2023’s Survivor Series event was one of, if not THE, best premium live events of the year. From the in-ring action, to the culmination of month-long storylines, to some major returns throughout the night, it was an absolute spectacle in Chicago.

Coming out of Survivor Series however is a nine-week road to the Royal Rumble, and a lot of questions that need answers en route to that build. Now that the dust has settled, let’s take a look at five takeaways from Survivor Series.

CM Punk should be Seth’s next challenger

The best kept secret in WWE history was finally let out of the bag as CM Punk returned to the WWE for the first time in nearly a decade.

All angles of the return showcased the reaction from some of the in-ring talent, and World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins was the most visibly irate.

Rollins and Punk have some history. Punk called out Rollins for his tweets in 2019, causing Rollins to talk about his UFC career and challenge him to a fight. Earlier this year, Rollins doubled down, calling him a “cancer.”

With such a long build to Royal Rumble, it’s inevitable that these two will cross paths, and honestly there’s no one better to be Punk’s first rivalry back in the WWE. And it’s sure to give the World Heavyweight Championship some more prestige as well.

Sami Zayn should set his sights on Gunther

Gunther has been the most dominant wrestler in the world for the last year and a half. He is undisputedly the greatest Intercontinental champion ever, and his run continues to be the most compelling on weekly television.

His run has also had good storytelling elements. He was taken to the limits by Chad Gable. He just escaped The Miz and his infamous tactics at Survivor Series. But in these bouts, fans knew that Gunther was going to win.

What he needs now is a wildcard. Someone to suspend the disbelief. Insert Sami Zayn. Since turning on the Bloodline in January, Zayn was a tag champion with Kevin Owens, but Owens is now on SmackDown. Zayn’s beef with the Judgement Day and hall monitor-type relationship with Jey Uso has been fun too, but Zayn is a natural babyface and deserves to shine on his own.

Challenging the Ring General would make for great television matches in the meantime before Royal Rumble.

Jey Uso and Randy Orton should continue to cross paths

One of the biggest stories in the Men’s WarGames match was Randy Orton’s inclusion on the face side. Jey Uso was uneasy knowing that the Bloodline was the reason he was sidelined for so long, and tension was teased at one point during the Survivor Series match.

It’d be good for Orton to not have a short-term memory with this information. The Viper is known for not being too friendly, and Jey Uso needs a strong singles feud to cement himself as a full-time solo act. Having their tension bleed into the actual Royal Rumble match would be great.

Don’t rush the Damage CTRL turn on Bayley

Bayley was the fallen soldier in the Women’s WarGames match at Survivor Series. But she wasn’t just a punching bag, but more like a martyr. Bayley made a very strong commitment to the faction. She started the match off, was everywhere in terms of breaking up pins, and shoved Kairi Sane out of the way in order to take the pin.

Bayley has definitely been on quite the losing streak, and she’s been slowly losing her grasp on Damage CTRL with the introduction of Sane and Asuka. But the faction should praise her efforts and loyalty from Survivor Series instead of exiling her.

Bayley’s inevitable face turn can play out similar to Sami Zayn’s and culminate in the Royal Rumble match itself.

Damian Priest is running out of time and opportunity to cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase

We’re now officially building up to the Road to WrestleMania. The Judgement Day has been running Monday Night Raw since the summer. Adding a member, winning titles, and Damian Priest with a guaranteed shot at any title of his choosing. But it seems like the window for a world title cash-in is closing.

There’s a slew of new faces ready for long-term feuds with Seth Rollins, plus the Royal Rumble winner could potentially choose to go after the World Heavyweight championship. And the Judgement Day rivalry with the Monday night main-eventers feels like it’d be beating a dead horse.

A lot can change over the course of these nine weeks, but to avoid repetition I don’t know if Señor Money in the Bank will get his moment.

What were your takeaways from Survivor Series?

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