Top five WWE Survivor Series performers
Ever since its inception in 1987, Survivor Series has managed to produce some marquee performances over the years. From Undertaker’s debut to the Montreal Screw job, the prestigious pay-per-view has a rich history of milestones in the company. And throughout the years the event has been the stage for some of the best individual performances in the professional wrestling business. So here is a look at the top five wrestlers who always bring out their A game when it comes to Survivor Series.
5- John Cena
John Cena
Arguably the biggest star in the past decade, John Cena managed to pull of some exciting performances in a comparatively short span of time. And the fact that there is still more years left to come from his side justifies his spot in the list. Cena main evented the pay-per-view on five occasions with one appearance being in the role of a special guest referees. But most of his in ring performances has been overshadowed by his out of the earth gimmick becoming stale among the fans. Though he hasn’t produced classics like others on the list, Cena has been one of the most consistent performers in the Survivor Series and there is still a lot to come from him.
4- The Big Show
The Big Show
The giant has had a rollercoaster career in the WWE but for one reason or the other he always rises to the occasion at Survivor Series. He won the WWE championship twice in the pay-per-view with the first win coming in a triple threat match against Triple H and The Rock while the second came against Brock Lesnar. He also went toe-to-toe with The Undertaker in a memorable Casket match. Big Show has been a destructive force in the traditional tag team matches too with the most notable being the WWF team versus the Alliance match which marked the end of the WCW Invasion storyline. And the most recent guaranteed spot in the main event for the WWE Championship proves that Survivor Series is always a charm for the big guy.
3– Bret “Hit Man” Hart
Bret Hart
Bret was one of those wrestlers who steps his game up to a different level when it came to Survivor Series. He delivered a standout performance in a 20-man tag match in 1987 and followed up with another breakout performance in 1990 against Ted DiBiase’s team. After his singles career started flourishing, Bret began to feud with the lights of Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Bob Backlund and Stone Cold Steve Austin. His matches against Shawn Michaels particularly stood out with the first installment coming in 1992. The second match had to wait 5 years and produced the most controversial outcomes in the history of professional wrestling. The Montreal Screwjob cut short the career of Bret in WWE which is a shame since he still had one or two memorable moments to given even if he was moving to WCW.
2- Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Orton literally owned The Survivor Series for a long time since his debut in 2003. The Viper was the sole survivor in his team for three years in running and also produced a memorable match against Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship. The pay-per-view was the stage for most of his career highs and was instrumental in his rise as a superstar in the company. And like John Cena, there is still a lot that we can look forward from Randy Orton which makes him an exciting prospect in the coming event.
1 – Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
If the company has to thank anyone for the classics stocked up in the pay-per-view archives, it would be the Heartbreak Kid. He stole the show on several occasions with his first appearance coming in 1988 when he teamed up with Marty Jannetty. Michaels then went on to become part of some classics against Bret Hart, Triple H and John Cena he was also part of the famous Team Bischoff versus Team Austin and a 2005 Raw vs. SmackDown showdowns. If there is someone out there who is to be remembered before the PPV kicks off this time around it has to be Michaels as he is among those legends that created a legacy for the Survivor Series.
Honorable mentions: Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker