The brutal origins and evolution of professional wrestling's most iconic steel cage spectacle

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Inspired by a dystopian film, the WarGames match redefined wrestling by trapping teams inside a massive, two-ring steel cage. What began as a rigid, roofed battle of attrition has evolved over decades, shedding its top and adopting new rules to accommodate the high-flying, modern style of today's athletic performers.

Created by Dusty Rhodes in 1987, the original WarGames concept was sparked by his viewing of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Debuting during Jim Crockett Promotions' Great American Bash tour, the match featured a roofed steel cage enclosing two side-by-side rings. The format was designed for teams to enter in staggered intervals, creating temporary numerical advantages until all participants were locked inside for the final phase, known as The Match Beyond. Originally, the match forbade pinfalls, requiring a submission, surrender, or unconsciousness to secure victory.

The structure and rules have shifted significantly as the concept moved from the National Wrestling Alliance to World Championship Wrestling, and eventually to WWE. In the modern WWE variation, the cage is roofless, a change Triple H noted was necessary to allow for more dynamic, high-altitude maneuvers that were impossible in the cramped, roofed cages of the past. While the core premise of staggered entries remains, modern iterations often allow pinfalls, and the match has expanded to include women's divisions, with the first official women's WarGames occurring in 2019.

The format has also inspired various adaptations across the industry. All Elite Wrestling introduced Blood and Guts in 2021, which adheres more closely to the original Crockett-era rules by excluding pinfalls. Other promotions, such as Combat Zone Wrestling and Ring of Honor, have experimented with extreme variations, incorporating weapons, scaffolding, and elimination-based rules. Despite these changes, the fundamental appeal of WarGames—a chaotic, multi-person struggle for dominance within a confined space—remains a staple of professional wrestling culture, continuously evolving to balance traditional intensity with contemporary safety and athletic standards.

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