Survivor Series is one of the cornerstone events on the WWE calendar each year. This “Big 4” event takes place in November each year.
Survivor Series has given fans some amazing moments and matches. It has also witnessed the debut of some of the biggest stars in the company, such as The Undertaker and The Rock.
With that being said, let’s recall some of the best WWE Survivor Series matches:
Edge and Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit vs. Los Guerreros (Survivor Series 2002)
Stipulation: Triple Threat Tag Elimination Match for WWE Tag Team Championship
Winners: Los Guerreros
If you want to look at the brilliance of the SmackDown Six, look no further than this match. This triple-threat tag team elimination match had everything: from brilliant storytelling to five-star in-ring action.
Every participant in the match knew what they were doing. All teams involved worked like a well-oiled machine. The sequences involving Kurt Angle and Rey Mysterio were particularly brilliant in this superb outing.
Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown (Survivor Series 2005)
Participants: Batista, JBL, Bobby Lashley, Randy Orton & Rey Mysterio (Team SmackDown) against Carlito, Chris Masters, Kane, Shawn Michaels & The Big Show (Team Raw)
Stipulation: Five-on-five elimination match for brand supremacy
Highlights: Team captain Batista getting double chokeslammed, Big Show taking multiple finishers, Shawn Michael’s mid-air superkick to Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton’s RKO out of nowhere
Winners: Team SmackDown
One of the greatest buildups to a Survivor Series main event happened at WWE Survivor Series 2005. The whole storyline featuring Team Raw and Team SmackDown was nothing but brilliant, and brought the two brands to war.
The match itself was great from bell to bell. SmackDown Team captain Batista worked the match with a legitimate injury. He was eliminated in the early goings of the match to protect him from taking further punishment.
Big Show and Kane looked like absolute monsters. Shawn Michaels was in his usual brilliant self. His mid-air Sweet Chin Music to Rey Mysterio remains one of the greatest spot in WWE history. Randy Orton solidified his status as Mr. Survivor Series in this match.
The post-match angle featuring The Undertaker emerging from a burning casket was the cherry on top.
Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (Survivor Series 1996)
Stipulation: No. 1 contender’s match for the WWE Championship
Winner: Bret Hart
The storyline behind Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin at Survivor Series was nothing short of brilliant. The Rattlesnake wanted to prove he was the best wrestler in the world and not the Hitman.
The stakes couldn’t get any higher as the winner would get a world title shot against the winner of Sycho Sid and Shawn Michaels in the main event. Austin and Bret showcased why they were two of the best wrestlers in the ring at the time.
Everything Bret Hart did in this match was smooth as silk. Steve Austin, on the other hand, used his trash talk to taunt Hart every step of the way. The pair would meet again in one of the greatest WWE matches of all time at WrestleMania 13.
Team WWF vs. Team Alliance (Survivor Series 2001)
Participants: Booker T, Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam, Shane McMahon, Steve Austin, Chris Jericho, Kane, The Big Show, The Rock, The Undertaker
Stipulation: Five-on-five tag team elimination match; winner gets control of WWF
Highlights: Chris Jericho turning his back on The Rock, Kurt Angle’s Olympic Slam on the Big Show, Angle costing Team Alliance the match
Winners: Team WWF
The 2001 Survivor Series may be the most star-studded Survivor Series PPV event in WWE history. The main event brought almost every big name working with Vince McMahon at the time inside the same ring.
While the Invasion storyline often gets heavily criticized, the main event of Survivor Series 2001 absolutely delivered in terms of in-ring action and psychology. Every participant in the match showcased their brilliance.
The ending, in particular, remains one of the most shocking conclusions to a PPV event in WWE history.
Elimination Chamber (Survivor Series 2002)
Participants: Booker T, Chris Jericho, Kane vs. Rob Van Dam, Shawn Michaels, Triple H
Stipulation: Elimination Chamber match for World Heavyweight Championship
Highlights: RVD’s five-star frog splash from the top of the pod, Kane sending Chris Jericho crashing through the chamber glass
Winner: Shawn Michaels
There’s no hyperbole in stating that Survivor Series 2002 is one of the most consistent PPV event in WWE history. The card featured some of the biggest names in the business at the time. The matches were from solid all the way to incredible.
The main event was the first-ever Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship. The steel structure pitted six of the top superstars from the red brand against each other.
Triple H, who entered the match as the defending world’s champion, busted himself open less than two minutes into the match. The Game also had his throat crushed due to a misjudged five-star frog splash from Rob Van Dam.
Despite the setback, Triple H would go on to complete the match – showing his incredibly resilience and toughness in the process.
Honorable Mentions:
- Team Cena vs. Team Authority (WWE Survivor Series 2014)
- Batista vs. The Undertaker (Survivor Series 2007)
- Bret Hart vs. Diesel (Survivor Series 1995)
- AJ Styles vs. Brock Lesnar (Survivor Series 2017)
- Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown (WWE Survivor Series 2016)
Also read: Report: WarGames Match Planned For 2023 WWE Survivor Series
