Survivor Series (1991)

Survivor Series (1991) was the fifth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It took place on Thanksgiving Eve, November 27, 1991, at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. It was the first Survivor Series to feature a singles match of any kind, where in the main event The Undertaker defeated Hulk Hogan to win the WWF World Heavyweight Championship.

Survivor Series (1991)
Promotional poster featuring Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker
PromotionWorld Wrestling Federation
DateNovember 27, 1991
CityDetroit, Michigan
VenueJoe Louis Arena
Attendance17,500
Tagline(s)The Gravest Challenge
Pay-per-view chronology
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This Tuesday in Texas
Survivor Series chronology
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1990		 Next →
1992

Production

Background

Survivor Series is an annual pay-per-view, produced every November by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) since 1987. In what has since become the second longest running pay-per-view event in history (behind WWE's WrestleMania), it is one of the promotion's original four pay-per-views, along with WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and SummerSlam, later dubbed the "Big Four".[1] The event is traditionally characterized by having Survivor Series matches, which are tag team elimination matches. The 1991 event was the fifth event in the Survivor Series chronology. It was the first event in which all of the matches were not Survivor Series matches. The event included four Survivor Series matches, three of which were 4-on-4, while the other was the first to be a 3-on-3 match. The only non-Survivor Series match on the card was for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, which was the first time it was defended at a Survivor Series.

Storylines

The card included matches that resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. Results were predetermined by WWF's writers,[2][3] with storylines produced on their weekly television shows.

Aftermath

Due to Ric Flair's involvement in the events leading to The Undertaker's WWF World Heavyweight Championship victory over Hulk Hogan, a rematch was immediately signed for the This Tuesday in Texas pay-per-view event, contested December 3 at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas. WWF president Jack Tunney was present at ringside to make sure there was no outside interference. During the match, Flair once again attempted to interfere on The Undertaker's behalf, but – in a chaotic series of events that saw Tunney get knocked out – Hogan was able to pin The Undertaker after throwing ash from manager Paul Bearer's urn in his eyes. The following weekend, Jack Tunney vacated the WWF Championship due to the controversial finishes of the last two matches between Hogan and Undertaker, and put the title up for grabs at the 1992 Royal Rumble. Meanwhile, Hogan and Flair began wrestling in a series of matches that had been highly anticipated since the late 1980s.

Dissension had been brewing for weeks between Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty of the Rockers, and at their Survivor Series match the two argued after Jannetty caused Michaels to be eliminated by accidentally slamming one of the Nasty Boys into him. In a segment of Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake's "Barber Shop" talk show segment taped December 2 and aired on January 12, the two aired their grievances before seemingly resolving to stick together and work through their difficulties. However, Michaels superkicked Jannetty and threw him through a plate-glass window that was part of Beefcake's set, cementing Michaels' heel turn. A feud was commissioned, but Jannetty was fired in January 1992, shortly before their first match was to take place; the two eventually met in a series of matches in 1993, when Jannetty returned. However, for Michaels, the "Barber Shop" segment and the superkick jumpstarted his career that would continue to grow during the 1990s and 2000s.

Results
No. Results Stipulations Times
1D Chris Chavis defeated Kato Singles match 7:44
2 The Mountie, Ric Flair, Ted DiBiase and The Warlord (with Harvey Wippleman, Jimmy Hart, Mr. Perfect and Sensational Sherri) defeated Bret Hart, The British Bulldog, Roddy Piper and Virgil 4-on-4 Survivor Series matchEliminations 22:48
3 Jim Duggan, Sgt. Slaughter, The Texas Tornado and Tito Santana defeated The Berzerker, Col. Mustafa, Hercules and Skinner (with General Adnan and Mr. Fuji) 4-on-4 Survivor Series matchEliminations 14:19
4 The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) defeated Hulk Hogan (c) Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship 12:45
5 The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags) and The Beverly Brothers (Beau Beverly and Blake Beverly) (with The Genius and Jimmy Hart) defeated The Bushwhackers (Bushwhacker Butch and Bushwhacker Luke) and The Rockers (Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels) 4-on-4 Survivor Series matchEliminations 23:06
6 Big Boss Man and The Legion of Doom (Animal and Hawk) defeated Irwin R. Schyster and The Natural Disasters (Earthquake and Typhoon) (with Jimmy Hart) 3-on-3 Survivor Series matchEliminations 15:21
  • (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
  • D – indicates the match was a dark match

Survivor Series elimination matches

^1

Eliminated Wrestler Eliminated by Method Time
1 The British Bulldog Ric Flair Pinfall 10:55
2 The Warlord Roddy Piper Pinfall 17:00
3 Ted DiBiase N/A Disqualification 22:48
The Mountie
Roddy Piper
Bret Hart
Virgil
Survivor(s): Ric Flair

^2

Eliminated Wrestler Eliminated by Method Time
1 Col. Mustafa Sgt. Slaughter Pinfall 7:57
2 Hercules Tito Santana Pinfall 12:05
3 Skinner Sgt. Slaughter Pinfall 13:31
4 The Berzerker Jim Duggan Pinfall 14:19
Survivor(s): Jim Duggan, Sgt. Slaughter, The Texas Tornado and Tito Santana

^3

Eliminated Wrestler Eliminated by Method Time
1 Bushwacker Luke Brian Knobbs Pinfall 5:21
2 Bushwacker Butch Beau Beverly Pinfall 10:13
3 Beau Beverly Shawn Michaels Pinfall 14.30
4 Shawn Michaels Brian Knobbs Pinfall 19:41
5 Marty Jannetty Jerry Sags Pinfall 23:06
Survivor(s): Brian Knobbs, Jerry Sags, and Blake Beverly

^4

Eliminated Wrestler Eliminated by Method Time
1 Big Boss Man Irwin R. Schyster Pinfall 6:23
2 Typhoon Hawk Pinfall 9:55
3 Earthquake N/A Countout 10:05
4 Irwin R. Schyster Animal Pinfall 15:21
Survivor(s): Animal and Hawk

Other on-screen personnel
Commentators
Interviewers
Ring Announcer
Referees
Others

References
  1. Ian Hamilton. Wrestling's Sinking Ship: What Happens to an Industry Without Competition (p. 160)
  2. Grabianowski, Ed. "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 18, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  3. "Live & Televised Entertainment". WWE. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
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