Ranking Every Sole Survivor In WWE Survivor Series History
3. The Rock (Survivor Series 1996 And 2001)
The Rock's two sole survivals were five years apart and the stakes of the two matches couldn't have been any greater.
In 1996, Rocky Maivia was just a young whippersnapper who was making his debut at the Survivor Series in Madison Square Garden. No pressure then. Not much was expected from the youngster but when he found himself in a two-on-one situation against Crush and Goldust, he dug deep and pulled off the biggest rookie upset in Survivor Series history. Rock recently recalled this moment via his YouTube channel with heartwarming sincerity.
In 2001 things were a lot different. The Rock was now one of the top stars in the business and he had been selected by Vince McMahon to preserve the legacy of the WWE and vanquish the evil Alliance once and for all. Say what you want about the Invasion storyline but the emotion in this match is everything a good main event should provide.
After 30 + minutes of warfare, The Rock and Steve Austin were the only two men left in the match. These two old foes knew how to work a crowd into a frenzy better than anyone and they were at fever pitch as both companies' existences hung in the balance. Kurt Angle would eventually have the final say as he betrayed The Rattlesnake and gifted The Great One victory. The Invasion was a dud but this moment was very, very special.