San Diego, host of this year’s Survivor Series, is known for its world-famous zoo, stunning beaches, and historic Old Town. But it’s the city’s iconic landmark, the Coronado Bridge — which links San Diego to the picturesque island of Coronado — that serves as a fitting metaphor for this year’s fall classic.
The 39th annual Survivor Series is poised to become the bridge to next year’s ultimate destination: Las Vegas and WrestleMania 42. For most of the spring and summer, the road to Vegas looked set.
But after Seth Rollins suffered a shoulder injury, WWE was forced to reroute, creating an opening for new talent to shine and a chance to revive a storyline that once propelled the company to unprecedented heights.
The Word of the Day is Betrayal
In its trailer hyping Survivor Series: WarGames, a series of words flashed across the screen:
Conflict, chaos, control, sacrifice, betrayal, reckoning.
Most of these words reinforce the drama fans expect to see. But “betrayal” stands out. Unlike the others, it isn’t guaranteed — yet WWE is presenting it as if it were, hinting at a twist that could shape the months ahead.
Last week, the first four names for each team in the men’s WarGames match were revealed: World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, and Jey and Jimmy Uso will face The Vision’s Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, and Drew McIntyre.
This match weaves together several ongoing storylines. Since WrestleMania 41, The Vision — formerly led by Seth Rollins — has been a thorn in the side of Punk, the Usos, and their cousin Roman Reigns. Following SummerSlam, Rhodes has been targeted by Drew McIntyre in his pursuit of the WWE Championship.
But Rollins, who had been on a collision course with Reigns for next year’s WrestleMania, suffered a shoulder injury, forcing WWE to adjust its plans, with Logan Paul stepping in as a substitute. He was also forced to vacate the World Heavyweight Title, which Punk won in a match against Jey Uso.
While Rollins’ injury has forced WWE to pivot, one storyline has remained consistent: the frustration of Jey Uso.
In following Reigns’ path to glory, Jey has shown flashes of menace and manipulation. Paul Heyman, The Vision’s oracle, has also played mind games, attempting to manipulate Jey and sow discord within the family. Last Friday on SmackDown, Jimmy confirmed he would join the babyface team at Survivor Series, leaving Jey looking displeased.
These events point to one thing: betrayal.
However, there may be another unexpected twist.
This Monday on Raw, the remaining members for each team will be revealed. Longtime Heyman associate Brock Lesnar is expected to join The Vision as Roman Reigns sides with his cousins Jimmy and Jey, along with former rivals Punk and Rhodes.
It’s worth noting that three members of the Bloodline will team with WWE’s two world champions. This sets up a potential family reunion and revival.
The men’s WarGames is likely to headline the show, as it has in previous years. If tradition holds, the finish promises a shocking moment that will set the stage for the months ahead, with Reigns and Jey potentially targeting Rhodes and Punk and igniting a new power struggle across Raw and SmackDown.
A Flair for the Dramatic
Like their male counterparts, the women’s WarGames match came together after the gauntlet was thrown down last Monday on Raw.
It began when the Kabuki Warriors defeated Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss for the Women’s Tag Team Championship, with an assist from Nia Jax and Lash Legend. After the match, Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley made the save before Ripley called for a WarGames match at Survivor Series.
Just like the men’s matchup, the women’s teams have yet to announce their fifth members. And, like the guys, the spotlight is on a single person.
Where there may be concerns about Jey Uso’s fidelity, the opposite may prove true for Charlotte Flair. Last Friday on SmackDown, she left her team a woman short after she backed out of the match, citing differences with Rhea Ripley — a rivalry rooted in animosity and mistrust after two WrestleMania showdowns.
But as she gave her reasons for bailing out, Flair apologized to Alexa Bliss, whom she called her friend. It was a sincere moment that contrasted sharply with their team’s tongue-in-cheek merchandise, which says they’re not friends, but “Allies of Convenience.”
Upon returning from a knee injury and winning the women’s Royal Rumble match in February, fans booed Flair mercilessly. Flair even admitted in a piece for The Players’ Tribune that the crowd had rattled her.
And then along came Bliss.
The oftentimes reluctant and always unusual bond between Bliss and Flair did something no one saw coming: it got fans to rally behind Charlotte Flair. And the timing couldn’t be better, as she recently had another face-off with Jade Cargill, the new WWE Women’s Champion.
After Cargill arrived in WWE in 2023, she had a tense introduction to Flair. Flair’s injury sidelined her before a rivalry could develop. But in recent months, the two have exchanged less-than-friendly glances on more than one occasion.
It’s clear that WWE sees money in that match. With Flair’s popularity gaining steam and her alliance with Bliss becoming one of the most unexpectedly compelling dynamics in the division, she’s likely to do the right thing and join her friend Bliss in WarGames. If that happens, fans may get behind Flair even more as her path to Cargill and the Women’s Title takes shape.
WWE and San Diego: A Winning Team
Since 1983 — when WWE was still the World Wrestling Federation and Bob Backlund held the WWF Championship — San Diego has hosted hundreds of WWE events.
From Wrestling Challenge and Superstars to Monday Night Raw and SmackDown, the historic Pechanga Arena (formerly the San Diego Sports Arena) has been the city’s premier venue for WWE action. Its most memorable moment came at Vengeance 2001, when Chris Jericho defeated The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin to become the first Undisputed WWF Champion.
This year, Petco Park — home of Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres — hosts WWE for the first time with Survivor Series. The annual fall classic marks WWE’s first premium live event in San Diego since Extreme Rules 2008, and the first in the post–Vince McMahon era.
With more than 30,000 fans expected at Petco Park, Survivor Series stands to become the biggest wrestling event ever in San Diego, a title that still belongs to WWE’s former rival, WCW.
In July 1998, WCW brought Bash at the Beach to San Diego State’s Cox Arena — the city’s first professional wrestling pay-per-view. Headlined by “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan and NBA star Dennis Rodman versus Diamond Dallas Page and Karl Malone, the event drew national coverage from several top media outlets, including USA Today and ESPN.
The match itself fell short of expectations, leaving many fans disappointed. Still, Bash at the Beach made San Diego the center of the sports world, rivaled only by the Padres’ two World Series appearances and the Chargers’ lone Super Bowl run.
With Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, and John Cena leading the way — and local heroes Rey and Dominik Mysterio returning home to perform before their fans — this year’s Survivor Series is more than just another show. For longtime fans who grew up watching at the old Sports Arena, and for a new generation seeing WWE live for the first time, Survivor Series is a full-circle moment, the culmination of sports entertainment excellence in America’s Finest City.
How to Watch
If wrestling fans’ holiday travel plans don’t include a trip to San Diego, there are plenty of ways to still watch WWE’s Thanksgiving weekend tradition.
Survivor Series: WarGames streams on the ESPN app in the States, and on Netflix internationally on Saturday Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. ET, 4 p.m. PT. Additionally, Survivor Series will be available in select movie theaters across the country. Tickets are available now through Fandango.
