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WWE's Survivor Series first debuted in 1987. The three-decades-long history of the event is filled with moments that changed the wrestling landscape. In fact, some of the most important moments pro-wrestling history have taken place at the event.
Initially, Survivor Series was just Vince McMahon's way of taking a shot at Dusty Rhodes. Starrcade, which had been Rhodes' creation, would air on American Thanksgiving every year. Hence, Vince created Survivor Series to air on the same day to oppose it. Since 1995, however, the show has taken place the Sunday before American Thanksgiving.
It is the second longest running PPV in WWE's history and still considered as one of the "Big 4" WWE PPVs.
Here are the top ten moments in Survivor Series history.
#10 CM Punk cheered over Triple H and D-X (2006)
It didn't seem that important at the time but in hindsight, this moment had a significant impact on CM Punk's WWE tenure.
In 2006, D-Generation X had just reformed. They were in the middle of a feud with Team RKO (Edge and Randy Orton). Team RKO recruited Mike Knox, Johnny Nitro, and Gregory Helms to be on their Survivor Series team that year. Shawn Michaels and Triple H recruited the Hardy Boyz and CM Punk to be on Team D-X.
CM Punk had debuted on WWE's version of ECW that June but his popularity exploded in a short time and he found himself on the Survivor Series PPV. During Team D-X's ring introduction the live crowd in Philadelphia that night pelted the arena with "CM Punk" chants, something that has since taken on a new meaning. How do you think Triple H felt that his D-X reunion was being overshadowed by this guy who'd only been on the roster a few months?
Triple H was forced to incorporate Punk into his usual "Are You Ready?" ring introduction that night.
Over the years there have been rumours regarding what Triple H would do to up and coming talents he felt were a threat to his position. Did this night in 2006 solidify CM Punk as a guy Triple H would later bury?
#9 WWE wins the "Invasion" (2001)
Survivor Series 2001 put an end to what is largely considered one of the worst angles in WWE history.
After WWE purchased WCW and ECW that same year, talent from the two former promotions was pitted against WWE superstars for several months. When the fans' response to the angle was lukewarm, WWE opted to end the angle at Survivor Series 2001.
In a winner-takes-all match, five WWF Superstars took on WCW/ECW (the Alliance) Superstars. The Rock defeated the Alliance's Steve Austin (he had defected) for the final elimination, giving WWF the win and control over the company.
It was an exciting end to what had been a lacklustre angle.
#8 Goldberg squashes Brock Lesnar (2016)
We don't have to go far back in Survivor Series history for this one. Just last year, Goldberg defeated Brock Lesnar in 1 minute and 26 seconds.
Goldberg returning to the ring was never a part of the plan. WWE 2k18 had made arrangements for Goldberg to be the featured legend in the game that year and he was brought to television to promote it. That was the initial plan.
The fan response and TV ratings to his return got Vince McMahon's attention, however, and Goldberg himself decided he still had another match in him.
As it turned out, Goldberg had three matches left in him. He defeated Lesnar, then defeated Kevin Owens for the Universal Championship and finally lost that title to Lesnar at WrestleMania 33.
#7 First Elimination Chamber match (2002)
The 1st ever Elimination Chamber match took place at Survivor Series 2002. Shawn Michaels would shock the wrestling world on that night by not only winning the Elimination Chamber match but also the World Heavyweight Championship in the process.
That summer, Michaels returned to the ring for the first time since WrestleMania 14. He wrestled a street fight with Triple H at SummerSlam that year in a match widely praised by fans. Survivor Series would be just his second match in over four years.
HBK didn't hold onto the title long, however. Four weeks later, Triple H defeated Michaels to claim the belt.
#6 Owen Hart and Bret Hart feud begins (1993)
At Survivor Series 1993, Bret, Owen, Bruce, and Keith Hart defeated the team of Shawn Michaels and his three masked knights. Jerry Lawler was supposed to captain the opposing team but some shadiness in his personal life required him to take a leave of absence.
Only Owen Hart would be eliminated from his team as the Harts dismantled Michaels' team. Owen had collided with his brother who was on the ring apron at one point in the match, leading to Owen's elimination.
After the match was over, Owen stormed down to ringside and began arguing with his older brother Bret, seemingly upset he had been eliminated. It was the first bit of dissension teased between the two. At Royal Rumble 1994, Owen finally turned on his brother and kickstarted one of the greatest rivalries of the 1990s.
#5 Bob Backlund wins the WWF Championship (1994)
Heading into Survivor Series 1994, Bret Hart was the WWF champion and his little brother Owen was not happy about it. The two had also been engaged in a heated rivalry in the previous year.
Returning former champion, Bob Backlund, was given a title opportunity against Bret in a submission match on the show. Bret and Owen's parents, Stu and Helen Hart, were sitting ringside for the match.
Backlund had Bret locked in his chicken-wing finisher but Bret wouldn't submit. Owen tried to convince Stu Hart to throw in the towel on Bret's behalf but he didn't agree. On the other hand, Owen was able to convince Helen Hart to throw in the towel and the match was declared over and Backlund the winner and new champion.
#4 The Undertaker's debut (1990)
"The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase was the person who unveiled the Undertaker to the WWE Universe. He would do so at the 1990 Survivor Series, some 27 years ago.
Undertaker was announced as being a part of Dibiase's "Million Dollar Team" that year. After eliminating Koko B. Ware and Dusty Rhodes from "the Dream Team", Undertaker got himself counted out by chasing Dusty to the backstage area.
Not long after his debut, the Undertaker would briefly be managed by Brother Love until Paul Bearer made his WWF debut the next month.
#3 The gravest challenge (1991)
After having made his WWF debut at the previous year's Survivor Series, the Undertaker was announced as Hulk Hogan's title challenger at the 1991 version of the event.
Undertaker would pull off the upset by defeating Hogan and winning the championship, though the match was not without controversy. Ric Flair, who had only recently signed with the company, interfered in the match and cost Hogan the title.
A rematch was scheduled between Hogan and the Undertaker at the upcoming "This Tuesday in Texas" PPV. Hogan had seemingly won the title back but there was so much interference in the match that then-company President, Jack Tunney, declared the title vacant.
Ric Flair was the next to win the championship by winning the 1992 Royal Rumble.
#2 The Montreal Screwjob
\Whether this was a great moment for wrestling or a horrible one remains a hotly debated topic. One thing is for sure, however, Survivor Series 1997 is one of the most talked about events in history.
While WWE's business boomed after the event, the screwjob itself is one of the ugliest incidents ever to take place inside a WWE ring.
Bret Hart had signed a 20-year deal with WWE the previous year. A few months before Survivor Series, Vince said he was no longer able to afford the deal and Bret then signed an agreement with WCW. The problem was that Bret was still a WWF champion. Bret had a "reasonable creative control" in his contract as well, which is just vague enough to cause some problems.
Bret didn't want to lose to Shawn but Vince wanted exactly that, so when Shawn Michaels had Bret Hart locked in a Sharpshooter, Vince saw to it that the bell was rung in order to declare Michaels as the champion.
#1 The Rock wins his 1st WWE World Championship (1998)
One year after the infamous Montreal Screwjob, WWE held a tournament to crown a new World Champion at Survivor Series 1998.
The Rock and Mankind met in the finals of the tournament. At the time, the Rock's popularity as a good guy was exploding but he turned against all his fans by aligning with Vince McMahon that night.
With Mankind locked inside the Rock's sharpshooter, Vince McMahon once again instructed the time-keeper to ring the bell even though no submission took place. The Rock became the WWE Champion and the newest member of Vince McMahon's "Corporation".
