1. The first event took place on November 26, 1987. It was created for four reasons: to extend the Hulk Hogan/Andre The Giant feud (Hogan had defeated Andre at WrestleMania III earlier that year); to directly compete with the original Thanksgiving Night Tradition, the NWA's annual Starrcade show; to establish a second yearly WWF pay-per-view (WrestleMania was the only one at that time; 1985's Wrestling Classic and 1986's Big Event did not inspire follow-ups) and to showcase as many WWF wrestlers on the roster, hence the strict adherence to 5-on-5 and 10-on-10 elimination tag team matches. (40 men and 10 women performed that November night. 50 men worked the 1988 show.)
After 1987, Starrcade would no longer occur on Thanksgiving Night. Starting in 1988, the NWA would move it to Christmas week in late December where it remained until the last event in 2000. Andre would go on to steal Hogan's world championship in a memorable, live, prime-time TV match three months later. (The feud would last long enough to inspire another annual pay-per-view in August 1988: SummerSlam.) And after canceling plans to discontinue it in 2010, the Survivor Series remains the second oldest annual supercard in WWE history.
2. The 1988 Survivor Series marked the first time a double turn ever happened during a WWF pay-per-view, which is still a rare occurrence today. The villainous Demolition, the then-WWF tag team champions, captained a team of 10 against their arch rivals, The Powers Of Pain, and their babyface team of 10. (Each side was represented by five two-man tag teams.)
Thanks to being unexpectedly screwed over by their wily manager Mr. Fuji late in the match (he caused his team to be eliminated by count-out thanks to his timely interference during an Irish Whip), an infuriated Demolition turned on him before leaving ringside. Shortly thereafter, The Powers Of Pain helped up Fuji, dusted him off and brought him over to their corner. After disposing of The Conquistadors, the last team standing on Demolition's side, Warlord and The Barbarian, the sole survivors, celebrated in the ring with Fuji on their shoulders.
In the end, Fuji's betrayal of the tag team champions backfired. The Powers Of Pain were never able to win the titles from Demolition. Fuji would go on to kiss and make-up with Ax and Smash (who now had Crush on their team) in 1990 and remain their manager until they all went their separate ways in 1991.
3. Before he made his debut at the 1990 Survivor Series, The Undertaker was originally billed as Kane, The Undertaker. As the show drew closer, "Kane" was mysteriously dropped from his name. The name would, of course, be recycled for his masked half-brother who would wrestle his first pay-per-view match at the infamous 1997 Survivor Series. Kane defeated Mankind that night.
Curiously, at the 1990 show, The Undertaker was accompanied by Brother Love to the ring. (The late, great Paul Bearer wouldn't arrive to take over until early 1991.) After eliminating two members of Dusty Rhodes' Dream Team (including the captain himself), The Dead Man was actually counted out. Ted DiBiase, Undertaker's captain of The Million Dollar Team, was the sole survivor. A year later, with a big assist from Ric Flair, The Phenom defeated Hulk Hogan for his first WWF Championship in the first ever Survivor Series singles match.
4. Randy Savage is the only wrestler to survive a traditional tag team elimination match in each of the first three Survivor Series shows. He's the only one to go undefeated at the event in the 1980s.
5. The three babyface and five heel survivors of every match in the 1990 Survivor Series went on to battle in a handicap Grand Finale bonus match to determine the ultimate survivor, a concept that was never repeated at future shows. The Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan were the last men standing that night.
6. "Tiny" Lister is the only celebrity to ever participate in a traditional tag team elimination match. He appeared at the 1989 Survivor Series as Zeus, his character from No Holds Barred. He was quickly disqualified for refusing to let go of Hulk Hogan's neck and then attacking the referee. Speaking of famous actors, Chuck Norris is the only celebrity to officiate a match at the event. Well, sort of. He was booked as an outside enforcer for The Undertaker/Yokozuna Casket Match at the 1994 extravaganza.
7. Five years before their controversial world title match at the 1997 Survivor Series, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels first battled for the WWF Championship in the main event of the 1992 pay-per-view. The Heartbreak Kid had just won the InterContinental title from Hart's brother-in-law, The British Bulldog, during the last Saturday Night's Main Event of the 1990s, but that belt was not on the line. Unlike 1997, Hart retained.
8. There was an unusual championship match at t
After 1987, Starrcade would no longer occur on Thanksgiving Night. Starting in 1988, the NWA would move it to Christmas week in late December where it remained until the last event in 2000. Andre would go on to steal Hogan's world championship in a memorable, live, prime-time TV match three months later. (The feud would last long enough to inspire another annual pay-per-view in August 1988: SummerSlam.) And after canceling plans to discontinue it in 2010, the Survivor Series remains the second oldest annual supercard in WWE history.
2. The 1988 Survivor Series marked the first time a double turn ever happened during a WWF pay-per-view, which is still a rare occurrence today. The villainous Demolition, the then-WWF tag team champions, captained a team of 10 against their arch rivals, The Powers Of Pain, and their babyface team of 10. (Each side was represented by five two-man tag teams.)
Thanks to being unexpectedly screwed over by their wily manager Mr. Fuji late in the match (he caused his team to be eliminated by count-out thanks to his timely interference during an Irish Whip), an infuriated Demolition turned on him before leaving ringside. Shortly thereafter, The Powers Of Pain helped up Fuji, dusted him off and brought him over to their corner. After disposing of The Conquistadors, the last team standing on Demolition's side, Warlord and The Barbarian, the sole survivors, celebrated in the ring with Fuji on their shoulders.
In the end, Fuji's betrayal of the tag team champions backfired. The Powers Of Pain were never able to win the titles from Demolition. Fuji would go on to kiss and make-up with Ax and Smash (who now had Crush on their team) in 1990 and remain their manager until they all went their separate ways in 1991.
3. Before he made his debut at the 1990 Survivor Series, The Undertaker was originally billed as Kane, The Undertaker. As the show drew closer, "Kane" was mysteriously dropped from his name. The name would, of course, be recycled for his masked half-brother who would wrestle his first pay-per-view match at the infamous 1997 Survivor Series. Kane defeated Mankind that night.
Curiously, at the 1990 show, The Undertaker was accompanied by Brother Love to the ring. (The late, great Paul Bearer wouldn't arrive to take over until early 1991.) After eliminating two members of Dusty Rhodes' Dream Team (including the captain himself), The Dead Man was actually counted out. Ted DiBiase, Undertaker's captain of The Million Dollar Team, was the sole survivor. A year later, with a big assist from Ric Flair, The Phenom defeated Hulk Hogan for his first WWF Championship in the first ever Survivor Series singles match.
4. Randy Savage is the only wrestler to survive a traditional tag team elimination match in each of the first three Survivor Series shows. He's the only one to go undefeated at the event in the 1980s.
5. The three babyface and five heel survivors of every match in the 1990 Survivor Series went on to battle in a handicap Grand Finale bonus match to determine the ultimate survivor, a concept that was never repeated at future shows. The Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan were the last men standing that night.
6. "Tiny" Lister is the only celebrity to ever participate in a traditional tag team elimination match. He appeared at the 1989 Survivor Series as Zeus, his character from No Holds Barred. He was quickly disqualified for refusing to let go of Hulk Hogan's neck and then attacking the referee. Speaking of famous actors, Chuck Norris is the only celebrity to officiate a match at the event. Well, sort of. He was booked as an outside enforcer for The Undertaker/Yokozuna Casket Match at the 1994 extravaganza.
7. Five years before their controversial world title match at the 1997 Survivor Series, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels first battled for the WWF Championship in the main event of the 1992 pay-per-view. The Heartbreak Kid had just won the InterContinental title from Hart's brother-in-law, The British Bulldog, during the last Saturday Night's Main Event of the 1990s, but that belt was not on the line. Unlike 1997, Hart retained.
8. There was an unusual championship match at t