What is a WWE WarGames match

WWE's Survivor Series pay-per-view will take place this weekend, but it won't see the traditional Raw vs Smackdown rivalries that we are used to.

Instead, the two main events of the evening will feature two teams of five competing in a WarGames match.

WarGames matches have featured in NXT before, but are a completely new concept to the WWE. Here is everything that you need to know.

What is a WarGames match?

WarGames matches first featured in the World Championship Wrestling franchise back in the 1980s and were a staple part of high-profile events in the WCW right up until it disbanded back in 2001.

The match itself features two teams of five wrestlers competing inside two rings which are joined together by a solid steel cage.

The match begins with two wrestlers inside the structure. They will wrestle for a total of five minutes before a third wrestler enters the match, creating a 2-on-1 handicap match for a short period of time.

After three more minutes have passed, a fourth wrestler will enter the ring in order to level the playing field. A new wrestler will enter the WarGames ring every three minutes until the cage is full.

The Match Beyond

Once all 10 wrestlers are in the ring, the second phase of action begins, known as The Match Beyond. The goal at this point is to win the match via either submission, surrender or pinfall.

The format of a WarGames match is one fall to the finish, meaning that no wrestlers will be eliminated, instead, the first team to gain either a submission, surrender or pinfall will be declared victorious.