Yes, WWE still holds the Survivor Series pay-per-view event every year. Survivor Series is one of WWE’s longest running and most historic pay-per-view events, having first been held in 1987. It’s considered one of the “Big Four” pay-per-views along with WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble.
History of Survivor Series
The first Survivor Series took place on Thanksgiving Day in 1987 and aired live on pay-per-view from the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio. It featured several traditional five-on-five elimination tag team matches. The main event saw Hulk Hogan’s team defeat André the Giant’s team.
Survivor Series was originally created to be an annual Thanksgiving tradition for the WWE (then WWF). It capitalized on the popularity of gimmick matches like War Games held in the NWA and later WCW. Over the years, various types of elimination matches became a staple of the Survivor Series pay-per-view.
In the 1990s, Survivor Series introduced elements like Sole Survivor matches, where one wrestler from a team would survive elimination. It also featured unique matches like the debut of the Elimination Chamber match in 2002.
While Survivor Series has evolved over the years, traditional five-on-five elimination tag matches remained at the heart of the pay-per-view through the late 2000s. From 2008 to 2011, Survivor Series eliminated the traditional matches and focused more on champion vs. champion non-title matches.
Survivor Series in the Modern WWE
In 2012, WWE brought back the traditional five-on-five elimination matches as the main focus of Survivor Series. Multi-man elimination matches have remained central to Survivor Series ever since.
Recent Survivor Series events have also incorporated non-elimination matches, including title matches, grudge matches, and the occasional special attraction matches. But the show still pays homage to its roots with Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown men’s and women’s matches.
Survivor Series continues to take place every November, typically from one of WWE’s major arena venues. Cities that have hosted recent Survivor Series pay-per-views include Boston, Toronto, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Brooklyn.
Survivor Series Match Types
Here are some of the most common types of matches held at Survivor Series over the years:
- 5-on-5 Traditional Elimination Matches: The classic Survivor Series match with two teams of five competing, with eliminations occurring when a wrestler is pinned, submitted, disqualified or counted out.
- 5-on-5 Tag Team Elimination Matches: Similar to the traditional matches, but featuring tag teams rather than individual wrestlers.
- Champion vs. Champion: Matches featuring WWE champions from the Raw and SmackDown brands facing off.
- Sole Survivor Matches: Traditional 5-on-5 or tag team matches where one wrestler remains undefeated.
- Triple Threat Elimination Matches: Three competitors or teams compete under elimination rules.
- 10-on-10 Elimination Matches: An expanded traditional elimination match with 10 wrestlers on each team.
- 14-on-14 Elimination Matches: One of the largest elimination matches pitting 14 wrestlers per team.
- Deadly Games tournament: A short-lived 1998 tournament held at Survivor Series to crown a new WWE Champion.
Notable Survivor Series Moments
Survivor Series has hosted many iconic moments and matches over the years. Here are some of the most memorable:
- 1987 – André the Giant’s team defeats Hulk Hogan’s team after André eliminates Hogan, leading to their epic WrestleMania III match.
- 1990 – The Undertaker makes his WWE debut.
- 1994 – Bob Backlund defeats Bret Hart for the WWE Championship in a submission match after Owen Hart turned on his brother Bret.
- 1996 – The Rock makes his WWE debut as Rocky Maivia.
- 1997 – The Montreal Screwjob takes place, with Vince McMahon orchestrating Shawn Michaels’ victory over Bret Hart without Bret’s knowledge.
- 1998 – The tournament for the vacant WWE Championship culminates at Survivor Series, where The Rock wins after Vince McMahon screwed Mankind.
- 2002 – Shawn Michaels defeats Triple H in the first-ever Elimination Chamber match to become World Heavyweight Champion.
- 2005 – Team SmackDown defeats Team Raw in a 5-on-5 elimination match in the first-ever brand warfare Survivor Series match.
- 2010 – John Cena is forced to join The Nexus after losing to Wade Barrett at Survivor Series.
- 2013 – Mark Henry interrupts John Cena at Survivor Series, signalling The World’s Strongest Man’s return from injury.
- 2016 – Goldberg defeats Brock Lesnar in 1 minute 26 seconds in his first WWE match in 12 years.
Conclusion
Survivor Series remains one of WWE’s classic annual events, maintaining relevance while evolving to feature both traditional elimination matches and other high-stakes bouts. Throughout its history, Survivor Series has showcased WWE’s biggest stars and hosted legendary debuts, matches and moments that have helped shape the course of pro wrestling history.