SURVIVOR SERIES: Favorite team number 2: Team Macho Man

Team Macho Man 

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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I'm counting down to the 30th annual Survivor Series by looking back at my ten favorite teams in the history of the event. Survivor Series ranks among my favorite events every year and if you've read this blog in the past you know I'm a fan of the traditional elimination matches. 

The fall of 1987 was an awesome time to be a wrestling fan. It was the post-WrestleMania III era of WWF. Hulkamania was still running wild after beating Andre the Giant. But a new force was emerging: Macho Madness. Randy Savage had turned good while pursuing the Intercontinental Championship from the Honky Tonk Man.

Around this same time, a new pay-per-view concept was being introduced to compete with the NWA's Thanksgiving night event, Starrcade. Survivor Series made its debut Thanksgiving night 1987. Although there was plenty of buzz around the main event of Team Hogan vs. Team Andre, it was Savage's team that stood out to me.

Team Macho Man was filled with some of the most talented Superstars on the roster at that time and in the history of the company. Savage, of course, was the captain and led former IC champ Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake and Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Honky Tonk's team was thinner on the talent and included Hercules, "The King" Harley Race (a legend who was winding down), "Outlaw" Ron Bass and "Dangerous" Danny Davis. 

Team Honky Tonk Man

The good guys dominated the match, only losing Duggan via a double count-out with Race and Beefcake was pinned by HTM. That left Savage, Steamboat and Roberts as the survivors. I do remember thinking it was odd that these three co-existed given the brutality of the feuds that had already been engaged in against one another. 

It was a great time to be a wrestling fan and Team Macho Man was the torch bearer for great teams for this new PPV concept. (Side note: Andre's team was indeed a strong one too with Rick Rude, Butch Reed, King Kong Bundy and the One Man Gang.)  

Top 10:

Team 3: The Legends: Survivor Series 1987

Team 4: Team Andre the Giant & Dino Bravo: Survivor Series 1988

Team 5: Four Doinks: Survivor Series 1993

Team 6: Team HBK: Survivor Series 1995

Team 7: Team Piper: Survivor Series 1991

Team 8: The All-Americans: Survivor Series 1993

Team 9: Team WWF Survivor Series 2001

Team 10: New Day, King Barrett and Sheamus: Survivor Series 2015