Survivor Series (1989) - Background

Background

Survivor Series featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines that were played out on WWE's primary television programs. Wrestlers portrayed villains or heroes as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in one of the Survivor Series matches.

The main feud heading into Survivor Series was between The Ultimate Warriors (WWF Intercontinental Champion Ultimate Warrior, The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) and Jim Neidhart) and The Heenan Family (Colossal Connection (André the Giant and Haku) and Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard)). Bobby Heenan was a very popular heel manager, who led many heel wrestlers to championship victories in WWF and his clients feuded with all babyface wrestlers. Ultimate Warrior had been placed in a feud with Heenan's client Rick Rude which began at Royal Rumble when Warrior won by fan reaction over Rude in a posedown. Rude followed by attacking him. They feuded with each other until the summer of the year, in which they exchanged the Intercontinental Championship with each other. The Rockers were in a feud with Brain Busters, that had also begun since the beginning of the year. The feud began on January 30, 1989 edition of Prime Time Wrestling where Brain Busters faced The Rockers. In the match, Brain Busters narrowly defeated the Rockers as Anderson held down Marty Jannetty's leg as Blanchard pinned him. Rockers and Brain Busters faced each other in a rematch on March 11 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event which resulted in a double countout. They were added to the main event of Survivor Series in opposing teams.

The Honky Tonk Man began a feud with Dusty Rhodes in mid-1989, which culminated at SummerSlam where Dusty won. Rhodes and Honky continued their rivalry with each other, leading to a match at Survivor Series. Rhodes was scheduled to captain Dream Team while Honky became a part of The Enforcers. Akeem, one half of The Twin Towers defeated Brutus Beefcake in a King of the Ring tournament qualifying match on October 14, leading to a feud between Beefcake and the Twin Towers. Beefcake joined Dusty's Dream Team while Twin Towers became scheduled captains of Enforcers. Tito Santana and Rick Martel, former Strike Force teammates had been feuding with each other since WrestleMania V, where Martel turned heel by abandoning Santana during their match against Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard). At SummerSlam, Martel and The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond) defeated Santana and The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty). Martel became a member of The Enforcers while Santana and The Red Rooster were added to The Dream Team.

Randy Savage turned heel in early 1989, breaking up the Mega Powers. He defeated Jim Duggan later that same year to win the title of "King of Wrestling", beginning a feud between Duggan and himself. Greg Valentine and Ronnie Garvin had been feuding since a match on December 30, 1988 in Madison Square Garden (MSG) which Valentine won by grabbing the tights for leverage. On April 22, 1989 episode of Superstars, Garvin defeated Valentine in a match. On the following edition of Superstars, they both faced each other in a retirement match where the loser could not wrestle anymore in WWF. Valentine won the match, sending Garvin into retirement. Garvin became a referee for WWF. During this time, he punched several wrestlers who physically provoked him, including Valentine in the course of his match against Jimmy Snuka, and he was suspended after the match. Valentine was also involved in a feud with Hercules, which culminated at SummerSlam where Valentine defeated Hercules by pinning him using the ropes for leverage. Garvin was the guest ring announcer for the match, and not only did he verbally shot Valentine during the introduction, but he also announced Hercules as the winner by disqualification. Valentine was so irate that he demanded for Garvin to be re-instated as a professional wrestler and his request was accepted. Garvin and Hercules were included as members of 4x4's at Survivor Series and Valentine was added as a member of King's Court. Dino Bravo was involved in a feud with Bret Hart. At Royal Rumble, Jim Duggan, Hart and Jim Neidhart defeated Bravo and The Fabulous Rougeaus in a two out of three falls match, so Bravo became a member of King's Court at Survivor Series and Hart became a member of 4x4's.

Hulk Hogan starred in a WWF financed professional wrestling movie No Holds Barred as the protagonist, Rip. Tom Lister, Jr. portrayed Rip's arch rival Zeus in the movie, who is defeated by Rip. It turned out into a rivalry that took place in the WWF. Lister was billed as Zeus, who wanted to take revenge of the movie from Hogan in real-life. He debuted on May 27, 1989 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event before Hogan's WWF Championship title defense against Big Boss Man in a steel cage. Boss Man's manager Slick introduced him. Zeus attacked Hogan during Hogan's entrance. The feud culminated at SummerSlam where Hogan and Brutus Beefcake defeated Randy Savage and Zeus. Zeus was scheduled to become a part of Million $ Team against Hogan's Hulkamaniacs team at Survivor Series. At WrestleMania V, Ted DiBiase attempted to steal Jake Roberts' snake Damien during Roberts' match against André the Giant beginning a rivalry between Roberts and DiBiase. Roberts defeated DiBiase's manager Virgil on Superstars but after the match, DiBiase injured him and sidelined him for months. Roberts returned in late 1989 and signed to become a part of Hogan's Hulkamaniacs team against DiBiase's Million $ Team. Demolition (Ax and Smash) were pushed as a heel tag team in the WWF in 1988 under the tutelage of Mr. Fuji. A stronger and powerful babyface tag team Powers of Pain (The Warlord and The Barbarian) debuted in the summer of 1988 and challenged Demolition for the WWF Tag Team Championship. At Survivor Series, Fuji caused Demolition to get eliminated in a Survivor Series match resulting in a double turn as Powers of Pain turned heels and Demolition turned babyfaces. At WrestleMania V, Demolition defeated Powers of Pain and Mr. Fuji in a handicap match to retain the tag titles, culminating in Demolition joining Hulkamaniacs at Survivor Series and Powers of Pain joining Million $ Team in Survivor Series.

At SummerSlam, Roddy Piper interfered in Rick Rude's WWF Intercontinental Championship title defense against Ultimate Warrior and distracted Rude, causing Rude to lose the title to Warrior. This led to Rude and Piper captaining teams against each other at Survivor Series. Rude's team was dubbed "Rude Brood" and Piper's team was dubbed "Roddy's Rowdies". Jimmy Snuka became a part of Rowdy's Rowdies and Mr. Perfect became a part of Rude Brood. The Bushwhackers (Butch and Luke) feuded with The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond) in early 1989. This led to their WrestleMania V encounter where Bushwhackers won, leading to Bushwhackers joining Roddy's Rowdies and Rougeaus joining Rude Brood.