History Wrestling / SurvivorSeries

* 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... the Stinger appeared.

* JustifiedTitle: The 1998 and 2002 events didn't have the traditional 5-on-5 tag team matches, but the TournamentArc for the vacant WWF title (1998) and the debut of the Wrestling/EliminationChamber match for the World Heavyweight title (2002) emphasized the theme of "Survival".

** 2022 will see a new main gimmick match for the event: The ''[=WarGames=]'' match used in NXT for 5 years until the event was discontinued in 2022.

* 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 ongoing 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.

** Inverted twice in 2017. StatuesqueStunner Wrestling/CharlotteFlair d. Wrestling/AlexaBliss, while Wrestling/BrockLesnar d. Wrestling/AJStyles. Charlotte was the {{Face}} on her match, though.

** Team Wrestling/DGenerationX swept Team [[Wrestling/{{Edge}} Rated]]-[[Wrestling/RandyOrton RKO]] in the 2006 event.

** The 2004 event featured Wrestling/KurtAngle [[BadassBoast boldly declaring]] (to Wrestling/{{Edge}}) that he could make Wrestling/ShawnMichaels tap out. He would make good on that promise the following ''[=WrestleMania=]''.

** 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}}, 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.

** 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/DeanAmbrose members]]) in 2012, and technically Wrestling/{{Sting}} in 2014 are notable examples.

** Wrestling/SethRollins and Bianca Belair in 2021.

* {{Corpsing}}: At the 2007 event, during the Divas match, {{Wrestling/Melina}} slipped and fell off the apron as she was doing the splits. She was a {{Heel}} at the time but immediately broke character to burst out laughing.

** Wrestling/{{ECW}}'s Wrestling/ThePublicEnemyWrestling lost to the Smoking Gunns in a dark (non-televised) match before ''Survivor Series 1995''.

''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.

''Survivor Series'' is Wrestling/{{WWE}}'s annual November pay-per-view event. It is one of the "Big Four" events, along with ''Wrestling/{{WrestleMania}}'', the ''Wrestling/RoyalRumble'' and ''Wrestling/{{SummerSlam}}'', as it is one of the original four pay-per-views produced by WWE.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent:
** 1991 and 1992 showed that WWE was experimenting with the format. Along with featuring the first ever 3-on-3 match, with Team Bossman [[note]]([[Wrestling/BigBossman The Big Bossman]] and [[Wrestling/TheRoadWarriors the Legion of Doom]])[[/note]] vs. Team IRS [[note]]([[Wrestling/MikeRotunda IRS]] and Wrestling/TheNaturalDisasters ([[Wrestling/JohnTenta Earthquake]] and [[Wrestling/FredOttman Typhoon]])[[/note]], it also featured the first ever singles match in ''Survivor Series'' history, with The Undertaker defeating [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-h.html WWE World Heavyweight Champion]] Hulk Hogan for the title.
** The 3-on-3 match in the 1991 Survivor Series was originally a standard 4-on-4 match, but Sid Justice (who was on the face team) was injured and Jake Roberts (who was on the heel team) was suspended.
** 1992 was almost entirely regular singles and tag matches, with only one proper elimination match. In a tag team elimination (meaning two tag teams on each side and if one guy from a tag team gets pinned/submitted/etc. then that team has to leave), Wrestling/TheNastyBoys and the Natural Disasters d. Money Inc. ("The Million Dollar Man" Ted [=DiBiase=] and IRS) and the Beverly Brothers (Beau and Blake), with the Nasties being the survivors for their side.
** 2000 had {{Wrestling/Chyna}} team with Billy Gunn, Road Dogg and K-Kwik in the first (and to this date only) intergender Survivor Series match.
** The 1998 and 2002 events are the only Survivor Series [=PPVs=] to not feature a traditional elimination match. Both did, however, feature instead the "Deadly Games" tournament for the vacant WWF Championship and the first ever Elimination Chamber respectively, continuing the "survival" theme.

** 2000: During a match between Lita and Ivory, the former suffered a nasty cut above the eye and bled heavily throughout the match.
** 2002: Victoria ended up with a bloody nose during her hardcore match with Trish Stratus.

** Wrestling/BobbyLashley, via Shawn Michaels, in the Team [=SmackDown=][[note]][=JBL=][=/=]Randy Orton[=/=]Wrestling/{{Batista}}[=/=]Wrestling/ReyMysterioJr[=/=]Lashley[[/note]] vs. Team [=Raw=][[note]](Michaels[=/=]Wrestling/{{Kane}}[=/=]The Big Show[=/=][[Wrestling/CarlitoColon Carlito]][=/=]Chris Masters)[[/note]] match, 2005.
** Wrestling/RonSimmons, via countout, in the Team Flair[[note]]Wrestling/RicFlair[=/=]Simmons[=/=]Dusty[=/=]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.

* BookEnds: The Undertaker 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.

** The Rock and [[Wrestling/MickFoley Mankind]], respectively, in a rehash of the Montreal Screwjob 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.'']]

** In the 2014 event, a traditional Divas match had the face team (Naomi, Natalya, Alicia Fox and Emma) win without any eliminations on their side.

** "The Visionaries" (Rick Martel, Warlord, Wrestling/{{Hercules|Hernandez}}, and Paul Roma) swept "The Vipers" (Jake Roberts, Jimmy Snuka, Shawn Michaels and Wrestling/MartyJannetty) in 1990, the first team to do so.

* TheGiant: Team Lesnar [[note]](Wrestling/BrockLesnar, Wrestling/TheBigShow, [[Wrestling/MattBloom A-Train]], Matt Morgan, 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.

** The 2020 event featured the retirement ceremony of The Undertaker.

** Wrestling/TheBigShow won the WWE championship at this event twice (his first and second, in 1999 and 2002, respectively).

* OneHitKill: Tito Santana'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.

** [[Wrestling/BobHolly Hardcore Holly]] in 1999. Wrestling/TheBigShow also competed in a 1-on-4 Handicap Match [[OneManArmy which he won]].

** The fastest example was in 1999, when Wrestling/TheBigShow, 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'''.

* TokenWhite: [=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. Everyone else took it in stride.

** Wrestling/SethRollins in 2021.

** 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 life as a result.

* 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).

* BookEnds: Wrestling/TheUndertaker began his WWE career on the November 22, 1990 event. Exactly thirty years later, at the same event, he made his final farewell to the WWE Universe.

** "The Visionaries" (Rick Martel, Warlord, Wrestling/{{Hercules|Hernandez}}, and Paul Roma) swept "The Vipers" (Jake Roberts, Jimmy Snuka, Shawn Michaels and Wrestling/MartyJanetty) in 1990, the first team to do so.

** 2002's event is the only Survivor Series PPV to not feature a traditional elimination match. It did however have an elimination tables match, triple threat elimination tag match and the first ever Elimination Chamber.

** 2009 featured LivingLegend Wrestling/TheUndertaker defending his World Heavyweight Title in a Triple-Threat Match against Wrestling/TheBigShow and Wrestling/ChrisJericho, both of whom are younger than him by more-or-less half a decade.
** 2014 featured Wrestling/DeanAmbrose (b. 1985) Versus Wrestling/BrayWyatt (b. 1987).
** 2015 featured Wrestling/TheUndertaker and Wrestling/{{Kane}} Versus Wrestling/TheWyattFamily.
** 2016 featured Wrestling/{{Goldberg}} (b. 1966) Versus Wrestling/BrockLesnar (b. 1977).
** 2019 featured Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio|Jr}} (b. 1974) Versus Wrestling/BrockLesnar (b. 1977) and Wrestling/DanielBryan (b. 1981) Versus The Fiend Wrestling/BrayWyatt (b. 1987).

** 2017 featured two in its Champion vs. Champions matches. First was [=SmackDown=] Women's Champion Wrestling/CharlotteFlair (b.1986) squaring off against RAW Women's Champion Wrestling/AlexaBliss (b. 1991), then there's WWE Champion Wrestling/AJStyles (b. June 1977) duking it out with Universal Champion Wrestling/BrockLesnar (b. July 1977).

** The 2003 dropped several hints for the upcoming ''WM XX'', from emphasis over Wrestling/ChrisBenoit's submission prowess, the rising tension between Wrestling/JohnCena and Wrestling/TheBigShow, Wrestling/{{Goldberg}} interrupting Wrestling/BrockLesnar's interview, and Wrestling/{{Kane}} interfering in Wrestling/TheUndertaker's Buried Alive match.
** The 2004 event featured Wrestling/KurtAngle [[BadassBoast boldly declaring]] (to Wrestling/{{Edge}}) that he could make Wrestling/ShawnMichaels tap out.

** Wrestling/{{ECW}}'s [[Wrestling/{{TPE}} the Public Enemy]] lost to the Smoking Gunns in a dark (non-televised) match before ''Survivor Series 1995''.
** In 2018, [[Wrestling/EnzoAndCass Enzo Amore]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbKweuUKbI8 was sitting 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 life as a result.