In the WWE, we have what we refer to as the “Big Four” when it comes to pay-per-view events. These four events include the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam and in November, Survivor Series.
Traditionally, Survivor Series has been an event in which there’s always some kind of big match featuring multiple competitors.
Set to take place in Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center on November 18, WWE will be celebrating its 32nd Survivor Series event.
Here, we’ll look back at the main events for these matches, as well as anything noteworthy that came from these events, as we prepare for the 2018 edition.
Currently, no matches have been announced yet.
The 1980’s
1987
Created after WrestleMania III and the feud between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, the WWE booked the first-ever Survivor Series event.
The main event featured some of the most incredible star power that has ever blessed sports entertainment. The match was a 5-on-5 tag team with Andre the Giant, One Man Gang, King Kong Bundy, Butch Reed and Rick Rude against Hogan, Paul Orndorff, Don Muraco, Ken Patera and Bam Bam Bigelow.
Winner: Andre the Giant, One Man Gang, King Kong Bundy, Butch Reed and Rick Rude
1988
Both the 1987 and 1988 events took place in Ritchfield, Ohio at the Ritchfield Coliseum. For this one, we had a few of the players from the year before, but slightly different.
It was Hercules, Hillbilly Jim, Koko B. Ware, Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) against Akeem, Big Boss Man, Haku, The Red Rooster and Ted DiBiase (with Bobby Heenan, Slick and Virgil).
Winner: Hercules, Hillbilly Jim, Koko B. Ware, Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage
1989
Before the turn of the decade we had a main event featuring the following: The Ultimate Warriors (The Ultimate Warrior, The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) and Jim Neidhart) vs. The Heenan Family (Bobby Heenan, André the Giant, Haku and Arn Anderson) in a 4-on-4 Survivor Series match.
Winner: The Ultimate Warriors
1990
Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior and Tito Santana vs. Ted DiBiase, Rick Martel, The Warlord, Hercules and Paul Roma in a 3-on-5 Grand Finale Survivor Series match.
Winner: Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, Tito Santana
1991
Big Boss Man and The Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal) vs. Irwin R. Schyster and The Natural Disasters (Earthquake and Typhoon) in a 3-on-3 Survivor Series match.
Winner: Big Boss Man and Legion of Doom
1992
Bret Hart (c) vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
Winner: Bret Hart
1993
The All-Americans (Lex Luger, The Undertaker and The Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner)) vs. The Foreign Fanatics (Yokozuna, Crush, Ludvig Borga and Quebecer Jacques) in a 4-on-4 Survivor Series match
Winner: The All-Americans
1994
The Undertaker vs. Yokozuna in a Casket Match with Chuck Norris as the special guest referee.
Winner: The Undertaker
1995
Diesel vs. Bret Hart in a No-Disqualification match for the WWF Heavyweight Championship
Winner: Bret Hart
1996
Shawn Michaels vs. Sycho Sid for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
Winner: Sycho Sid
1997
The 1997 Survivor Series possessed arguably one of the most iconic, memorable moments in all of wrestling’s history.
Known as the “Montreal Screwjob,” this Survivor Series took place in Hart’s native land of Montreal, Canada. Michaels got Hart in the sharpshooter submission hold and, on the orders of Vince McMahon, referee Earl Hebner called for the bell even though Hart did not submit.
This was also right before Hart was expected to jump ship and head to WCW for more money. This would be his last appearance on WWE television until 2010.
Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
Winner: Shawn Michaels
1998
Mankind vs. The Rock in a tournament final for the vacant WWF Championship
Winner: The Rock
1999
Triple H vs. The Rock vs. Big Show in a Triple Threat match for the WWF Championship
Winner: Big Show
2000
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Triple H in a No-Disqualification Match
Winner: No contest
2001
During this time, the WWE had recently purchased both the ECW and WCW. Thus, The Alliance was comprised of some WCW and ECW guys.
Team WWF (The Rock, Chris Jericho, The Undertaker, Kane and Big Show) vs. Team Alliance (Stone Cold Steve Austin, Rob Van Dam, Kurt Angle, Booker T and Shane McMahon) in a 5-on-5 Survivor Series match
Winner: Team WWF
2002
This was the first-ever Elimination Chamber Match, which has since become its own branded PPV event.
In an Elimination Chamber Match, two participants start in the ring and every five minutes another participant or team is released from the chamber, joining the match.
Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho vs. Kane vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Booker T in the
first Elimination for the World Heavyweight Championship
Winner: Shawn Michaels
2003
Goldberg vs. Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship
Winner: Goldberg
2004
Randy Orton, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho and Maven vs. Triple H, Edge, Batista and Snitsky in a 4-on-4 Survivor Series match
Winner: Team Orton
2005
With the brand split in effect and Raw and Smackdown taking on the form of separate entities, the WWE employed them to face one another at the Survivor Series event.
Team Raw (Shawn Michaels, Kane, Big Show, Carlito and Chris Masters) vs. Team SmackDown (Batista, Rey Mysterio, John Layfield, Bobby Lashley and Randy Orton) in a 5-on-5 Survivor Series match
Winner: Team Smackdown
2006
King Booker vs. Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship
Winner: Batista
2007
Batista vs. The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Winner: Batista
2008
Chris Jericho vs. John Cena for the World Heavyweight Championship
Winner: John Cena
2009
John Cena vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship
Winner: John Cena
2010
Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett for the WWE Championship
Winner: Randy Orton
2011
John Cena and The Rock vs. The Miz and R-Truth
Winner: John Cena and The Rock
2012
CM Punk vs. John Cena vs. Ryback in a Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship
Winner: CM Punk
2013
Randy Orton vs. Big Show for the WWE Championship
Winner: Randy Orton
2014
Team Cena (John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, Big Show, Erick Rowan and Ryback) vs. Team Authority (Seth Rollins, Kane, Mark Henry, Rusev and Luke Harper) in a 5-on-5 Survivor Series match
Winner: Team Cena
2015
Roman Reigns vs. Dean Ambrose for the vacant WWE Championship
Winner: Roman Reigns. However, Sheamus cashed in his Money in the Bank contract after that match and beat Reigns.
2016
Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar
Winner: Goldberg
2017
Part of the stipulation of this match was if Kurt Angle lost, Stephanie McMahon said he would be fired as the general manager of Raw.
Team Raw (Kurt Angle, Braun Strowman, Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe and Triple H) vs. Team SmackDown (Shane McMahon, Randy Orton, Bobby Roode, Shinsuke Nakamura and John Cena) in a 5-on-5 Survivor Series match
Winner: Team Raw
