Top 3 WWE Survivor Series Matches

My top three matches from the Survivor Series ppvs all involve Shawn Michaels. If you look down the list of matches in Survivor Series history, the best tend to involve Michaels or Hart and it is rare that the elimination matches – or the ‘traditional Survivor Series matches’ as they’re known – are noteworthy at all. In creating the ultimate Survivor Series card I realise that I should have picked separate, mutually exclusive matches that have different wrestlers. But I didn’t - sorry. Again, as with previous weeks, these aren’t ranked.

Bret Hart v Shawn Michaels - 1992

Bret was defending the title in 1992 against Shawn. In ‘93, a falsely accused Jerry Lawler had to miss the ppv and so Michaels had to step in to front The Knights against the Hart family in what also turned into a fantastic match. In ‘97, we all know what happened. Of the three, I really do like the ‘93 match but it has a poor finish so I’m picking 1992 for nostalgic and quality reasons.

The match went down like this: Hart controlled the beginning of the match by repeatedly executing armdrags and armbars but Michaels gained the advantage when Bret missed a charge into the corner and went shoulder-first with the ring post. Michaels then threw Hart into another ring post and wore him down by executing a front facelock.

Hart was able to avoid Michaels' first attempt at his finisher and rallied with his trademark moves: the elbow from the second rope, running bulldog and a superplex. Michaels recovered and performed a superkick on Hart and was able this time to apply his suplex, but Hart kicked out. After Hart missed a desperation crossbody and crotched himself on the ropes, Shawn attempted a dropkick from the middle rope but Hart grabbed Michaels' legs and applied the Sharpshooter for the win.

The basic storyline they go for here is reasonably simple: Bret’s the better wrestler so Shawn has to hit him with sucker punches. But Shawn’s ability to cheat is exceptional and not just limited to simple strikes. His speed and morally grey approach allows him to get in charge. This approach is aided by Bret’s willingness to take horrible bumps including into the ring post and the front turnbuckle. (Bret says this himself but really no one takes a front turnbuckle like Bret Hart).

Some of the execution of moves during this is terrific due to both men’s abilities. I would say that at this stage, Shawn still needs the edges smoothing off while Bret was the complete package. Shawn went on to have the opportunity to become better than Bret, in my view, but given what would happen later down the line, the fact that this match exist and so early on – 1992 – makes for fascinating watching. Bret claims in his autobiography that the two were still friends at this stage.

Elimination Chamber – Shawn Michaels v Triple H v Kane v Chris Jericho v Booker T v Rob Van Dam - 2002

The inaugural Elimination Chamber match was tremendous. RVD and Triple H take way too many bumps, Shawn is awesome and it lives up to all the hype because the components make it so.

Here Michaels was returning which in itself was a wonderful miracle. And in my opinion, it was a much needed return. He’s a bigger star than 99% of the company and whenever he’s in a match, an angle, a promo, any wrestling context, he knows exactly what to do and knows exactly how to play it. Now that’s rare. But it’s clear and clarity is important in wrestling.

Apart from his horrendous effeminate, bobbed hair, his return was a triumph and right up until he retired in 2010, he tended to be in the best wrestling matches on WWE ppvs. He would often steal the show – quite the apt moniker, I would say. But this return came at the debut of what would go on to be a main-stay of the WWE’s calendar, the Elimination Chamber.

 A career-shortener for sure but, the chamber is extremely entertaining. When Shawn won, it was a big boost for fans. For once, it wasn’t just Hunter who would do the job and be on top regardless of the stipulation. Bischoff had just handed the World Title to Triple H and fans were pissed off at this. Instead, Shawn was the one to carry it.

This is a tremendous match, too, and that shouldn’t be underestimated. A great moment, that came out of a great match in a time of great change.

Shawn Michaels v Randy Orton - 2007

This choice may surprise you. Maybe you don’t remember it at all. Did Michaels and Orton even feud in 2007? Didn’t Orton face Triple H that year? Well yes, but this match was really so strong and it’s partly because Michaels knows exactly how to build a match, partly because Orton is so smooth in the ring and partly due to great storytelling. All you need to know is that after a couple of months of feuding, it was decreed that the superkick was off limits…

The match opened in a wonderfully understated way but then built and built, beautifully. Shawn grabbed a cravate and Randy spent a long time trying to get out of it. Shawn actually got a two-count with it. Orton finally punched his way free and dared Shawn to kick him. Shawn took him down instead, worked some ground and pound, then moved to a facelock and threw some knees that would be illegal in UFC. This facelock ended up lasting almost as long as the cravate.

They were working a very deliberate pace here and it’s because Shawn knows exactly what he’s doing. HBK actually whipped out an Asai moonsault, which is something men in their 40s with bad knees and bad backs don't really need to be doing. He went for a crossbody off the top rope, but Orton rolled through for two. Shawn hooked a sharpshooter. Randy got the ropes, and then fired back with a thumb to the eye.

Orton caught Shawn in the ropes and, with a devilish grin, hit his elevated DDT. He grabbed a bodyscissors for a long time. Shawn finally chopped his way free and started the HBK Comeback. Orton blocked an atomic drop, though, and hit a dropkick for two.

Right here is where this match gets awesome, because the crowd began to roar louder and louder and all Shawn did was stand there and look confused. He finally retreated to the corner and began to tune up the band. The ref warned him this would be a disqualification. "I DON'T CARE!" he screamed. So he stomped and stomped and Orton stood up. Shawn threw a leg towards Orton, but Orton ducked. Shawn stopped and hooked an inside cradle for a nearfall. That whole segment was very, very cool. So then Shawn Michaels, with every wrestling move on earth save the superkick at his disposal, opted to place Randy Orton in the crippler crossface – kind of like the Yes Lock that Daniel Bryan currently uses.

The crowd was going crazy as Orton struggled and fought and at last reached the ropes. He hit his inverted backbreaker and set up for the RKO, then changed his mind and set up for the kick of death. Shawn blocked it and hooked an ankle lock. Since he couldn't use the superkick he started using the finishers of the workers he wrestled in some of his best matches. Shawn scissored the leg and Orton teased tapping and all the fans thought he would, but he finally used his free leg to kick his way free. Shawn went for the figure four, but Orton kicked him off. He went for the RKO, but Shawn shoved him off and went for the superkick. At the last second he hesitated, and Orton pounced with the RKO for the pin. This is/was just an excellent wrestling match.