10 Worst Survivor Series Elimination Matches EVER - According To Dave Meltzer
Star-Burns
Vince McMahon may blow hot and cold on the elimination format he devised in 1987 to topple NWA pay-per-view stalwart Starrcade, but the multi-man contests remain the easiest of annual selling points for an event that would otherwise feel out of place amongst the traditional 'Big Four'.
Attempts to wipe out the show thankfully failed, with the format gaining something of a resurgence in recent years. Blockbuster Raw/SmackDown quintets from the male and female divisions will lock horns for the second consecutive year, and whilst 'Brand Supremacy' isn't exactly the neatest narrative thread, the company's propensity for booking matches such as these in the modern era virtually guarantees quality on the night.
Unfortunately, WWE's handle on the gimmick wasn't always so robust. The Thanksgiving tradition has provided its fair share of feasts, but hasn't shied away from dishing out an overcooked turkey or two. Wrestling Observer overlord Dave Meltzer has devoured single last one of them, and knows a pumpkin pie from a sh*t sandwich.
Post-1996 Curtain Call, Vince McMahon once infamously told Triple H he'd have to eat a lot of the brown stuff. Loyal viewers shouldn't have had to endure similar torture.
(NOTE: In the event of a tied rating, the most recent match gets preferential treatment. Wrestling evolves at a breakneck pace, and any older contest outperforming a contemporary equivalent is deserving of the elevated status)
10. Team Paige Vs Team Fox (2014, *)
The tenth worst match in Survivor Series history.
Alicia Fox leads a team to the tenth worst match in Survivor Series history. The times, they're a not-changin'.
Yes, as it turns out, the screeching lunatic inexplicably running the rule on Raw actually has form in the role, steering her team to a whitewash victory over 'The Anti-Diva's miscreant crew.
Meltzer's rating isn't far off the mark, in all honestly. The division was still a barren, botch-laden battleground. Though live crowds had long bored of bras, panties and puppies, the company hadn't done near enough to promote them as serious competitors.
Furthermore, for a match only three years old, it's genuinely sad to look back on 2014's contest and consider the fate of the eight combatants.
As of press time, Paige has yet to return to WWE TV since the commencement of a lengthy layoff in mid-2016. Cameron, Layla and Summer Rae are now all gone. So too is Emma, here cast as a bubble-popping babyface long after WWE bungled her main roster arrival.
Natalya, Naomi and Fox deserve credit just for clinging on, but carry stigmas from contests such as these that will take more time and effort to shift.