WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2025 is now part of wrestling history. It was a historic occasion because the PLE took place in a stadium for the first time. Consequently, it also had the highest attendance figures with more than 46,000 screaming WWE fans packed inside Petco Park.
The show will also be remembered for featuring John Cena’s final match on PLE. On another note, Survivor Series 2025 also had one of the most star-studded Men’s WarGames matches in recent memory.
The initial reaction to the event is mixed. On that note, we will break down Survivor Series 2025 by listing the positives and negatives that emerged from the show.
Up: Not Using Shark Cages in the Wargames Matches Was an Understandable and Logical Decision
As many fans pointed out on social media, the WarGames matches didn’t feature the iconic shark cages on stage. In the past, the remaining members of the two teams were packed inside the cages, which opened at regular intervals. This year, however, WWE did something different.
WWE completely ditched the shark cages. Instead, as the timer went off, the theme song of the next competitor hit, and the wrestlers came out with their original entrances. Considering that Survivor Series 2025 had a small stage, there may not have been enough space to place two shark cages.
Secondly, it is essential to note the competitors and storyline dynamics this year. It’s an unusual sight to see Brock Lesnar team up with wrestlers he barely knows. But putting him in a small cage with them would’ve been more strange for his character. Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and Cody Rhodes clearly aren’t best friends. Restricting them to a cage wouldn’t have made much sense storyline-wise.
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Down: The Heels Lost Again in the Women’s Wargames Match
If one counts the Women’s WarGames match last night, the heel team has now lost for the fourth consecutive year. In fact, the villains are yet to win since the concept debuted on the main roster back at Survivor Series 2022.
It made sense for Team Becky Lynch to go over this year. The Man had a strong and well-balanced side with a fine mix of old blood and young talent. Lynch also could have gotten revenge on AJ Lee, who has made her life hell since returning in September.
Instead, WWE had Lynch tap out to AJ’s Black Widow. While this will inevitably set up a colossal bout between the two rivals, the former Women’s Intercontinental Champion could have used a win here.
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Up: John Cena’s Double Attitude Adjustment on Finn Balor and Jd McDonagh
Although fans may be upset with the outcome of John Cena’s final PLE match, they cannot deny the fact that they had fun watching “The Greatest of All Time” battle Dominik Mysterio at Survivor Series 2025. While his performance throughout the match was commendable, there was one moment that still has fans talking.
In true “Super Cena” fashion, John Cena simultaneously lifted The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor and JD McDonagh for potentially one last Double Attitude Adjustment. It was a brief moment of joy, but it certainly had the crowd on its feet. WWE had teased the Double AA throughout the year, and we finally got it at Survivor Series: WarGames.
Down: The Ending to John Cena’s Final Ple Match Felt a Little Nonsensical
Considering that WWE wanted John Cena to drop the Intercontinental Championship to Dominik Mysterio, there were bound to be some shenanigans, as Dom was never going to beat Cena clean in The Champ’s final PLE bout.
There was a ton of overbooking. A brilliantly executed shoulder injury scare allowed Raquel Rodriquiz and Roxanne Perez to attack Cena with their finishers and allow Dirty Dom to hit The Champ with the 619. As mentioned previously, The Judgment Day also got involved. However, the climax left a bitter taste in the mouth.
After months on the shelf due to injury, Liv Morgan returned. For a brief moment, it looked like she had turned on Dom and aligned with her childhood crush, John Cena. However, in a near-exact reiteration of Cena’s heel turn at Elimination Chamber 2025, Morgan struck Cena with the low blow, allowing her boyfriend to capitalize and win the match.
Considering that Cena had pulled off a similar move earlier this year, he should have seen this coming. The Never Seen 17 had already survived so many of Dom’s underhanded tactics, yet he fell for the cheapest.
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Up: Brock Lesnar Was Incredible in the Men’s Wargames Match
The Men’s WarGames match was primarily built around The Vision and Paul Heyman. Brock Lesnar was just a mercenary doing Heyman’s dirty work. Despite his limited role in the build, Lesnar still managed to walk out as the MVP of the Men’s WarGames match.
From ruining Jey Uso’s mid-match “Yeet” to obliterating Roman Reigns with the F5, Lesnar firmly turned the tide in favor of the heels. Although he didn’t get the pinfall, The Beast was responsible for neutralizing the threat posed by key players like Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns.
Down: WWE Could Have Done More Teases With the Men’s Wargames Match
The best part about the Men’s WarGames match is the way in which it can be used as a storytelling device. Who could ever forget Sami Zayn finally confirming his allegiance to Roman Reigns and betraying Kevin Owens at Survivor Series 2022? More recently, the friction between Reigns and CM Punk was integral to the Bloodline Civil War inside WarGames in 2024.
However, WWE dropped the ball this year. Roman Reigns is clearly going to face either Cody Rhodes or CM Punk at Mania, and they could have teased both inside WarGames. There was barely any interaction among the three top stars during the match. The night ended with handshakes, fistbumps, and the OTC telling Rhodes that they would never team again.
Considering the egos in the equation, more could and should have happened. No accidental finishers or bad mouthing took place, leaving fans desperate for more teases.
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