Survivor Series Review 2025
December 17, 2025
What an interesting night at Petco Park. This year’s Survivor Series felt like a massive turning point for the company, where the ending left a large portion of the fanbase unhappy but had some good matches on this card. But here is my review (better late than never) on the thanksgiving traditional event and trying a new approach with match and show ratings at the end of this piece.
The Women’s WarGames Opener
The night kicked off with the Women’s WarGames match, and the energy was off the charts from the jump. Team Rhea (Rhea Ripley, AJ Lee, Charlotte Flair, Iyo Sky, and Alexa Bliss) took on Team Becky (Becky Lynch, Nia Jax, Lash Legend, and The Kabuki Warriors) in a match that was pure chaos.
Iyo Sky proved once again she’s the MVP of this match type, delivering a terrifying Swan Dive off the top of the cage. The real story here was AJ Lee’s return; she didn’t miss a single beat. The finish was high drama, with Rhea softening Becky up for AJ to lock in the Black Widow, forcing “The Man” to tap out.
Intercontinental Championship: John Cena vs. Dominik Mysterio
Dominik Mysterio is a damn Rockstar. His entrance tonight was incredible and really shows how far he has come as a performer. It hit me during his walkout that we’re actually getting these electric moments from John Cena on his last PLE ever. I’ve tried to be in denial about his retirement tour, but I can’t anymore and I am shockingly in my feelings about it.
This was the Match of the Night without question. They played the hits perfectly, and Dom is easily the most entertaining heel in the business right now. The injury spot was a solid bit of storytelling, and Cena hitting the double AA on Finn and JD was a great vintage touch. Then things got crazy: Liv Morgan returned and looked like she was about to turn on Dom, only to help him cheat to beat Cena and regain the Intercontinental Title. It was another clinic from Cena, and its bittersweet knowing we only have one match left.
Women’s World Championship: Nikki Bella vs. Stephanie Vaquer
Nikki Bella doing this heel run feels exactly right. She has that “legend” ego down to a science. But Stephanie Vaquer as champion is a Rockstar a million times over. The chemistry was there, and Vaquer retaining solidifies her as the centerpiece of this division.
The Men’s WarGames Main Event
The main event was a spectacle from start to finish. CM Punk is simply untouchable right now. That entrance with the gold and the crowd reaction was pure magic; this run of his has been incredible. On the flip side, you have Bron Breakker, who is clearly ready to be “the guy.” From the entrance to the ring work, he’s pure box office.
The exchanges between Punk and Drew McIntyre will never get old, and McIntyre’s brutality in the cage was excellent. I also loved seeing Cody Rhodes and Punk team up for the Hart Attack and Doomsday Device, just a cool nod to tag team finishers. Logan Paul and Drew actually looked great as a duo; I wouldn’t mind seeing them go after tag team gold down the line.
The match picks up when Bronson Reed started hitting Tsunamis on everyone, but the atmosphere in Petco Park changed completely when Brock Lesnar’s music hit. This was his first WarGames, and he treated the cage like his personal gym, destroying Team Punk with suplexes. Roman Reigns met him outside for a brawl that saw Roman go through the announcers’ table before the match officially started.
The finish, however, felt a bit off. It was sudden and rushed for time. A hooded man climbed the cage and took out Punk, setting up Breakker to hit a massive spear for the win. While the finish was anticlimactic, the post-match drama made up for it. Roman helping Punk up showed a new level of mutual respect, but the tension between Roman and Cody was undeniable. When Roman told Cody, “This is the last time we’ll team again,” you could feel the air leave the stadium. It’s the perfect breadcrumb leading into the Royal Rumble.
RHR Report Card
Women’s WarGames Match: 3.5/5
High energy, great spots, and AJ Lee looked like she never left, but the Iyo Sky trash can spot and so many weapons in the women’s war games match is simply not it. All for equal headlining but maybe a traditional Survivor Series tag would be better.
IC Title: John Cena vs. Dominik Mysterio: 4/5
Perfect storytelling. The emotional weight of Cena’s retirement tour combined with Dom’s heat made this special. It still feels surreal it is almost over.
Women’s World Title: Nikki Bella vs. Stephanie Vaquer: 2.75/5
Solid veteran vs. rising star dynamic. Stephanie is a total star.
Men’s WarGames Match: 3.25/5
Incredible entrances and star power. Points docked only for the slightly rushed finish, but the post-match segment was gold.
Overall Show Rating: 3.75/5
A solid PLE that delivered early in the show but fumbled with the ending of the main event. Yet they certainly planted seeds for what is to come in 2026.
Match of the Night: John Cena vs. Dominik Mysterio
