Last night’s SmackDown at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL, was brimming with high stakes and significant developments, creating major ramifications for WWE Survivor Series 2023. From bitter departures to unexpected injuries, the WWE Universe witnessed a dramatic shuffle leading up to the impending WarGames.
**Judgement Day Retains WWE Tag Team Championship**
In the highly competitive tag team division, Judgement Day’s Finn Balor & Damian Priest managed to retain their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship. Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford of The Street Profits gave it their all but succumbed to Balor’s Coup De Grace, allowing the champs to secure their dominion over the ring.
**Owens and Knight Achieve Victory**
Teamwork was once again the order of the day as Kevin Owens & LA Knight paired up to challenge the duo of Austin Theory & Grayson Waller. Owens and Knight proved to be an effective combination, emerging victorious following a devastating BFT.
**Pretty Deadly Scores a Win**
The night also saw Pretty Deadly, Elton Prince & Kit Wilson, achieve a win over the Brawling Brutes, Ridge Holland & Butch. However, the victory was marred by dissension within the Brutes’ ranks as Holland, evidently still harboring resentment from a previous accident, walked out on Butch, leaving him to battle Pretty Deadly alone.
**Damage CTRL Claims the WarGames Advantage**
Weaving a twist into the upcoming Women’s WarGames match, Damage CTRL’s Bayley & Asuka prevailed over Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair. Securing a roll-up pinfall, the villainous duo claimed the WarGames advantage, with the final verdict from the fan poll for this advantage to be announced at the Survivor Series Kickoff pre-show.
**Carlito Sidelined by Injury, Dragon Lee Takes His Place**
Fans also witnessed a tense build-up to a new Survivor Series match. Carlito, in his promo, blamed Santos Escobar for causing Rey Mysterio’s injury and accused him of plotting the upheaval within the LWO faction. Escobar retorted with a personal attack in the ring and backstage, ultimately injuring Carlito. Following these events, SmackDown GM Nick Aldis announced that Carlito is unable to compete at Survivor Series.
Stepping into the limelight is Dragon Lee, who bravely tackled Escobar during the backstage assault. Lee demanded to replace Carlito in the match, a request which Aldis promptly accepted. Thus, Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar is now officially on the card for Survivor Series, augmenting an already jam-packed event.
**Survivor Series WarGames 2023 Card Takes Shape**
With Survivor Series looming on the horizon, the card is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about of the year. Aside from the already mentioned matches, fans have the Men’s WarGames match to look forward to, with powerhouses like Judgement Day clashing against eminent figures like Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes. Rhea Ripley will defend her WWE Women’s World Championship against Zoey Stark, and The Miz is set to challenge Gunther for the WWE International Championship.
Each match promises to further the narratives that have captivated the WWE Universe. SmackDown’s events have unmistakably set the stage for a Survivor Series that could shake the foundations of WWE storytelling.
Stay tuned for more updates and in-depth analyses as the WWE heads into one of its most electrifying events of the year, Survivor Series WarGames 2023.
