10 best Traditional Survivor Series matches

#4 Survivor Series 1987 — Team Hogan vs. Team Andre

Where it all began.

While WWE fans have every right to argue that Vince vs. Stone Cold was ultimately the company's most important rivalry of all time, they should also acknowledge that there would not have been an Austin vs. McMahon had there not first been a Hogan vs. Andre.

The first two Wrestlemanias were definitely showpieces that allowed the company to break away from its competitors like the NWA and Jim Crocket Promotions, but with the success of Wrestlemania 3, in particular, the showdown between the Hulkster and Andre, allowed the WWF the leverage it needed to bully TV stations into only showing its content.

Survivor Series 1987 was born from this particular environment. In an attempt to fight off the challenge of Starrcade, Vince went to various TV networks arguing that if they did not show Survivor Series, they would not be able to show Wrestlemania 4. One of the reasons why they were eventually won round by the WWF was the sheer amount of heat surrounding Hogan and Andre's ongoing battles and the business it was consistently bringing with it.

Survivor Series 87 would be the latest instalment with both men on opposing teams. After Hogan was prevented from reentering the ring before the 10-count, Andre eliminated the debuting Bam Bam Bigelow, earning his team the victory and himself the lone survivor accolade.

As with most content from this period, the action would not necessarily impress the wrestling purists of today, but if you're a fan of the cartoonish, larger-than-life style of 80s wrestling, this is certainly worth checking out.