Eleven matches were contested on the card, four of which were shown for the one-hour WWE Network special. In the main event of the non-televised live show, Seth Rollins defeated Dean Ambrose in a Steel Cage match to retain Raw's Intercontinental Championship. In the main event of the televised portion of the show, AJ Styles defeated Samoa Joe in another Steel Cage match.
After a 17-year hiatus, WWE revived Starrcade as a live event on November 25, 2017, held exclusively for wrestlers from the promotion's SmackDownbrand division.[4][5] On September 17, 2018, WWE revealed that a second Starrcade event, featuring both the Raw and SmackDown brands, would be held on November 24 at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio.[6][7] On November 16, it was announced that unlike the previous year, a portion of the 2018 event would be taped and air on November 25 as a one-hour WWE Network special.[8][9][10][11]
Starrcade consisted of eleven professional wrestling matches, four of which aired on the WWE Network special, that involved various different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.[12][13] Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the Raw and SmackDown brands, while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television shows, Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live.[14]
At SummerSlam, during the WWE Championship match between AJ Styles and Samoa Joe, Joe taunted Styles by disrespecting his wife and daughter, who were in attendance. An irate Styles attacked Joe with a steel chair, resulting in Joe winning by disqualification, but Styles retaining the title.[16] On August 24, a rematch between the two for the title was scheduled for Hell in a Cell.[20] At the event, Styles countered Joe's "Coquina Clutch" into a pin to retain the championship, despite Styles tapping out to the "Coquina Clutch" which the referee did not see. After the match, Joe attacked Styles. An irate Joe demanded a rematch with Styles. Paige agreed and scheduled a third match between the two for the title at Super Show-Down,[18] which Styles won.[21] Styles retained the title against Joe at Crown Jewel.[22] A fifth encounter between the two, this time as a Steel Cage match, was later scheduled for Starrcade.[6]
At SummerSlam, Charlotte Flair defeated Becky Lynch and Carmella in a triple threat match to capture the SmackDown Women's Championship. After the match, Lynch attacked Flair, thus turning heel in the process.[16] Throughout following weeks, the two attacked each other.[23] At Hell in a Cell, Lynch defeated Flair to win the championship.[18] A rematch was later scheduled for Starrcade.[6] On November 22, Lynch was replaced in the match by Asuka after suffering a legitimate facial injury.[24][25]
On October 16 at SmackDown 1000, Rey Mysterio competed in his first WWE singles match since 2014, where he defeated United States ChampionShinsuke Nakamura in a non-title WWE World Cup qualifying match.[19] A rematch for the United States Championship was later scheduled for Starrcade.[6]
On the October 22 episode of Raw, after Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose captured the Raw Tag Team Championship from Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre, Ambrose suddenly attacked Rollins, turning heel.[26] Two weeks later on Raw, Ambrose proceeded to attack Rollins again, after the latter lost the titles in a handicap match against AOP (Akam and Rezar).[27] The following week, Ambrose burned his Shield gear and explained that being part of the group had made him weak.[28] After Rollins defeated Shinsuke Nakamura at Survivor Series,[29] it was announced that Rollins would defend the Intercontinental Championship against Ambrose in a Street Fight at Starrcade. On November 22, it was announced that the match would now be held in a steel cage.[6]
