It never rains in Southern California — or so the song says — until WWE brings Survivor Series to Petco Park, an open-air stadium.
Last week, a series of storms brought steady, sometimes heavy showers across
the region, making this one of the ten rainiest Novembers on record for America’s Finest City.
While San Diegans can expect a brief break over Thanksgiving, fans heading to Survivor Series may be in for what announcer Wade Barrett would call “bad news.”
According to the Weather Channel, the early forecast isn’t encouraging. Saturday will be mostly cloudy with a few afternoon showers. Saturday night will remain cloudy with occasional showers and a 40% chance of rain.
Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, preparations for the massive event have been in full swing. Last week, construction began at Petco Park as crews readied the field for WWE’s fall classic. By week’s end, crews raised the canopy that will cover the two rings set for WarGames.
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It’s unclear how the weather will affect Survivor Series, though history provides at least one guide. In 2021, WWE delayed the start of WrestleMania 37 as a storm passed through Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The event eventually went on without further issues — an outcome San Diego fans will be hoping for when the action hits the ring.
A Dark Cloud Over John Cena’s Final PLE
With bad weather looming over Survivor Series, it serves as a fitting metaphor for John Cena as he prepares to face a dark cloud in Dominik Mysterio.
Last Monday on Raw, Mysterio interrupted Cena’s promo, upset that Cena had surprised him the week before by winning the Intercontinental Championship in Cena’s hometown of Boston.
Cena, whose motto is “If you want some, come get some,” threw down the challenge to “El Sucio.” Mysterio accepted, but only on his terms. After facing Cena in his hometown, Mysterio insisted that the rematch take place on his home turf, San Diego, at Survivor Series.
Cena, naturally, accepted, and the match was made official. Cena, nearing the end of his farewell tour, is expected to receive a warm welcome from San Diegans at his final premium live event. But it will be interesting to see how that compares to the support Mysterio receives in his hometown.
The prospect of Mysterio defeating Cena in his final PLE on California soil could disappoint Cena’s fans. However, home viewers shouldn’t be surprised if the crowd explodes for Mysterio should he pull off an upset.
In its sports history, San Diego has never produced a World Series, NBA, or Super Bowl champion. If local boy Dom wins a major title from a wrestling legend, the historic Gaslamp Quarter could erupt in the biggest celebration San Diego has ever seen.
Championship Conundrum
After Nikki Bella ended her months-long friendship with Stephanie Vaquer two weeks ago on Raw, Bella continued her campaign against the Women’s World Champion.
Last Monday, she ambushed Vaquer as the champ came out to cut a promo. As Vaquer recovered, Bella hovered over her and talked trash. As a result, a title match between the two was made official for Survivor Series.
At first glance, this seems like a sure win for Vaquer. WWE has booked her strongly, having her win both of NXT’s women’s titles and the World Title. She was also booked over Tiffany Stratton at Crown Jewel, who had been red-hot all year.
Meanwhile, Bella has been winless since August. Her previous bid to capture a title fell short when she lost to then Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch at Clash In Paris. Despite making a comeback this year, Bella is near the end of her career, and her role seems to be elevating the current women’s roster.
Yet, a challenge arises in booking the finish. A win by Vaquer in a one-and-done scenario would diminish Bella’s credibility, while a loss by “La Primera” would hurt her momentum. With no one poised to challenge Vaquer after Survivor Series, a finish designed to keep Bella strong and extend this program seems likely.
In the End, Flair Was There
As predicted in last week’s Survivor Series preview, Charlotte Flair is poised to be the breakout star in the women’s WarGames match.
On Raw, Alexa Bliss expressed disappointment that Flair had chosen not to team with her, Rhea Ripley, and Iyo Sky inside WarGames due to a grudge against Ripley. Then, as Nia Jax, Lash Legend, and the Kabuki Warriors surrounded Bliss, Sky and Ripley tried to intervene but failed.
Facing a 2-on-1 beatdown, Bliss was ultimately saved by Flair. Then, on SmackDown, Flair put aside her differences with Ripley to join Bliss in WarGames against Jax, Legend, and the Warriors.
As Flair and her teammates introduced AJ Lee as their fifth partner, their opponents attacked them, with Becky Lynch blindsiding Lee as she dashed to the ring. Lynch then shook hands with Asuka at the end of the show, confirming her spot on the heels’ team.
Despite that setback, Flair is still positioned to be a hero. This week on SmackDown, she will face Asuka to determine which team gets the “man advantage” in WarGames. A win would further her redemption tour and make her team the favorites in San Diego.
The Biggest WarGames Match in WWE history
Following the dramatic returns of Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar on Raw, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque made the main event for Survivor Series official, calling it “the biggest WarGames match in WWE history.”
CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, and the Usos will battle Brock Lesnar, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Drew McIntyre, and Logan Paul inside the double steel cage.
The match features six former or current world champions, including Lesnar, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion, five WrestleMania headliners, and the Usos, the most decorated tag team in WWE history.
Arguably the most star-studded WarGames since its inception in 1987, tensions escalated last week in a show-closing brawl on Raw that saw Reigns and Rhodes attacking “New York City police officers.”
Four days later on SmackDown, McIntyre appeared to have attacked Rhodes on Rhodes’ tour bus, leaving him bloodied. Undeterred, Rhodes struck back, costing Bronson Reed his match against Carmelo Hayes in the John Cena “Last Time is Now Tournament.”
As Petco Park readies for fireworks, they are set to explode once all ten men enter the ring. With betrayal in the air, surprises may await as the match heads toward the finish.
How to Watch
Survivor Series: WarGames streams on the ESPN app in the U.S. and on Netflix internationally on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. It will also be shown in select movie theaters nationwide, with tickets available on Fandango.
Fans heading to San Diego for Thanksgiving are in luck, as good seats remain with prices under $120, according to Ticketmaster.
