Randy Orton will return to WWE for the first time since April 2022 at Survivor Series. (Credit: AMER … [+]
WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2023 has big stars across the card, and this year’s event has some big shoes to fill, too.
The 2022 Survivor Series was the most successful event in its storied history, smashing a number of records that included the highest viewership and live gate. It may not be easy for WWE to shatter those records again, but with two highly anticipated WarGames matches, it’s certainly possible.
WWE has done a stellar job of building up virtually every match on this year’s card, and its biggest bout will feature Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, Randy Orton and Seth Rollins forming one of the most stacked teams in WarGames history. Survivor Series is the last stop before Royal Rumble and should set the wheels in motion for WrestleMania season.
With Triple H at the helm of WWE’s creative team, the company’s storytelling is headed in the right direction and can keep it going with these booking movies at Survivor Series WarGames 2023.
Santos Escobar Cheats To Defeat Dragon Lee
With Rey Mysterio undergoing knee surgery and set to miss a couple months of action, WWE used Mysterio’s absence to turn Santos Escobar heel. It’s already working extremely well, too.
Escobar followed up that turn with a great promo on last week’s SmackDown that has instantly transformed him into a loathed villain. WWE originally penciled in Escobar vs. Carlito at Survivor Series but did an injury angle on SmackDown that led to SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis replacing Carlito with Dragon Lee.
The long-term goal for the Mysterio-Escobar feud is reportedly a group vs. group rivalry, and it now appears that Mysterio, Lee and Carlito will feud with Escobar’s squad. With Lee set up to be a protege of sorts for Mysterio, it’s difficult to imagine him taking the loss at Survivor Series.
Yet, the same is true of Escobar. With Lee unlikely to lose clean and Escobar needing to further cement himself as a heel, the best outcome at Survivor Series is for Escobar to cheat to win. That way, this rivalry can continue while Lee remains protected as he has been thus far since being called up from NXT.
Rhea Ripley And Gunther Retain WWE Titles In Dominant Fashion
At Survivor Series WarGames, Rhea Ripley will defend her Women’s World Championship against relative Raw newcomer Zoey Stark. Gunther, meanwhile, will put his Intercontinental title on the line against The Miz, who recently turned babyface.
Are there any matches at Survivor Series with a more obvious outcome than these two? Certainly not. Gunther continues to be the best IC champ of the modern era while Ripley appears destined for a WrestleMania 40 match against Becky Lynch. Of course, that means that both Ripley and Gunther are the overwhelming favorites, as even the betting odds indicate.
Neither outcome should be in doubt. Ripley should dispose of Stark in a very quick encounter while Gunther should put away Miz relatively easily as well.
Bayley Is Ousted From Damage CTRL After Losing WarGames Match
Bayley may be the unofficial leader of Damage CTRL, but her time is running out.
With Asuka and Kairi Sane recently joining the stable and tensions among the group being teased over the past several weeks, it’s clear where this is—or at least should be—headed. Bayley is going to be ousted from the group and turn babyface in the process, becoming a fan favorite for the first time since 2019.
While Bayley has been great as a heel, she could benefit from a character refresh. At Survivor Series when she teams with Asuka, Sane and Iyo Sky in a WarGames match against Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair and Shotzi, the star-studded babyface squad should pick up the win by pinning Bayley.
Then, that should pave the way for the rest of Damage CTRL to oust Bayley from the group, which would spiral into a number of compelling storylines in SmackDown’s women’s division.
Randy Orton Turns Heel
Much like the women’s WarGames match, the men’s WarGames bout features a loaded babyface team that features arguably the four most popular stars in the men’s division: Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn and Jey Uso. It will also now feature a returning Randy Orton, who’s coming back after being out of action since April 2022.
That makes it difficult to envision the babyfaces losing to a heel team led by Judgment Day that doesn’t pack quite the same star power punch. Yet, that is precisely what needs to happen. Drew McIntyre has been reinvigorated thanks to his recent heel turn, and with his contract situation up in the air, WWE may need to entice him to stay.
McIntyre himself should get the win for heel squad—but not without a little help. What better way for McIntyre to win than by getting an assist from Orton? While Orton is sure to get a hero’s welcome after such a lengthy hiatus, he’s much better as a heel, and if he turns on one of his fellow babyfaces to help the heel side win, he will give Raw another top heel, alongside Gunther and McIntyre, that it desperately needs.
Damian Priests Successfully Cashes In WWE Money In The Bank
It’s officially time for Damian Priest to cash in his WWE Money in the Bank briefcase.
Whether Priest will do successfully or not remains to be seen, but as many critics have pointed out, Seth Rollins’ run as World Heavyweight Champion hasn’t exactly been epic. Even though that might not change with Priest, a relatively unproven main eventer as champion, WWE officials reportedly view him as a top star.
Why not finally go all in on him then? As the Judgment Day continues to show signs of an impending implosion, Priest could be turning babyface, so it would make sense for his fellow Judgment Day members to turn on him out of jealousy if he becomes world champion.
Given that WarGames figures to be a brutal match that could leave Rollins vulnerable, Survivor Series is the ideal time and place for Priest to cash in—and do so successfully.
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