Line #74 Wrestling/SurvivorSeries


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wwesslogo2014.png]]
2
3	->''"Teams of five strive to survive."''
4	-->--The {{Tagline}} of ''Survivor Series 88''.
5
6	''Survivor Series'' is Wrestling/{{WWE}}'s annual November pay-per-view event. It is one of the "Big Five" events, along with ''Wrestling/{{WrestleMania}}'', the ''Wrestling/RoyalRumble'', ''Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank'' and ''Wrestling/SummerSlam'', as it is one of the original four pay-per-views produced by WWE.
7
8	''Survivor Series'' is the second longest running pay-per-view event in WWE history, behind ''[=WrestleMania=]''. The first ''Survivor Series'', held in 1987, came on the heels of the incredible success of ''[=WrestleMania=] III'', as the WWF began to see the lucrative potential of the pay-per-view market.
9
10	The event is usually characterized by having [[FiveManBand five]] on five (or sometimes [[FourTemperamentEnsemble four]] on [[FourGirlEnsemble four]] or six man) TagTeam elimination matches. These matches are generally referred to simply as "traditional Survivor Series matches". But the catch to Survivor Series is to be the sole survivor or survivors meaning that there is an elimination element to the match.
11
12	!! "Tropes of five strive to survive":
13	* AlliterativeTitle: '''S'''urvivor '''S'''eries.
14	* AllOrNothing: The "winner takes all" match between Team WWF and Team Alliance in 2001, which marked the end of Wrestling/TheInvasionAngle, and even led the PPV to have the tagline "All or Nothing". [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] of Team WWF pinned Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin of The Alliance in order to win the match and save the WWF.
15	* TheArtifact: In 2009, WWE introduced a PPV called ''Bragging Rights'' that was about brand warfare - centred around Raw vs. [=SmackDown=] matches. It even featured a big multi-brand tag match, making ''Survivor Series'' rather redundant as a result.[[note]]There were even rumors of ''Survivor Series'' being retired for good because of this, but regardless of whether it was true or not, fan revolt at the reports killed it.[[/note]] But with the brand split getting dissolved in 2011, ''Bragging Rights'' was abandoned. Since the split being reinstated, the Bragging Rights concept and scoreboard has been incorporated into ''Survivor Series'' itself.
16	* ArtifactTitle: ''Survivor Series'' originally revolved entirely around elimination style 8-man tag team matches, which gradually decreased in use until you'd be lucky to have ''one'' traditional SS match on the card, putting its titular match in the same "attraction surrounded by other things" ballpark as the Wrestling/RoyalRumble.
17	* TheBadGuyWins: While admittedly an OverlyNarrowSuperlative, as it was only WWE's fifth [=PPV=] at that point, Wrestling/AndreTheGiant's team winning in the main event of the first ''Survivor Series'' was the first time a {{Heel}} had won in the main event.
18	* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: This is usually played straight, but there have been occasional aversions:
19	** 2000: During a match between Wrestling/{{Lita}} and Wrestling/{{Ivory}}, the former suffered a nasty cut above the eye and bled heavily throughout the match.
20	** 2002: [[Wrestling/LisaMarieVaron Victoria]] ended up with a bloody nose during her hardcore match with Wrestling/TrishStratus.
21	* BigDamnHeroes: Wrestling/{{Sting}} to Team Cena in 2014.
22	* BigWhat: Wrestling/JerryLawler let loose one for the ages when Sting showed up at the end of the 2014 main event.
23	* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Or in this case, the non-lethal variant of Black Dude Gets Eliminated First:
24	** Butch Reed, via Hogan, in the Team Hulk[[note]](Wrestling/HulkHogan[=/=]Paul Orndorff[=/=]Wrestling/DonMuraco[=/=]Wrestling/KenPatera[=/=]Wrestling/BamBamBigelow)[[/note]]-Team Andre[[note]](Andre[=/=]Wrestling/TheOneManGang[=/=]Wrestling/KingKongBundy[=/=]Reed[=/=][[Wrestling/RickRude "Ravishing" Rick Rude]])[[/note]] match, 1987.
25	** [[Creator/TinyLister Zeus]], via DQ, in the Hulkamaniacs[[note]]Hogan[=/=][[Wrestling/JakeRoberts Jake "The Snake" Roberts]][=/=]Wrestling/{{Demolition}}[[/note]] vs. the Million Dollar Team[[note]][[Wrestling/TedDiBiase "The Million Dollar Man" Ted [=DiBiase=]]][=/=]Zeus[=/=]Wrestling/ThePowersOfPain [The Warlord and Wrestling/TheBarbarian][[/note]] match, 1989.
26	** Wrestling/KokoBWare, via Wrestling/TheUndertaker, in the Dream Team[[note]]Wrestling/DustyRhodes[=/=]Koko[=/=]The Hart Foundation [Wrestling/BretHart and Jim Neidhart][[/note]] vs. the Million Dollar Team[[note]][=DiBiase=][=/=]Undertaker[=/=]Rhythm & Blues [Wrestling/HonkyTonkMan and Wrestling/GregValentine][[/note]] match, 1990.
27	** Wrestling/BobbyLashley, via Wrestling/ShawnMichaels, in the Team [=SmackDown=][[note]][Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield JBL]][=/=]Wrestling/RandyOrton[=/=]Wrestling/{{Batista}}[=/=]Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio\|Jr}}[=/=]Lashley[[/note]] vs. Team [=Raw=][[note]](Michaels[=/=]Wrestling/{{Kane}}[=/=]Wrestling/BigShow[=/=]Wrestling/{{Carlito\|Colon}}[=/=]Chris Masters)[[/note]] match, 2005.
28	** Wrestling/RonSimmons, via countout, in the Team Flair[[note]]Wrestling/RicFlair[=/=]Simmons[=/=]Wrestling/DustyRhodes[=/=]Wrestling/SgtSlaughter[[/note]]-Spirit Squad[[note]](Kenny [Ken Doane aka Kenny Dykstra][=/=][[Wrestling/DolphZiggler Nicky [=[=]Nick Nemeth aka Dolph Ziggler[=]=]]][=/=]Johnny [Jeter][=/=]Mikey [Mike Mondo][[/note]] match, 2006.
29	** JTG of Cryme Tyme, via MVP, in the Team Shawn Michaels[[note]]Michaels[=/=]Mysterio[=/=]The Great Khali[=/=][[Characters/WWETagTeams Cryme Tyme [=[=]Shad Gaspard and JTG[=]=]]][[/note]]-Team Bradshaw[[note]]JBL[=/=]Wrestling/TheMiz[=/=]Wrestling/JohnMorrison[=/=][=Kane=][=/=][[Wrestling/MontelVontaviousPorter MVP [=[=]Montel Vontavious Porter[=]=]]][[/note]] match, 2008.
30	** Wrestling/MarkHenry, via Randy Orton, in the Team Kofi Kingston-Team Randy Orton match (see TokenWhite below), 2009 and again in the Team Cena-Team Authority match, 2014. It should be worth noting that in the latter, he got eliminated [[OneHitKill by a single punch]] by the Big Show.
31	** At the 2009 Divas match, {{Wrestling/Layla}} (who isn't exactly black) was the first to be eliminated.
32	** MVP, via Drew [=McIntyre=], in the Team Mysterio[[note]](Rey[=/=]The Big Show[=/=]Kofi Kingston[=/=]MVP[=/=]Chris Masters)[[/note]]-Team Del Rio[[note]](Wrestling/AlbertoDelRio[=/=]Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre[=/=]Wrestling/CodyRhodes[=/=]Wrestling/JackSwagger[=/=]Tyler Reks)[[/note]] match, 2010.
33	** The 2013 'Total Divas vs True Divas' match actually had the first two eliminations from both teams be Wrestling/AliciaFox and Wrestling/{{Cameron}} respectively. And the next elimination was the Latina Wrestling/RosaMendes.
34	** Wrestling/TheNewDay was the very first losing team in the 2017 event thanks to Wrestling/TheShield.
35	* BookEnds: Wrestling/TheUndertaker began his WWE career on the November 22, 1990 event. Exactly thirty years later, at the 2020 event, he made his final farewell to the WWE Universe.
36	* BrokenWinLossStreak:
37	** Wrestling/TripleH was consistently winless in this event since his debut in 1995 until he defeated Wrestling/RicFlair at the 2005 event in a Last Man Standing Match.
38	** Wrestling/RandyOrton was SoleSurvivor from 2003-2005 until Team Wrestling/DGenerationX [[note]]Wrestling/ShawnMichaels, Wrestling/TripleH, Wrestling/MattHardy, Wrestling/JeffHardy, and Wrestling/CMPunk[[/note]] beat his team in a FlawlessVictory at the 2006 event.
39	** Wrestling/BrockLesnar was consistently winless at this event since his debut in 2002 until he defeated Wrestling/AJStyles in 2017.
40	** Wrestling/JohnCena never lost a match at this event until 2012, thanks to Wrestling/TheShield making their debut during the WWE Championship Triple Threat Match he was on.
41	** The 2018 event saw Wrestling/CharlotteFlair losing to Wrestling/RondaRousey by disqualification. Until this match, Charlotte was undefeated at this event since her debut in 2015. Conversely, Wrestling/AlexaBliss scores her first win by proxy[[note]]She did not compete due to injury[[/note]] of being TheCaptain of RAW's Women's team. Until this match, Alexa was winless at this event since her debut in 2016.
42	** Wrestling/{{Goldberg}} hasn't lost at this event since his debut.
43	* TheCameo:
44	** Wrestling/{{ECW}}'s Wrestling/{{The Public Enemy\|TagTeam}} lost to the Smoking Gunns in a dark (non-televised) match before ''Survivor Series 1995''.
45	** An involutary one on WWE's part, but in 2018, former WWE wrestler [[Wrestling/EnzoAndCass Enzo Amore]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbKweuUKbI8 went to sit in the front row]] and did his old "My name is Enzo Amore" bit before being dragged out by security and getting himself banned from the Staples Center for the foreseeable future as a result.
46	* TheChewToy:
47	** Wrestling/TripleH was winless at this event until 2005, and has only won thrice more (in 2006, 2007 and 2017) ever since.
48	** Wrestling/BrockLesnar hadn't won ''at all'' until 2017.
49	** {{Wrestling/Lita}} did not have much luck at ''Survivor Series'', and 2006 was especially unlucky for her, as she lost her retirement match.
50	* CoolVsAwesome: The 2017 edition had Wrestling/TheShield vs. Wrestling/TheNewDay, and ''boy'', did it deliver.
51	* {{Crossover}}: The Heavenly Bodies ("The Doctor of Desire" Tom Prichard and "Gigolo" Jimmy Del Ray, w[=/=]Wrestling/JimCornette) d. [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/e/smw/smw-t.html SMW Tag Team Champions]] Wrestling/TheRockNRollExpress (Ricky [=Morton=] and Robert Gibson) for the titles at ''Survivor Series'' 1993.
52	* CurbStompBattle: The Divas match at the 2014 show saw none of the faces being eliminated from their team.
53	* DavidVersusGoliath:
54	** Inverted, as Wrestling/{{Batista}} d. Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio\|Jr}}. in 2009.
55	** Inverted twice in 2017. StatuesqueStunner Wrestling/CharlotteFlair d. TheNapoleon Wrestling/AlexaBliss, while Wrestling/BrockLesnar d. Wrestling/AJStyles. Charlotte was the {{Face}} on her match, though.
56	** Inverted in 2018, again by Wrestling/BrockLesnar, this time by defeating [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]]. In a strange example, this is an EvilVersusEvil match.
57	** Inverted in 2019, yet again by Wrestling/BrockLesnar, this time by defeating Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio\|Jr}} to retain his WWE Championship.
58	* ADayInTheLimelight:
59	** The following have all been in main events at ''Survivor Series'' who normally would not have had that opportunity: Wrestling/HillbillyJim, Wrestling/KokoBWare (1988), Paul Roma (1990), Carlito and Chris Masters (2005).
60	** The 2008 and 2009 Divas matches saw perpetual {{Jobber}} Wrestling/JillianHall getting to PPV for some of the only times in her career.
61	* DebutQueue:
62	** Wrestling/TheUndertaker in 1990, [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson Rocky Maivia]] (later [[TookALevelInBadass The Rock]]) in 1996, Wrestling/KurtAngle in 1999, [[Wrestling/CarleneMoore Jazz]] in 2001, Wrestling/TheShield (both the group and [[Wrestling/RomanReigns its]] [[Wrestling/SethRollins individual]] [[Wrestling/JonMoxley members]]) in 2012, and technically Wrestling/{{Sting}} in 2014 are notable examples.
63	** The Wrestling/EliminationChamber in 2002.
64	** Wrestling/TheGobbledyGooker in 1990, though? Not so much.
65	* DuelingShows: The kayfabe ''Raw'' and ''[=SmackDown!=]'' rivalry was often brought to the forefront at Survivor Series during the Brand Extension era, moreso than on any other pay per view. At the 2005 installment even the announcers were at each other's throats, spending more time insulting one another than commentating the final match (but it was admittedly hilarious to listen to regardless). During the second Brand Expansion, the storylines of both programs come to a pause in order to focus on the rivalry in the weeks before the show only for regular service to resume immediately after the card ends.
66	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness:
67	** Survivor Series was intended to be a Thanksgiving tradition, with the first eight shows taking place on Thanksgiving Day or Eve. After 1995, this was abandoned.
68	** The first editions of the event had ''only'' traditional elimination matches on the card.
69	* EnemyMine: This is common in ''[[Wrestling/WWESmackdown SmackDown!]]'' vs ''[[Wrestling/WWERaw Raw]]'' Survivor Series matches, where teams may consist of both Faces and Heels.
70	* EvilVersusEvil: On a few occasions.
71	** PlayedWith during the Main Event of the 1997 event. Both defending WWF champion Wrestling/BretHart and Wrestling/ShawnMichaels were {{Heel}}s at the time, but the event took place in Canada which Bret and all the other Harts are treated as {{Face}}s by default. Retroactively, however, he is universally regarded as the face in the match.
72	** The final moments of the 2008 Divas match between the Raw and Smackdown women came down to Wrestling/BethPhoenix and Wrestling/{{Maryse}} - the top heels on their respective brands.
73	** During 2017, Wrestling/BaronCorbin (the then-United States Champion) fought Wrestling/TheMiz (the then-Intercontinental Champion), along with [[EvilMinions The Miztourage]]. Both were high-profile {{Heel}}s.
74	** The Main Event of the 2018 event features WWE champion [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] and Universal Champion Wrestling/BrockLesnar, both of whom are {{Heel}}s (although the former was freshly turned).
75	** In 2019 NXT was added to the mix, and an Evil vs Evil vs Evil match took place; United States Champion Wrestling/AJStyles vs Intercontinental Champion Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura vs North American Champion Wrestling/RoderickStrong.
76	** The 2020 event features Wrestling/BobbyLashley (the United States Champion) representing Wrestling/TheHurtBusiness, and Wrestling/SamiZayn (the Intercontinental champion).
77	** The 2021 event features Wrestling/BeckyLynch (Raw Women's Champion) and Wrestling/CharlotteFlair ([=SmackDown=] Women's Champion).
78	* FaceHeelDoubleTurn:
79	** Wrestling/ThePowersOfPain (The Warlord and Wrestling/TheBarbarian) and Wrestling/{{Demolition}}, respectively in 1988.
80	** [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] and [[Wrestling/MickFoley Mankind]], respectively, in a rehash of the Wrestling/MontrealScrewjob in 1998. Mankind eventually [[spoiler: won his WWF Championship on the January 4th edition of ''RAW'', the same night as the infamous Wrestling/TonySchiavone "butts in seats" quip and the FingerpokeOfDoom on ''WCW Monday Nitro.'']]
81	* FlawlessVictory:
82	** "The Visionaries" (Rick Martel, Warlord, Wrestling/{{Hercules\|Hernandez}}, and Paul Roma) swept "The Vipers" (Wrestling/JakeRoberts, Wrestling/JimmySnuka, Wrestling/ShawnMichaels and Wrestling/MartyJannetty) in 1990, the first team to do so.
83	** Team Wrestling/DGenerationX swept Team [[Wrestling/EdgeWrestler Rated]]-[[Wrestling/RandyOrton RKO]] in the 2006 event.
84	** In the 2014 event, a traditional Divas match had the face team (Wrestling/{{Naomi\|Wrestler}}, Wrestling/{{Natalya\|Neidheart}}, Wrestling/AliciaFox and [[Wrestling/TenilleDashwood Emma]]) win without any eliminations on their side.
85	** The 2016 main event features Wrestling/{{Goldberg}} destroying Wrestling/BrockLesnar in under two minutes.
86	** The 2020 event has Team Raw (Wrestling/AJStyles, Wrestling/BraunStrowman, Wrestling/KeithLee, [[Wrestling/MattRiddle Riddle]], Wrestling/{{Sheamus}}) defeated Team [=SmackDown=] ([[Wrestling/TheUsos Jey Uso]], Wrestling/KevinOwens, [[Wrestling/BaronCorbin King Corbin]], Otis, and Wrestling/SethRollins) without a single ''Raw'' superstar eliminated.
87	* {{Foreshadowing}}: The Wrestling/RuthlessAggressionEra famously gave previews/teasers of storylines heading to that season's ''Wrestling/WrestleMania''.
88	** Events leading to the 2002 event is where Wrestling/ShawnMichaels and Wrestling/ChrisJericho first crossed paths.
89	** The 2003 dropped several hints for the upcoming ''[=WrestleMania=] XX''; from emphasis over Wrestling/ChrisBenoit's submission prowess by making him one of his team's only two survivors alongside Wrestling/JohnCena (he would win the World Heavyweight Championship at ''WM XX'' by making champion Wrestling/TripleH tap out), the rising tension between Cena and Wrestling/BigShow (Cena would go on to challenge Show at ''WM XX''' for the latter's United States Championship and win it) and, most overly, Wrestling/{{Goldberg}} interrupting Wrestling/BrockLesnar's interview (beginning their feud that would lead to their infamously poorly-received ''WM XX'' match, after which neither man would step into a WWE ring for years), and Wrestling/{{Kane}} interfering in Wrestling/TheUndertaker's Buried Alive match (after which Taker would take a leave of absence, only for him to return at ''WM XX'' with his supernatural gimmick and defeat Kane).
90	** The 2004 event featured Wrestling/KurtAngle [[BadassBoast boldly declaring]] (to Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}}) that he could make Wrestling/ShawnMichaels tap out. He would make good on that promise the following ''[=WrestleMania=]''.
91	* FourTemperamentEnsemble: When the teams aren't five man/bad bands.
92	* TheGiant: Team Lesnar [[note]](Wrestling/BrockLesnar, Wrestling/BigShow, [[Wrestling/MattBloom A-Train]], Wrestling/MattMorgan, and Nathan Jones)[[/note]] were hyped up as the physically largest team in ''Survivor Series'' history. Opinions on the team members may vary, but arguably most of them qualify for this trope. Despite which, [[DavidVersusGoliath they fell to a relatively smaller team]] consisting of Wrestling/KurtAngle, Wrestling/ChrisBenoit, [[Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield Bradshaw]], [[Wrestling/BobHolly Hardcore Holly]] and Wrestling/JohnCena.
93	* GimmickMatches: In addition to the usual traditional ''Survivor Series'' matches, there's also these examples:
94	** 1992 saw the Wrestling/BigBossman defeat Nailz in a "Nightstick on a pole match," and Wrestling/TheUndertaker d. Wrestling/{{Kamala}} in a casket match.
95	** [[Wrestling/BobBacklund Mr. Bob Backlund]] (w[=/=]Wrestling/OwenHart) d. [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-h.html WWE World Heavyweight Champion]] Wrestling/BretHart for the title in a "submission" match, and Undertaker d. Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}} in a casket match in 1994 with Creator/ChuckNorris as the special guest enforcer.
96	** 2022 saw a new main gimmick match for the event: The ''[=WarGames=]'' match used in NXT for 5 years until the event was discontinued in 2022.
97	* GrandFinale:
98	** 1990 saw the "Grand Finale of Survival", where all the surviving faces teamed up against all of the surviving heels from the previous matches. Hulk Hogan, the Wrestling/UltimateWarrior and Wrestling/TitoSantana d. Ted [=DiBiase=] and the Visionaries (Wrestling/RickMartel, the Warlord and Power and Glory [Hercules and Paul Roma]), with Hogan and Warrior surviving.
99	** 2001's main event served as one for Wrestling/TheInVasionAngle.
100	** 2014's match between Team Wrestling/JohnCena and Team Authority was one for Wrestling/TheAuthority storyline. [[ShaggyDogStory Or so it was believed]].
101	** The 2020 event featured the retirement ceremony of Wrestling/TheUndertaker.
102	* HistoryRepeats:
103	** Wrestling/BigShow won the WWE championship at this event twice (his first and second, in 1999 and 2002, respectively).
104	** Several wrestlers were the SoleSurvivor more than once, namely; The Wrestling/UltimateWarrior (1988-90), Wrestling/RicFlair (1991 and 2006), [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] (1996 and 2001), Wrestling/RandyOrton (2003-2005), Wrestling/DolphZiggler (2012 and 2014), and Wrestling/RomanReigns (2013 and 2019).
105	** Wrestling/CharlotteFlair has entered this event as a Women's Champion since her main roster debut in 2015.
106	** Wrestling/RandyOrton defeated Wrestling/ShawnMichaels three times in this event (2003, 2005, and 2007). The first two in the traditional elimination match in which he was the SoleSurvivor and the latter in a one-on-one match for the WWE Championship.
107	** A member of the famed [[Wrestling/SamoanDynasty Anoa'i clan]] won their first WWE Championships in a TournamentArc ([[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] in 1998, Wrestling/RomanReigns in 2015), beating an iconic GarbageWrestler who they worked closely with at different points in their careers in the finals ([[Wrestling/MickFoley Mankind]] and [[Wrestling/JonMoxley Dean Ambrose]], respectively).
108	* JustifiedTitle: The 1998, 2002, 2022, and 2023 events didn't have the traditional 5-on-5 tag team matches, but the TournamentArc for the vacant WWF title (1998), the debut of the Wrestling/EliminationChamber match for the World Heavyweight title (2002), and the main roster introduction of the ''[=WarGames=]'' match (2022 and 2023) emphasized the theme of "Survival". In the case of the 2022 and 2023 events, they were even subtitled ''[=WarGames=]'' to reflect this.
109	* MeleeATrois: The 2019 event was a three-way fight between RAW, [=SmackDown=] and [[Wrestling/{{WWENXT}} NXT]]. This was incorporated into the matches of the night, with representatives from all three brands being involved in Triple Threat matches.[[note]]A ten-TagTeam battle royale featuring three-four teams from each brand, a Cruiserweight Championship match featuring Akira Tozawa (RAW), Kalisto ([=SmackDown=]) and Wrestling/LioRush (NXT) and each brands' TagTeam champions (The Viking Raiders, the New Day and the Undisputed Era, respectively) on the pre-show, with the main show featuring three-team elimination matches for both the men and the women as well as matches for both the midcard champions (US Champion Wrestling/AJStyles, Intercontinental Champion Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura and NXT North American Champion Wrestling/RoderickStrong) and the Women's Champions (Wrestling/BeckyLynch, Wrestling/{{Bayley}} and Wrestling/ShaynaBaszler). The upper card champions were exempt from this, instead having title defenses against wrestlers from their own brands.[[/note]]
110	* MoralityKitchenSink: Wrestling/{{The InVasion\|Angle}} story line and the editions of this PPV revolving around Brand Supremacy feature teams that consist of both {{Heel}}s and {{Face}}s duking it out and acting accordingly depending on circumstances and narrative.
111	* NearVillainVictory: Team Cena vs. Team Authority in 2014. Wrestling/DolphZiggler was making his last stand the betrayal of the Big Show had reduced his team to just him. Everytime he tried to get an edge over Seth Rollins, Triple H would take out a referee. When Zigger kicked out of a pin by a crooked ref, Trips Pedigreed him and laid Rollins arm for the victory. When all seemed lost...[[Wrestling/{{Sting}} the Stinger]] appeared.
112	* NonIndicativeName: At ''Survivor Series 1994,'' [[Wrestling/ScottHall Razor Ramon]] captained the Bad Guys [[note]](Razor[=/=][[Wrestling/SeanWaltman The 1-2-3 Kid]][=/=]Wrestling/DaveyBoySmith[=/=][[Wrestling/TheHeadshrinkers the Headshrinkers]] [Fatu [[=Rikishi=]] and Sionne [The Barbarian])[[/note]], who were actually the ''{{Face}}s''. The name is a reference to Ramon's nickname and was an ArtifactTitle by then.
113	* OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain:
114	** The final two men in the inaugural Wrestling/EliminationChamber match in 2002 were then World Heavyweight Champion Wrestling/TripleH and his (at the time) estranged BigBrotherMentor Wrestling/ShawnMichaels.
115	** 2005's event had two: first is a match between established WWE star Wrestling/TrishStratus, and rookie valet Wrestling/{{Melina}}, then between LivingLegend Wrestling/RicFlair and the (then) still-in-his-prime Wrestling/TripleH.
116	** 2006 featured Team Legends[[note]]Wrestling/RicFlair, Wrestling/SgtSlaughter, Wrestling/DustyRhodes, and Wrestling/RonSimmons[[/note]] vs. The Spirit Squad.
117	** 2007 featured veteran challenger Wrestling/ShawnMichaels vs. arrogant young WWE Champion Wrestling/RandyOrton.
118	** 2009 featured LivingLegend Wrestling/TheUndertaker defending his World Heavyweight Title in a Triple-Threat Match against Wrestling/BigShow and Wrestling/ChrisJericho, both of whom are younger than him by more-or-less half a decade.
119	** 2015 featured Wrestling/TheUndertaker and Wrestling/{{Kane}} versus Wrestling/TheWyattFamily.
120	** 2016 featured Wrestling/{{Goldberg}} (b. 1966) versus Wrestling/BrockLesnar (b. 1977).
121	** 2019 featured Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio\|Jr}} (b. 1974) versus Wrestling/BrockLesnar (b. 1977) and [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] (b. 1981) versus [[Wrestling/BrayWyatt "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt]] (b. 1987).
122	* OneHitKill: Wrestling/TitoSantana's Flying Forearm at ''Survivor Series 1990.'' In the match between the Alliance [[note]](Wrestling/NikolaiVolkoff[=/=]Tito[=/=]Wrestling/TheBushwhackers)[[/note]] and the Mercenaries [[note]](Sgt. Slaughter[=/=]Wrestling/BorisZhukov[=/=]The Orient Express [Akio Sato and Pat Tanaka])[[/note]], Tito took out Boris with it a mere 48 seconds into the match. In the GrandFinale match described above, he took out the Warlord with it '''28''' seconds into the match.
123	* PartySchedulingGambit: The first aired on Thanksgiving Night 1987, the same night as the [[Wrestling/NationalWrestlingAlliance NWA]]'s first PPV, ''Starrcade.'' Vince forced the PPV companies of the time to choose between either ''Survivor Series'' or ''Starrcade.'' Most chose ''Survivor Series,'' likely because of the WWF's star power.
124	* PlayerElimination: In-universe. The series is focused on large scale tag team matches, usually 4 or 5 men to a team, and unlike regular tag matches, a fall eliminates the one it occurred to rather than ending the match in one fall, with the goal being to eliminate the entire opposing team.
125	* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: ''Survivor Series 1999'' featured wrestling porn star Val Venis leading his team of "Sexual Chocolate" Wrestling/MarkHenry, wrestling vampire [[Wrestling/DavidHeath Gangrel]] and martial arts expert [[Wrestling/SteveBlackman "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman]] to victory over The British Bulldog and [[Wrestling/TheCorporation the Mean Street Posse]].
126	* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: [[Wrestling/BobHolly Hardcore Holly]] to Wrestling/BrockLesnar at the 2003 PPV. This actually led to him being disqualified (and therefore eliminated) before the match had even really started.
127	* SantaClaus: Showed up to celebrate Bret's win over Shawn in the main event of ''Survivor Series 1992'', and Wrestling/LexLuger being the sole survivor in the All-Americans[[note]]Luger[=/=]The Undertaker[=/=]The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott)[[/note]]-Foreign Fanatics[[note]][=Yokozuna=][=/=]Ludvig Borga[=/=][[Wrestling/BrianAdams Crush]][=/=]Quebecer Jacques[[/note]] match at ''Survivor Series 1993''.
128	* ShaggyDogStory: The TournamentArc for the 2015 event was ruined when Wrestling/{{Sheamus}} cashed in his Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank. Wrestling/TripleH also assisted him, continuing Wrestling/TheAuthority’s unending reign of terror.
129	* SoleSurvivor:
130	** Wrestling/AndreTheGiant is the UrExample, being the sole survivor for his team against Hulk Hogan's team in the main event of the first ''Survivor Series'' in 1987.
131	** The Wrestling/UltimateWarrior may be the {{Trope Maker\|s}}, as he was the sole survivor for his team for ''three'' straight years in a row (1988-90.)
132	** Wrestling/HulkHogan and [[Wrestling/CurtHennig Mr. Perfect]] in 1989.
133	** Played with in 1990. That year was a TournamentArc of teams and Wrestling/TedDiBiase. Wrestling/HulkHogan, and Wrestling/TitoSantana were this in their elimination rounds. However, Hogan and Warrior were the last two standing in the finals.
134	** Wrestling/RicFlair in both 1991 and 2006.
135	** Wrestling/LexLuger in 1993.
136	** [[Wrestling/ScottHall Razor Ramon]] in 1994.
137	** Wrestling/AjaKong and [[Wrestling/SeanWaltman The 1-2-3 Kid]] in 1995.
138	** Bart Gunn in 1996.
139	** [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] in 1996 and 2001.
140	** The Interrogator, [[Wrestling/DaveyBoySmith The British Bulldog]], and Wrestling/KenShamrock in 1997.
141	** [[Wrestling/BobHolly Hardcore Holly]] in 1999. Wrestling/BigShow also competed in a 1-on-4 Handicap Match [[OneManArmy which he won]].
142	** Wrestling/JeffHardy in 2000.
143	** Wrestling/JohnCena in 2003, thanks to CanonDiscontinuity[[note]]He and Wrestling/ChrisBenoit were the survivors in that event, but ever since Benoit became [[UnPerson persona non-grata]] after his PaterFamilicide in 2007, WWE blatantly refers to Cena as the SoleSurvivor[[/note]].
144	** Wrestling/RandyOrton in 2003-2005.
145	** Wrestling/BethPhoenix in 2008.
146	** Wrestling/KofiKingston in 2009.
147	** Wrestling/DolphZiggler pulled this off in both 2012 and 2014 (the latter with some help from Wrestling/{{Sting}}).
148	** Wrestling/RomanReigns in both 2013 and 2019.
149	** [[Wrestling/KanakoUrai Asuka]] in 2017.
150	** Wrestling/NiaJax in 2018.
151	** [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Lana]] in 2020.
152	** Wrestling/SethRollins and Wrestling/BiancaBelair in 2021.
153	* SpanishAnnouncersTable: The UrExample of the table getting destroyed took place at the 1995 edition, when [[Wrestling/KevinNash Diesel]] threw Wrestling/BretHart through it.
154	* SquashMatch:
155	** The first shutout was in 1990, when the Visionaries [[note]](Rick Martel[=/=]The Warlord[=/=]Power and Glory [Hercules and Paul Roma])[[/note]] d. the Vipers [[note]](Jake Roberts[=/=]Wrestling/JimmySnuka[=/=]The Rockers [Wrestling/ShawnMichaels and Wrestling/MartyJannetty])[[/note]], with all four of the Visionaries surviving.
156	** The most unlikely example happened in 1994. The opening match was the Bad Guys (see NonIndicativeName above) vs. the Teamsters [[note]](Shawn Michaels[=/=][[Wrestling/KevinNash Diesel]][=/=]Wrestling/OwenHart[=/=]Jim Neidhart[=/=]Wrestling/JeffJarrett)[[/note]]. Diesel had eliminated the 1-2-3 Kid and the Headshrinkers, and Davey Boy had been counted out, leaving Razor in the unenviable position of having to fight ''five guys'' all by himself. Then Shawn and Diesel started fighting and the entire heel team followed them, thus marking the one and only time in ''Survivor Series'' history where an ''entire team'' had been counted out.
157	** The fastest example was in 1999, when Wrestling/BigShow, after beating up his intended partners Wrestling/TheBlueMeanie and Kaientai ([[Wrestling/TAKAMichinoku Taka Michinoku]] and Shoichi Funaki) backstage, singlehandedly defeated the Big Bossman's entire team (Prince Albert, Mideon, and Viscera), with Bossman taking the hint and getting himself counted out, in a mere '''1:27'''.
158	** Perhaps the most notable of Survivor Series sweeps would be in 2006, when Team Wrestling/DGenerationX [[note]](Wrestling/TripleH, Wrestling/ShawnMichaels, Wrestling/CMPunk, Wrestling/JeffHardy, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and]] Wrestling/MattHardy)[[/note]] defeated Team Rated RKO [[note]](Wrestling/RandyOrton, Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}}, Wrestling/GregoryHelms, [[Wrestling/JohnMorrison Johnny Nitro]], and Mike Knox)[[/note]]. Given the level of talent and cult popularity on the DX team, it's no wonder that this was the first five-man Survivor Series team to sweep their opposition. The Philadelphia crowd also made their voices heard, and surprised the wrestling world in the pre-match promo by chanting for Punk during DX's catchphrases.
159	** Wrestling/{{Goldberg}} annihilating Wrestling/BrockLesnar ''in less than two minutes'' at the 2016 event.
160	* SuddenDownerEnding: 2003's Team Austin vs Team Bischoff match suddenly ended with Team Bischoff winning[[note]]For some context: After Team Austin lost three members in a row, Shawn Michaels remained the sole Team Austin member facing a 3-on-1 disadvantage against Team Bischoff's remaining members Christian, Chris Jericho, and Randy Orton. Nonetheless, Michaels went on a tear, eliminating Christian and Jericho, only for Orton's Evolution stablemate Batista to interfere and attack him with a Batista Bomb, allowing Orton the final pin.[[/note]] -- meaning that Stone Cold was officially out of WWE for good. And this retirement has stuck, save for his occasional one-off reappearances.
161	* TeamKiller: In worst case scenarios, in-fighting have resulted in the quarreling members to eliminate each other outright.
162	* TeamSpirit: At best.
163	* TeethClenchedTeamwork:
164	** In many occasions when EnemyMine just won't work. Can sometimes tear teams apart.
165	** In the 1995 edition, they had a "Wild Card" Survivor Series contest where faces and heels made up teams at random. It worked about as well as expected.
166	** A few events in the 2000s would have Raw vs Smackdown themed matches with faces and heels teaming together. This concept was revived in 2016 with the brand split being reinstated.
167	* ThanksgivingEpisode: From 1987-1990, the show always aired on Thanksgiving, and from 1991-1994, it aired on the night before Thanksgiving. With the rise of the Wrestling/MondayNightWars, the show, like most [=PPVs=], was moved to Sundays.
168	* TokenEvilTeammate[=/=]TokenGoodTeammate: On a few occasions.
169	* TokenWhite: Wrestling/{{Christian}}, on Team Kingston [[note]](Wrestling/KofiKingston[=/=]Wrestling/MarkHenry[=/=][[Wrestling/RonKillings R-Truth]][=/=]Wrestling/MontelVontaviousPorter)[[/note]] in their successful match against the all-white Team Orton [[note]](Wrestling/RandyOrton[=/=]Wrestling/CMPunk[=/=]Wrestling/WilliamRegal[=/=]Wrestling/CodyRhodes[=/=][[Wrestling/TedDiBiaseJr Ted [=DiBiase=] Jr.]])[[/note]] at ''Survivor Series 2009.'' PlayedForLaughs when Christian pointed out his minority status... by saying he was the sole Canadian and from ECW. Everyone else took it in stride.
170	-->'''Christian:''' Team Kofi Kingston/looking for a Fight/Four of us is black/and one of us is white!
171	* TournamentArc:
172	** ''Survivor Series 1998,'' where [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] defeated [[Wrestling/MickFoley Mankind]] in a rehashing of the Wrestling/MontrealScrewjob for the vacated [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-h.html WWE World Heavyweight Title]]
173	** ''Survior Series 2015'' became this due to Wrestling/SethRollins's injury forcing him to vacate the championship.
174	* WeAreStrugglingTogether: There are cases when in-fighting between team members causes their downfall.
175	* WhamEpisode:
176	** The 1997 event, which ended with the Wrestling/MontrealScrewjob.
177	** The 1998 event had [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] winning his first ever WWE championship but making a FaceHeelTurn to [[DealWithTheDevil join]] Wrestling/TheCorporation.
178	** The 2003 event had Wrestling/TheUndertaker being buried alive by Wrestling/{{Kane}} and Wrestling/{{Stone Cold\|SteveAustin}} losing his Raw GM position.
179	** The 2014 event had the WWE debut of Wrestling/{{Sting}}.

Context Wrestling / SurvivorSeries