Survivor Series 2002

Survivor Series 2002 was the sixteenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It took place on November 17, 2002 from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York and featured talent from both the Raw and SmackDown! brands. The official theme song was "Always" by Saliva, who performed the song and Chris Jericho's entrance music live from The World.
The main match on the Raw brand was the first-ever Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship involving reigning champion Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, Booker T, Rob Van Dam and Kane. Michaels won the match after last eliminating Triple H, pinning him after executing Sweet Chin Music. The predominant match on the SmackDown! brand was Brock Lesnar versus The Big Show for the WWE Championship, which Big Show won by pinfall after chokeslamming Lesnar on a steel chair. The featured matches on the undercard was a Triple Threat Elimination match for the WWE Tag Team Championship involving Edge and Rey Mysterio, Los Guerreros (Eddie and Chavo Guerrero), and Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit. Los Guerreros won the match and became WWE Tag Team Champions after last eliminating Edge and Mysterio.
==Background==
The main feud heading into Survivor Series on the Raw brand was between Triple H, Rob Van Dam, Booker T, Kane, Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels over the World Heavyweight Championship. The feud started on the September 2 edition of Raw when Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff awarded Triple H the World Heavyweight Championship in the form of the old WCW Championship belt. Later on that edition, Triple H successfully defended the World title over Ric Flair but lost in a tag team match to both Ric Flair and Rob Van Dam towards the end of the show. On the September 9 edition of Raw, Rob Van Dam became the number one contender to the World Championship by defeating Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy, and The Big Show in a fatal four-way elimination match. The following week on Raw, Van Dam lost the WWE Intercontinental Championship to Chris Jericho after interference by Triple H. At Unforgiven, Van Dam faced Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. Van Dam lost the title match after Ric Flair nailed him with the sledgehammer, allowing Triple H to finish him off with the pedigree, thus retaining the title. On the September 30 edition of Raw, Triple H defeated Bubba Ray dudley to retain the World title. Then later that night, Kane won the Intercontinental Championship from Jericho despite interference from Triple H and Ric Flair. The match was made between Triple H and Kane for No Mercy on October 20 in which both Kane's Intercontinental Championship and Triple H's World Heavyweight Championship were at stake. On the October 7 edition of Raw, Kane successfully singlehandedly defended the World Tag Team Championship (that he had won on September 23) in a four team Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match as The Hurricane had been attacked earlier that evening (by Triple H and Ric Flair) and was thus unable to compete. The following week on Raw, Kane and The Hurricane lost the tag titles to Christian and Jericho. Later that night, Triple H defeated RVD in Canadian lumberjack strap match after Ric Flair nailed Van Dam from behind with the World title belt while the referee was distracted. At No Mercy, Triple H went on to defeat Kane in title unification match which Triple won the IC Title and unified with his World Title. On the October 21 edition of Raw, Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff announced that the first ever Elimination Chamber would take place at Survivor Series. Bischoff did this, as he wanted the Elimination Chamber match to be better than SmackDown!'s Hell in a Cell main event at No Mercy. On the October 28 edition of Raw, Bischoff stated that the Elimination Chamber would be combination of WWE's Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, and WCW's War Games matches, in that a countdown timer comes from the Rumble and War Games, the enclosed cage format from War Games, and the elimination process from the Rumble and Series. Bischoff also added that the match will involve six superstars. This led to Bischoff revealing the six participants for the contest; Triple H, Chris Jericho, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Kane and Shawn Michaels. Later on that edition, when World Champion Triple H took on Kane in a Casket match, Shawn Michaels (who Triple H put out of action after their Unsanctioned Street Fight at SummerSlam) emerged from the casket and assaulted Triple H. To gain further payback, Michaels then nailed him with the Sweet Chin Music, allowing Kane to put Triple H in the casket and closed the lid to win the match. On the November 4 edition of Raw, Booker T and Kane defeated World Champion Triple H and Jericho in a tag team match after Michaels interfered again. Afterwords, Michaels accepted the offer of being part of the 1st ever Elimination Chamber for the World title at Survivor Series.
The main feud on the SmackDown! brand was between Brock Lesnar and The Big Show over the WWE Championship. Lesnar won the title three months prior at SummerSlam by defeating then-champion The Rock. Two months later at No Mercy, Lesnar defeated The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match to retain the title, pinning him after an F-5. On the October 24 edition of SmackDown!, after claiming nobody on SmackDown! could defeat him, Big Show was traded to SmackDown!, immediately issuing a challenge to WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, who accepted later that night. Later that night, after Lesnar and Undertaker cut promos to one another, the Big Show threw Undertaker off the stage, thus injuring his neck. The next week on SmackDown!, Lesnar faced off against Rey Mysterio, which ended in a no-contest after Big Show interfered and tossed Mysterio into the crowd. Shortly after the match ended, Big Show slammed Lesnar through the announce table. On the November 8 edition of SmackDown!, after Lesnar defeated Eddie Guerrero in a non-title match, Big Show attacked Lesnar and slammed him off the stage. The following week on SmackDown!, Lesnar's manager Paul Heyman was convinced more than anyone that Lesnar could not win, trying to talk him out of defending the title. Lesnar refused and decided to challenge The Big Show to the ring. As Big Show came out, Lesnar drove him through the Steel steps. Moments later, Lesnar took out Big Show with five chair shots then nailed him with the Championship belt, proving a point that Lesnar can beat The Big Show when they face off at Survivor Series.
The other main feud on the card was between three tag teams, Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit, Edge and Rey Mysterio, and Los Guerreros (Eddie and Chavo Guerrero), over the WWE Tag Team Championships. On the October 3 edition of SmackDown!, General Manager, Stephanie McMahon announced an eight team tournament to determine the new WWE tag team champions for the previous pay-per-view, No Mercy. On that edition, Los Guerreros defeated Rikishi and Mark Henry in the first Quarter Final round. The following week on SmackDown, in the second Quarter Final round, Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit defeated John Cena and Billy Kidman while Edge and Rey Mysterio defeated WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and Tajiri to advance to the Semi-Finals tournament the following week. On the October 17 edition of SmackDown, Edge and Mysterio defeated Reverend D-Von and Ron Simmons to advance to the tournament. Later on that edition, Angle and Benoit advanced to the tournament by defeating Los Guerreros. At No Mercy, Angle and Benoit defeated Edge and Mysterio in the finals of a tournament to determine the first WWE Tag Team Champions. On the October 24 edition of SmackDown, Edge and Rey Mysterio defeated Los Guerreros in a number one contenders tag match to earn a shot at the tag titles. Later that night, the WWE Tag Team Champions, Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit fought each other in a Unforgiven return match, which Benoit won after interference from Los Guerreros. The following week on SmackDown, both Benoit and Angle cost one another their matches. Angle helped Edge defeat Benoit then later that night, Benoit returned the favor by helping Eddie Guerrero defeat Angle. Afterwords, Angle and Benoit brawled at the halloween party, ending with Angle delivering an Angle slam and Benoit bashing the bottle into Angle's head at the same time, knocking each other down. On the November 7 edition of SmackDown, Angle and Benoit lost the WWE Tag team titles to Edge and Mysterio in the best 2 out of 3 falls match after Edge pinned Angle in the third and final fall.
Another feud coming from the Raw brand was between Victoria and Trish Stratus for the WWE Women's Championship. At Unforgiven, Trish Stratus had captured her third Women's Championship from Victoria's mentor Molly Holly (who Trish lost the title to at King of the Ring on June 23). On September 23 on Raw, Stratus successfully defended the Women's title against both Molly Holly and Victoria in a Triple Threat match then on the following week's edition of Raw, Victoria challenged Stratus for the Women's title in a one-on-one contest but got Disqualified after hitting Stratus with a steel chair. On the October 7 edition of Raw, after Women's Champion, Trish Stratus, defeated Stacy Keibler in a Bra and Panties/Paddle on a Pole match, Victoria attacked Stratus and performed a Moonsault on her. Victoria claimed in the interview that back in their days as fitness models, WWE wanted both of them but Trish stole her spot. The two fought again for the Women's Championship at No Mercy with Stratus retaining. For the following four weeks, the two would have many clashes on Raw including on the November 11 edition of Raw, when Stratus ambushed Victoria following Victoria's attack on Terri Runnels. It was announced that the title would be put on the line in a hardcore rules match.
==Results==
;
;
*Sunday Night Heat: William Regal & Lance Storm defeated Goldust & The Hurricane (5:09)
*Jeff Hardy, Bubba Ray Dudley and Spike Dudley defeated 3-Minute Warning (Rosey and Jamal) and Rico in an Elimination Tables match (11:22)
*Billy Kidman defeated Jamie Noble (c) (w/ Nidia) to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship (7:10)
*Victoria defeated Trish Stratus (c) in a Hardcore match to win the WWE Women's Championship (7:04)
*The Big Show defeated Brock Lesnar (c) (w/ Paul Heyman) to win the WWE Championship (4:23)
*Los Guerreros (Eddie Guerrero & Chavo Guerrero) defeated Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit, and Edge & Rey Mysterio (c) in a Triple Threat Elimination match to win the WWE Tag Team Championship (19:18)
*Shawn Michaels defeated Triple H (c), Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Kane, and Chris Jericho in a Elimination Chamber match to win the World Heavyweight Championship (39:12)
===Elimination Table match eliminations===
Eliminated	Wrestler 	Team 	Eliminated By 	Method of elimination	Time
1 	Spike Dudley	Team of Bubba Ray, Spike Dudley and Jeff Hardy	Jamal and Rosey 	Double Flapjack 	4:27
2 	Rosey 	Team of Jamal, Rosey and Rico 	Jeff Hardy 	Swanton Bomb 	7:46
3 	Jeff Hardy 	Team of Bubba Ray, Spike Dudley and Jeff Hardy	Jamal 	Diving Splash 	10:36
4 	Jamal 	Team of Jamal, Rosey and Rico 	Bubba Ray Dudley 	Top-Rope Powerbomb 	11:46
5 	Rico 	Team of Jamal, Rosey and Rico 	Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley*	Dudley Death Drop 	14:22
*Jamal and Rosey, who were already eliminated, attacked Bubba Ray to attempt to win the match. A few seconds later D-Von interfered to help Bubba Ray.
===Triple Threat Tag Team Elimination match eliminations===
Eliminated	Wrestler 	Team 	Eliminated By 	Method of elimination	Time		
1 	Chris Benoit 	Team of Benoit & Angle 	Edge 	Spear 	 		
2 	Rey Mysterio 	Team of Edge & Rey Mysterio	Eddie Guerrero	Lasso From El Paso 	 		
Winner 	Los Guerreros (Eddie Guerrero & Chavo Guerrero)	 	 	 	 		
===Elimination Chamber entrances and eliminations===
Eliminated	Wrestler 	Entered	Eliminated By	Method of elimination 	Time
1 	Rob Van Dam 	1 	Booker 	Missile Dropkick 	13:37
2 	Booker T 	4 	Jericho 	Chokeslam from Kane and a Lionsault from Jericho 	17:43
3 	Kane 	5 	Jericho 	Sweet Chin Music from Michaels, Pedigree from Triple H, and a Lionsault from Jericho	22:53
4 	Chris Jericho 	3 	Michaels 	Sweet Chin Music 	30:43
5 	Triple H 	2 	Michaels 	Sweet Chin Music 	39:20
Winner 	Shawn Michaels	6 	 	 	
==Other on-screen talent==
;Commentators
*Jim Ross 
*Jerry Lawler 
*Michael Cole 
*Tazz 
*Carlos Cabrera 
*Hugo Savinovich 
;Interviewers
*Jonathan Coachman
*Terri Runnels	
;Ring announcer
*Howard Finkel 
*Tony Chimel 
;Referees
*Earl Hebner 
*Jim Korderas 
*Brian Hebner 
*Mike Chioda 
*Charles Robinson 
*Jack Doan 
*Nick Patrick 
*Mike Sparks 
*Chad Patton
==See also==
*List of WWE pay-per-view events
*WWE Event History
*Survivor Series
==DVD & Video Releases==
* Survivor Series 2002 on DVD
==External links==
* Survivor Series 2002 Official Website
* Survivor Series 2002 at CAGEMATCH.net
* Survivor Series 2002 at Online World of Wrestling
* on WWE Network
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view events
Category:Survivor Series
Category:2002 pay-per-view events
Category:Events with Table matches
Category:Events with Elimination Chamber matches