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WWE had another big week. SmackDown featured the main roster debut of Axiom and the fallout from a handful of heel turns. Speaking of major turns, Drew McIntyre turned heel, and has seemingly formed a relationship with The Judgment Day.
There's a lot of exciting action in World Wrestling Entertainment and all eyes are on their upcoming premium live event. Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 will air live from Chicago next Saturday, with several big-time bouts already announced for the show.
As is usual, Sportskeeda offers a weekly look back at some of the biggest shows, matches, and moments that helped shape the sports entertainment giant. This is for both the lapsed fans who want to re-live the past, or newer fans who want to learn about what made the company the success it has become.
This week's edition will be special, as every entry took place at a Survivor Series event in the past. This includes the-then WWF battling for supremacy, Vince McMahon betraying a top star, and the debut of The Shield. What went down this week in the company's past?
Below are five key events that happened this week in WWE history.
#5. Vince McMahon swerves Mankind at Survivor Series on November 15th, 1998
The first entry in this week's list is WWE Survivor Series from November 15th, 1998. This show was the 12th annual Survivor Series event, and was held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Around 21,000 fans were said to be in attendance.
This show had the subtitle of Deadly Games, and featured a tournament to crown a new WWF Champion. Vince McMahon was seemingly manipulating it all to help Mankind win the coveted title on behalf of The Corporation, but it proved to be an elaborate ruse.
The Rock put Mankind in a Sharpshooter hold. Referencing the Montreal Screwjob from the prior year, McMahon double crossed Mankind, and claimed a submission occured when it never did. The Rock was then part of The Corporation, and the new WWE Champion.
#4. The Undertaker battled Vince McMahon at Survivor Series on November 16th, 2003
WWE held their 17th Survivor Series event back on November 16th, 2003. The big event took place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Over 13,000 fans were reportedly in attendance for the show, which featured a bizarre bout.
The Undertaker competed in a Buried Alive Match. If that match concept isn't strange enough for some fans, he competed against the WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. The two battled for about 12 minutes, but shockingly, The Undertaker lost.
The Deadman beat up and brutalized McMahon for the bulk of the match, leaving him covered in blood. Then, out of nowhere, Kane appeared after an explosion distracted The Undertaker. From there, Kane buried the future Hall of Famer alive. The Undertaker would later return for a feud with Kane at WrestleMania 20.
#3. The Rock debuted at Survivor Series on November 17th, 1996
The 10th annual Survivor Series was presented by WWE back on November 17th, 1996. The show was held in front of an announced 18,000 people in the infamous Madison Square Garden arena in New York, NY.
This show took place during a downtime for the company, despite a strong house for this particular show. Still, a few notable moments happened on the show, with the most memorable being the debut of Rocky Maivia, later known as The Rock.
The Rock teamed up with The Stalker, Marc Mero, and Jake Roberts. They battled Crush, Goldust, Jerry Lawler, and Hunter Hearst Helmsley in a Traditional Survivor Series Match. The babyfaces ultimately won the bout after 23 minutes, and The Rock would eventually break out as a massive star.
#2. Team WWF battled The Alliance at Survivor Series on November 18th, 2001
The 2001 edition of WWE Survivor Series was held on November 18th. This event, which took place in front of over 13,000 fans, was held at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The big hook for this show was Team WWF vs. The Alliance. The latter of which was a group formed out of an invasion by both WCW and ECW stars following both companies closing earlier in the same year.
A traditional Survivor Series Match was the main event, with Team WWF being represented by The Rock, The Big Show, Chris Jericho, The Undertaker, and Kane. The Alliance was represented by Shane McMahon, Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam. After nearly 45 minutes of action, Team WWF stood tall, ending the Invasion angle once and for all.
#1. The Shield debuted at WWE Survivor Series on November 18th, 2012
The last entry on this week's list is WWE Survivor Series from November 18th, 2012. This big event was held at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Around 8,500 fans were announced to be attendance.
The main event of the night saw CM Punk defend his WWE Championship against John Cena and Ryback in a Triple Threat Match. The bout lasted for just under 18 minutes with CM Punk walking away as the winner, but not by his own doing.
The Shield made their debut on the big show. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose showed up to the main roster for the first time, and viciously laid out Ryback. This allowed for Punk to pick up the win, and The Shield went on to dominate the company.
