This November, WWE's most brutal Thanksgiving tradition returns as WarGames takes centre stage at Survivor Series. The iconic steel structure will once again host chaos and carnage when teams collide in one of wrestling's most unforgiving match types.
What Exactly is a WarGames Match?
The WarGames match represents one of WWE's most extreme contests. It features a massive rectangular steel cage enclosing two wrestling rings placed side-by-side, fought under no disqualification rules that allow virtually anything.
Unlike traditional tag matches, competitors don't all start at once. The match begins with one member from each team, then alternates every few minutes giving one team a temporary numerical advantage. The match cannot end until all participants have entered the cage, at which point "The Match Beyond" begins where victory can only be achieved by pinfall or submission.
The History and Creation of WarGames
The concept was famously created by the late Dusty Rhodes, known as the 'American Dream' and father of current superstar Cody Rhodes. His inspiration came from watching the 1985 post-apocalyptic film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, which featured gladiatorial cage combat.
Rhodes designed WarGames to serve as the ultimate team grudge match for the National Wrestling Alliance against their biggest villainous faction, The Four Horsemen. This ensured all members of both factions could participate in the decisive final battle.
The very first WarGames match occurred on July 4, 1987, at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia during the NWA's Great American Bash tour. The Super Powers Team defeated The Four Horsemen when manager J.J. Dillon submitted.
WarGames Comes to WWE and Key Matches to Watch
While the match originated in NWA/WCW, WWE didn't host its first branded WarGames until November 18, 2017 at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. The women's division made history two years later when the first all-female WarGames match took place at NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2019.
For those wanting to catch up before this year's event, several classic matches stand out according to fan ratings:
- WCW WrestleWar 1992 - rated 9.10 by fans
- NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2017 - rated 8.89
- NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2019 - rated 8.70
In terms of appearances, the legendary Sting holds the record with 19 in the original era, while Adam Cole leads the WWE era with four appearances alongside his Undisputed Era teammates.
2025 Survivor Series WarMatches Take Shape
This year's event at Petco Park in San Diego, California on November 29 features both men's and women's matches. The men's contest sees Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, and CM Punk battling The Vision, while the women's match features Rhea Ripley leading a team including Iyo Sky, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss against Nia Jax, Lash Legend, and The Kabuki Warriors.
The most recent WarGames matches at Survivor Series 2024 saw Roman Reigns' team victorious in the men's division, while Rhea Ripley secured victory for her team in the women's match by pinning Liv Morgan.
British fans can catch all the action exclusively through Netflix on November 30 from 12am GMT, with on-demand replays available after the live broadcast concludes.
