The infamous "Montreal Screwjob" is often the first thought that comes to wrestling fans' minds when they remember Survivor Series 1997. To this day, it is still one of the most shocking events that has ever happened at Survivor Series and in wrestling history.
Still, there was an entire pay-per-view that preceded the Screwjob. The event included huge stars like "Stone Cold," The Legion of Doom, and Mankind. Since the pay-per-view is often clouded by the way it ended, this list will examine 10 interesting facts (outside of the Montreal Screwjob) that fans should know about Survivor Series 1997.
10 The Scratched WWE (F) Logo Was Introduced At The Event
Although it has a reputation on par with some of the crazier moments of the Attitude Era, Survivor Series 1997 took place before the establishment of what would later be known as the Attitude Era. Interestingly, the scratched logo, that would represent the company through both the Ruthless Aggression and Attitude Era, was first introduced at Survivor Series 1997.
It didn't replace the "New generation" logo, but a small segment featured the presentation of "Attitude" with the logo on full display.
9 1997 Was The First Survivor Series To NOT Feature The Undertaker After His Debut
The Undertaker has a reputation at Survivor Series that is unmatched. To this day, Undertaker has competed in more Survivor Series events than any other wrestler in history. He also has more wins at Survivor Series than any wrestler in history with 13 victories.
The Undertaker was featured in all seven of the Survivor Series events that took place after his debut. He did not compete in 1997 since he had disappeared from the WWE after a feud with Kane. He was also not featured in the first three Survivor Series events, but Undertaker didn't make his WWE debut until the fourth, Survivor Series 1990.
8 This Was The Last Pay Per View "The Rock" Wrestled as "Rocky Maivia"
Survivor Series 1997 helped set up many future stars of the Attitude Era. During the buildup to this match, Rocky Maivia had begun his heel turn with the Nation of Domination. He was already adopting the mannerism of "The Rock," but still wrestled and acknowledged the ring name "Rocky Maivia."
By the next pay-per-view, D-Generation X: In Your House, Rocky had begun to fully adopt "The Rock" gimmick and even corrected announcers who were still calling him "Rocky."
7 Survivor Series 1997 Featured The Last "Owen Hart Vs Steve Austin" Match
The feud between Owen Hart and Steve Austin at Survivor Series 1997 had huge implications outside their Intercontinental title match. The buildup featured Owen botching a piledriving and injuring "Stone Cold's" neck. Owen even notoriously started wearing the "Owen 3:16" shirts during this rivalry.
This was the last time the legends would ever meet in the ring for a one-on-one match. They did have a few forgettable tag team bouts down the line, but nothing that had the same heat as this feud. The neck injury Austin suffered from Owen would plague him for the rest of his career.
6 Shawn Michaels Disgraced A Canadian Flag Before The Main Event
Shawn Michaels was the ultimate heel entering Survivor Series 1997. He played the role to the fullest and put an abhorrent assault on a Canadian flag before Bret Hart even entered the ring.
He not only did his usual nose cleaning with the flag but also wiped it like a towel and humped it on the floor. His actions might be considered more controversial if it not for the controversial match that followed.
5 The First "Mankind Vs Kane" Match Happened At Survivor Series 1997
As the Undertaker left the sights of Kane, he began a feud with Dude Love. Kane's brutality with Dude Love led to him reaching into the depths of his soul and bringing back Mankind to feud with Kane.
The two would clash many times in the years that followed, but this was the first time the two icons ever competed.
4 Survivor Series 1997 Features The Only "Survivor Series" Rematch
Although the heat around the Montreal Screwjob will last forever, there is another huge superlative about the "Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels" match that also still stands, it was the first and only rematch in the history of Survivor Series.
In 1992, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels also main evented the event competing for the WWE championship. Bret Hart was a star on the rise, and he defeated, an up and coming, Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series 1992. It wouldn't be until WrestleMania 12 in 1996 that Michaels would avenge the Survivor Series loss.
3 It Was The Last WWE Pay Per View Of Jim Neidhart's Career
After the Montreal Screwjob, Bret Hart wasn't the only wrestler who departed from the WWE. Both Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart and the British Bulldog joined Bret Hart at WCW shortly after Survivor Series 1997.
Many fans forget Jim Neidhart only competed in one match after Survivor Series 1997. He lost to Triple H on an episode of Raw and left the company for WCW a few weeks later.
2 Survivor Series 1997 Is Still One Of The Highest Attended Survivor Series Events of All Time
The first Survivor Series event in 1987 still holds the record for the highest attended Survivor Series in history with 21,300 fans in attendance. The event that took place 10 years later would not only become one of the most remembered Survivor Series but also had a huge attendance in Montreal.
With 20,593 in attendance, Survivor Series 1997 sits in third place behind the first event and Survivor Series 1998, which had 21,179 in attendance at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
1 Stone Cold Won The Intercontinental Title For The Last Time At Survivor Series 1997
At Survivor Series 1997, "Stone Cold" was still a mid-card wrestler. He wouldn't become a main event star until WrestleMania 14, where he defeated Shawn Michaels for the WWE title. Of course, he thrived in the mid-card.
He defeated Owen Hart to earn the IC title for the second time in less than a year. He lost the belt less than a month later to "The Rock" at D-Generation X: In Your House. A few months later he would win the Royal Rumble and become one of the biggest stars in the history of wrestling.