WWE brought its fall classic, Survivor Series, to the home of MLB’s San Diego Padres — Petco Park — on Saturday, taking the field with an all-star lineup in America’s Finest City. WWE swung for the fences, but in the bottom of the ninth — needing a home run — it struck out swinging, yet still managed to walk away a winner.
According to WWE, San Diego delivered the largest attendance in Survivor Series history, with 46,016 fans packing Petco Park. Aside from a small tarped-off section in the upper right field, the ballpark looked and felt like a playoff game against the Dodgers — full, loud, and amped.
When it was time to “play ball,” the crowd was energetic, though only in spurts.
The Women’s WarGames match led off, with strong reactions for Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, and AJ Lee. In baseball terms, Ripley and Sky were home runs; Lee was a solid triple.
During the entrances for Charlotte Flair and Ripley, fireworks filled the air with smoke and left fans near the dugout dusted with soot.
But by the time Kairi Sane entered, the crowd had gone quiet. Her music drew no reaction, and fans were chanting for tables moments after she hit the ring. Still, Sane earned a good laugh when she mocked Lee’s signature skipping.
In the match itself, fans popped for the big moments. Iyo Sky’s signature pose did as much as anything to get the crowd going. A comedy spot where Ripley hoisted Lee on her shoulders to pass Sky — who was perched on top of the cage — a trash can, was also a hit.
As that happened, the heels stood around, dazed. Yet, the long setup didn’t bother anyone, as seeing Sky leap off the cage with the trash can over her body was a crowd-pleaser.
Showing that WWE is more theater than sport, once the babyfaces won and WWE cut to break, the lights dimmed, the music faded, the cage lifted, and the performers exited like actors leaving the stage.
Credit to Nia Jax and Lash Legend, who stayed in character as they walked out arm in arm, selling the wear and tear of the match.
Cena and Dom Combine for a Home Run
In a match that could have headlined the show, Dominik Mysterio challenged John Cena for the Intercontinental Championship. With this being Cena’s final premium live event, San Diego was emotionally invested from the start.
That tension spiked when Mysterio clutched his shoulder after a scary powerbomb on the floor. Someone in the press box even shouted an expletive as concern spread through the stadium.
Mysterio looked genuinely hurt, adding to the worry. When Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez rushed the ring to attack Cena, many assumed they were buying time for an injured Mysterio.
When “El Sucio” revealed he had faked it, those in the ballpark collectively exhaled. When the referee refused to count Mysterio’s pin immediately after the fake injury, it felt like the Pads had snuffed out a rally.
After Mysterio won with help from a returning Liv Morgan, the reaction from his hometown crowd was mixed but strong either way.
Cena, sitting alone in the ring and looking dejected, sparked an emotional whiplash. His entrance blew the decibel levels into triple digits, but his slow walk to the back drenched Petco Park in sadness. Just before he disappeared from view, fans gave him one final, heartfelt cheer — as if to say, “Please don’t go.”
After Cena thanked the fans and they returned the sentiment, Petco went from a bases-loaded thrill to the deflation of a double play to end the inning.
As night fell and temperatures dipped into the 50s, it mirrored the cold reaction to the Women’s World Title Match between champion Stephanie Vaquer and Nikki Bella.
Aside from Vaquer’s entrance and her two Devil’s Kiss spots — one on the announce table, earning the biggest reaction — the crowd seemed largely uninterested.
Notably, as a successful Vaquer posed in the corner, referee Eddie Orengo was clearly instructing her on when to hold the pose and when to raise the belt. It was another reminder that this was theater, with Orengo acting more like a director than an official.
All-Star Lineup, Minor League Finish
The Men’s WarGames match headlined the show, featuring an all-star lineup that could rival MLB’s American and National Leagues.
Brock Lesnar, Drew McIntyre, the Vision’s Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed, and Logan Paul defeated CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, and the Bloodline’s Roman Reigns and the Usos.
Judging by the crowd’s reaction, the most popular in order were Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and Cody Rhodes. But the real star was the arrival of a table, produced by Jimmy Uso on his way into the ring.
Unlike the Women’s WarGames match, this one held the crowd’s attention — though not as intensely as Cena vs. Dom — despite the star power involved.
Most competitors received strong reactions, except Bronson Reed’s surprisingly quiet entrance. That changed after a wave of Tsunamis flattened the babyfaces.
Throughout the night, Survivor Series increasingly felt like a theatrical experience rather than a wrestling event. That became even clearer with Jey Uso’s entrance.
A reporter seated next to me, Luis Monteagudo Jr. of the Times of San Diego, admitted that when Jey appears on TV, he either heads to the kitchen or fast-forwards through the entrance. But watching Petco Park shake as fans “yeeted” in unison, he marveled at the spectacle.
For all the grief Jey gets from fans, his entrance is undeniably a hit. His performance in San Diego won’t change the opinion of detractors — especially when he called for production to “run it back” so the crowd could yeet mid-match. But live, the experience mattered more than the wrestling.
Near the end, a cloaked mystery attacker blindsided Punk. After hitting him with Seth Rollins’ curb stomp, he scaled the cage and disappeared, but fans saw him rush toward the timekeeper’s area and then vanish. Moments later, Breakker speared Punk for a sudden finish.
If the attacker was Rollins, many wondered why he targeted Punk instead of Breakker, who had betrayed him months earlier — or why he didn’t go after both. The confusion added to the flat reaction.
The biggest letdown came after the match. Fans expecting fireworks as Reigns, Punk, and Rhodes faced off were left screaming, “Do something.” When the video screens went black to end the broadcast, an audible, “That’s it?” swept the ballpark.
What viewers at home didn’t see: the Usos hugging Punk and Rhodes while Reigns lingered at the cage door watching. As the heroes headed backstage, Reigns led the way, shaking hands with fans. Punk raised his title high, the Usos followed, and Rhodes brought up the rear.
In a scene only pro wrestling could produce, WWE struck out to end the game, yet still walked off a winner. Fans leaving Petco Park had mostly positive things to say, and the post-show energy was only slightly below the pre-show buzz.
Fireworks, music, entrances, and big stars — all staples of WWE’s production — carried the day, as did the crowd’s ever-present love for tables. For some in the press box, it felt like WWE went down like Casey at the Bat. But fans inside the stadium had an overwhelmingly positive experience, as the spectacle that was Survivor Series ultimately produced a home run.