Assembling The WWE Survivor Series Elimination Match Dream Team

Which 10 WWE Superstars of the past and present make up the ultimate Survivor Series Dream Teams?

WWE.com

There hasn't been a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match for either the Men's or Women's Divisions in WWE since 2021. Seth Rollins and Bianca Belair would emerge as the 'Sole Survivors' for their respective teams that year and they may be the last two individuals to ever earn that designation.

Chief Content Officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque has essentially allowed the concept to sunset these last few years with the WarGames Match now the featured construct of Survivor Series. Although, it is possible that the traditional elimination match could make a comeback down the line.

"Sometimes stuff needs a break for a while," Triple said during the post show press conference for Survivor Series in 2022. "Sometimes, you bring it back later and it’s iconic and it’s 'Oh my god, they’re going back to that.' So, to say it’ll never happen again is wrong."

Jimmy Uso, @reymysterio, @DomMysterio35 and more Superstars create their own traditional #SurvivorSeries dream teams using wrestlers past and present 🔥

▶️: https://t.co/5fCbS4rKMQ pic.twitter.com/hvYuZWJzJF

— WWE (@WWE) November 27, 2024

Fans of the Survivor Series Premium Live Events of old may be waiting a while for their return as it certainly appears that WarGames will be sticking around for the foreseeable future.

In honor of the classic format, however, we here at The Takedown on SI wanted to pay homage to some of the greatest Survivor Series Elimination Match performers of all-time.

Our Rick Ucchino and Sid Pullar III have assembled their own Survivor Series Dream Teams. Who do you think would win if they were to face off?

Team Ucchino

Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, Big Show, Dolph Ziggler, Ric Flair / WWE renders

Roman Reigns

• The OTC is one of the most dominant Superstars in WWE history and that success has certainly stretched into Survivor Series where Roman has reigned supreme as the 'Sole Survivor' on two separate occasions. In 2013 he tied the record for most eliminations in one match with four, with Cody Rhodes and Rey Mysterio among them. Roman's victory in 2019 was perhaps even more impressive as he outlasted 14 other men in a Raw vs. SmackDown vs. NXT Triple Threat Elimination Match. Reigns last eliminated Keith Lee in an exhilarating closing sequence that nearly left Roman basking in Lee's glory.

Randy Orton

• The Viper has a long track record of excellence throughout his WWE tenure and many of Randy Orton's Survivor Series performances are among best. His 11 traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match appearances are tied for the most all-time and he holds the record for most eliminations all his own with 16. While his overall record stands at 9-6, Orton secured three consecutive "Sole Survivor" victories from '03-'05. He last eliminated Shawn Michaels in two of those matches to pick up the win for his team.

Dolph Ziggler

• It may be a surprise to some that Dolph Ziggler - now wrestling as the reigning TNA Champion Nic Nemeth - is on this team, but he has absolutely earned his place. One of the most underappreciated and underutilized talents in WWE history, Ziggler made a name for himself (much to the chagrin of WWE management it seemed) by stealing the show every chance he was afforded. Survivor Series was his time to shine with two 'Sole Survivor' victories to his credit. His 3-on-1 come from behind performance against Team Authority in 2014 is arguably the best in the event's history. Dolph knocked off Kane, Luke Harper and Seth Rollins to earn the win, thanks to a small assist from a debuting Sting.

Big Show

• Often times in these elimination matches it pays off to have the largest man in the fight on your team. They don't make 'em much bigger than the Big Show and his rare combination of size and athleticism was consistently on display at Survivor Series. This event was home to some of Paul Wight's all-time performances, including his clean sweep of the Big Boss Man, Mideon, Prince Albert and Viscera in a 1-on-4 Elimination Match in 1999. Show would go on to win the WWE Championship in the main event that night, defeating both The Rock and Triple H. His 13 Survivor Series eliminations are second only to Randy Orton.

Ric Flair

• No Survivor Series dream team would be complete without the Nature Boy. Ric Flair is one of the few men to ever walk out of a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match as the 'Sole Suvivor' more than once, but what makes Flair's feat even more impressive is that his victories spanned multiple decades. The first coming in 1991 as the 16-time World Champion outlasted Hall of Famers Roddy Piper, Bret Hart and the British Bulldog to earn the victory. Flair would stand on his own again in 2006 as his team of WWE Legends knocked off the Spirit Squad.

Team SP3

Shawn Michaels, Ultimate Warrior, Rey Mysterio, Hulk Hogan, The Rock / WWE renders

Shawn Michaels

• Well regarded as “Mr. WrestleMania,” Shawn Michaels has also had standout performances at several Survivor Series events over the years. Tied for the most Survivor Series Elimination Matches with Randy Orton, Michaels has made the show a stage for some of the defining moments of his career like his memorable comeback in 2003. HBK is a four-time WWE World Champion, two-time Royal Rumble winner and three-time Intercontinental Champion, but “Mr. Survivor Series” might be the next moniker to his all-time great resume.

Ultimate Warrior

• No other WWE Superstar has more “Sole Survivor” wins than The Ultimate Warrior. From 1988-1990, Warrior was a consistent standout at November's annual event. The WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE Champion will forever be adored by many fans for his eccentric and colorful persona in the ring, but his dominance at Survivor Series should be a larger part of the legacy the late performer left behind.

Rey Mysterio

• As a WWE Hall of Famer, three-time World Champion and one of the greatest masked wrestlers of all-time, Rey Mysterio has made his mark at several different events across his career. At Survivor Series, Mysterio is the only star in WWE history to be part of the winning team in each of his first five traditional Survivor Series Elimination match appearances. He was only ever eliminated from two of those bouts.

Hulk Hogan

• A former 12-time World Champion and one of the all-time greatest box office draws in pro wrestling, Hulk Hogan has a strong record at many WWE major events. However, Hogan’s soaring popularity in the late 1980's directly influenced the creation of Survivor Series in general. With two “Sole Survivor” wins to his credit in 1989 and 1990, Hogan was the central figure in the beginning of what has become nearly 40 years of history at this show.

The Rock

• When it comes to Survivor Series Elimination matches, no one had a better debut than The Rock. Known back then as Rocky Maivia, Dwayne Johnson kicked off a legendary career by becoming the “Sole Survivor” in his traditional elimination match in 1996. While his 10 reigns as WWE World Champion and iconic promos are always mentioned for good reason, The Rock should be more remembered for his Survivor Series history. “The Final Boss” won his first WWE Championship in 1998 and saved Team WWE against The Alliance at the 2001 event.

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