Since 1987, Survivor Series has been an annual Thanksgiving-season tradition on the WWE calendar. What began as a PLE focused on Survivor Series elimination matches has evolved into the WarGames format, which has a rich history of its own. Both elimination and WarGames structures rely heavily on the team-player mentality and supply endless avenues of storytelling options.
Can a team made up of superstars heading in different directions work toward a similar goal? Will a member of the team go into business for themselves? The possibilities add to the intrigue.
Let's dig into more details on how these matches work.
Survivor Series Elimination Match
In a traditional Survivor Series elimination match, multiple teams face off against each other. Individual eliminations occur via pinfall, submission, disqualification or count-out until members of only one team remain.
The early Survivor Series events were built heavily on this type of match. The first four Survivor Series events consisted of only elimination matches. In the years to follow, expansion into other match types occurred, but the elimination matches were a consistent focus.
There have been a plethora of notable elimination matches. Here are a few examples:
Survivor Series 1987 - Team Andre vs. Team Hogan
We'll start at the beginning with the main event of the first-ever Survivor Series. On the heels of the spectacle that was Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III, this match pitted the two against each other again, each with four team members at their side.
While Hogan got the best of Andre at WrestleMania, Andre got his revenge in this match. Following a count out elimination of Hogan, Andre eliminated Bam Bam Bigelow via a modified underhook suplex to win the match for his team. Andre closed out the first Survivor Series as the sole survivor of his team.
Survivor Series 2001 - Team WWE vs. Team Alliance
This match is mentioned often as part of Survivor Series lore, as it's one of the greatest elimination matches of all time.
In March of 2001, the WWE purchased their competition in WCW. They turned the real-life acquisition into a storyline, and this match was its culmination. After an eight-month power struggle between WWE and the Alliance (WCW and ECW), this Survivor Series main event was for all the marbles. The losing team would be disbanded.
The match had it all -- great wrestling, high stakes and betrayals. Its conclusion saw Kurt Angle of Team Alliance turn on Stone Cold Steve Austin, the leader of his team, allowing WWE to reign supreme (in real-life and in storyline).
WarGames Match
While the WWE didn't begin using the WarGames format until 2017 (NXT TakeOver: WarGames), the match type has its own rich history.
Similar to the Survivor Series, WarGames began in 1987. As part of the third installment of NWA's Great American Bash, WarGames debuted. The concept was developed by the great Dusty Rhodes, who was in the first WarGames match.
Here's how it works:
The match features two teams. Two rings are surrounded by steel cages. One participant for each team starts the match. The others are released into the ring at preset intervals, one at a time. The match cannot be won until all participants have entered and can only be won via pinfall or submission. Like the Survivor Series elimination match, there have been some classic WarGames matches over the years.
Let's take a look at a pre-WWE version and one under the WWE umbrella:
NWA Great American Bash '89 - Road Warriors, Midnight Express & Steve Williams vs. Fabulous Freebirds, Samu & Fatu
The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal) were one of the most popular pro wrestling tag team acts of the 1980s. This match capitalized on that and was built around the Road Warriors' (specifically Hawk) eventual introduction.
It worked. The Baltimore crowd chanted "We want Hawk" leading to his entry into the match and, when he entered the ring, they erupted. It was a great example of building a match to an exciting conclusion.
The finish saw Hawk lock a hangman's neckbreaker submission on Jimmy Garvin of the Fabulous Freebirds for the win, much to the delight of the crowd.
Survivor Series: WarGames 2022 - The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, the Usos, Solo Sikoa & Sami Zayn) vs. The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, Kevin Owens, Ridge Holland & Butch/Pete Dunne)
The WWE brought WarGames back into the fold five years prior to this show, but they were all part of NXT. The 2022 Survivor Series was the first main-card PLE to feature a WarGames match. This particular one was the second of the night.
Great matches don't always have great stories. When they do, it's can't-miss pro wrestling. This match had both with the key story surrounding Sami Zayn's acceptance into the Bloodline. With longtime friend Kevin Owens part of the other team, fans didn't know where Zayn's ultimate allegiance would lie.
The closing sequences saw Zayn remain true to his team with an attack on Owens, leading to a Jey Uso splash and win. Zayn had finally convinced Reigns, Jey, Jimmy and Solo. He was universally accepted into the Bloodline.
For more WWE updates, check out the ESPN hub page with schedules, title history and more.