Ranking the 10 Most Important Matches and Moments in WWE Survivor Series History

For 36 years, Survivor Series has been a celebrated staple of WWE's rich history and remains a cornerstone of the company's annual pay-per-view schedule.

The concept of a card featuring nothing but elimination tag team matches was unprecedented and made the first few years of the event unique. It led to many dream teams being formed and scores being settled in thrilling fashion.

Even after adopting a more traditional format years later, it continued to host many historic happenings that fans still reminisce about to this day.

Survivor Series started to lose its luster around the early 2010s when the traditional tag matches became less of the focal point and little effort was put into making them special. WWE attempted to restore prestige to the PPV with the brand-supremacy theme from 2016 through 2021 but to no avail.

The revival of WarGames the last two years has helped generate more buzz and excitement for the show, but more can be done to make it as much of a must-see event as it once was.

Ahead of this year's installment on Saturday night, these are the 10 most important Survivor Series matches and moments ever.

Honorable Mentions

Bret Hart vs. Diesel for the WWF Championship (1995)

Diesel's year-long run as WWF champion culminated in an excellent outing with Hart at Survivor Series 1995. Their last one-on-one encounter at the Royal Rumble ended in a draw, whereas this rematch saw Hart win decisively to regain the gold. It's widely regarded as one of the best bouts of Diesel's career and proved he could hang with the best the business had to offer.

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Bret Hart vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (1996)

One year later, Hart made his long-awaited return to television after almost eight months away to silence Stone Cold, who had repeatedly been talking trash about The Hitman during his hiatus. Austin rose to Hart's level and pushed him to his limit before eating defeat. This match is often overlooked in favor of their classic at WrestleMania 13.

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Kurt Angle Arrives (1999)

Survivor Series has seen several all-time greats make their first-ever appearance over the years, but Angle's 1999 debut tends to be forgotten because of how it pales in comparison to the rest. His swift defeat of Shawn Stasiak was fine, but the pompous fashion in which he carried himself left a lasting impression and jump-started a legendary run.

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Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown (2005)

Long before it became the norm in 2016, Raw and SmackDown first faced off in a traditional elimination tag team match at the 2005 installment, and the bout was overflowing with star power. Randy Orton emerged as the sole survivor, only to be confronted by a returning Undertaker who laid waste to everyone representing the blue brand.

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Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Bryan (2018)

Lesnar and AJ Styles had an absolute gem of a champion vs. champion match at Survivor Series 2017, but The Beast Incarnate's bout with Bryan the following year was slightly better. Despite the heel vs. heel dynamic, they gelled exceptionally well and lived up to the '"dream match" hype.

10. Team Cena vs. Team Authority and Sting's WWE Debut (2014)

Survivor Series was largely treated like an afterthought by WWE for several years until the 2014 installment.

The overall card was nothing special, but the main event had significant stakes with the evil Authority regime losing control of the company if it fell short against John Cena and his band of misfits in a traditional elimination tag team match.

WWE nailed the build and created an aura of unpredictability surrounding the outcome. Cena conquering the power-hungry faction was far from set in stone, and how he'd be able to pull it off was even less certain.

Mid-match, Big Show turned on his teammates and revealed himself as a sellout for the The Authority in a shocking twist. That left Dolph Ziggler as the last remaining member of Team Cena having to battle back from a three-to-one deficit.

Before Seth Rollins could steal the win with an assist from Authority head Triple H, Sting made his highly anticipated WWE debut and laid out The Game to an enormous reaction. It was enough to aid Ziggler to victory

9. Goldberg Squashes Brock Lesnar (2016)

Few fans thought we'd ever actually see the return of Goldberg to wrestling, much less in WWE.

A dozen years removed from his less-than-stellar swan song at WrestleMania 20, he resurfaced in the fall of 2016 to rekindle his rivalry with Brock Lesnar and engage in what the company heavily touted as "fantasy warfare."

It was unknown how well they'd match up in modern times, especially with their initial encounter in 2004 being such a dud. Ultimately, the circumstances surrounding both bouts proved to be the difference-maker, as the rematch generated a ton of buzz and an electric atmosphere in Toronto that night.

Goldberg wasted no time in taking the fight to The Beast as soon as the bell rang by connecting with a flurry of offense. One thunderous Jackhammer and, 86 seconds later, Goldberg secured the stunning three-count.

Lesnar had been booked as an unstoppable force since snapping The Undertaker's undefeated streak two-and-a-half years prior, making this feat for the former WCW world heavyweight champion all the more impressive—and astonishing.

8. Team Austin vs. Team Bischoff (2003)

In the same vein as The Authority vs. Team Cena from 2014, the Team Austin vs. Team Bischoff elimination tag team match in 2003 is also looked back on fondly by fans because it had something worth fighting for on the line: Complete control of Monday Night Raw.

Of course, the Superstars themselves wouldn't be running the show but rather "Stone Cold" Steve Austin or his archnemesis Eric Bischoff depending on whose team emerged victorious.

The bad blood between the two had been brewing for years and finally came to a head when they were forced to serve as co-authority figures on Raw for the better part of 2003.

Austin's soldiers included Shawn Michaels, Booker T, Rob Van Dam and The Dudley Boyz, while Bischoff was represented by Randy Orton, Mark Henry, Scott Steiner, Christian and Chris Jericho.

It was a hotly contested matchup with everyone getting time to shine, but it wasn't until Michaels had to overcome the odds that the drama accelerated. He nearly went the distance before falling to an RKO out of nowhere from Orton, giving Team Bischoff the win and, in turn, the keys to the kingdom.

It marked a disheartening end of Austin's time on top of the red brand, but its execution was outstanding.

7. The Shield Make an Immediate Impact (2012)

The WWE product in late 2012 was in desperate need of a significant shake-up, and The Shield's emphatic arrival at Survivor Series provided just that.

In the night's main event, CM Punk defended his coveted WWE Championship in a Triple Threat match against John Cena and Ryback. And if he could escape with his reign intact, The Best in the World would hit the one-year mark as champ.

Punk had resorted to underhanded tactics in the past to retain his title, but with nowhere to run, it finally looked like his run was jeopardy. That was, however, until three mysterious men showed up to brutally beat down Ryback at ringside.

The black-clad rookies were quickly identified to be then-NXT stars Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. It was clear the crowd wasn't familiar with them, yet that didn't stop them from making an immediate impact and crashing the championship main event.

Their attack allowed Punk to capitalize and maintain possession of his prestigious prize, but more importantly, it ushered in an all-new era for WWE that introduced three industry-changing competitors who continue to dominate the wrestling landscape today.

6. Shawn Michaels Wins 1st-Ever Elimination Chamber Match (2002)

Heading into Survivor Series 2002, everyone was gunning for world heavyweight champion Triple H, leading to Raw general manager Eric Bischoff creating a match concept where he could defend against all of them.

Thus, the Elimination Chamber was born.

Six Superstars would enter, but only one could emerge with the gold. The combatants included Chris Jericho, Kane, Shawn Michaels, Booker T, Rob Van Dam and The Game.

They all made excellent use of the surrounding steel and persevered through the pain and punishment, beautifully building to a fantastic final stretch with the founding fathers of D-Generation X renewing hostilities from their SummerSlam skirmish.

After barely kicking out of a Pedigree, Michaels connected with a scintillating Sweet Chin Music for his first world title in almost five years.

The celebration inside Madison Square Garden that night was a sight to behold and closed out one of the most well-rounded Survivor Series shows in its 36-year history. Additionally, there has yet to be another Elimination Chamber match that has topped the first.

5. The Rock Debuts (1996)

Among the many notable names to have debuted at Survivor Series is The Rock, who originally went by Rocky Maivia upon his introduction to the WWE audience at Survivor Series 1996.

He joined Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Marc Mero and The Stalker in a traditional elimination tag team match to take on Jerry "The King" Lawler, Crush, Goldust and fellow newcomer Hunter Hearst Helmsley.

In addition to marking Rock's in-ring debut, the random assortment of colorful characters combined with the involvement of several future WWE Hall of Famers make it historically significant. He was the biggest standout of the bout as he was given the most shine and emerged as the sole survivor.

The match itself will never be remembered a mat classic, but the multi-generation's star strong showing was crucial in ensuring his run got off to a solid start and getting the audience behind him.

The Rocky Maivia moniker failed to connect with fans over time, but his evolution into The Rock can be traced back to the mixed reaction he received during his debut and making the proper adjustments to become the world-renowned megastar fans now know him as today.

4. Team WWF vs. The Alliance (2001)

WWE's Invasion angle in the second half of 2001 will go down as one of company's biggest missed opportunities ever. It had its fair share of highlights but was widely considered to be a disappointment by fans due to the lopsided booking and lack of star power from the WCW side.

Thankfully, the botched storyline had a thrilling conclusion at Survivor Series 2001 with WWE's most talented competitors colliding with The Alliance in traditional elimination tag team action with the winning side taking over the company.

WWE's stacked squad consisted of The Rock, The Undertaker, Chris Jericho, Big Show and Kane while "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Rob Van Dam, Shane McMahon, Booker T and Kurt Angle fought on behalf of The Alliance.

Purely from an in-ring standpoint, this is, arguably, the best match in Survivor Series history, and its lofty stakes only add to its greatness. Angle stayed true to WWE despite teasing otherwise, and the interaction between Rock and Austin carried the closing minutes.

The Mr. McMahon-led selection of stars vanquishing The Alliance was never in doubt, but the action and story told were captivating enough to cement the matchup as an all-timer.

3. The Rock Crowned Corporate Champion (1998)

Survivor Series 1998 stands out for being the first installment to not feature any elimination tag team matches and instead revolved around a Deadly Games tournament to crown a new WWF champion.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock were the fan favorites from the get-go, but Mr. McMahon and the rest of his regime did everything in their power to ensure they wouldn't walk out as champ. They were successful with Stone Cold, but Rock managed to make it to the finals to face McMahon's handpicked opponent, Mankind.

The Great One did have his hand raised in the end, but not to the behest of McMahon. Rather, it was revealed that McMahon was pulling the strings the entire time and was instrumental in Rock's rise to make him their corporate champion.

The shocking swerve accomplished quite a bit: It established Rock as new top heel, endeared Mankind to the audience and planted the seeds for the WrestleMania match between Stone Cold and Rock months later.

Between his 1996 debut, 2001 triumph and historic 1998 title win, a case can be made for Rock being Mr. Survivor Series.

2. The Undertaker Debuts (1990)

The Undertaker will forever be synonymous with Survivor Series for his unforgettable 1990 debut alone.

Speculation ran wild heading into the event regarding who would hatch from the giant egg that had been appearing on WWE programming for weeks.

That obviously would have immediately sabotaged the career of the future Hall of Famer had it been him (The Gobbledy Gooker was a much more fitting choice despite the disappointing reveal), but he was instead saved for a much prominent spot elsewhere on the card.

Always one to make smart investments, Ted DiBiase brought out The Undertaker as the fourth and final man for his elimination tag team match against The Dream Team.

His chilling entrance, intimidating presence and devastating Tombstone finisher made him the focal point. Although he was eliminated by count-out nine minutes in, The Phenom didn't need to be the sole survivor to make his mark.

Surely no one watching at the time was aware of the legendary status he'd ascend to and the legacy he'd leave behind following a 30-year career.

1. The Montréal Screwjob (1997)

Still routinely discussed and debated today, there is little question that the Montréal Screwjob is Survivor Series' most important—and infamous—moment in its long lineage.

The very real nature of everything that transpired leading up to and at Survivor Series 1997 has been well-documented in the last 26 years to where most of it doesn't bear repeating. In short, no one involved came off well.

Bret Hart legitimately refused to lose the top title on his home turf, and thus a plan was put in place by the powers that be, orchestrated by WWE owner Vince McMahon, to seize the strap.

Unbeknown to The Hitman, the bell was called for out of nowhere by McMahon and Shawn Michaels was controversially crowned champ.

With that, Hart made his unceremonious exit from the company he had spent honing his craft at for almost 15 years, as the bewildered crowd in Montréal sat in shock and awe. The abrupt conclusion to the show only added to the uncomfortable vibe in the arena as everyone attempted to process what had just happened.

The sole saving grace of the entire ordeal was the organic rise of the Mr. McMahon on-air character, arguably among the greatest villains in the wrestling business both then and now.

If the Attitude Era wasn't already underway by this point, the Montréal Screwjob certainly laid the groundwork for it and pushed the product in that long overdue direction.

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Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.