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WWE continues to pump out more and more exciting programming. While the titanic wrestling promotion offers new programming every single week, an exceptional amount of excitement comes from the company during the week of a Premium Live Event.
With Survivor Series WarGames now in the rearview mirror, fans can look back at the past week with joy. The incredible Becky Lynch made her television return following a shoulder injury several months ago, plus two epic WarGames matches took place, which is a first for the main roster.
While enjoying the modern product is always fun, we will also allow the WWE Universe to feel nostalgic by looking back at major events and memorable moments from the company's illustrious 70 year history.
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In this article, we'll look back at a legendary star being "fired," an icon's epic debut, the first-ever Survivor Series event, and one of the most "awesome" nights in the history of RAW.
Below are five key events that happened this week in WWE history.
#5. John Cena was fired following the finish of a match at Survivor Series on November 21st, 2010
A major superstar was fired from WWE following Survivor Series on November 21st, 2010. The event took place in Miami, Florida and was headlined by Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett for the WWE Championship with John Cena as the special guest referee. In the buildup to the match, John was forced into The Nexus faction.
Nexus was banned from ringside at Survivor Series, with the added stipulations that if Wade failed to win the title, Cena would be fired. If Barrett defeated Orton for the belt, John Cena would be set free from The Nexus. Ultimately, Cena pushed Barrett, which allowed Orton to win. The Face That Runs The Place was immediately fired following Wade's loss.
Of course, John Cena being fired was only in kayfabe and he appeared thereafter as "Juan Cena" under a mask. His storyline firing was reversed soon after and Cena continued to dominate WWE over the next few years before slowing down his in-ring career.
#4. The Undertaker made his debut at WWE Survivor Series on November 22nd, 1990
Survivor Series took place on November 22nd, 1990. While it was a big show for World Wrestling Entertainment, the key thing fans and wrestling personalities remember the event for is the debut of The Undertaker.
The Undertaker was part of The Million Dollar Team alongside Ted Dibiase, The Honky Tonk Man, and Greg Valentine. The four battled The Dream Team consisting of Dusty Rhodes, Koko B. Ware, Bret Hart, and Jim Neidhart. After an impressive showing, The Deadman was counted out and eliminated from his team, although they ultimately won the bout anyway.
The first appearance from The Phenom was the start of an iconic career. The Deadman went on to win numerous world titles and maintained the most impressive pay-per-view winning streak of all time. The Undertaker has since been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
#3. The Miz won the WWE Championship during RAW on November 22nd, 2010
The Miz made history on the November 22nd, 2010 edition of Monday Night RAW. The show was held in Orlando, Florida, with Randy Orton and Wade Barrett clashing for the WWE Championship just one night after John Cena was "fired" for Orton retaining, which was discussed in a previous entry.
The "fired" John Cena showed up to help Orton retain despite Nexus interference. Nexus chased Cena out of the building only for The Miz to come out alongside his lackey Alex Riley. Within minutes, The Miz cashed in on a prone Randy Orton and won the WWE Championship for the first time in his career, a feat many believed was impossible for him.
Since his major win, The Miz has gone on to continued great success. He's a two-time Grand Slam Champion who has also found a niche outside of the ring with his Miz & Mrs. reality show on USA Network. He also regularly acts in and hosts a variety of non-wrestling programs.
#2. The first-ever Women's WarGames Match took place at NXT TakeOver: WarGames on November 23rd, 2019
NXT TakeOver: WarGames took place on November 23rd, 2019. The show featured four big matches with two taking place inside the double-ringed steel cage known as WarGames. The Men's WarGames Match was the main event of the evening and the first-ever Women's WarGames match opened the show.
The bout featured Team Ripley vs. Team Baszler. Team Ripley included Rhea Ripley herself, Dakota Kai, Tegan Nox, and Candice LeRae. Team Baszler included Shayna, Bianca Belair, Io Shirai, and Kay Lee Ray. The match was intense, but perhaps the most notable moment came when Dakota Kai viciously attacked her own partner and friend Tegan Nox, with neither ever leaving the top of the stage.
Kai left Tegan laying for staff to peel off the stage and walked away from the arena without officially entering the cage. In the end, Rhea Ripley and Candice LeRae were still able to overcome the odds and win the bout. Nox and Kai were still listed as winners despite never going to the ring.
The Women's WarGames match has become a yearly staple ever-since this history-making bout. While the match was typically on NXT, it recently debuted on the main roster at WWE Survivor Series WarGames. In fact, the Women's WarGames Match holds the distinct honor of being the first-ever WarGames match in main roster WWE history.
#1. The first-ever Survivor Series event took place on November 26th, 1987
November 26th, 1987 was a special day for WWE. WrestleMania debuted as a major event in 1985. WrestleMania III broke all-time records earlier in the year and World Wrestling Entertainment capitalized on the momentum they had built by introducing the first-ever Survivor Series pay-per-view.
The card featured just four matches, but each was in the Traditional Survivor Series Match format. Three of the four bouts were 5 vs. 5 while the other was technically 10 vs. 10 due to each side featuring five tag teams. The event was headlined by The Bobby Heenan Family battling Team Hulk Hogan. While Andre the Giant and The Bobby Heenan Family won the bout, Hulk Hogan cleared the ring to stand tall. To quote Bruce Prichard, "Hogan must pose!"
The Survivor Series event has been a yearly tradition ever since this first show. While the format has changed over the years, fans know "Survivor Series" and recognize it as one of the four biggest events in pro wrestling every year.
