Survivor Series Ultimate match of Survival

[4real]

So WWE only did this concept in 1990 with the babyface team of winners being Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior & Tito Santana v the heel team of Ted DiBiase, Rick Martel, The Warlord & Power & Glory

But what if WWE did this for other years? Well this is what they would have ended up with. I will include singles and tag match winners for years light on Survivor Series matches.

1987:

Randy Savage, Jake Roberts, Ricky Steamboat, Killer Bees & Young Stallions

v

Andre The Giant

So already flawed here with Andre in a 7 on 1 handicap match.

1988:

Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan & Ultimate Warrior

v

Mr Perfect, Dino Bravo, Powers of Pain

This would be decent. Savage, Hogan & Warrior as a team is exciting. Powers of Pain turned heel on the show which helps the heels have a 4 on 3 advantage. Lack of star power on the heel side though with Perfect not really established yet. He was not wearing his signature singlet here.

1989:

Ultimate Warrior, Hulk Hogan, Dusty Rhodes & Brutus Beefcake

v

Mr Perfect, Randy Savage, Dino Bravo & Canadian Earthquake

Traditional 4 on 4 here. Warrior, Hogan, Savage, Perfect & Bravo (for some reason) back in the last match. The addition of Dusty & Earthquake (who was just establishing himself as a main event level threat) is also intriguing.

1991:

Legion of Doom, Jim Duggan, Texas Tornado, Sgt Slaughter & El Matador

v

Ric Flair, Nasty Boys & Blake Beverly

You could add new WWF champion The Undertaker to make a top heel side. The heels are outnumbered though so wouldn’t be as entertaining but the prospect of Flair & maybe Taker going against LOD is.

1992:

Bret Hart, The Undertaker, Randy Savage, Mr Perfect, Big Boss Man, Tatanka & Nasty Boys

v

Yokozuna & Headshrinkers

The face team is stacked here but the inclusion of Yoko for the heels helps them. Maybe he could eliminate Bret here to set up their future mania match? Lots of warm bodies for Yoko to pin here.

1993:

Lex Luger, 123 Kid, Marty Jannetty, Bret Hart, Bruce Hart & Keith Hart, Bushwackers & MOM

Er so no Heel survivors here makes this a non event. There are 10 guys so you can do a 5 on 5 but man not that appealing with some of those names. Unless you want to put the heel Heavenly Bodies in a 2 on 10 handicap match!

1994:

Razor Ramon & The Undertaker

v

King Kong Bundy, Bam Bam Bigelow, Jerry Lawler, Sleazy, Queasy & Cheesy & Bob Backlund

So er you can play this a lot of ways. Taker needs to be added to keep Razor from being alone. But then do you leave out the mini Kings & Backlund? Maybe just the mini Kings to make this 4 on 2.

1995:

Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson, The Undertaker, Fatu, Henry Godwinn & Savio Vega

v

British Bulldog, Goldust & 123 Kid

Again this does not work for many reasons. Not enough heels win on the card (does Taker’s team need to sweep? Just have Taker as a sole survivor), Bulldog is technically on the same team as Johnson & HBK but is a heel. Even adding Bret & Goldust doesn’t really help but for some intrigue you could maybe add Bret to the heel side since he would be going against Shawn.

1996:

Rocky Maivia, Furnas & LaFon, Bart Gunn, Bret Hart & The Undertaker

v

Sycho Sid

Oh man this is bad. The face team is so weak without the addition of Taker & Bret and even then Sid is left all alone for the heels. Why did 1 match on this card end in a no contest? What a waste.

1997:

British Bulldog, Shawn Michaels, Kane, New Age Outlaws & Kurrgan

v

Ken Shamrock & Stone Cold Steve Austin

Having Shawn teaming with Bulldog after the screw job…lol. Maybe drop Shawn so it’s 5 on 2 putting Austin & Shamrock (Badass team) at a disadvantage especially against monsters Kane & Kurrgan

1998:

New Age Outlaws, Val Venis, Scorpio & Bob Holly

v

The Rock, Gangrel & Too Much

Had to dip into the pre show for this and it’s pretty awful & the heels are outnumbered. Unless you put the JOB squad on the heel side I guess.

1999:

Big Show, Kane, Chyna, Val Venis, Mark Henry, D’Lo Brown & Godfather

v

Bob Holly, Kurt Angle & New Age Outlaws

This is just a mess even adding singles match winners to give Bob Holly partners. NAO make this match 3 years running.

2000:

Jeff Hardy, The Rock, Steve Blackman & Crash Holly

v

Kurt Angle, William Regal, Kane, Chris Benoit & Perry Saturn

Your main event would be Jeff v Benoit & Saturn if this was just elimination matches. You could add Molly to make it 5 on 5 but do you really want her going against Kane & Benoit? I do like the look of both teams though very strong.

2001:

The Rock & Edge

v

Test, Christian, William Regal & Dudley Boyz

This could actually be decent with Rock & Edge an exciting team in a 5 on 2 disadvantage against beatable opponents. Also Edge’s opponents here all link with him in some way (Christian as former tag partner, Test opponent on show, Regal opponent later on & Dudleyz as bitter rivals).

2002:

HBK, Billy Kidman & Bubba Dudley

v

Big Show & Los Guerrero’s

A regular 3 on 3 here. This doesn’t work after having an elimination chamber as the main event. I do like Big Show & Los Guerrero’s as a team though & HBK teaming with Kidman is also intriguing.

2003:

John Cena, Chris Benoit & Goldberg

v

Randy Orton, Mr McMahon, Basham Brothers & Kane

Interesting 5 on 3 here. Goldberg teaming with Cena is cool. The Bashams being here sticks out like a sore thumb. McMahon & Kane teaming after burying Taker is also interesting.

2004:

Randy Orton, Shelton Benjamin, The Undertaker, John Cena, Eddie Guerrero & Big Show

v

JBL & Spike Dudley

Dipping into singles matches doesn’t help the heel team here. That face team is stacked with star names though.

2005:

John Cena & Theodore Long

v

Randy Orton, Triple H & Booker T

Some big odds for Cena to overcome here my god lol.

2006:

John Cena, Bobby Lashley, DX, CM Punk, Hardy Boyz, Chris Benoit, Batista & Ric Flair

v

Mr Kennedy

Cena makes it in 4 years running. Poor Mr Kennedy in a 10 on 1 handicap match. However if you make this a brand match instead.

Raw: John Cena, DX, Jeff Hardy & Ric Flair

v

Smackdown: Mr Kennedy, Matt Hardy, Chris Benoit & Batista

v

ECW: CM Punk & Bobby Lashley (think Lashley was still on Smackdown here but not sure)

2007:

Batista, CM Punk, Jeff Hardy & Triple H

v

Randy Orton, Trevor Murdoch, Garrison Cade & The Great Khali

More traditional 4 on 4 here. Very weak side for Orton that babyface side is stacked though and all previous survivors from 2006

2008:

John Cena, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio & Great Khali

v

Edge, Randy Orton & Cody Rhodes

Even adding Edge puts the heels in a disadvantage. The babyface is stacked and all former World Champs. In fact other than Cody they all are in WWE…that will probably change soon of course.

2009:

Kofi Kingston, John Cena & The Undertaker

v

Batista, The Miz, Sheamus & Drew McIntyre

Adding singles match winners makes this into an intriguing 3 on 4 match. Everyone here would be or already were WWE Champions.

Accidentally hit Send so rest of picks are coming up

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

Nasty Boys were faces in 1992

[4real]

2010:

Randy Orton, Big Show, Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan & John Morrison

v

Dolph Ziggler, Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel

A 3 on 5 disadvantage for the heels. Doesn’t really work.

2011:

CM Punk, John Cena & The Rock

v

Big Show, Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett & Dolph Ziggler

An exciting 4 on 3 match here with a stacked babyface side. The three biggest baby faces in the company at the time.

2012:

Sheamus, Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara, Justin Gabriel & Tyson Kidd

v

Dolph Ziggler, Antonio Cesaro, Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal & CM Punk

Adding 3MB from the pre show makes this 5 on 5. Two weak teams honestly.

2013:

John Cena, Mark Henry, Big E, CM Punk & Daniel Bryan

v

Randy Orton, Roman Reigns & The Miz

Adding Miz from the pre show doesn’t really help the heels here. 5 on 3 disadvantage.

2014:

Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, Adam Rose & The Bunny

v

Bray Wyatt, Damien Mizdow & The Miz

This doesn’t work at all. Adam Rose is leaning heel, Mizdow leaning face. The Bunny is in this for goodness sake but seeing him get destroyed by Wyatt would be fun.

2015:

The Undertaker, Kane, Ryback, Kalisto & Jey Uso

v

Sheamus & Tyler Breeze

Mass disadvantage for the heels. Reigns may have won the tournament but he left without the WWE title so he doesn’t make the match.

2016:

Goldberg, Cesaro & Sheamus

v

The Brian Kendrick, The Miz, Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt

Just adding elimination matches gets you a badass The Bar v Randy & Bray match. I’d rather that than this honestly.

2017:

The Shield

v

Braun Strowman, Triple H, Brock Lesnar, Baron Corbin & The Uso’s

Interesting match here. Roman going against The Uso’s in a 6 on 3 disadvantage. For Roman in particular the rest are or would be big rivals for him.

2018:

Braun Strowman & Seth Rollins

v

Brock Lesnar, Buddy Murphy, AOP, Drew McIntyre & Bobby Lashley

Good odds for Braun & Seth to overcome. Good mix on the heel side

2019:

Roman Reigns

v

Brock Lesnar, Adam Cole, Roderick Strong & The Fiend

You can add Lio Rush & Viking Raiders to help out Roman from the pre show but that also means you have to add Dolph & Roode for the heels. Bet you forgot Cole & Strong won Survivor Series matches?

2020:

The Street Profits, Riddle & Keith Lee

v

Roman Reigns, Bobby Lashley, Braun Strowman, Sheamus & AJ Styles

Hard one this since I’m splitting up team RAW into faces and heels (which I had to research to make sure I got the correct alignments). This makes an intriguing 5 on 4 match. That heel team is stacked in terms of numbers and World Titles compared to the faces.

2021:

Randy Orton & Riddle

v

Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins & Omos

Omos ruins what could have been an epic tag match between RK Bro and ex Shield mates. This could have sown the seeds for Roman’s title match at the Rumble with Seth and Seth & Roman’s future rivalry with RK Bro (Riddle in particular).

Well that was exhausting to put together. Some great matches & not so great ones though.

[4real]

Nov 25, 2022 2:12:47 GMT -5 ThankGodForSidJustice said:

Nasty Boys were faces in 1992

Oops you’re right have changed it. Shame because it makes the match less interesting now.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

It would be interesting how these matches would've played out if they happened lol. Especially the 87 one with Andre against the world. I guess he maybe would've took out a Bee and a Stallion before getting overwhelmed.

I think the only one that you could reasonably do would be 89 with the face and heel sides being even. However even that would be hard as you would have to protect Hogan, Warrior, Perfect (still hyping the Perfect Record), and Earthquake (new unstoppable heel). I guess you have Quake take out Dusty who would still be protected as he would be selling injuries from the Boss Man attack earlier in the night. Hogan pins Bravo. Quake is disqualified somehow. Beefcake is eliminated by Savage or Perfect, Hogan and Perfect fight to a double count out. Warrior pins Savage to win.

[tafkaga]

This would be a weird match for any year past 92-ish. While it's true that Survivor Series matches had a clear face/heel divide, the teams were always (usually) set up around existing feuds, but the basis for teams in the ultimate match came down to nothing more than whether you dressed in the good guy locker room or the bad guy locker room.

It might have worked and been more interesting if they'd mixed all the survivors up and drew teams for the ultimate match. That way teams would be more even and you'd potentially have some more interesting matchups.

[sungod2020]

Nov 30, 2022 10:38:36 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

This would be a weird match for any year past 92-ish. While it's true that Survivor Series matches had a clear face/heel divide, the teams were always (usually) set up around existing feuds, but the basis for teams in the ultimate match came down to nothing more than whether you dressed in the good guy locker room or the bad guy locker room.

It might have worked and been more interesting if they'd mixed all the survivors up and drew teams for the ultimate match. That way teams would be more even and you'd potentially have some more interesting matchups.

While the fans would've figured out whom would team up with whom, has it ever been explained how the teams in the grand finale would form? Obviously it would come off as weird to use inside terminology that the faces would team up against the heels(or even referring to them as the good guys against the bad guys), would there be any other way to explain it strictly in kayfabe?

[fg]

Nov 30, 2022 10:52:43 GMT -5 sungod2020 said:

Nov 30, 2022 10:38:36 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

This would be a weird match for any year past 92-ish. While it's true that Survivor Series matches had a clear face/heel divide, the teams were always (usually) set up around existing feuds, but the basis for teams in the ultimate match came down to nothing more than whether you dressed in the good guy locker room or the bad guy locker room.

It might have worked and been more interesting if they'd mixed all the survivors up and drew teams for the ultimate match. That way teams would be more even and you'd potentially have some more interesting matchups.

While the fans would've figured out whom would team up with whom, has it ever been explained how the teams in the grand finale would form? Obviously it would come off as weird to use inside terminology that the faces would team up against the heels(or even referring to them as the good guys against the bad guys), would there be any other way to explain it strictly in kayfabe?

They could have explained it by saying “It’s fan favorites vs rule breakers.” They used that terminology in 1995.

[tafkaga]

Nov 30, 2022 10:52:43 GMT -5 sungod2020 said:

Nov 30, 2022 10:38:36 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

This would be a weird match for any year past 92-ish. While it's true that Survivor Series matches had a clear face/heel divide, the teams were always (usually) set up around existing feuds, but the basis for teams in the ultimate match came down to nothing more than whether you dressed in the good guy locker room or the bad guy locker room.

It might have worked and been more interesting if they'd mixed all the survivors up and drew teams for the ultimate match. That way teams would be more even and you'd potentially have some more interesting matchups.

While the fans would've figured out whom would team up with whom, has it ever been explained how the teams in the grand finale would form? Obviously it would come off as weird to use inside terminology that the faces would team up against the heels(or even referring to them as the good guys against the bad guys), would there be any other way to explain it strictly in kayfabe?

I don't think it was explained to any degree.  I don't even think I questioned it when I was a kid, because good guys teaming with bad guys would just be absurd! 

I guess you could explain it by suggesting that all the survivors got to pick which team they would be on.  The bad guys chose each other because they are cowards and wanted the numbers advantage, whereas the babyfaces were brave and noble and would never associate with cheaters even if it meant they were vastly outnumbered.

[sungod2020]

Nov 30, 2022 11:01:35 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

Nov 30, 2022 10:52:43 GMT -5 sungod2020 said:

While the fans would've figured out whom would team up with whom, has it ever been explained how the teams in the grand finale would form? Obviously it would come off as weird to use inside terminology that the faces would team up against the heels(or even referring to them as the good guys against the bad guys), would there be any other way to explain it strictly in kayfabe?

I don't think it was explained to any degree.  I don't even think I questioned it when I was a kid, because good guys teaming with bad guys would just be absurd! 

I guess you could explain it by suggesting that all the survivors got to pick which team they would be on.  The bad guys chose each other because they are cowards and wanted the numbers advantage, whereas the babyfaces were brave and noble and would never associate with cheaters even if it meant they were vastly outnumbered.

That works. Not to mention The Visionaries all teamed together earlier in the night, so since they all survived, it makes total sense that they would stick together. Them teaming with Ted Dibiase can also be explained by him offering them a huge payout, which they would easily(and predictably) accept since it's "dirty money" and the faces (Hogan, Warrior, and Santana) are all above that.

[Jindrak Mark]

That 1988 one with Hogan, Savage and Warrior would have been such a mega babyface team.

Were those three ever actually on screen together at the same time? Whether it's as opponents/partners, during a tag/battle royal or whatever? I know in the 1990 Royal Rumble Savage had already come and gone before Hogan and Warrior came out.

[tafkaga]

Nov 30, 2022 11:54:09 GMT -5 Jindrak Mark said:

That 1988 one with Hogan, Savage and Warrior would have been such a mega babyface team.

Were those three ever actually on screen together at the same time? Whether it's as opponents/partners, during a tag/battle royal or whatever? I know in the 1990 Royal Rumble Savage had already come and gone before Hogan and Warrior came out.

Here you go

[wildojinx]

I was thinking about this and tried it out with the early wrestlemanias, putting the winners in an ultimate survival match:

WM1: Tito Santana, Ricky Steamboat, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Mr T vs Greg Valentine, Nikolai Volkoff, and Iron Sheik

Heels are pretty much at a big disadvantage here.

WM2: Mr. T, Corporal Kirshner, British Bulldogs, Andre the Giant, Ricky Steamboat and Hulk Hogan vs Jake Roberts, Randy Savage, Adrian Adonis, and the Funks

Some intriguing potential matchups here (Dynamite and Davey vs Roberts and the Funks, Hogan vs Roberts, Andre vs Savage, maybe kick off the Steamboat/Savage feud here).

WM3: Can-Am Connection, Brutus Beefcake (I assume he'd join up with the faces after the breakup), Roddy Piper, Ricky Steamboat, Hulk Hogan vs King Kong Bundy, Greg Valentine ,Harley Race, Butch Reed, Hart Foundation, Danny Davis, Honkytonk Man, Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff.

Fun looking 6 on 10 match, obviously Heenan would he having his men go after Hogan. Seeing Piper go after Valentine one last time would be fun too.

I might do more later.

[Nr1Humanoid]

One thing I love about SS matches is it gave feuding wrestlers a chance to come face to face without one having to pin the other.

[James Fabiano]

Oh fun...I'll look at the super old school ones...

1987: Who are you to doubt Andre? LOL. Actually I can see him knock off maybe both Stallions, one or both Bees, MAYBE Steamboat as his stock fell and imagine the Dragon selling for the Giant?!!? Then Hogan comes out, causes Andre to be counted out, Savage and Jake (with MAYBE Steamer and Blair or Brunzell) survive.

1988: How would you book this? Hogan, Savage, and Warrior are Hogan, Savage, and Warrior. Perfect needs to be undefeated. Powers of Pain just turned heel and shouldn't get destroyed by the faces. I smell a LOT of disqualifications and/or countouts. Faces probably win when Bravo is the fall guy. I see the rest getting protected as I said. Maybe Powers get disqualified like in 1989, Bravo loses somehow, and Perfect just abandons the match? I can see Savage somehow get a screwy elimination because of something Hogan did or didn't do, to further the paranoia started by him hugging Liz. So for sure, survivors: Hogan and Warrior.

1989: This...is not unlike what I thought of booking in my rebooked SS89 main event, as it seemed odd to have Zeus without Randy, Powers of Pain back as main eventers/upper midcarders/DiBiase main eventing again. Mine usually winds up being Hogan/Beefcake/Duggan/Jake vs. Savage/Zeus/DiBiase/Perfect. In it, I somehow see it be down to Hogan vs. Savage/Zeus/Perfect...Hogan pins Savage, Zeus does what he did in the actual SS89, Perfect takes advantage and gives Hogan some kind of loss...probably countout. Sets up NHB: The Match AND Hogan/Perfect. As for your match...it's hard cause all but Bravo are being protected. Savage could take a loss, but he was sorta repackaged at the time, so. Again, a lot of DQs and CORs.

1991: Blake is first to go, Flair gets rid of Matador and Tornado. Sarge takes out a Nasty Boy. Other Nasty takes out Sarge by cheating. Duggan gets DQed in retaliation. Other Nasty is gone by LOD. Flair leaves to fight another day, LOD win.

[XIII]

LMAO at Dino Bravo constantly surviving

[Citizen Snips Has Left]

The 1989 match would have gone down in history for being the only time Hogan and Dusty shared a ring during Dusty’s time in the company.

[wildojinx]

More from the Wrestlemania matches of survival:

WM4: Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior, and Brutus Beefcake vs Bad News Brown, The Islanders, Bobby Heenan, and Demolition.

Huh, this is a weird one. I guess you can protect Demolition by having them get DQed, and at least Heenan would offer some good comedy.

WM5: Hercules, Bushwhackers, Jake Roberts, Hart Foundation, Red Rooster, Hulk Hogan vs Twin Towers, Mr Perfect, Brain Busters, Rick Rude

Again, some good potential matches here, as well as some glorious trainwrecks.

WM6: Demolition, Brutus Beefcake, Hart Foundation, Dusty Rhodes, Big Bossman ,Jim Duggan, Ultimate Warrior vs Rick Martel, Earthquake, Barbarian, Orient Express, Ted Dibiase, and Rick Rude

I'd actually have the heels win here. Have Warrior get counted out, and have either a hart or demolition member eliminated when a double team goes wrong, setting up that feud. Of course, Earthquake would be the dominant one here.