Who Created WarGames? How Many WarGames Matches Have Taken Place in WWE?

Saudi Arabia’s version of WrestleMania, Crown Jewel is over and WWE Universe is now preparing itself for the upcoming PLE, Survivor Series. Considered one of the top major PLEs for WWE, this year’s event brings back the WarGames theme for this Survivor Series. 

War Games was a part of the last edition of Survivor Series as The Bloodline with Sami Zayn took on The Brawling Brutes with Kevin Owens and Drew McIntyre. But what is War Games and its history? Let us take a look.  

The history of WarGames inside and outside of WWE

WarGames is a professional wrestling match format featuring two teams in a large double-ring steel cage. Participants enter at intervals, and the match continues until one team submits or surrenders. It’s known for its intense and chaotic nature, with no disqualifications and a dramatic finish.

The rules were later tweaked during WCW with pinfalls allowed. WarGames, created by Dusty Rhodes, debuted in 1987 during the Great American Bash event for Jim Crockett Promotions of the National Wrestling Alliance. The match featured two teams, including wrestling legends like Ric Flair and The Road Warriors, battling inside a double-ring steel cage. This innovative concept became a major success in WCW and the wrestling world, defined by its intense and chaotic nature. But what is the history of WarGames in WWE?

There have been a total of 10 War Games in the history of WWE to date with eight WarGames matches under the brand of NXT and two under the main roster. It involves four War Games matches for the Women’s division while six matches involved male superstars. 

The War Games format started in WWE with the NXT TakeOver event in 2017 when The Undisputed Era defeated The Authors of Pain and SAnitY via pin-fall. The following year saw the team of Pete Dunne, Ricochet, and War Raiders defeat The Undisputed Era.

Read more: Know Why Cody Rhodes Being in the WarGames Does Poetic Justice to His WWE Career

The year 2019 saw the introduction of the War Games format for the Women’s division when Team Ripley defeated Team Baszler. Team Candice then defeated Team Shotzi by pinfall the next year. In the year 2021, the team of Cora Jade, Io Shirai, Kay Lee Ray, and Raquel González defeated Dakota Kai and Toxic Attraction. But it was discontinued after the year 2021 in NXT.

WarGames gets promoted to acknowledge The Tribal Chief

The NXT War Games was a successful match format for the NXT brand. Hence, it was carried over to the main roster in the year 2022. The Survivor Series was renamed Survivor Series: War Games and included the first-ever War Games in the main roster.

The main event of last year’s Survivor Series included a War Games match with Roman Reigns at the center. The Tribal Chief delivered a spear to Kevin Owens to end the match and the show. The Women’s WarGames match saw Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Becky Lynch and Mia Yim overcome Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky, and Dakota Kai) Nikki Cross, and Rhea Ripley. It seems that WWE is interested in WarGames matches and a repeat of the match this year is proof of it. This year, Team Cody Rhodes will take on The Judgment Day at War Games.

Are you excited for this year’s War Games match between Team Cody and Team Judgment Day?

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