10 Biggest WWE Survivor Series Debuts

7. Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon (1996)

Eric Bischoff Boogeyman
WWE

May 1992's All Japan Pro Wrestling scrap pitting Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon (wrestling as Dan Kroffat) against Kenta Kobashi and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi is required viewing, not least to see exactly how to present the ultra-skilled pairing in a way WWE only managed once.

The duo were a gift to WWE's barren tag division, with victory over doubles titleholders British Bulldog and Owen Hart (the only other remotely enjoyable unit) capping off a memorable Madison Square Garden arrival. That they looked painfully out of place in a contest also featuring The Godwinns and The New Rockers should have foreshadowed how disappointing their eventual run would be.

Unfortunately the fire and fury of the debut was doused within weeks, as a mutual indifference seemed to open up between them and Vince McMahon. Original plans allegedly saw them dethroning Bulldog and Hart ahead of a split ultimately parked to facilitate a Hart Foundation reunion. They subsequently struggled to regain momentum, and a car crash injuring both in mid-1997 saw their WWE tenure irreversibly damaged in the wreckage.

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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett