SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 29: John Cena enters the ring during Survivor Series at Petco Park on November 29, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)
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WWE Survivor Series 2025 has come and gone, delivering a four-match card that featured two WarGames bouts, one of the final John Cena matches ever, and several intriguing hints about what lies ahead. WWE packed a lot into a short runtime at Petco Park in San Diego. Some moments connected, while others fell short.
Aside from Saturday Night’s Main Event in December, this was WWE’s final major premium live event of 2025. The company clearly aimed to leave a lasting impression before shifting all focus to the end of the year and the road to next year’s Royal Rumble.
So what unfolded at Survivor Series? Here are the main takeaways:
3. Here We Go Again
The Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns story from 2023 to 2024 defined WWE’s boom period. It went from the end of a historic world title reign to the crowning of the man the entire fanbase rallied behind. The support grew even louder when it looked like The Rock might take Rhodes’ WrestleMania 40 spot, and the two matches that followed delivered. It felt like WWE’s version of Infinity War to Endgame.
But according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter before Survivor Series, Reigns is expected to face either Rhodes or CM Punk at WrestleMania 42. The original plan reportedly called for a match with Seth Rollins, who is now out with a shoulder injury.
So, Reigns and Rhodes had a small faceoff at the end of WarGames. It was subtle, but it was enough of a hint to show the direction WWE wants to take.
Injuries can shift plans, and it is clear WWE wants to chase the biggest financial option with another Rhodes vs. Reigns match. The problem is the story between them has already been told, and told incredibly well. It had a storybook ending. It wrapped up cleanly. Everyone moved on. So why is WWE running this back when Reigns vs. Punk is sitting there as a fresh, high-profile match?
It feels like a frustrating creative step back. The biggest WrestleMania matches are usually between stars who have never faced each other or have not crossed paths in years. WWE had that opportunity with Punk and Reigns. Instead, they seem ready to repeat the pattern they fell into with the Tribal Chief and Brock Lesnar, which produced some of the least inspired main events of Reigns’ run.
While another Reigns vs. Rhodes match is not as tired as that pairing, since their chemistry is excellent, the fact remains that fans have already seen it. Do they really need it again?
2. Survivor Series Needs Another Refresh
Not too long ago, Triple H revived the WarGames concept that had worked so well during its NXT run. It felt fresh on the main roster, especially after years of the “brand supremacy” angle and the traditional 5-on-5 matches that never really had anything at stake.
But as WWE’s creative energy has dipped, WarGames has started to feel stale too. It has basically taken the place of Hell in a Cell: a great gimmick match that loses its spark because WWE uses it every year just to match the name of the premium live event. When fans know it’s coming no matter what, and when there are two versions of the same match on the same show, the excitement naturally drops.
This year’s WarGames matches in San Diego are a good example. Neither the men’s match nor the women’s match had much of a story behind it. WWE leaned heavily on the starpower, and while both matches were packed with incredible talent, that alone wasn’t enough to make them feel meaningful. There were fun spots, sure, but not much to latch onto emotionally.
Survivor Series itself probably doesn’t need a huge overhaul. A traditional 5-on-5 match would be great to bring back, but more than anything, WarGames needs a reason for fans to tune in and care. This year, neither match really provided that spark, even though the men’s match ended with a tease for WrestleMania and possibly a new addition to The Vision.
1. John Cena Falls, Yet Goes Out On Top
John Cena won the Intercontinental Championship in Boston, giving fans one of the best feel-good moments of his retirement run. It completed the one achievement he had never checked off in his career, finally making him a true Grand Slam Champion. The crowd reaction that night made it even more special, especially in his hometown. But with only a few dates left on his farewell tour, everyone knew the reign would be short. Once the rematch with Dominik Mysterio was announced for Survivor Series, the writing was on the wall.
Still, WWE found a fun and memorable way for Cena to drop the belt. Liv Morgan’s surprise return and fakeout, calling back to Cena’s own heel turn years ago, set up her new alliance with Mysterio in a clever, full-circle moment. Mysterio even faked a shoulder injury during the match, mimicking the real injury Penta suffered on Raw the week prior, which added another layer of storytelling before the finish. All of it came together to leave Cena flat on his back on his way out of his final premium live event match, but in a way that felt fitting.
This was nothing like the head-scratching Lesnar squash at SummerSlam. Instead, it allowed Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez to shine, gave Morgan’s return more impact, and made the entire moment feel bigger for everyone involved.
The crowd’s reaction in San Diego backed that up. Fans seemed to understand they were watching the closing chapters of a career that shaped an era, and Cena himself continues to treat this run not as a victory lap, but as one last chance to elevate the next generation.
Now Cena heads into his final match with no championship to defend, and that is exactly how it should be. The focus is not on a title he has already held countless times. It is on appreciation for him. His last night should be about celebrating a WWE icon and everything his career has meant.