10 Fascinating WWE Survivor Series 1989 Facts
The Thanksgiving Night Tradition rolls into Chi-Town.
The 1989 Survivor Series will never be mistaken as one of the all-time great offerings from WWE. It does, however, fall into a very specific category that the older Survivor Series events tend to end up in: the quaint sort of nostalgic showcases that make older fans feel all warm inside. It's pro wrestling comfort food - appropriate given its proximity to America's favorite feasting holiday.
The 1989 edition is also notable for something that desperately needs to make a comeback: team names. And I'm not talking "Team Raw" or "Team *INSERT CAPTAIN'S LAST NAME HERE*" We're talking The Hulkamaniacs vs. The Million Dollar Team, and Roddy's Rowdies vs. Rude's Brood. It's that sort of quasi-corny good-natured fun that's missing from WWE these days. Like you wouldn't wanna see Kevin Owens' "Prizefighters" team battling it out against McMahon's Militia.
It was also the Survivor Series that streamlined the matches down to pitting four-against-four, due to the roster itself getting whittled down. Granted, they could've done the old five-on-five deal if they wedged in the likes of Koko B. Ware, The Genius, The Young Stallions, and others. But alas. Survivor Series 1989 is what a wrestling show should be: mindlessly fun and entertaining, without maddening its audience.
Here are ten facts about Survivor Series 1989 you may not have known.
10. More Than Half Of The Entrants Are In The WWE Hall Of Fame
In all, 40 different wrestlers took part in the 1989 Survivor Series. Of those 40, as of this writing, 21 of them have graced WWE's Hall of Fame. While entry into WWE's legend sanctum is subjective to the whims of the company, it's still a pretty good indication of the star power of the 1989 roster.
Check this group out: Hulk Hogan, Jake Roberts, Ted Dibiase, The Ultimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels, Andre the Giant, Bobby Heenan, Arn Anderson, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, The Bushwhackers, Ravishing Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Bret Hart, Randy Savage, Greg Valentine, Dusty Rhodes, Tito Santana, and The Big Boss Man. That's some serious wattage there.
As far as those not yet inducted, you've got some certified icons in Demolition, The Honky Tonk Man, Earthquake, Rick Martel, Brutus Beefcake, and more that will likely see enshrinement one day. You can even put Zeus in the celebrity wing if you were so inclined. He was Deebo, after all.