This Week In History (November 23 – 29): The First Starrcade and Survivor Series

Major Events

NWA Starrcade – November 24, 1983

This was the first ever Starrcade event and featured a classic Steel Cage match that is still talked about to this day.

• Abdullah The Butcher vs. Carlos Colon
• Greg Valentine (c) vs. Roddy Piper in a Dog Collar match for the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship
• Jack & Jerry Brisco (c) vs. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood in a Tag Team match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship
• Harley Race (c) vs. Ric Flair in a Steel Cage match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship

NWA Starrcade – November 28, 1985

• Tully Blanchard (c) vs. Magnum T.A. in an “I Quit” Steel Cage match for the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship
• Ivan & Nikita Koloff (c) vs. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express in a Steel Cage match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship
• Abdullah The Butcher vs. Manny Fernandez in a Mexican Death match
• Ric Flair (c) vs. Dusty Rhodes for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship

NWA Starrcade – November 27, 1986

• Dusty Rhodes (c) vs. Tully Blanchard in a First Blood match for the NWA World Television Championship
• The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (c) vs. Ole & Arn Anderson in a Steel Cage match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship
• The Road Warriors vs. The Midnight Express in a Skywalkers match
• Ric Flair vs. Nikita Koloff

NWA Starrcade – November 26, 1987

• The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express vs. The Midnight Express in a Skywalkers match
• Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard (c) vs. The Road Warriors in a Tag Team match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship
• Lex Luger (c) vs. Dusty Rhodes in a Steel Cage for the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship
• Ron Garvin (c) vs. Ric Flair in a Steel Cage match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship

WWF Survivor Series – November 26, 1987

• Randy Savage, Jake Roberts, Ricky Steamboat, Brutus Beefcake, and Jim Duggan vs. The Honky Tonk Man, Hercules, Danny Davis, Ron Bass, and Harley Race in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• The Fabulous Moolah, Rockin’ Robin, Velvet McIntyre, Itsuki Yamazaki, and Noriyo Tateno vs. Sensational Sherri, Leilani Kai, Judy Martin, Donna Christanello, and Dawn Marie in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• Tito Santana, Rick Martel, Paul Roma, Jim Powers, Jacques and Raymond Rougeaus, Jim Brunzell, Brian Blair, and The British Bulldogs vs. The Hart Foundation, Haku, Tama, Demolition, Nikolai Volkoff, Boris Zhukov, Greg Valentine, anbd Dino Bravo in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• Andre The Giant, One Man Gang, King Kong Bundy, Butch Reed, and Rick Rude vs. Hulk Hogan, Paul Orndorff, Don Muraco, Ken Patera, and Bam Bam Bigelow in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match

WWF Survivor Series – November 24, 1988

• The Ultimate Warrior, Brutus Beefcake, Sam Houston, The Blue Blazer, and Jim Brunzell vs. The Honky Tonk Man, Ron Bass, Danny Davis, Greg Valentine, and Bad News Brown in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• The Warlord, The Barbarian, The Rockers, The British Bulldogs, The Hart Foundation, Jim Powers, and Paul Roma vs. Demolition, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Nikolai Volkoff, Boris Zhukov, Jacques and Raymond Rougeaus, and The Conquistadors in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• Andre The Giant, Rick Rude, Dino Bravo, Mr. Perfect, and Harley Race vs. Jim Duggan, Jake Roberts, Scott Casey, Ken Patera, and Tito in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Hercules, Koko B. Ware, and Hillbilly Jim vs. Akeem, Big Boss Man, Ted Dibiase, Haku, and The Red Rooster in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match

WWF Survivor Series – November 23, 1989

• The Dream Team (Dusty Rhodes, Brutus Beefcake, The Red Rooster, and Tito Santana) vs. The Enforcers (Big Boss Man, Bad News Brown, Rick Martel, and The Honky Tonk Man) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• The Hulkamaniacs (Hulk Hogan, Demolition, and Jake Roberts) vs. The Million Dollar Team (Ted Dibiase, The Warlord, The Barbarian, and Zeus) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• The Rude Brood (Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, Jacques and Raymond Rougeaus) vs. Roddy’s Rowdies (Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, and The Bushwackers) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• The Ultimate Warriors (The Ultimate Warrior, The Rockers, and Jim Neidhart) vs. The Heenan Family (Bobby Heenan, Andre The Giant, Haku, and Arn Anderson) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match

WWF Survivor Series – November 27, 1991

• Ric Flair, The Mountie, Ted Dibiase, and The Warlord vs. Roddy Piper, Bret Hart, Virgil, and Davey Boy Smith in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• Hulk Hogan (c) vs. The Undertaker for the WWF Championship
• The Nasty Boys and The Beverly Brothers vs. The Rockers and The Bushwackers in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• The Legion of Doom and Big Boss Man vs. Earthquake, Typhoon, and Irwin R. Schyster in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match

WWF Survivor Series – November 25, 1992

• The Headshrinkers vs. Owen Hart & Koko B. Ware in a Tag Team match
• Randy Savage & Mr. Perfect vs. Razor Ramon & Ric Flair in a Tag Team match
• The Undertaker vs. Kamala in a Casket match
• Bret Hart (c) vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWF Championship

WWF Survivor Series – November 24, 1993

• Marty Jannetty, Randy Savage, Razor Ramon, and the 1-2-3 Kid vs. Irwin R. Schyster, Diesel, Rick Martel, and Adam Bomb in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• The Hart Family (Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Bruce Hart, and Keith Hart) vs. Shawn Michaels and His Knights (Shawn Michaels, The Red Knight, The Blue Knight, and The Black Knight) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• The Four Doinks (The Bushwackers, Mabel, and Mo) vs. The Headshrinkers, Bastion Booger, and Bam Bam Bigelow in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• The All-Americans (Lex Luger, The Undertaker, and The Steiner Brothers) vs. The Foreign Fanatics (Yokozuna, Crush, Ludvig Borga, and Quebecer Jacques) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match

WWF Survivor Series – November 23, 1994

• The Bad Guys (Razor Ramon, 1-2-3 Kid, The British Bulldog, Fatu, and Sionne) vs. The Teamsters (Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart, and Jeff Jarrett) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• Bret Hart (c) vs. Bob Backlund in a Submission match for the WWF Championship
• The Million Dollar Team (King Kong Bundy, Tatanka, Bam Bam Bigelow, Jimmy Del Rey, and Tom Prichard) vs. Guts and Glory (Lex Luger, Mabel, Adam Bomb, and The Smoking Gunns) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• The Undertaker vs. Yokozuna in a Casket match with Chuck Norris as the Special Guest Referee

WCW World War 3 – November 26, 1995

• Kensuke Sasaki (c) vs. Chris Benoit for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
• Lex Luger vs. Randy Savage
• Sting vs. Ric Flair
• A Three Ring, 60 Man Battle Royal for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship

WCW World War 3 – November 24, 1996

• The Ultimate Dragon (c) vs. Rey Mysterio for the J-Crown Championship
• The Giant (aka Big Show) vs. Jeff Jarrett
• Dean Malenko (c) vs. Psicosis for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship
• A Three Ring, 60 Man Battle Royal

WCW World War 3 – November 23, 1997

• Perry Saturn (c) vs. Disco Inferno for the WCW World Television Championship
• Eddie Guerrero (c) vs. Rey Mysterio for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship
• Curt Hennig (c) vs. Ric Flair for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
• A Three Ring, 60 Man Battle Royal

WWF Survivor Series – November 27, 2005

• Trish Stratus (c) vs. Melina for the WWE Women’s Championship
• Triple H vs. Ric Flair in a Last Man Standing match
• John Cena (c) vs. Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship with Daivari as the Special Guest Referee
• Team Smackdown (Batista, Rey Mysterio, JBL, Bobby Lashley, and Randy Orton) vs. Team RAW (Shawn Michaels, Kane, Big Show, Carlito, and Chris Masters) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match

WWF Survivor Series – November 26, 2006

• Lita (c) vs. Mickie James for the WWE Women’s Championship
• Team DX (Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, and CM Punk) vs. Team Rated-RKO (Randy Orton, Edge, Johnny Nitro, Gregory Helms, and Mike Knox) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• The Undertaker vs. Mr. Kennedy in a First Blood match
• Team Cena (John Cena, Kane, Bobby Lashley, Sabu, and Rob Van Dam) vs. Team Big Show (Big Show, Test, MVP, Finlay, and Umaga) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match

WWF Survivor Series – November 23, 2008

• The Undertaker vs. Big Show in a Casket match
• Team Orton (Randy Orton, Shelton Benjamin, William Regal, Cody Rhodes, and Mark Henry) vs. Team Batista (Batista, CM Punk, Kofi Kingston, Matt Hardy, and R-Truth) in a traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team match
• Triple H (c) vs. Edge vs. Vladimir Kozlov in a Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship
• Chris Jericho (c) vs. John Cena for the World Heavyweight Championship

*All posters are courtesy of VSplanet.net

Title Changes and Other Significant Events

November 23

- Bob Geigel & Otto Von Krupp defeated Dale Lewis & Pat Kennedy for the AWA Tag Team title (1961)

- Pedro Morales defeated Magnificent Muraco for the WWWF Intercontinental title (1981)

- Kuniaki Kobayashi d. Hiro Saito for the AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1986)

- Bob Backlund defeated Bret Hart for the WWF Heavyweight title (1994)

- Shawn Michaels & Diesel split & abandoned the WWF Tag Team Championship (1994)

- Don Fuji d. Susumu Yokosuka for the Dragon Gate Open The Dream Gate Championship (2006)

November 24

- Ric Flair d. Harley Race for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1983)

- Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood d. Jerry & Jack Brisco for the NWA World Tag Team Championship (1983)

- The New Age Outlaws d. Legion of Doom for the WWF Tag Team Championship (1997)

- Masakazu Fukuda & Hiroyoshi Kotsubo won the vacant Dragon Gate I-J Heavyweight Tag Team Championship in a tournament final (1997)

November 25

- The Fabulous Moolah d. Wendi Richter for the WWF Women’s Championship in the original screwjob (1985)

- Hiroshi Hase & Keiji Mutoh d. Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior for the IWGP Tag Team Championship (1994)

- Satanico d. El Felino for the CMLL World Welterweight Championship (2003)

- Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal d. Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli for the ROH World Tag Team Championship (2006)

November 26

- The Fabulous Kangaroos d. Johnny Valentine & Chief Big Heart for the WWWF Tag Team Championship (1960)

- Ric Flair d. Ronny Garvin for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1987)

- Dusty Rhodes d. Lex Luger for the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (1987)

- Diesel d. Bob Backlund for the WWF Championship (1994)

- Randy Savage won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in a 60 Man Battle Royal (1995)

- Scott Steiner d. Booker T for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship (2000)

- Kevin Nash & Diamond Dallas Page d. Chuck Palumbo & Sean Stasiak for the WCW Tag Team Championship (2000)

- General Reaction d. Lance Storm for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (2000)

November 27

- Bobby Managoff d. Yvon Robert for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1942)

- El Solitario d. Rey Mendoza for the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship (1970)

- Paul Jones & Masked Superstar d. Ray Stevens & Jimmy Snuka for the NWA World Tag Team Championship (1980)

- Tully Blanchard d. Dusty Rhodes for the NWA World Television Championship (1986)

- The Undertaker d. Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship (1991)

- Bull Nakano d. Alundra Blayze for the WWF Women’s Championship (1994)

- Satanico d. Apolo Dantes for the CMLL World Middleweight Championship and held it for an astonishing 1,561 days, a record that still stands today (1994)

November 28

- The Crusher d. Verne Gagne for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship (1963)

- Magnum T.A. d. Tully Blanchard for the NWA United States Championship (1985)

- The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express d. Ivan & Nikita Koloff for the NWA World Tag Team Championship (1985)

November 29

- Juventud Guerrera d. Jushin Liger for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (1999)

- Gedo & Jado d. Hirooki Goto & Ryusuke Taguchi for the vacant IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2003)

Birthdays

November 23

Gene Kiniski (1928)

Scotty 2 Hotty (1970)

Juventud Guerrera (1974)

Suwama (1976)

November 24

Satoru Sayama (1957)

Beth Phoenix (1980)

November 25

Johnny Valiant (1946)

Josh Mathews (1980)

November 26

Blackjack Mulligan (1942)

Ivory (1961)

Brian Lee (1966)

Maven (1976)

November 27

Afa The Wild Samoan (1948)

Gran Hamada (1950)

Evan Karagias (1973)

November 28

Brent Albright (1978)

Rob Conway (1978)

November 29

Gene Okerlund (1942)

Jerry “The King” Lawler (1949)

Dutch Mantel (1949)

John “Bradshaw” Layfield (1967)

Posthumous Birthdays

November 27

Davey Boy Smith (1962)

November 28

Ernie Ladd (1938)

Deaths

November 23

Art Barr (1994)

November 24

Richard “Dick” Hutton (2003)

November 27

Hiro Matsuda (1999)

November 29

Jeff Peterson (2002)

Larry Lathman (2003)