WWE Survivor Series 2023 review: CM Punk stuns in WWE’s last and best event of the year!

Ahead of Survivor Series this year, we already knew last year’s successful use of the legendary War Games matches would be back, but this year’s show had so much more about it than just that. Rumours swirling, long-running stories concluding, a diverse card showcasing a wide array of talents. No doubt about it, WWE’s last PLE of 2023 and the second longest running event in WWE history had a lot going on this year.

So, who survived War Games? Who won/retained gold? Who, if anyone, returned? Did the show have a straight edge to it? Here is what went down this last Saturday in Chicago…

1. Women’s War Games Match

Damage Ctrl (Bayley, Asuke, Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky) vs. Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and Shotzi

The women’s War Games match kicked off the show and did so in tremendous style. This match was anarchic, exciting, daredevil entertainment at its finest. A match that thrived on the tensions going in: could Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair co-exist anymore? Would Bayley be left out in the cold by her teammates? Well, if anything, across this war, the strength of the teams was most important actually, as these women just delivered pure glorious chaos. Introducing weapons early and often (with each entrant every few minutes adding more), we saw everyone get a moment to shine. Shotzi took some nasty knocks in there and kept swinging. Iyo Sky innovatively got Dakota Kai to deliver her a weapon atop the cage and did a jaw dropping trash can coated dive onto everyone. Bianca Belair and her duel-braids whipped up the competition. Bayley was her team’s MVP, taking shots for people and saving the match time and time again. Kairi Sane looked great in her return. While Asuke misted people while also getting a dose herself from a fire extinguisher in an inspired visual spot. Charlotte did a cage top moonsault. And Becky got the win with a manhandle slam through a table off the second rope on Bayley for the win. What a match this was. A brutal, exciting, inventive start to the show which set the bar high early on for the night! I was so engaged with this, I didn’t even notice the match was sponsored by Ruffles. Darn these sponsored match deals!

Backstage Otis, Maxxine Dupri and Akira Tozawa of the Alpha Academy were enjoying some Ruffles alongside Women’s Tag Team Champions Chelsea Green and Piper Niven, when Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince and Kit Wilson) arrived and got in a fight over the fact they call them crisps not – as Otis said – chips. I mean Deadly were right. Anyway, after a long absence our old friend R-Truth returned in this segment, and tried to calm the situation and keep the peace, as Tozawa did a little dance…”the ruffle shuffle”. Pure silliness of course but happy to see Truth back!    

Backstage Sami Zayn and Jey Uso expressed concern at Randy Orton not being at the arena yet for the War Games match later.

2. WWE Intercontinental Championship Match

Gunther (c) vs. The Miz

This Intercontinental Championship match in Gunther’s historic reign a few months ago would have been cut and dry squash on Raw but in the build up both guys did a fantastic job of setting this match up and The Miz. The Miz was out to prove to Gunther that he was not a clown entertainer and could take him down, while the champion aimed to bully Miz as he “deserved”. Gunther’s all round game keeps improving and The Miz is rarely given his dues in the ring but this was a fantastic match. They did a great job of telling a tory of a man standing up for himself and showing an unstoppable champion that on any given night, anyone can fall. However, on this night, despite them convincing me it might actually happen after that low blow assisted near fall, Gunther would not be stopped, submitting Miz with a Boston Crab with knee submission for the win, in a hard fought match, where Miz delivered a great performance and both guys told a fab story.

Backstage The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh and Finn Balor laugh about Randy Orton being the poison that will allow them to win, Priest says he’ll go talk to Drew McIntyre about the new plan.

3. Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar

Originally slated as Carlito vs. Santos Escobar and built around Santos’ turning on Rey Mysterio and leaving the LWO, this match had a bit of heat behind it, and Santos has done good work as a solo heel act so far. But when he took Carlito out on Smackdown, lucha prodigy and Mysterio fan Dragon Lee stepped up and here we are with this match. Two former NXT stars with a nice spotlight on the show, and I really enjoyed this. Fast-paced and well wrestled, with Santos and Dragon Lee getting the crowd invested in the match and the commentary really helped put the guys over too. In the end Santos got a nice sole PLE win with a Phantom driver for the pin on Lee.

A Slim Jim advert aired paying tribute to the late great Macho Man Randy Savage and starring LA Knight. Back at the arena, The New Day’s Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston arrived at the arena in a Slim Jim sports car. Eagle eyed viewers might have noticed Drew McIntyre talking with Damian Priest in background, the talk seemed a tad tense.

4. WWE Women’s World Championship Match

Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Zoey Stark

I had an absolute ball with this match. Both entered with their war paint (literally), Rhea Ripley looked particularly great, while Zoey Stark had some Kane like stripes painted on her face. This was a proper old fashioned title bout fight and both brought it in a hard hitting contest. They slowly got the audience onboard (who were hot for Mami), and I enjoyed every minute. Stark looked fantastic and is really developing as a competitor and Ripley was her usual brilliant self. The final sequence saw Ripley counter the Z-360 before delivering a headbutt and then hitting a Riptide for the victory. This was a cracking match and Rhea’s reign continues to be an impressive one.

Backstage Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso and Seth “Freakin” Rollins were in a panic in the locker room about Randy Orton not being there yet. Cody assured that Orton would be there. Time to go to war.

5. Men’s War Games Match

The Judgment Day (Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor, JD McDonagh) and Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Sami Zayn and Randy Orton

This match was far more entrenched in story and was better for it. Starting with an intense stare-down between teammates Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest, and continuing with Randy Orton’s whereabouts and questions of whether he would show and if so, how would he be? There were of course many spots and weapons involved (including a Texas Bull Rope, a nice tribute to the match’s legendary creator Dusty Rhodes), and lots of multi-man action and it was quite the battle. The tides of momentum kept turning all the way through. Though, in the end, when Team Judgment Day looked to have the babyfaces on the ropes, Rhea Ripley ran out with the briefcase ready for a cash in on a prone Rollins, but out came Randy Orton and the War Games could officially begin. It was all out war among these long-feuding players and eventually the good guys got the upper hand, when McDonagh was launched off the cage top and hit in mid air with a beautiful RKO. As Rhodes hit the Cross Rhodes on Priest for the win overall. This was excellent, well structured and every guy had a part to play in the fabric of the match. So a great end to a great night right? Right?

The Cult of Personality!

Just as the victors raised their hands in victory and the show’s watermark appeared (Triple H you sly swine you!), Living Colour’s “Cult of Personality” hit and the crowd absolutely erupted. CM Punk was here, he was back, and walked out onto the stage celebrating with the elated Chicago crowd. Hell has indeed frozen over, and when you say never say never, this really proves that first NEVER is definite! 9 long years after last appearing in WWE, The Straight Edge Superstar was back home and this return naturally has sent the internet into meltdown! Welcome back CM Punk! This was an incredible final point to the night and certified this show’s status as the best WWE has delivered in 2023!

Overall, Survivor Series was the best show WWE has done all year. Even before that epic return at the end it was the case, but with it, this PLE’s success was certified. The talk post-event has been the most excited we have seen WWE fans in some time, probably since Bray Wyatt returned last year, and what with Drew’s walkout angle and the seeds planted for Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk already with that angry fan caught video, we may be on the cusp of a new era in WWE here. And I am excited to see what comes next.

Next up, we will be in January, in a new year, and maybe with that new era in full swing, for one of the most exciting times of the year in the Royal Rumble. The Road to WrestleMania looms folks! See you in 2024…it looks like it’s clobberin’ time!