but Stratton's plans for the opportunistic contract should become clear extremely soon.
LA Knight Aligns with The 946
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WWE is establishing the field for this year's men's WarGames match more and more by the week, and the big brawl that closed out the Oct. 19 edition of Raw provided fans with what was essentially a sneak peek of what it will most likely look like.
The Bloodline's team is almost guaranteed to consist of Roman Reigns, The Usos, Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa while Royce Keys, OTM and Carmelo Hayes will make up The 946. If WWE sticks with the usual five-on-five format, The 946 will need one more person on their team, and LA Knight would be a better fit than anyone.
Coming off his loss to Reigns at Money in the Bank, he'll feel betrayed by Sikoa reuniting with The Bloodline, and in order to eliminate the group once and for all, he'll agree to team with The 946. He won't be deemed an actual member of The 946 but merely an ally in their war with The Bloodline.
If WWE has no plans for Knight to be a world champion anytime soon, then turning him heel would be a refreshing change for his character. This would keep him in the main event mix for at least a little while longer.
With just over a month left until Survivor Series, WWE has to keep the build to WarGames exciting, and incorporating Knight into the ongoing rivalry between The Bloodline and The 946 would accomplish just that.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.
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