WWE Survivor Series 2012: 10 Best Survivor Series Matches Ever

Survivor Series 2012 will take place November 18 from Indianapolis, the first time the event has ever taken place in Indiana.

In the previous 25 editions of the November classic, there have been matches that have stood out from the others. Matches that pushed the wrestlers farther than ever before.

Whether fighting for a title or honor, these 10 matches had fans on their feet.

Ranked by intensity, storytelling and historical significance, here are the 10 best Survivor Series matches of all time.

Honorable Mention: The Heavenly Bodies vs. the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express 1993

This wasn’t the greatest match ever seen on the Survivor Series stage. But as noted on WWE.com, it was the first time that a non-WWE title was defended on a WWE pay-per-view.

Put into motion by Jim Cornette, the man behind Smoky Mountain Wrestling, this was a wonderful opportunity for the small organization to get national exposure. Tom Prichard and Jimmy Del Rey challenged and defeated the tag team champions, Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson, at the 1993 event.

It is a mostly forgotten but groundbreaking moment in both WWE and Survivor Series history.

10. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H vs. John Cena Triple Threat Match 2009

This match is ranked 10th due to the intensity of the action.

It started out with a bang as Shawn Michaels superkicked his DX partner Triple H right out of the ring. This left John Cena standing bewildered and Michaels looking like the star.

After several minutes of back and forth action, Michaels and Triple H finally exploded into battle.

Cena eventually got the pin after an Attitude Adjustment that dropped Michaels on top of Triple H.

9. Team Hogan vs. Team Andre 1987

Coming off the heels of their classic encounter at WrestleMania III, Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant clashed again at the inaugural Survivor Series event.

Team Hogan consisted of WWF Champion Hogan, Paul Orndorff, Don Muraco, Ken Patera and Bam Bam Bigelow. Team Andre was comprised of Andre the Giant, One Man Gang, King Kong Bundy, Butch Reed and Rick Rude.

Near the end of the bout, Bundy caused Hogan to be counted out, leaving Bigelow to face three of the largest men in the WWE at the time. He successfully eliminated Bundy and Gang, before Andre pinned him following a double underhook suplex.

The crowd's approval for Bigelow was deafening.

This match makes the list due to its historical significance. 

8. Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels 2007

Intensity and storytelling bring this encounter in eighth. 

Shawn Michaels had been chosen by the fans to face WWE Champion Randy Orton at WWE’s Cyber Sunday. Orton won the match by disqualification.

The two faced off several times on Monday Night Raw in various gimmick matches before meeting at Survivor Series. This one came with a stipulation: If Michaels used his Sweet Chin Music finisher he would lose. If Orton tried to get disqualified, he would lose his title.

Because of the stipulation, Michaels utilized a different game plan. Even though he used various submissions holds that his fans rarely saw him use, Michaels still fell victim to Orton’s RKO.

After the bout Michaels connected with his signature move while Orton berated him.

7. The Undertaker vs. Kamala Casket Match 1992

Despite the different gimmick matches he has competed in, the one most closely associated with The Undertaker is the Casket match. At the 1992 event, the precursor to the Casket match appeared—the Coffin match—as The Undertaker took on Kamala.

In a Casket match your opponent had to be thrown in the casket and the lid shut. In a Coffin match, the lid must be nailed shut.

The Undertaker won the event and one of the WWE's most well-known match types was born.

The Undertaker vs. Kamala slides in to seventh based on the incredible storytelling and the historical significance of the gimmick used.

6. Ric Flair vs. Triple H Last Man Standing 2005

This was only the fifth time that Triple H and Ric Flair wrestled against each other and both Superstars represented the best of their respective generations. It is ranked here by virtue of its historical significance and intensity of the bout.

Triple H had been out of action for nearly three months in 2005 when he made his return at the Monday Night Raw event titled WWE Homecoming. Triple H and Flair had been aligned since 2002 as part of Evolution.

When he returned, Triple H attacked Flair, and claimed that the Nature Boy was no longer a legend. They fought at Taboo Tuesday in a Steel Cage match.

At Survivor Series 2005 they met in a Last Man Standing match that left Flair bloody for nearly the entire duration. Steel chairs, a sledgehammer and even a screwdriver came in to play.

In the end, Triple H prevailed when Flair didn’t answer the 10-count. The match showcased Triple H’s ruthless aggression and Flair’s toughness near the end of his career.

5. Team WWF vs. Team Alliance 2001

The background of the Team WWF vs. Team Alliance match flowed from the 2001 "invasion" of the WWF by WCW. The winners of this bout would control the WWF. It comes in fifth because of the timely events surrounding the demise of both WCW and ECW, as well as the engaging storytelling.

Vince and Linda McMahon backed the WWF team. Shane McMahon and Stephanie McMahon led the Alliance team, due to their owning WCW and ECW, respectively.

Team WWF was The Rock, Chris Jericho, The Undertaker, Kane and The Big Show. Team Alliance consisted of Steve Austin, Rob Van Dam, Booker T, Kurt Angle and Shane McMahon.

Near the end of the bout, Angle defected back to the WWF, helping The Rock to defeat Austin. This bout effectively ended the Invasion angle.

4. Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin 1996

The best of the Attitude and New Generation Eras met in this match to decide the No. 1 contender to the WWF Championship. It ranks fourth due to its storytelling, intensity and historical significance.

The clash of styles used during the bout was awesome to behold, with Bret Hart going more technical and Steve Austin brawling. But that didn’t stop the Hitman from trading brutal blows with Stone Cold.

Nor did it stop Austin from matching technical skills. At one point the Texas Rattlesnake locked on an impressive Texas Cloverleaf submission hold.

When Austin applied the Million Dollar Dream, Hart used the ropes to flip over Austin, turning it into a pin and the win.

3. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels 1992

One of the best rivalries in the WWE began with this match. (Grantland.com) 

Bret Hart was the WWF Champion. Shawn Michaels was the hungry challenger looking for his first singles world title.

Both men were technical marvels.

Hart, a multi-time tag team champion who had defeated the legendary Ric Flair the month before and named by WWE.com as the greatest technical wrestler of all time.

Michaels, a former tag team champion and the current Intercontinental Champion fresh off The Rockers, was young but destined for greater things. (WWE.com)  

This was the first bout between the two on pay-per-view, the beginning a long rivalry that ended in the infamous 1997 Montreal Screw Job.

After a classic battle, Hart cinched the win with the Sharpshooter at the 26-minute mark.

Intensity, storytelling and historical significance rank this in third place.

2. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels 1997

Best known for the tainted ending in which Hart was legitimately robbed of the belt, this match itself is a classic. It showcased the technical skill and brutal drive of both men, as well as continuing the story of their long feud.

This was the third time the two had wrestled for the belt on pay-per-view. The first time they fought was at Survivor Series 1992 and the second time at WrestleMania XII.

After the bout, Hart spit on Vince McMahon, destroyed equipment around ringside and punched McMahon backstage. Hart left for WCW thereafter. Michaels held the belt until March 1998, when Steve Austin defeated him.

The WWE called the ending of this match the most controversial in all of sports entertainment, helping it to land at No. 2.

1. Elimination Chamber 2002

The very first Elimination Chamber match took place in Madison Square Garden at the 2002 Survivor Series. It is ranked first given that this was a first-of-its-kind bout, the intensity of the match and the significance of the result.

Conceived by Eric Bischoff, the match featured Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, Kane, Rob Van Dam and Booker T. To make the bout even more special, Triple H's World Heavyweight Championship was on the line.

Michaels had recently returned to action after his match with Triple H at SummerSlam. He made the final two pins in the bout. First on Jericho and then Triple H, using his Sweet Chin Music finisher.

It would be Michaels' final world title, which he held for a month.