7 amazing WWE Survivor Series moments

Survivor Series is one of the most unique PPVs conducted by WWE. Beginning in 1987, the original event was held in Richmond, OH, and was a series of elimination tag team matches, usually built around whatever feuds were going on at the time. It was also created to be counter-programming against Jim Crockett Promotions' (which would eventually become WCW) PPV Starrcade '87.

Since then, it's become more of a SmackDown vs RAW showcase. Still, no matter how much it has changed since that first Thanksgiving (U.S.) special, it's considered one of WWE's "Big Four" and, as such, it's had a multitude of important moments.

Here is a look at seven amazing moments from the history of the Survivor Series PPV.

#7 Daniel Bryan vs Brock Lesnar (Survivor Series 2018)

In 2017, Survivor Series brought us the match we thought we'd never see - Brock Lesnar vs AJ Styles. As the Universal and WWE Champions, respectively, the two met in a brutal match. Lesnar came out on top - as he tends to do - but it was still a pretty amazing match.

When Survivor Series 2018 came around, it looked like we were going to get a rematch between The Beast InCarnate and the Phenomenal One.

While Lesnar vs AJ Styles was great, the idea of The Beast Incarnate taking on Bryan was something else entirely. While both Styles and Bryan are masters at working in the ring, Bryan's move set just always felt more dangerous. Then, Styles went and lost the WWE Championship right before Survivor Series to Daniel Bryan - and, suddenly, we're getting another dream match. So, when it was announced that Bryan would be taking on Lesnar at Survivor Series that year, things got really exciting.

Of course, Lesnar won the dream match. But, when Bryan attacked The Beast Incarnate and had him on the ropes thanks to a low blow, it honestly looked like, for just a little bit, that the man who defeated 3/4th of Evolution in one night at WrestleMania XXX, might win the match at Survivor Series.

The outcome wasn't even really relevant. What was important was that we got ourselves a dream match that turned out to be incredible.

#6 Shawn Michaels wins the first Elimination Chamber match - Survivor Series 2002

The Survivor Series 2002 Elimination Chamber Match

Survivor Series 2002 saw a major debut and a huge comeback.

The Elimination Chamber is one of those iconic match types, much like Hell in a Cell and WarGames. You probably already know what the concept is but, just in case, let's run through it really quickly. Giant steel structure, six Superstars fighting, two guys start, one guy gets added every few minutes or so and eliminations occur. The person who is the last person standing inside the structure is the winner.

The Chamber made its first appearance - as you probably either knew or guessed at this point - at Survivor Series 2002. The match included Triple H (who is credited with creating the concept of the match), Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, Kane, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam. All six men were fighting for the World Heavyweight Championship held by Triple H.

Shawn Michaels had recently come out of retirement earlier that year, taking on The Game in a Street Fight at SummerSlam. Fans were not just thrilled to see him back in action but were ecstatic that he was in a match for a World Championship. Still, considering the injury that stopped the Showstopper in the first place, could he handle the danger of the Chamber?

Yes. Yes, he could.

The sight of Shawn Michaels holding onto a World Championship - and at Survivor Series of all places (more on that later) - after everything he had been through up to that point, was an amazing way to send fans home happy that night.

#5 Goldberg defeats Brock Lesnar (Survivor Series 2016)

Whether the main event of Survivor Series 2016 was going to be a trainwreck, a wrestling classic, or something else entirely - fans tuning in knew it was going to be something to watch.

Following their disaster of a match twelve years earlier at WrestleMania XX, Bill Goldberg was set to come out of retirement and take on Brock Lesnar at that year's Survivor Series. It was partly set up to promote that year's WWE 2K17 video game, which featured Goldberg as a special pre-order bonus character.

Notice near the end of the video, with Goldberg in the back of the police car - you can see the backward reflection of the words "Suplex City" in the window. Then, this happened.

Following this match - as well as eliminating Lesnar from that next year's Royal Rumble - Goldberg would go on to capture the Universal Championship from Kevin Owens and went on to lose it to Lesnar at WrestleMania. And, yes, it was a way better match than their match over a decade earlier.

But, this moment at Survivor Series - this out-of-nowhere dominance from a man who hadn't wrestled in years against the scariest wrestler in the world? That's a Survivor Series moment worth remembering.

#4 Sting debuts in WWE (Survivor Series 2014)

At one point in his career, Sting was WCW's version of Hulk Hogan. He would become an even bigger star in the later 90s, as his battle against the New World Order helped take WCW to heights the wrestling business had never seen before.

But, when WCW went belly up and was purchased by WWF, Sting was one of the few WCW stars who didn't jump ship. In fact, he eventually signed with TNA (now IMPACT Wrestling) and worked for them for years. Eventually, though, The Stinger decided to give Vince McMahon's company a shot. You know, just to see what it was like.

And, like most things Sting did in his career, his debut at Survivor Series was pretty incredible.

The historical significance alone - the last WCW holdout appearing at a major WWE show like Survivor Series would be enough to make this list. But, it was also just so damn cool.

#3 The Rock becomes the Corporate Champion (Survivor Series 1998)

1998 was the year the WWF really started to hit its stride during the Monday Night War. The feud between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon was keeping fans glued to their TVs, The Rock was in the midst of his first babyface run and the Attitude Era was starting to seriously take shape. Then, Survivor Series happened.

It would take way more time than any of us have the patience to go into the details of all the stories that lead up to the main event of this show. But, to sum up - Austin found himself stripped of the WWF Championship, and a tournament to crown a new champ was scheduled for Survivor Series. McMahon certainly seemed to favor his lackey, Mankind, and did everything in his power to get him to the finals.

Mick Foley's alter-ego made it to the final round and took on The Rock, who McMahon made no secret of his disdain for. After all, The Rock was the "People's Champ" and McMahon had a problem with "The People." Fans watching in attendance and around the world were uncertain - would Rock persevere and win, or would McMahon shenanigans prevail at Survivor Series yet again?

Turns out... both. Rock slapped the Sharpshooter (look... we're getting to that) on Mankind and McMahon forced the referee to call for the bell. Much like the previous year, The Rock has joined the Corporation, became WWF champion, and Mankind had been kicked to the curb once again.

It was just one year later after... this other thing we're going to talk about... and, once again, the WWF was using it to tell stories. It was also the start of The Rock becoming... well, really becoming The Rock.

It was a shocking moment - maybe one of the most shocking moment in Survivor Series history.

#2 The Montreal Screwjob (Survivor Series 1997)

If you don't know what the "Montreal Screwjob" is by now, you either stumbled onto an online wrestling article by accident or you just learned about pro wrestling yesterday. So, let's see if we can do this as concisely as we can.

Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels - arguably the WWF's two biggest stars at the time - hated each other. WWF culdn't afford to pay Bret HHart's contract any longer, because WCW is eating away at their business, so they allowed him to leave. But, Bret is also their champion. And they need to get the belt off him before he goes.

However, the Hitman refused to lose to Shawn (not in his home country of Canada, anyway), and it's a mess and then this happens:

This may be the most talked-about live moment in pro wrestling history. It blurs the lines between the story being told in the ring and what's going on backstage that it's rife with conspiracy theories.

So, it's not a great Survivor Series moment but, it's certainly amazing, and it changed the wrestling business permanently going forward.

Now, on a list like this, the Montreal Screwjob would normally be No. 1. But, we honestly think that our final entry was not only the most amazing at the time it happened but had as much impact on WWE as this entry did.

#1 The Undertaker debuts (Survivor Series 1990)

Is there any other WWE debut that's more storied than this one? Other than Kane - which still involved The Undertaker, obviously - this debut has gone from historic to mythological. It's the reason that, 30 years later, this year's Survivor Series is being promoted around The Deadman. The Undertaker is, without a doubt, the ultimate WWE guy.

But, let's move away from the historical significance of this moment and look at the moment itself. Considering this was an event where a human-sized turkey hatched out of an egg, Ted Dibiase's "mystery partner" could have been anybody. A returning star, or a wrestler from another company making his debut or even a beloved good guy turning heel. Instead, it was Mean Mark from WCW, in an old-timey old west mortician's outfit, coming to the ring at Survivor Series.

And it was terrifying.

Watch that video again. Listen to how quiet that crowd is. That's the impression he put on them and would continue to through his whole career. That's why The Undertaker's debut is No.1 on this list.

Do you think differently? We've got a comments section below, let's have at it. Otherwise, thanks for reading, and I'm outta here.

Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE