Background: Multiple feuds came together as the problems between Ric Flair & Roddy Piper, Bret Hart & The Mountie, The Warlord & British Bulldog, and Virgil & Ted DiBiase exploded in one star-studded classic Survivor Series match.
Survivor Series
Detroit, MI
November 27, 1991
Team Flair vs Team Piper
Though “Rowdy” Piper wanted a piece of Ric Flair, he got Ted DiBiase. A sneak attack from Flair didn’t help DiBiase as he was crotched on the top rope and given the pony treatment. Ted’s valet in Sensational Sherri tried to get involved, but got a “Rowdy” kiss before Piper’s fists kissed “The Million Dollar Man’s” face. It was quick tags all around to keep DiBiase grounded. Backing Bret Hart into the corner, DiBiase lured Hart for what would turn into a pinning combination exchange that ended with Ted not only kicking out, but also tagging out to Flair. Big elbow missed for “The Nature Boy”; leaving him open to the same isolation treatment his partner felt moments earlier including the gorilla press slam from Bulldog. Piper tagged in, beating Flair in and out of the ring to a thunderous response from the fans. Rolling to his corner as fast as he could when he reentered the ring, Flair tagged out to The Warlord. Bulldog gladly took on his muscular adversary, feeling a stiff clothesline that resulted in a pair of tags where Hart and DiBiase were the legal men again. After a couple of fights, a collision left both men crawling to their corners. The Mountie and The Bulldog became the legal men and it was Smith’s power that had Team Flair looking to save their ally. Flair, entering illegally, used the chaos to clobber Bulldog and pin him for the match’s first elimination.
Piper ran in, only to get leveled by all of his opponents. Just when it seemed Piper’s time in this match was drawing to a close, he reversed Flair’s Figure Four Leg Lock to put it on the master. Flair’s partners had to save him, leaving Piper prone to several attacks and holds. Powering through the pain of a Boston crab, Piper made it to Virgil where the former DiBiase butler rocked The Mountie, Flair, and his former boss. Running into a power slam, Virgil was prone to being tossed to the floor, beaten mercilessly by illegal wrestlers, and given to Warlord. And like Flair earlier, Hart used the chaos of several people fighting to stop and save Virgil to knock Warlord out with the double axe handle off the top so Piper could pin him illegally to even the sides.
It was Virgil and DiBiase again, with Virgil cinching in the Million Dollar Dream. Ted ran forward, sending Virgil face first against the top turnbuckle to free himself from the submission. Like DiBiase earlier, Virgil found himself on the wrong part of town. Clothesline after clothesline leveled Virgil to the point DiBiase could mouth off before setting up an attack. Countering the back body drop with a neck breaker, Virgil tagged in Piper as Flair, too, became the legal man. Things were breaking down and the referee found himself signaling for the bell to disqualify everyone who was fighting in the ring while he was giving the count. Flair was the only man out of the ring, giving his team the victory as he was declared the sole survivor.
Winner: Ric Flair (22:48)
Is It A Classic: A very unsatisfying ending to not only start the show, but also following what was a very fun bout. It’s understandable as to why they went with the decision, but it still left a sour taste.
