Ranking The Rock, Undertaker and Most Memorable Debuts in WWE Survivor Series History

WWE Survivor Series has a long history of spectacular debuts, both for young up-and-comers and established icons, cementing its place on the premium live event calendar as a show where fans can expect the unexpected.

Since its inception in 1987, some of the most significant Superstars in WWE history have made their first appearances at the pay-per-view.

Perhaps it is the time of year that makes the show best suited for those arrivals. It's close enough to WrestleMania to kick off a story arc if that is the direction WWE is headed or it's a time of year when the product is traditionally colder and needs new blood to keep fans engaged.

Whatever the case, the Survivor Series has been home to some of the most unforgettable first appearances of future world champions.

Ahead of the 2023 event, these are the greatest debuts in the PPV's long and illustrious history, determined by the impact of the debut and the long-term success of those involved.

7. Scott Steiner

In hindsight, Scott Steiner's WWE run was a monumental disappointment.

Part of that can be attributed to an injury that adversely affected his in-ring work early on, another to the booking of a Big Poppa Pump character that had been a main event star in WCW but was treated like a midcard competitor for much if his time with the promotion.

Putting that to one side, though, there is no denying how eventful his debut at Survivor Series 2002 was.

As Matt Hardy and Christopher Nowinski insulted the fans inside Madison Square Garden, Steiner's music played and the former world champion made his way to the ring.

After pummeling the heels, he stood tall amid an enormous reaction from the fans, many of whom were eager to welcome The Big Bad Booty Daddy to the company.

That Steiner's run with WWE disappointed puts him lower on this list, but in the moment, it was hard to argue he made an instant impact on the company and in the weeks and months to come.

6. Elimination Chamber

The 2002 Survivor Series not only featured Steiner's debut, but it also introduced the wrestling world to a specialty match that would become a staple of WWE's PPV calendar.

The Elimination Chamber headlined that year's show in New York City and featured Triple H defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Kane, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels.

The contest was unlike any seen before and took place inside a structure that featured steel floors, chain-link walls and bulletproof glass.

It was physically punishing and would be altered to protect wrestlers' bodies in the long run.

Still, the structure itself and the match that unfolded inside it were a spectacle and gave that year's show an aura and sense of meaning that it needed.

So much so that, by 2010, Elimination Chamber would have its own PPV.

5. Sting

For the longest time, it seemed there was one certainty in professional wrestling: Sting would never compete for WWE.

He had had opportunities but never made the jump. He was loyal to WCW, had concerns about how he would be used given the way the Invasion angle went down in 2001, and he opted to continue his career with TNA Wrestling instead.

In 2014, though, he made the decision to join WWE, and he did so in grand fashion.

Late in the high-stakes main event between Team Cena and The Authority, Dolph Ziggler found himself facing a numbers disadvantage. Not only had he fought back against and eliminated Luke Harper and Kane, but he also had to deal with outside interference from Triple H while he fought Seth Rollins.

Enter Sting, who laid out The Game and placed Ziggler on top of a fallen Rollins. The good guys won, but perhaps more importantly, The Icon had arrived in wrestling's premier promotion.

Questionable booking of his first match at WrestleMania 31, and an injury that would ultimately force him into premature retirement, essentially ruined his run and lessened the impact of his debut, leading to its ranking here.

4. Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle kicked off one of the greatest rookie years in WWE history at the 1999 event, defeating Shawn Stasiak in his debut match.

At just under six minutes, it was a perfect introduction to the Olympic gold medalist, who got over for his antics on the mic that night as much as he did for his in-ring performance.

He berated the fans for booing him, a celebrated real athlete, before putting Stasiak away with the Olympic Slam for the win.

It was a great showcase for Angle, who would quickly amass title belts before claiming the WWE Championship the following October.

A solid performance, and spectacular career, his ranking here is less a reflection of his first WWE appearance and more a testament to the extraordinary debuts that have occurred at the annual November event.

3. Rocky Maivia

Before he was The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment, The Rock was simply Rocky Maivia, WWE's first third-generation Superstar.

And at the 1996 Survivor Series, the grandson of "High Chief" Peter Maivia and son of "Soulman" Rocky Johnson was introduced to the world of professional wrestling in a tag team elimination match.

Weeks of hype went into his arrival and his first night on the job at Madison Square Garden in New York City did not disappoint.

Rock told The Joe Rogan Experience about that night and the interaction he had with Vince McMahon ahead of the match (h/t Sai Mohan of Wrestling Inc):

"He [McMahon] goes, 'You're gonna win the whole thing. I'm gonna throw you right into the fire.' I'll never forget this.

"He's like, 'You're either gonna f--king sink or you're gonna swim—it's New York City. It's up to you.'"

Maivia was booked strong, mounting a comeback for his team of babyfaces and winning them the match by defeating both Crush and Goldust and becoming the sole survivor.

It was a big night for the young star and an unforgettable moment in wrestling's most famed arena, Madison Square Garden. Its historic significance earns its ranking here as it introduced one of the most important and influential stars in wrestling history, but it was not the jumping-off point for Maivia.

It would be another year before he would begin to develop the persona that would carry him to the top of the industry and two before he realized his potential with his first WWE Championship win.

2. The Undertaker

The single greatest character in pro wrestling history walked the aisle for the first time at the 1990 Survivor Series as The Undertaker debuted as the mystery partner for Ted DiBiase's team against Dusty Rhodes and his squad.

A physical and intimidating presence unlike anything the company had seen, he jumped off the screen. This was a character completely different from the more cartoonish, over-the-top personas dominating the product at the turn of the decade.

Undertaker had an ominous aura about him, haunting fans and establishing himself right out of the gate as one of the most compelling performers of all time.

The Deadman dominated before eventually being counted out and eliminated from the match, but there was no denying the impact he had. Within a year, he would challenge (and beat) Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship.

The rest, as they say, is history.

1. The Shield

The main event of the 2012 Survivor Series saw CM Punk defend the WWE Championship against John Cena and Ryback in a blockbuster Triple Threat match.

But few could have imagined the wrestling world would be buzzing about three other lesser-known names in the wake of the extravaganza.

Late in the match, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose of NXT invaded the ringside area and destroyed Ryback, driving him through the announce table with a triple powerbomb. This move would become a staple of the group in the coming months.

Together, they would be known as The Shield and immediately rose to stardom in WWE as the most dominant trio in modern history.

The Shield went unbeaten for months, won championship gold in short order and eventually dominated Evolution in a battle for faction supremacy, all within a year and a half.

From there, Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns all became world champions in WWE and the building blocks of the company we know today.

It was a launching point for three of the most significant stars in wrestling today.

Ambrose now stars as the most decorated competitor in All Elite Wrestling history while Rollins patrols Raw as the world heavyweight champion. Reigns is the top star in the industry and the longest-reigning titleholder since Hulk Hogan in the 1980s.

Their impact is undeniable and can be traced back to their introduction 11 years ago, when they shook things up in WWE and never looked back.