3 WWE debuts at Survivor Series that shocked the world
As one of WWE's Big Four premium live events, Survivor Series is always a highly-anticipated spectacle. It has iconically been used as the stage for brand warfare or the culmination of heated feuds, pitting teams of four or five stars against each other.
The 5-on-5 format has been traditionally used since the late 1980s, but last year's event started a new trend. Instead of elimination matches, Survivor Series hosted a WarGames match for both the men and women of WWE. The same will happen again at this year's show.
Another important aspect of Survivor Series is that it has seen the debuts of many stars. The following three debuts at the show truly shocked the world. The Rock technically debuted at the event in 1996 but wasn't met with that impressive of a response.
#3 The Shield shocked the world in 2012
Back in 2012, CM Punk was certainly on the minds of the WWE Universe. He was in the middle of a historic run and found himself defending his title against Ryback and John Cena at Survivor Series.
Accompanied by Paul Heyman, The Voice of the Voiceless's run was in jeopardy. That all changed, however, during the historic debut of a trio that became to be known as The Shield.
Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose interfered to help Punk retain his title against two red-hot faces. It kick-started three historic runs in WWE while giving the company three stars that would be at the forefront of the company for the next seven years.
#2 Sting finally joined WWE in 2014
The year was 2014 and Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and Seth Rollins ruled over the WWE as The Authority. The group constantly cheated and used its position of power to deprive part of the roster of a fair shot.
Things came to a head at Survivor Series of that year as Team Cena defeated The Authority with Dolph Ziggler as the Sole Survivor. The Icon Sting would make his triumphant WWE debut, shocking not only the dastardly heels but also the entire wrestling world.
It marked one of the last huge names from WCW to appear for WWE. The appearance also led to a huge match against Triple H months later at WrestleMania. Fast forward 10 years and Sting is still active, albeit in AEW.
#1 The Undertaker's historic career began at Survivor Series
WWE fans were truly shocked when The Undertaker made his debut for the company at Survivor Series in 1990. 'The Million Dollar Man' Ted DiBiase announced The Deadman as his team's mystery partner. 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper's remarks on commentary about The Undertaker were particularly hilarious.
He entered the arena with Brother Love but the silence surrounding his walk to the ring was an eerie portend of the future. The Deadman immediately paid dividends, eliminating Dusty Rhodes and Koko B. Ware.
The rest is history as The Deadman became one of the most iconic wrestlers of all time. Debuts can hit the right chord, and at a time back when fans didn't know everything, The Undertaker was a truly terrifying character.