Building the ultimate 5 on 5 Survivor Series dream match

With Survivor Series 2017 just around the corner, many wrestling fans across the world will be reflecting on the long history of the PPV, sharing stories of their favourite matches and moments.

Originally started as a way to capitalise on the huge amount of business the company was doing with the Hogan vs. Andre feud following Wrestlemania 3, Survivor Series has stood the test of time and will likely be included in every WWE calendar year from now until the end of time (or at least the end of the company).

That being said, the focus of the PPV has definitely shifted over the years. While the traditional 5 on 5 elimination match was the key part of the event, nowadays it plays second fiddle to the main event singles match over one of the two world titles.

So, in the spirit of reliving the past, here are the competitors that we believe would make up the ultimate 5 on 5 Survivor Series dream match:

---

#1 Babyface - Hulk Hogan

First on the list.

WWE Superstars will come and go, but there can only be one man who kicked started the company's transition from middle of the road territory to a global conglomerate.

As Triple H recently said in an interview, the WWE is generational, every age group has their own set of favourite superstars, but no matter your age, the vast majority of us would put Hogan's name down for any kind of inter-generational dream match such as this.

Hogan might have shocked the world back in 1996 by turning heel and joining the NWO, but as far as his WWE career goes, he was the epitome of babyface wrestling. Forever the showman, Hogan would vanquish the villain across the ring from him and then entertain the audience long after the cameras were turned off.

The Hulkster's inclusion in this match will easily transform it into the showcase spectacle it needs to be.

#2 Babyface - John Cena

The Cenation leader.

Older fans will scoff at the idea of John Cena being this generation's Stone Cold Steve Austin or Hulk Hogan, and there may be many reasons why they're justified in doing so. However, from a business standpoint, the company simply hasn't been able to rely on the drawing power of anybody like Cena for the past 15 years.

This is because there is, and always has been, a significant proportion of the fans who love him. If you're a young WWE fan and you go to the events in the hope of seeing people who consider to be superheroes, number one on your list will be John Cena.

He has to be a babyface team for everybody, not just for 30-something smart marks, and for it to appeal to the kids, the leader of the Cenation deserves his spot.

After all, who wouldn't want to see the ego battle play out between Cena and Hogan? When the match is over, you'll need wild horses to come separate them in their quest to be as crowd-pleasing as the other!

#3 Babyface - Bret Hart

Providing the wrestling.

If John Cena is to the PG era what Hulk Hogan was to the 80s Golden Era, then fans of a certain age may well say the same thing about Bret Hart's relationship to the New Generation Era of the 90s. The WWF may not have been in such a powerful position back in 1994, but Bret was definitely the man keeping the company afloat.

And it would do a disservice to the man to claim that he was only a prop during a slump period for the business. Hart was beloved by many fans and still continues to be to this day. He gave the company, and the business, a certain respectability at a time when most former stars were being accused of illicit steroid use.

While not possessing the magnetic personality of an Austin or Hogan, Bret fitted into the babyface role perfectly when McMahon needed it most.

More than anything else, Bret would be the guy to give this 5 on 5 dream match some credibility as far as technical wrestling is concerned. While the rest of his larger than life opponents are busy providing the sports entertainment, Hart will provide the wrestling.

#4 Babyface - The Undertaker

The Phenom of Survivor Series.

No dream match would be complete without the inclusion of "The Phenom", The Undertaker. While many fans today still argue that the WWE is reluctant to turn certain people face despite how needed it appears to be, Taker did just that back in the early 90s due to some strong crowd pressure.

Originally brought in as a way to scare crowd favourites and squash the hopes and dreams of young fans, the originality of the gimmick, and the way it was played by Mark Calaway left Vince with no choice. Taker has played heel roles since this time, but the way fans react to him means he will always be a fan favourite, no matter what happens.

The Undertaker will always give a multi-man match a certain edge. He is somebody who doesn't need to be in the ring in order to make an impact.

The sight of his tall, dark figure holding the ring rope while the rest of the legends are battling it out will be enough to water any WWE fan's mouth.

#5 Babyface (Captain) - Stone Cold Steve Austin

The ultimate superstar.

It would take a one of a kind personality to be able to lead a team of egos the likes of Hart, Hogan, Cena and Taker. But if there's one man most suited for the role, it's Stone Cold Steve Austin.

It's an ongoing debate amongst wrestling fans as to whether Hogan or Austin should be regarded as the most important WWF/E Superstar of all time, but unless anything drastically unexpected happens in the future, it will always be these two names being debated.

Austin's Stone Cold gimmick in the late 90s awoke a sleeping giant and turned the WWF into a company that not only kept up with popular culture but actually led it.

If this match is for every WWE fan of any age, then Austin has to be there to please all of the young males wanting to flip their middle finger in the air and give the ultimate 'FU' to the authority.

#1 Heel - The Rock

The people's heel

While there have been multiple Superstars who have defined a particular era over the years, only one WWE Superstar can boast being the man capable of transcending the wrestling business and becoming a genuine celebrity in his own right.

Dwyane Johnson is no longer just the man who used to raise his eyebrow and entertain the millions and millions, he now belongs to that 1% of the rich and famous, appealing to all sorts of fanbases across the world.

That being said, any excuse to have The Rock involved in a WWE match has to be regarded as a huge deal. If we're putting together a bout that involves the true legends of wrestling, Rock simply needs to be included.

While it might be tempting to place him with the babyfaces, considering the reaction he would receive, many fans will remember his early career and his time in the Nation of Domination. When Rocky is afforded the opportunity to let his heel persona take the lead, he is even more entertaining than normal.

#2 Heel - Triple H

Evil from day one.

Triple H may have various strings to his bow, but one that rarely gets mentioned has been his ability to remain an effective and believable heel despite how long he has been around. He might receive an initial pop whenever he comes to the ring, but his talents as an evil authority figure soon shine through and everyone goes back to wanting to see him get his backside kicked.

On top of his successful in-ring career, Triple H is now the corporate face of the WWE, representing the company on worldwide promotional tours and looking at ways to make product sustainable into the future.

His time overseeing NXT, for example, has been a triumph. Take all this into account and you can't exactly separate Triple H's name from the WWE.

The Game's inclusion in this dream match will give the outcome an element of unpredictability. When the referee's back is turned, you can guarantee that famous sledgehammer will be coming out.

#3 Heel - Roddy Piper

The heel of the 80s.

If this match is going to be truly inter-generational, then we will need to include one of the greatest heels of the 1980s, Roddy Piper. Younger fans might know Piper as the crazy man who occasionally made an appearance whenever the company celebrated a significant anniversary, but most of us will know what his true impact on the business was.

While most of the 80s wrestling fans were busy lapping up the more obvious entertainment provided by Hogan, a good proportion of them were secretly loving the contrast that Piper provided.

When CM Punk once claimed that Hot Rod was his favourite Superstar growing up, you can see why certain fans who were likely to gravitate to Punk rather than Cena during the PG Era, were similar to those who prefer Piper to Hogan in the 80s.

If Hogan is making an appearance on the babyface team in this match, Piper will be the perfect man to come up with ways to bring the Hulkster down a peg or two - just like he used to back in the day.

#4 Heel - Andre the Giant

A giant inclusion.

There's no denying that Andre the Giant is one of the most beloved Superstars from the history of the wrestling business. It's difficult to dislike somebody who overcame gigantism to travel to the other side of the world and become a megastar. Each time we hear another story involving Andre's antics and personal relationships we love him all the more.

That being said, when we're putting together an all-time Survivor Series dream match, we need to take individuals at their best. Despite being a babyface for much of the 70s and early 80s, Andre's best work has to be his time under the guidance of Bobby Heenan as Hulk Hogan's evil Wrestlemania 3 and 4 opponent.

Just imagine that point in the match when one of his teammates turns to the giant singlet wearing Andre stood at the side of the ring and he comes face to face with one of the legendary babyfaces he's up against.

#5 Heel (Captain) - Mr McMahon

Evil personified.

Over the years, the WWE has seen its fair share of entertaining heels but nobody has quite been able to match the sheer convincing levels of evil than Vince McMahon. Many credit the beginning of the evil 'Mr McMahon' character at Survivor Series 1997, making his inclusion in this fantasy match 20 years later quite ironic.

However it may have started, Vince's propensity to portray himself as the most hated character in wrestling centred around his feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin, which many fans credit as being the company's most important rivalry of all time.

If Austin is to be made team captain for this legendary bout, Mr McMahon would simply have to the man opposing him. There may be quite a few egos involved in this 5 man heel team, but as all wrestling fans know, nobody steals the limelight from the boss.