WWE Survivor Series History (1987-1997)

This year will mark the 21st annual "Survivor Series" event for WWE, featuring a traditional elimination match. Triple H captains a team including the Hardy's and Umaga captains a team including MVP and Finlay. The first two Survivor Series were held in Richfield, Ohio and featured a full card of traditional Survivor Series matchups. Over the years, the event has turned into a card of less of these type matches. Here's a look at the first 11 Survivor Series events from 1987-1997.

Survivor Series 1987-1997

Survivor Series 1987, the debut of this event featured a huge main event elimination match with classic wrestlers. In the match, André the Giant, One Man Gang, King Kong Bundy, Butch Reed, and Rick Rude (w/Bobby Heenan and Slick) defeated Hulk Hogan, Paul Orndorff, Don Muraco, Ken Patera, and Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Oliver Humperdink). Andre the Giant was the sole survivor of the match and eliminated Bam Bam Bigelow to become the last man.

Wikipedia's Survivor Series 1987

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In 1988, the Mega Powers of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage were the survivors. They headed a team which included Koko B Ware, Hercules and Hillbilly Jim and defeated the team of Akeem, Haku, Red Rooster, Ted Dibiase and the Big Boss Man.

Wikipedia's Survivor Series 1988

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Survivor Series 1989's main event had the Ultimate Warriors defeating The Heenan family. The Warriors consisted of Ultimate Warrior, Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels (The Rockers) and Jim Neidhardt. Their opponents were Haku, Andre the Giant, Bobby Heenan and Arn Anderson. Ultimate Warrior was the only survivor in this 4 on 4 match.

Wikipedia's Survivor Series 1989

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Survivor Series 1990 held in Hartford Connecticut had 5 of the traditional Survivor Series matchups. In the main event handicap contest, it was Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior who survived. They were part of just a 3 man team including Tito Santana and faced a 5 man team of The Warlord, Paul Roma, Hercules, Rick Martel and Ted Dibiase.

Wikipedia's Survivor Series 1990

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1991's Survivor Series from Detroit featured just a 3 on 3 matchup for its main event. Legion of Doom teamed up with Big Boss Man to face IRS's team which included Earthquake and Typhoon. L.O.D were the sole survivors here.

Wikipedia's Survivor Series 1991

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Survivor Series in 1992 returned to Richfield, Ohio and featured what many might call "normal" matches, including a Nightstick on a Pole Match between Big Boss Man and Nailz. There was just 1 traditional Survivor/elimination match and it featured 2 tag teams on each side. The Nasty Boys and Natural Disasters defeated Money Inc and The Beverly Brothers in this one. Nasty Boys were the last remaining team.

Wikipedia's Survivor Series 1992

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Boston, Massachusetts was the venue for 1993's Survivor Series. The card was back to traditional elimination matches and was highlighted by "The All-Americans" defeating "The Foreign Fanatics". The American team was lead by Lex Luger and included Undertaker, and the Steiners. They faced a foreign team of Yokozuna, Crush, Ludviga Borga and Jacques Rogeau. Lex Luger was the winner of the match.

Wikipedia's Survivor Series 1993

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In 1994, San Antonio hosted the event. The event featured the Doink vs Lawler team match (involving midget clowns and kings). In the final match, (5 on 5) Survivor Series match: The Million Dollar Team (King Kong Bundy, Tatanka, Bam Bam Bigelow and The Heavenly Bodies (Jimmy Del Ray and Tom Prichard)) (w/Ted DiBiase) defeated Guts & Glory (Lex Luger, Mabel, Adam Bomb and The Smokin' Gunns (Billy and Bart)). Bam Bam Bigelow and King Kong Bundy were the last remaining men in the match.

Wikipedia's Survivor Series 1994

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Survivor Series 1995 was held in DC and featured a (4 on 4) Survivor Series match: Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson, Davey Boy Smith, and Sycho Sid (w/Ted DiBiase and Jim Cornette) defeated Yokozuna, Owen Hart, Razor Ramon, and Dean Douglas (w/Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette). Goldust defeated Bam Bam Bigelow in singles action amongst several other traditional elimination matches.

Wikipedia's Survivor Series 1995

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1996 saw Survivor Series in the Big Apple, New York City's Madison Square Garden. The match featured a mix of singles matches and elimination contests. In one singles contest, Bret Hart defeated Steve Austin. In another, Sycho Sid pinned Shawn Michaels to win the WWF title. In one of the elimination matches, a 4 on 4 Survivor Series match saw Faarooq, Vader, Razor Ramon II, and Diesel II (w/Clarence Mason) fought Flash Funk, Jimmy Snuka, Savio Vega, and Yokozuna to a no contest. The ref disqualified the men for brawling in the ring and refusing to heed the ref's instructions.

Wikipedia's Survivor Series 1996

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In 1997, Survivor Series headed out of the US to Montreal, Quebec. This event is notorious for "The Montreal Screwjob", where Shawn Michaels defeated Bret Hart with a Sharpshooter to win the WWF title. Vince McMahon has Earl Hebner call for the bell to give the match to Michaels, and Hart spit in Vince McMahon's face after the decision. There were also several elimination style matches, and in one 4 on 4 match, The Road Warriors (Hawk, Animal, Ahmed Johnson and Ken Shamrock) defeated The Nation of Domination (The Rock, Faarooq, Kama Mustafa & D'Lo Brown).

Wikipedia's Survivor Series 1997

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Those are some of the highlights from the first 11 Survivor Series. Check out Part 2 of this look at the history of Survivor Series 1998-2007.

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More on Survivor Series:

View Survivor Series History (1998-2007)

Get a Survivor Series 07' Countdown Timer