WWE Survivor Series 2014: Top 10 Greatest Superstars in Event History

Established in 1988, Survivor Series has been one of WWE's "Big Four" pay-per-views since its inception. It has played host to some of the most monumental and historic happenings in WWE history, most notably The Montreal Screwjob in 1997.

Other milestone moments in the event's history include Shawn Michaels winning the World Heavyweight Championship, the debut of The Undertaker, the return of The Rock to the ring after a seven year absence, and more. The show's long lineage has made it one of WWE's premiere PPVs each November.

While it can be argued that Survivor Series has lost its luster in recent years with WWE treating it as an afterthought, WWE has done a solid job of bringing it back to promience with this year's installment. It'll be headlined by Team Cena vs. Team Authority in a traditional five-on-five elimination tag team match, a match the event has long been known for.

Next to WrestleMania, Survivor Series is the stage where careers are launched, stars are made and legacies are cemented. Some of the biggest Superstars in history have made names for themselves at the event and rising up-and-comers will look to do the same.

Shawn Michaels may be Mr. WrestleMania, but who lays claim to the title of being Mr. Survivor Series? This list will look back at the top 10 Superstars who have garnered the most amount of success at the fall classic.

10. Kurt Angle

While he may not have had the strongest presence at Survivor Series, Kurt Angle has made a major impact every time he has appeared at the event.

Similar to The Shield, The Rock and, of course, The Undertaker, Kurt Angle made his WWE debut at the 1999 installment, defeating Shawn Stasiak. No one knew at the time the star that Angle would go on to become.

In his first year with WWE, Angle quickly captured the WWE Championship, walking into the 2000 Survivor Series with the WWF Championship around his waist. Despite the odds being stacked against him in his match with The Undertaker, Angle still managed to walk away with the title intact.

At the 2001 installment, Angle was a part of The Alliance in their match against Team WWF with ownership of the company at stake. Angle solidified his allegiance to WWF by turning on his own team, costing them the victory.

Coming up short of winning the WWE Tag Team Championship at 2002's Survivor Series, his team reigned supreme over Team Lesnar the following year. He wouldn't find success at the 2004 or 2005 installments, but looked strong in defeat at both events.

9. Batista

Batista made a name for himself early on in his career due to his association with Evolution, but it wasn't until he separated himself from the faction that he found success at Survivor Series. He made his debut at the event at the 2004 installment, losing a traditional five-on-five elimination tag team match against Team Orton.

The following year, Batista led his team of SmackDown stars to victory over Team Raw, earning brand supremacy. At the 2006 installment, Batista put the exclamation point on his feud with Booker T by beating him to win his second World Heavyweight Championship.

Batista won his third consecutive match at Survivor Series in 2007 with a win over The Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell (thanks to interference from a returning Edge). Although he came up short against Team Orton (again) in 2008, he'd rebound in his final Survivor Series match to date in 2009 with a dominant victory over former friend Rey Mysterio.

He'll never be recognized as one of the event's best sole survivors, but there's no denying that some of the biggest accomplishments in the career of The Animal came at Survivor Series.

8. Big Show

Big Show has won every active title and then some during his 15 year stint with WWE, but most of his accomplishments have been achieved at Survivor Series.

Months removed from his arrival in WWE, 1999's Survivor Series was all about Big Show. Not only did he win a traditional elimination tag team match all by himself, he went on to win his first WWE Championship in a Triple Threat match that same night.

Two years later, Big Show took part in one of the biggest Survivor Series matches in history as part of Team WWF. Thought he was quickly eliminated, his team still emerged victorious and gained full ownership of the company.

In 2002, Big Show contended for the WWE Championship against Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series. Not only did he win the gold, but he handed Lesnar his first pinfall loss with help from Lesnar's ex-advocate Paul Heyman.

He'd win traditional elimination tag team matches at the event in 2004 and 2010 before being involved in world title matches for the next three installments. Show will be a part of Team Cena in the main event of Survivor Series this year.

7. CM Punk

CM Punk spent less time at Survivor Series than any other Superstar on this list, but he's been more successful at the event than most may think.

Making his debut at the fall classic in 2006, Punk was on the winning end of a traditional elimination tag team match alongside D-Generation X and The Hardys. The following year, he came out on top in a Triple Threat match against John Morrison and The Miz with his ECW Championship intact.

From there, Punk went into a Survivor Series slump, losing back-to-back elimination tag team matches in 2008 and 2009. He didn't take part in the 2010 installment due to being out with injury.

However, “The Straightedge Superstar” made a grand return to Survivor Series in 2011, beating Alberto Del Rio in Madison Square Garden for the WWE Championship. He'd hold that belt for the next 434 days, during which he successfully defended the gold against John Cena and Ryback in a Triple Threat match at the 2012 installment.

Punk's final Survivor Series appearance came in 2013, teaming with Daniel Bryan to defeat Luke Harper and Erick Rowan of The Wyatt Family in tag team action. He claimed to be “the best in the world,” and his track record at the event speaks for itself.

6. Bret Hart

What would a Survivor Series list be without Bret Hart? He's most known for his involvement in the infamous Montreal Screwjob at the 1997 installment, but he's had a long lost of other achievements at the event to boot.

At the inaugural installment in 1988, Hart was on the winning end of a traditional elimination tag team match. It wasn't for another four more years until he found success at Survivor Series in 1992, retaining his WWE Championship against Shawn Michaels, interestingly enough.

Despite emerging victorious in another traditional elimination tag team match in 1993, Hart was the victim of his first “screwjob” at Survivor Series in 1994. He dropped the WWE title after his mother Helen threw in the towel for him, thanks to some input from his brother Owen.

Hart redeemed himself with back-to-back victories at the 1995 and 1996 events, respectively. He defeated Diesel to retain his WWE Championship before beating an up-and-coming Stone Cold Steve Austin the following year.

Of course, Hart's final Survivor Series appearance came in 1997 when he was screwed out of the WWE Championship by Shawn Michaels, Vince McMahon and referee Earl Hebner. But he left behind a legacy at the event that will not be soon forgotten.

5. The Rock

As previously noted, only an elite few have been fortunate enough to make their WWE debut at Survivor Series, and among those individuals is none other than The Rock.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson's, going under the name of Rocky Maivia at the time, was scheduled to make his first televised appearance at the 1996 installment. He was among the sole survivors in that year's traditional elimination tag team match, lastly eliminating Goldust to win.

By the next fall, Maivia had completely rejuvenated his character by branding himself as The Rock and joining The Nation of Domination. Though he came up short in a traditional elimination tag team match, he was successful the following year in winning the Deadly Game tournament to win the vacant WWE Championship.

In 2000, Rock scored a big victory over Rikishi before winning for Team WWF against The Alliance in 2001. He departed the company in 2002.

His first match back in seven years was in Madison Square Garden at 2011's Survivor Series, the same event and venue at which he made his WWE debut. He teamed with John Cena to beat the dynamic duo of The Miz and R-Truth.

Although his number of appearances at Survivor Series was brief, all of his accolades at the event helped solidify him as the star he'd go on to become.

4. Randy Orton

If there's anyone on the current WWE roster that deserves to be called Mr. Survivor Series, it's Randy Orton. His long list of accomplishments at the event has made one of the most decorated Superstars in the illustrious history of the pay-per-view.

Upon his debut on the Survivor Series stage in 2003, Orton emerged victorious as the sole survivor in a traditional elimination tag team match on behalf of Eric Bischoff. He had similar success at the subsequent events in 2004 and 2005, solidifying himself as a master of the Survivor Series staple.

In 2007, 2010 and 2013, he successfully retained his WWE Championship against Shawn Michaels, Wade Barrett and Big Show, respectively. He was also a sole survivor in a traditional elimination tag team match in 2008.

Although Orton currently isn't slated to appear at this year's event, it isn't completely out of the question that he'll show up in his hometown of St. Louis.

3. John Cena

Regardless of whether you like him or loathe him, there's no denying that John Cena is among the greatest Superstars in Survivor Series history based off his immense amount of success at the event.

In 2003, Cena teamed up with some of the most seasoned veterans in the business, even coming out on top as a sole survivor after pinning Big Show. The next year was no different, as he teamed with Eddie Guerrero, Big Show and Rob Van Dam to defeat Team Angle.

Cena and Angle clashed the following year as well, this time over the WWE Championship. Despite the odds being stacked against him (Daivari was named the special guest referee), Cena still left Survivor Series with the title intact.

With a win in traditional elimination tag team action in 2006, Cena returned to Survivor Series in 2008 to defeat Chris Jericho for the World Heavyweight Championship. He'd compete in championship matches in 2009 and 2013 as well, winning both bouts.

Cena's sole Survivor Series loss came in 2012 when he lost a Triple Threat WWE Championship match to CM Punk. He and the rest of his team will square off with Team Authority in the main event of this year's installment, but can he lead his squad of Superstars to victory?

2. Shawn Michaels

He may already lay claim to the title of Mr. WrestleMania, but who says he can't be Mr. Survivor Series as well?

Shawn Michaels, much like every other individual on this list, has had his fair share of success at the fall classic, both in traditional elimination tag team matches and singles competition. He took part in the inaugural installment in 1989, competing in the main event and defeating The Heenan Family.

He'd emerge victorious in tag team action the following year as well, but he'd come up short at every subsequent event for the next several years. It wasn't until 1995 that he'd finally get back to his winning ways, defeating Team Yokozuna.

In 1997, he defeated Bret Hart for the WWE Championship in the most controversial conclusion to a match in WWE history. His next appearance at Survivor Series was equally historic, winning the first ever Elimination Chamber match to capture the World Heavyweight Championship.

Over the next seven years, Michaels competed in several traditional elimination tag team matches, winning one in 2006 and another in 2008. He's also competed in more matches of this kind than anyone else ever.

His win-loss record at Survivor Series may not be as strong as that of John Cena and Randy Orton, but he's produced more monumental than most Superstars in the event's history.

1. The Undertaker

Streak or no streak, Undertaker's legendary legacy will be forever remembered, but his unprecedented win-loss record at WrestleMania often overshadows what he's managed to accomplish at Survivor Series over the last two decades. Having debuted at the 1990 installment a part of The Million Dollar Team, Undertaker went on to own Survivor Series for the remainder of the millennium.

He captured his second WWE Championship the following year with a win over Hulk Hogan. In 1992, he took part in the first ever Casket match, defeating Kamala.

Following victories at the event over Mankind, Yokozuna and Kane, Undertaker suffered his first Survivor Series loss at the 1998 installment against The Rock in the Deadly Game tournament for the WWE Championship. His next big victory at the pay-per-view wouldn't come until 2001 when he and the rest of Team WWF beat Team Alliance to retain ownership of the company.

One year removed from his victory over Heidenreich, Undertaker made a grand return at the conclusion of 2005's installment, dismantling the entire SmackDown roster. Though he'd fall short of victory in 2006 and 2007, he'd return to his winning ways in 2008 and 2009 with wins against Big Show and Chris Jericho, respectively.

It's been five years since Undertaker was last seen at Survivor Series, but there's no doubting that the fall classic will always be the home of The Deadman.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website at Next Era Wrestling and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.

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