1 week Ago By Kevin Berge
The card for Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 is beginning to become clear, with both men's and women's same-titled matches taking shape over the course of the November 11 edition of WWE Raw. One man needs to be added for each side of the men's WarGames match. Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa both offered an opportunity to join the fight to Seth Rollins.
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair successfully defended the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Iyo Sky and Naomi joined the fight afterward to help The Storm and The EST of WWE, while Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton helped the women's world champion and her closest ally. Dakota Kai returned to action to help Damage CTRL take down Pure Fusion Collective.
Xavier Woods tried to help Kofi Kingston beat Pete Dunne. Instead, the distraction cost Kingston the match, and The New Day continues to fall apart. This week's Raw set the stage for a potentially exciting Survivor Series on November 30, though only time will tell if this is the right path forward.
Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez hoped to capture the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships on Monday, but instead created new enemies in Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill and Naomi. It looks like the battle lines have been drawn. Morgan and Rodriguez will work with Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton while The Storm, The EST, The Glow and Iyo Sky contest them.
If the women's WarGames match is going to feature five wrestlers each, one woman has yet to be determined for each side. Rhea Ripley would make the most sense if healthy to join the faces, but Bayley would also be an easy add. The heel side does not have a clear standout, so Chelsea Green, Piper Niven, Shayna Baszler or Ivy Nile might get a quick push into the spot.
The talent is strong, but the story is lacking, especially next to the heavily built Bloodline drama. WWE should have done so much more work to sell this contest months ago, and stakes need to be added to warrant the contest at all. Dakota Kai's return brings Damage CTRL back to the forefront, even without Asuka.
Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane and Kai stand among the most talented trios in all of WWE. There is no reason to wait for The Empress of Tomorrow to return for a major push. The Genius of the Sky has been, arguably, the best wrestler in the women's division in 2024.
She is ready to take the Women's World Championship. Sane and Kai should focus on the tag team division or the new Women's United States Championship. It is particularly time to see what Kai can do with a spotlight.
Her injury woes have delayed her ascent, but the women's division needs a fresh talent with major upside. Damage CTRL should be seen once again as WWE's most dominant female stable. The Bloodline WarGames match will be the most important contest of Survivor Series, and anyone involved will get a major spotlight.
However, this should not excuse adding Seth Rollins to the match when the story makes little sense. The Visionary is one of WWE's best role players, and he's building an exciting rivalry with Bronson Reed that could make it to Survivor Series on its own. It would make more sense for the two to finish their rivalry at the show in a stipulation match that can elevate Mr.
Nice Guy to the next level. Meanwhile, the men's WarGames match would be more interesting with names such as Bron Breakker, Drew McIntyre, LA Knight, Motor City Machine Guns, DIY and/or The Street Profits involved. They all would benefit more from the spotlight and have a more relevant story in The Bloodline angle that hasn't yet been explored.
Long-term stories have major value, but not every story has the necessary depth to go long. This latest New Day angle has run out of juice. Xavier Woods is clearly ready to go full heel and break out as a solo act.
Kofi Kingston refuses to accept his dastardly behavior, even though New Day has never been a group that only leaned good. Either Woods and Kingston cannot work together anymore, or the latter needs to embrace the former's new attitude. No matter what, the resolution is necessary sooner than later.
This cannot be Chad Gable vs. Otis all over again, running on fumes until WWE loses interest in delivering a satisfying conclusion for the drama. The conclusion will likely come at the 10-year anniversary celebration that Raw general manager Adam Pearce recently teased.
Until that time, Woods and Kingston need to do more than just lose and bicker. Hopefully, Woods can start picking up some victories over credible opponents while Kingston turns his focus elsewhere, perhaps working with a new tag team partner..
