Team Bianca def. Team Bayley – Women’s War Games Match
I’ve been watching some recent War Games matches in preparation for this, and I do recognize that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. For one, it can be very lazy and methodical. So if you don’t have the right crop of characters that can keep the crowd engaged, it can quickly lose steam fast.
This wasn’t my favorite WarGames match, but all 10 women put in a pretty good, physical effort all things considered. There were some well-done high spots, some good double team moves, and a good job incorporating the use of weapons in such a confined space.
One thing I must say is that I’m not sure what the thinking is in terms of the booking with Damage Cntrl. Kai and SKY winning the tag titles aside, Damage Cntrl has been on the losing end a lot, aside from Clash at the Castle. Having a new faction lose that much from the outset can be deflating, and since there’s no more PPV’s for the rest of the year, there won’t be a big stage for them to reclaim another huge victory for quite a while. We’ll see what the rest of 2022 holds for them, but for now, this was a well-worked, physical (albeit a bit long), match. ***3/4
AJ Styles def. Finn Balor
Ever since their impromptu PPV match at TLC 2017 that wasn’t supposed to happen, fans had to wait half a decade for the rematch on a big PPV stage, and I think it more or less delivered in terms of quality. Styles and Balor were faced with the unenviable task of being in the death slot. A match proceeding a nearly hour long Wawr Games match is a hard task for any two competitors. But for two as seasoned as AJ and Finn, they welcomed the challenge, and I believed they delivered a great match.
I think it took a while for them to find their mojo, but they were able to get into a great rhythm once both external parties decided to start fighting each other in the crowd. The reversals, Balor’s selling of his lower body, and the seamless transitions all made this a high quality showing from two of WWE’s steady performers. I’m not sure I’m a fan of Balor taking singles losses to both Seth and AJ in close proximity with each other when he’s supposed to be the leader of Judgement Day, but I’m not mad at it. AJ is still a high caliber performer, and he’s been in need of some major momentum for a while ever since his feud with Edge. This was a refreshing matchup, and one I hope we see more of down the line. ****
Ronda Rousey (C) def. Shotzi – SmackDown Women’s Championship
Not much substance to this match. This was Shotzi’s biggest match of her young career so far. A singles championship match against at a big 4 PPV against a draw in the women’s division. She did relatively okay, but it is quite clear she’s a tier or two below the upper level workers. I think she may be more or less in the same place Liv Morgan was before she won Money In The Bank and learning the intricacies of singles competition. She did relatively well, but the outcome of this match was a foregone conclusion. Shayna Baszler’s presence didn’t really add anything. **1/4
Austin Theory def. Seth Rollins (C) and Bobby Lashley – United States Championship
I though this was an excellent segway into the main event and was a very well structured triple threat match with spots that showcased the best that all three had to offer. Theory’s athleticism and opportunistic nature, Seth’s athleticism and Bobby’s power all made for a great match and a creative finish that more or less protects all three men for the most part.
The decision to put the title back on Theory after losing MITB makes sense in lieu of his new attitude. He won by a fluke, but he won nonetheless and he’s a champion once again. I loved Seth holding the title for the simple fact that he had the ability to elevate it, but someone of his caliber doesn’t need a singles championship at this stage of his career, and the same can be said for Bobby.
Theory winning the championship without the MITB briefcase means that he can finally have his head clear about not having to worry about cashing in the briefcase. A well done triple threat that kept me engaged. ****
The Bloodline def. Kevin Owens, Sheamus, Drew McIntyre and the Brawling Brutes
This match was simply about Sami Zayn, Jey Uso and Kevin Owens. Everyone else were essentially fill-in characters to carry the match along. While the first War Games matched emphasized more physicality and spots with weapons. This one was more about the storytelling, and it was done in a very magnificent way. Sami Zayn played interference for the Bloodline, even when he was on the opposite end of an errant superkick by The Usos. The question of who he would pledge his loyalty was a question that gradually got hints throughout the match until the moment of truth came when Kevin Owens had Reigns pinned before Sami stopped the count, and when presented with a choice, he delivered a low blow to his former best friend and is now a full-time, no longer honorary Uce.
It was very entertaining to see the match reach its zenith when the moment of truth came and the culmination of months of dishonesty and distrust came when Zayn chose his allegiance with the Bloodline. Sami Zayn’s story is one of the most well-done storylines in all of 2022 across any professional wrestling company, and with this being the final PPV of 2022, this gives plenty of time to relax before the big storylines on the road to WrestleMania 39 begin. Sami is white hot with the crowd right now, and the moment he turns on The Bloodline, it will result in one of the biggest reactions in recent WWE memory. That’s why this moment was necessary. And I can’t wait to see how this story ends. ****1/4
Conclusion:
Survivor Series 2022 was pretty much a “get to the point” PPV. Two War Games matches, two title matches, and a singles match between two talented competitors and everything either delivered or accomplished its purpose. While it’s not the best showing on WWE this year, 4 out of the 5 matches bordered around the **** area, which means this PPV gets an easy thumbs up for me. Believe it or not, the road to WrestleMania 39 is already right around the corner, and the storylines are just getting started. Thumbs up for Surivor Series 2022.
