Survivor Series is an annual gimmick pay-per-view (PPV), produced every November by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) since 1987.

[5] The event featured professional wrestling matches involving wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines.

Advertising on WWE programming and on the Survivor Series promotional poster had foreshadowed the return of John Cena, whom a herniated disk injury (that he suffered during his match with Batista at SummerSlam) had sidelined, at the event.

On the November 3, 2008 episode of Raw, Shane McMahon announced that Cena would challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship at Survivor Series.

However, it was announced during the event that Hardy was found unconscious in a hotel stairwell in Boston, casting doubt over whether he would be able to compete in the match.

However, at Cyber Sunday, when the fans voted for a Last Man Standing match, Undertaker defeated Big Show by choking him out with the Hell's Gate.

In one match, Shawn Michaels captained the team of Rey Mysterio, The Great Khali, and Cryme Tyme (JTG and Shad Gaspard) against John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) and his team of Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP), Kane, John Morrison and The Miz.

On the November 10 episode, JBL retaliated when he helped Chris Jericho defeat Michaels in a Last Man Standing match.

Stephanie McMahon, however, appeared in the titantron to address Batista, alerting him that due to her brother, Shane's promise that whoever won the Steel cage match would go on to face John Cena for the title at Survivor Series, she was unable to grant Batista his rematch request until after the pay-per-view event.

On the November 17 episode of Raw, Orton defeated Punk in a Lumberjack match with the help of then WWE Intercontinental Champion, William Regal.

After the match, Batista entered the ring and attacked Orton, leading all of the superstars present to get involved in what became an out-of-control brawl that ended the show.

The third match announced was a Divas Elimination match, in which Beth Phoenix led Team Raw composed of Mickie James, Candice Michelle, Kelly Kelly, and Jillian Hall, against Team SmackDown, which featured Michelle McCool as captain, Victoria, Maria, Maryse, and Natalya.

As a result of this, Victoria attacked her opponent after the bell before Kelly's fellow Raw Divas ran to her rescue.

Before Survivor Series aired on pay-per-view, The Brian Kendrick defeated Kung Fu Naki in an untelevised match.

The actual pay-per-view opened with a Survivor Series elimination match between Team HBK (Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio, Cryme Tyme (Shad Gaspard and JTG) and The Great Khali) and Team JBL (John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL), Kane, Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP), John Morrison and The Miz).

Michaels made a desperate tag to Rey Mysterio who after a flurry of offense connected with "619" and a splash on Miz and eliminated him.

The second match was a Divas Survivor Series elimination match between Team Raw (Beth Phoenix, Mickie James, Kelly Kelly, Candice Michelle and Jillian Hall) and Team SmackDown (Michelle McCool, Victoria, Maria, Maryse and Natalya).

The fourth match was a Survivor Series elimination match between Team Orton (Randy Orton, Shelton Benjamin, William Regal, Cody Rhodes and Mark Henry) and Team Batista (Batista, CM Punk, Kofi Kingston, Matt Hardy, and R-Truth).

In the final match, Chris Jericho defended the World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena, who returned from injury after suffering a herniated disc in his neck at SummerSlam.

The event received 319,000 pay per view buys, down from 341,000 the previous year, which contributed to a decline of $4 million in pay-per-view revenue for WWE in the fourth quarter of 2008.

[8] After Edge returned and captured the WWE Championship, Triple H, Jeff Hardy, and Vladimir Kozlov participated in a Beat The Clock challenge for the number one contender's spot.

The day after Survivor Series, Melina returned from injury and resumed her feud with Beth Phoenix that had begun back in June.

On the December 29 episode of Raw, Melina won a battle royal to become the number one contender to Phoenix's WWE Women's Championship.

On the December 26 episode of SmackDown, Maryse defeated Michelle to capture the Divas Championship in a match where Maria was the guest referee.