WWE has a strong history of great Survivor Series events, even though the show has lost some of its luster in recent years. The Survivor Series 2002 show in particular still holds a soft spot in the hearts of wrestling fans from the Ruthless Aggression Era. WWE was shortly into the brand split and had important matches all over the card to represent Raw and SmackDown.
There were plenty of great memories to take away from the show, from the important title matches, to compelling card depth, to the fun atmosphere of the entire night. Few shows in Survivor Series history have as much love as this one. WWE gave their all to ensure that event lived up to the hype. Survivor Series 2002deserves consideration for the best event in the show’s history all these years later.
The Show Had A Historic Main Event
WWE debuted the Elimination Chamber match at Survivor Series 2002 with the six top stars on the Raw brand competing for the World Championship. Triple H was having a dominant title reign and feuding with the returning Shawn Michaels in a great angle. Booker T, Rob Van Dam and Kane were in the midst of their most popular stints as babyfaces in WWE. Chris Jericho was thriving as a heel, and was a legitimate threat to win the title.
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All six wrestlers created huge interest in something the fans already wanted to see. Eric Bischoff described the concept of the Elimination Chamber match, but it was the kind of idea that fans wouldn’t understand until seeing it actually take place. The match was outstanding, and the talents involved made sure the audience loved the new concept.
Jericho, Booker, Kane and Van Dam all had noteworthy moments before their eliminations. The final two of Michaels defeating Triple H to win the World Heavyweight Championship was a beautiful moment to pay off their feud and Michaels' comeback story. Few matches had as much importance on a Survivor Series event as this masterpiece did.
Survivor Series 2002 Had Incredible Card Depth
Every single segment on Survivor Series 2002 had some level of importance. The opening six-man tables match was a bit sloppy, but it provided excitement by creating the huge moment of D-Von and Bubba Ray reuniting as the Dudley Boyz. The cruiserweight division was on display when Billy Kidman defeated Jamie Noble to win the Cruiserweight Championship in an underrated match.
WWE witnessed a huge change in the tone of the women’s division when Victoria defeated Trish Stratus in a hardcore match to become Women’s Champion. This was viewed as arguably the best women’s match in WWE history at this point. The infamous “Smackdown Six” even showed out when Eddie and Chavo Guerrero defeated the teams of Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit, and Edge & Rey Mysterio in a fun match.
The other world title on the line that night had a massive turn when Paul Heyman betrayed Brock Lesnar to help Big Show win the WWE Championship. Few fans saw the swerve coming as Big Show was the one to end Brock’s undefeated streak as the new top champ on SmackDown. Survivor Series 2002 had a little something for everyone, with practically zero misses.
The Event Was Extremely Impactful And Remains One Of The Best Survivor Series
The biggest reason for Survivor Series 2002 having an argument for the best event in the show's history is the impact it left on the viewer. Fans will always remember Michaels winning the World Championship for the last time as confetti fell into the ring. The shock of Paul Heyman turning on Brock Lesnar was designed to create a memorable moment by having a short match secondary to the storyline.
Memories like the women’s street fight, Dudley Boyz returning, and even the return of Scott Steiner delivered classic moments one after another. WWE picked this show to have Steiner make his first post-WCW appearance since they knew it would be a special night for the company. The Madison Square Garden audience in New York City is considered the best in pro wrestling to many talents, and it was true on this night with nonstop excitement.
WWE no longer places the same level of importance on theSurvivor Series event and it upsets many fans. Anyone with nostalgia for the event should watch this back, or introduce it to new fans who are unaware of how significant it used to be in the WWE landscape. Jim Ross started Survivor Series 2002 saying he believed it could be the best in the show’s history, and his words will live on forever as the talent made him a smart man.
