WWE.com and Pat McAfee Show contributor Mark Kaboly gives his predictions for Survivor Series:WarGames which will be broadcasted live from Petco Park in San Diego, Calif., on Saturday at 7 ET/4PT on the ESPN app in the United States and Netflix internationally.
Women’s War Games Match
AJ Lee, Rhea Ripley, IYO SKY, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch, Asuka, Kairi Zane, Nia Jax, Lash Legend
The Women’s Survivor Series: WarGames match has a lot of moving parts that truly make this one a toss-up. But man, when you look at Team Rhea and the talent is oozing out of every corner that may be the best collection of women wrestlers we’ve ever seen in the event. You can make an argument that Lee, Ripley, SKY, Flair, and Bliss are all on the fast track to the WWE Hall of Fame, and they are all together on one team for WarGames. But we all know how that goes in sports entertainment. Just when you think the WWE is going to zig, they zag. Just when you think you have it figured out, you don’t. Still, by talent and experience, you cannot convince me that ‘good guys’ aren’t going to make short work of their opponents. But nothing is that simple and there are more than their share of roadblocks that might pop up. Charlotte made it known that she’s not a big fan of Rhea Ripley (that’s an issue). Bliss might still be grumpy about Charlotte originally turning her back on her (that might be an issue). Whatever it might be, it still has nothing on what Lynch has transformed herself into ever since losing the Intercontinental title. She’s unhinged and especially when it comes to AJ, and she’s also unhinged when it comes to referee Jessika Carr. Becky can’t let that one go and it might come full circle at WarGames. I find it difficult to convince myself that something that ‘The Man’ does or does not do costs her team the win.
Prediction: Team Rhea defeats Team Becky
Intercontinental Championship
John Cena (c) vs. Dom Mysterio
Cena losing the penultimate match of his career just doesn’t seem probable or possible. Also, Cena taking the Intercontinental Championship into next month’s Saturday Night’s Main Event – the final match of his career — doesn’t seem realistic either. But those are just details. Cena’s three-match series with ‘Dirty Dom’ has not only been interesting but beneficial to one of the top up-and-comers in the company. Whether or not Cena wins or not is secondary to me because, regardless of what happens in the final match, Cena gave Dom a gift that he will look back on 20 years from now and appreciate more than ever. Still, there has to be a winner, and a little part of me is thinking that Rey Mysterio could get involved. I find it hard to believe that Rey will backstab Cena as much as he might help his son. To me, I don’t want to see any outside interference in Cena’s second-to-last match. It would, to me, cheapen it, so it’s going to be decided fair and square.
Prediction: John Cena defeats Dom Mysterio.
Women’s World Championship
Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Nikki Bella
Vaquer dropping her title after a little more than two months after winning it seems unlikely. Bella returned to the ring five months ago with one thing in mind – winning the Women’s World Championship, even if that meant backstabbing her way to the opportunity. Bella deserves a PLE match with the title on the line, but straight up, there is no way she can and will beat Vaquer in my eyes. I am all for some ‘Twin Magic’ with Brie Bella returning to do some old-school work on Vaquer. I wouldn’t expect that to happen although I sure wouldn’t oppose it.
Prediction: Stephanie Vaquer defeats Nikki Bella
Men’s WarGames Match
Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso vs. Brock Lesnar, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, Drew McIntyre with Paul Heyman
Near the end of Raw on Monday, Lesnar, Breaker, Reed, Paul, and McIntyre stood outside the ring looking at their opponents, and Joe Tessitore ripped off a line that what this men’s War Games match – at least on one side — is all about. “The sheer size and power and danger …” There are some big, nasty boys that Heyman has assembled for his WarGames team that even Superstars that include some of the most decorated in the business on the other side seem overmatched. Add that to what sure feels like a loose alliance between a group that has pretty much beef with everybody on their squad with the faces, and Team Heyman has the decisive advantage. Let’s face it, the ‘good guys’ hate each other, and that’s pretty much what has gone on for a year now. Punk and Cody don’t see eye-to-eye; Roman and Cody and Punk and Roman have had their issues as well. Jey Uso has been flirting with turning on everybody and anybody, including his brother. It’s going to take more than Reigns’ hatred of Heyman and Reed to push the faces into the win column. Now. I’d love to say that there is going to be some monumental and altering turn that highlights this matchup, but other than maybe McIntyre being ruled ineligible because he violated his suspension terms (Heyman wasn’t going to highlight that on Raw just for fun and games, I’m thinking), for it not to come into play. Now, there are a ton of interesting side stories that can come out of this, but nothing associated with this match tells me that good guys will prevail.
Prediction: Team Heyman defeats Team Cody
