How WWE evolved its second-oldest pay-per-view event by ditching its namesake elimination matches
In short: Since 1987, Survivor Series has been a cornerstone of professional wrestling, defined by its signature tag-team elimination bouts. Yet, in 2022, the event underwent a radical transformation. By replacing its traditional format with the high-stakes WarGames cage match, WWE shifted from brand-based competition toward a more story-driven, evolving spectacle.
Launched in 1987 to compete with rival promotion WCW's Starrcade, Survivor Series quickly established itself as one of WWE's 'Big Four' annual events. For over three decades, the show was synonymous with the Survivor Series match: a tag-team elimination contest where teams of four or five wrestlers fought until every member of the opposing side was removed. This format was so central that the event's name was derived from the concept of the final 'survivors.' While the event occasionally experimented with other formats—such as the 1998 championship tournament or the 2002 debut of the Elimination Chamber—the traditional elimination match remained the standard.
The event's identity shifted significantly during the brand extension eras. Between 2016 and 2021, the show focused on 'brand supremacy,' pitting wrestlers from Raw and SmackDown against one another in interpromotional matches. NXT briefly joined this rivalry in 2019 before being excluded due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent return to developmental status. This era emphasized competition between the company's internal rosters, a theme that mirrored the earlier Bragging Rights events from 2009 and 2010.
In 2022, WWE executive Triple H initiated a major pivot, rebranding the show as Survivor Series: WarGames. This change moved the event away from brand-versus-brand warfare toward a more story-driven approach. The WarGames match, which features two rings enclosed by a single roofless steel cage, replaced the traditional elimination format. Unlike the original Survivor Series matches, WarGames is decided by a single fall rather than the systematic elimination of all opponents. While Triple H has noted that the traditional match could return in the future, the WarGames structure has defined the event since its 2022 debut, which notably became the highest-grossing and most-viewed Survivor Series in the company's history.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Survivor Series
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-survivor-series.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Born on this day · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
