The annual Survivor Series event, which this year celebrates its 39th edition, will take place on November 29th at Petco Park. This event, considered one of the “Big Four” of WWE, along with WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and SummerSlam, is the second longest-running wrestling event in history. Throughout its 38-year history, Survivor Series has witnessed iconic moments that have marked the history of wrestling.
A Look at the History of Survivor Series
- The first Survivor Series took place in 1987, on Thanksgiving Day, from the Richmond Coliseum in Ohio.
Key Moments in Survivor Series
Survivor Series has been a crucial stage for the development of great wrestling legends.The Undertaker made his WWE debut
In 1990, The Undertaker made his WWE debut at Survivor Series. He was introduced as the mysterious partner of Ted DiBiase’s Million Dollar Team, facing Dusty Rhodes’ Dream Team in an elimination match. A year later, at the 1991 Survivor Series, The Undertaker won his first WWE Championship, defeating Hulk Hogan and ending a reign of almost 250 days. The Undertaker holds the record for most wins at Survivor Series, with 13 wins in 18 matches.The Rock also left his mark on Survivor Series. He made his WWE television debut in 1996, being the sole survivor of his team in an elimination match. In 1998, The Rock became WWE champion, defeating Mankind (Mick Foley) in the final of a tournament for the vacant title, establishing himself as the “Corporate Champion”. In 2011, The Rock successfully returned to the ring, marking the beginning of a series of main events at WrestleMania against John Cena. Furthermore, Survivor Series has been the stage for memorable debuts. Kurt Angle, Olympic gold medalist and WWE Hall of Famer, debuted in the ring at Survivor Series 1999, defeating Shawn Stasiak. In 2012, the trio The Shield, composed of Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose, made their main roster debut.Sting made his WWE debut at Survivor Series 2014, starting a rivalry with Triple H that would culminate at WrestleMania 31. The 1997 Survivor Series was the scene of the infamous Montreal Screwjob.The Montreal Screwjob was a real conflict between Bret Hart, Vince McMahon, and Shawn Michaels. Hart, who was heading to WCW, still held the WWE Championship and did not want to lose the title in his home country, Canada. When Michaels attempted to apply Hart’s Sharpshooter, McMahon quickly ordered the bell to ring, ending the match and awarding the WWE Championship to Michaels, without Hart’s knowledge. The first Elimination Chamber match took place at Survivor Series 2002 from Madison Square Garden.Shawn Michaels won the World Heavyweight Championship in this match, returning to the ring after a four-year absence. Since then, 35 Elimination Chamber matches have been held, which became a WWE event of its own in 2010.
