WWE continues to pump out more and more exciting programming. While the titanic wrestling promotion introduces new programming every week, extraordinary excitement comes from the company during weeks of premium live events.
With the Survivor Series wargames now in the rearview mirror, fans can look back on the past week with joy. The incredible Becky Lynch returns to television following a shoulder injury several months ago, along with two epic WarGames matches, a first for the main roster.
While it’s always fun to enjoy a modern product, we’ll let the WWE Universe feel nostalgic by looking back at major events and memorable moments from the company’s illustrious 70-year history.
In this article, we take a look at a great star who was “fired”, the epic debut of an icon, the first Survivor Series event, and one of the most “terrible” nights in Raw history.
Below are five of the biggest events that happened this week in WWE history.
#5. John Cena was fired after the match ended at Survivor Series on November 21, 2010John Cena and Wade Barrett
John Cena and Wade Barrett
On November 21, 2010, a major superstar was fired from WWE after Survivor Series. The event took place in Miami, Florida and was headlined by Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett for the WWE Championship with John Cena as the special guest referee. In the build-up to the match, Jon was forced to join the Nexus faction.
The Nexus was banned from ringside at Survivor Series, with the added stipulation that if Wade failed to win the title, Cena would be fired. If Barrett defeats Orton for the belt, John Cena will be freed from the Nexus. In the end, Cena pinned Barrett, giving Orton the win. The Face That Runs The Place was immediately fired following Wade’s defeat.
Of course, it was only kayfabe for John Cena to be fired and he appeared after that as “Juan Cena” under a mask. His storyline firing was reversed soon thereafter, and Cena continued to dominate WWE over the next few years before slowing down his in-ring career.
#4. The Undertaker made his debut at WWE Survivor Series on November 22, 1990
Survivor Series took place on November 22, 1990. While it was a big show for World Wrestling Entertainment, the main thing that fans and wrestling personalities will remember is The Undertaker’s debut.
The Undertaker was part of the Million Dollar Team along with Ted DiBiase, The Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine. The four faced The Dream Team, consisting of Dusty Rhodes, Koko B. Ware, Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart. After a dominating performance, The Deadman was counted out and stripped of his team, though he ultimately won the bout.
The first appearance from The Phenom was the start of a distinguished career. The Deadman won multiple world titles and maintained one of the most impressive pay-per-view winning streaks of all time. The Undertaker has since been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
#3. The Miz won the WWE Championship on Raw in November
12 years ago tonight, The Miz cashed in his Money in the Bank and defeated Randy Orton to win the WWE Title. The victory sparked one of the most memorable fan reactions in WWE history!
@mikethemiz @WWE #WWE #THEMIZ #wwechampionship #CashIn #awesome #MizTv #wrestling #thisday
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The Miz made history on the November 22, 2010 edition of Monday Night Raw. A match with Randy Orton and Wade Barrett was held in Orlando, Florida, just one night after John Cena was “fired” to retain Orton, having discussed the previous entry.
John Cena showed up to help Orton retain, despite interference from The Nexus. The Nexus chased Cena out of the building, only for The Miz to come out with his valet Alex Riley. Within minutes, The Miz took on a prone Randy Orton and won the WWE Championship for the first time in his career, a feat many believed was impossible for him.
The Miz has been a huge success since his big win. He is a two-time Grand Slam champion who has also made it big outside the ring with his Miz & Mrs. reality show on USA Network. He regularly works and hosts a variety of non-wrestling events.
# 2. The first ever Women’s WarGames match took place at NXT TakeOver: WarGames on November 23, 2019, Rhea Ripley at WarGames
Rhea Ripley in WarGames
NXT TakeOver: WarGames took place on November 23, 2019. The show featured four major matches, two of which took place inside double ring steel cages, known as wargames. The Men’s WarGames match was the main event
The evening began with the first Women’s WarGames match.
The bout consisted of Team Ripley versus Team Baszler. Team Ripley consisted of herself, Rhea Ripley, Dakota Kai, Tegan Nox, and Candice LeRae. Team Baszler consisted of Shayna, Bianca Belair, Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray. The match was intense, but perhaps the most notable moment came when Dakota Kai viciously attacked her own partner and friend Tegan Nox, neither of whom ever left the top of the stage.
Kai left Tegan to peel off the stage for the staff and left the arena without officially entering the cage. In the end, Rhea Ripley and Candice LeRae were still able to overcome the odds and win the bout. Nox and Kai were still listed as the winners, despite never being in the ring.
The Women’s WarGames match has become one of the highlights of every year since this historic bout. While the match usually took place on NXT, it recently debuted on the main roster at WWE Survivor Series WarGames. In fact, the Women’s WarGames match holds the distinct honor of being the first main roster WarGames match in WWE history.
#1. The first event of Survivor Series took place on November 26, 1987 between Andre the Giant and Bobby the Brain Heenan.
Andre the Giant and Bobby the Brain Heenan
November 26, 1987 was a special day for WWE. WrestleMania began as a major event in 1985. WrestleMania III broke all-time records at the start of the year, and World Wrestling Entertainment capitalized on the momentum created by introducing the first Survivor Series pay-per-view.
There were only four matches on the card, but each was in the traditional Survivor Series match format. Three of the four matches were 5 vs. 5 while the second was technically 10 vs. 10, due to the five tag teams on each side. The Bobby Heenan family feuding with Team Hulk Hogan headlined the event. While Andre the Giant and The Bobby Heenan Family won the bout, Hulk Hogan cleared the ring to stand tall. To quote Bruce Prichard, “Hogan must pose!”
Since this first show, Survivor Series has been an annual tradition. While the format has changed over the years, fans know “Survivor Series” and recognize it as one of the four biggest events in pro wrestling each year.