Saturday, December 14, 2024

2024 WWE Survivor Series: WarGames predictions, card, PPV preview, start time, matches, expert picks

2024 WWE Survivor Series: WarGames predictions, card, PPV preview, start time, matches, expert picks

One of WWE’s biggest annual events returns on Saturday when Survivor Series: WarGames goes down from Rogers Arena in Vancouver. The card is stacked with a pair of WarGames matches and three title bouts.

Much of Saturday’s attention will be focused on the men’s WarGames match, which see’s Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline team with Bronson Reed to take on the “Original Bloodline” of Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, and Sami Zayn, with the team recently adding CM Punk as their fifth member.

That match is just the latest step in the years-long saga of The Bloodline, which has dominated WWE programming dating back to the empty arena days of 2020’s Thunderdome.

The women will also take part in a WarGames match that will see Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Naomi, Iyo Sky and Bayley take on the team of Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Nia Jax, Tiffany Stratton and Candice LeRae.

Add in a world heavyweight championship match between Gunther and Damian Priest, Bron Breakker defending his intercontinental championship against Ludwig Kaiser and Seamus, and a United States championship match with champion LA Knight defending against Shinsuke Nakamura, and WWE has laid the groundwork for a memorable evening.

Let’s take a look at who the CBS Sports experts are picking to win in each match on Saturday’s card, which streams live on Peacock at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday.

WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 predictions

Men’s WarGames Match: Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Sami Zayn & CM Punk vs. Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa & Bronson Reed

I’m not sure how WWE will justify it, but I think Paul Heyman betrays Reigns. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s abandoned a client. I’m probably reading into things too much, but the wink he gave Jimmy Uso and his Sikoa-inspired suit make me think the fix is in. The Bloodline isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so it behooves creative to side with the fresh, tightly-knit unit. Pick: Sikoa’s Bloodline wins — Shakiel Mahjouri

The correct story beat here is for Sikoa’s squad to get the win. Reigns’ side should be chasing and chasing until we finally hit Reigns in full underdog mode when he goes one-on-one with Sikoa. That said, a team with Reigns, the Usos, Zayn and Punk is pretty stacked and set up in a way that feels like more of a “send the fans home happy” situation than to simply hit the right next point in the story. Add in that Sikoa’s team already got the win in the six-man tag match at Crown Jewel and WWE’s love of 50/50 booking and we’ll roll with the “Original Bloodline” to emerge with the win. Pick: Reigns’ Bloodline wins — Brent Brookhouse

Women’s WarGames Match: Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Naomi, Iyo Sky & Bayley vs. Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Nia Jax, Tiffany Stratton & Candice LeRae

This women’s WarGames match exists for two reasons: to give the women a branded match, and to give a swath of top performers time on a major pay-per-view. Morgan and Jax have gotten the best of their rivals lately, so this seems like a good, low-stakes way to give the fan favorites a win. For that reason, I’ll side with the heroes. Pick: Ripley, Belair, Naomi, Sky & Bayley — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

World Heavyweight Championship: Gunther (c) vs. Damian Priest

WWE has done a really good job telling this story, with Priest actually seeming to have Gunther shook by his calm confidence. Gunther has also seemed to be flirting with a turn to the babyface side. As good as the promos have been from Priest, it’s borderline unimaginable that WWE would flip the title from Gunther back to Priest so soon. There’s been plenty of drama in the lead-up to this match, but there is no drama in who will walk away from Survivor Series with the title. Pick: Gunther retains the title — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

Intercontinental Championship: Bron Breakker (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser

Breakker should win. He almost certainly will win. But WWE has a chance to pay off the idea of Sheamus winning the one belt that has eluded him his entire career without doing any damage to Breakker. Personally, I like the idea of the intercontinental title moving around frequently for a while, especially after so many lengthy title reigns in recent WWE history. Sheamus could pick up the win by pinning Kaiser, leading to Breakker needing to chase the belt again and with the fuel that he wasn’t even the man who was pinned to lose it. For once, we’re going with a pick of what we would like to see over what we think we will see. Pick: Sheamus wins the title — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

United States Championship: LA Knight (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

It gives me no pleasure to say that Knight’s U.S. title reign has mostly been filler. There’s maybe no greater example than Nakamura returning from a seven-month absence and being immediately inserted into a title program with a one-week build. Knight has been underutilized as a champion, but that’s a problem for management to solve. Knight should win this one. Pick: LA Knight retains the title — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

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