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Third Tier Big Show (2 excellent; 1 good; 2 Survivor Series matches) – For a second straight month, Big Show finds himself firmly planted in the third tier (after several months of not appearing at all on these lists). Survivor Series has been good to TBS, as this is where both of his WWE Championship reigns have begun. One of those wins is included in the best of list (that being his “good” match with Rock and Triple H in ’99. He was also involved in what I consider to be two of the greatest traditional Survivor Series matches of all-time in 2001 and 2005, but he was an early to mid match elimination in both, keeping him from a potential second tier spot. Bubba Ray Dudley (2 excellent; 1 good; 1 Survivor Series match) – One half of the brothers Dudley makes his first (and likely only) appearance in the Mr. PPV series. While he did not have many matches included on the list that helps rank these performers, his performances in the few matches that did make the cut were worthy of praise. His best match of the lot was undoubtedly the tag team cage match from 2001, but his work in the 2003 Austin-Bischoff Survivor Series match is too often forgotten. He worked his butt off in that match. He also had a standout performance in 2002’s tag team elimination tables match. So, for his run between ’01-’03, Bubba Ray gets a spot. Kurt Angle (1 excellent; 2 good; 1 Survivor Series match) – Despite the fall classic being the site of his debut and his first championship defense on PPV, neither match stood out and thus hurt his chances for his usual insertion into one of the top two tiers. He did, however, have a key role in the match that more or less tied for the top Survivor Series match of all-time, earning him the points he needed to even make this list at all. Frankly, as good as Angle was during his WWE career, this just was not one of his standout events. He captained two traditional SS bouts, but neither were good enough to make the cut…and, thus, Angle barely made the cut. Booker T (3 excellent; 2 Survivor Series matches) – Booker was lucky to be chosen in the third tier and that was in large part because all three of the matches he was involved in on the best of list were in the top 6. That’s an incredible success rate – perhaps the best we’ve seen in any month to date. However, he was never a truly standout performer in those matches. He played a key role each time, but it was not him that really made those matches what they were. Nonetheless, he deserved recognition for that amazing statistic. Survivor Series was one of Book’s better events, overall, having been in a world title match on three occasions (twice in the last match of the evening). Diesel (1 excellent; 2 solid; 2 Survivor Series matches) – Big Daddy Cool is on this list for one reason and one reason only and that’s because he had one of the top five matches in Survivor Series history with Bret Hart in 1995. Kevin Nash was not incapable of having great matches; he just needed the right opponent. Bret helped him get one of his best performances. If you read a historical list of all-time great matches, a lot of wrestling enthusiasts who have been fans for at least as long as I have will put that match somewhere in their top 20-25. It was a memorable bout; that’s for sure. I always liked Nash and I’m glad he finally found a spot on one of these lists. Second Tier The Rock (1 excellent; 3 good; 1 solid; 3 Survivor Series matches) – The starring role as the sole survivor in the tied for top rated match in Survivor Series history gives the Great One a close call in making the top tier. This was the event where he made his debut, had his first star making performance, won his first world title, and saved the WWE from extinction at the hands of the rival WCW. So, I think it’s fair to say that the Rock had a pretty good career in the November PPV. He just barely misses out on a top tier spot because of his lack of excellent matches compared to his peers. Kane (3 excellent; 1 great; 1 good; 4 Survivor Series matches) – The Big Red Machine was involved in three of the top six matches on the best of list, so while never having a truly standout performance he did make his presence felt amongst the best of the best. He made his PPV wrestling debut against Mankind in ’97, so this was a historically significant event for him in addition to being the one where he earns his highest tier yet in the Mr. PPV series. I think it would be safe to call Kane one of the most consistent performers of the last decade or so. Batista (2 excellent; 1 great; 1 good; 3 Survivor Series matches/1 team captain) – Dave Batista was a major player in the WWE for several years and is one of the top stars of the current generation. However, he was never a good enough in-ring performer to earn many accolades when it comes to this or any other series involving match ratings. He did, though, take part in two superb traditional Survivor Series matches and another that was quite good, while also capping off his phenomenal string of matches with the Undertaker in a HIAC match at this event. Also historically significant was his 2006 championship victory over King Booker in the main-event of that edition. Stone Cold Steve Austin (2 excellent; 1 great; 1 good; 1 Survivor Series match) – He wrestled in two of the top 5 matches in Survivor Series history, but his name was also firmly attached to the #1 rated match, as he captained as co-GM the 2003 team that lost and, at that time, ended his career. Survivor Series showcased both what I consider to be the best and worst of Austin during his time as Stone Cold. The best came in 1996 when his technical skill was put on display against Bret Hart in Madison Square Garden; the worst in 2000 with the Attitude era style, which was still quite good. He is a legend without question and is deserving of his spot amongst the top 10 performers in the history of the fall classic. Jeff Hardy (1 excellent; 1 great; 1 good; 1 Survivor Series match/1 team captain) – Hardy only had three matches in the history of the WWE’s second oldest PPV event and, in each of those matches, he was a part of a team. Yet, each time he was the star of said team, putting his body on the line like few before him ever have (or perhaps ever will). For that, he deserves the accolades he receives by being named a second tier player. It was his willingness to go the extra mile that has always earned him his spot and so it is without regret that he is given the final spot in tier two ahead of other deserving wrestlers. Top Tier Shawn Michaels (5 excellent; 2 great; 4 good; 2 solid; 7 Survivor Series matches/2 team captain) – It should come as no surprise that HBK clocks in with the highest number of matches on the best of list at 13 out of 45 matches. What may surprise you is that the best of those matches were not his efforts in singles competition, where he usually shines brightest. Instead, four of his record five “excellent” matches involved at least five other competitors. That is not discount what the three-time Mr. PPV winner has done in the month of November, but the race at the top is a tight one and sometimes it’s the little details that go a long way toward breaking one performer away from another. Triple H (4 excellent; 2 great; 1 good; 1 solid; 3 Survivor Series matches/2 team captain) – With 18% of the top 45 matches, the Game is once again in the thick of things for the overall award for best of the month. However, he is the only one of the top tier performers to not have a match featured in the top five. While wins and losses do not matter to the panel, it is interesting to note just how poor the Game’s record is at the Survivor Series. It’s astonishingly bad, so a little credit is thrown his way for putting his shoulders on the mat that many times over the years. Bret Hart (4 excellent; 1 great; 2 good; 1 solid; 3 Survivor Series matches) – This is the third of the Big 4 for which a Mr. PPV column has been done and a constant for the third straight time is the excellence of the Hitman, Bret Hart. He’s the only guy in the first tier without a top 3 match, but he truly excelled in singles matches whereas the others predominantly shined brightest in tag matches. Some of my favorite SS matches have been conducted by the Hitman, including three straight years of brilliance with a variety of opponents. He and Trips tie with eight matches of the total 45 on the best of, so consistency was a key feature in Bret’s fall classic career. Randy Orton (3 excellent; 3 good; 5 Survivor Series matches/3 team captain) – Quietly knocking on the door for a second straight month is the man formerly known as the Legend Killer and currently referred to as the Viper. When one considers that Orton was the sole Survivor in the matches that were ranked 1st and 3rd on the respective best of list, you’ve got to think he’s got a chance to upset some of the all-time greats and take his first monthly award. He also was the sole survivor in the #11 match. While he lacks great singles match efforts, his track record in Survivor Series matches is virtually untouchable in the history of the fall classic. Chris Jericho (4 excellent; 1 solid; 3 Survivor Series matches) – As a focal point in three of the top six matches in Survivor Series history (and four of the top 11), Jericho makes his case for his second Mr. PPV victory. Although he was a no brainer to be in the top tier, the one man panel who decides who gets the overall nod does place a premium on singles match performances. Jericho’s top efforts came in traditional elimination tag matches and the first Elimination Chamber. In his one true singles match on this list, he had 22-minutes to pull a great match out of John Cena, but he failed to get the job done. That will be taken into consideration despite his otherwise stellar resume. Mr. Survivor Series Bret “Hitman” Hart CMV1 note – At the end of the day, the individual performance matters most to the one man panel and it was the Hitman who displayed the best individual performances in November. This was easily the toughest choice since I started doing these columns, though
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