It was the first Survivor Series to feature a singles match of any kind, which served as the main event; in which The Undertaker defeated Hulk Hogan to win the WWF Championship.

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

The event was scheduled to be held on Thanksgiving Eve on November 27, 1991, at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

Since debuting, Undertaker had yet to be pinned in a televised match (although he did suffer several a handful of pinfall losses at untelevised arena shows).

Piper had Bret Hart, The British Bulldog, and Virgil; while Flair had Ted DiBiase, The Mountie, and The Warlord.

Jim Neidhart, The Dragon and Big Bully Busick were originally scheduled for the second Survivor Series match on the show but were pulled from the event.

Due to Ric Flair's involvement in the events leading to The Undertaker's WWF World Heavyweight Championship victory over Hulk Hogan, a rematch was immediately signed for the This Tuesday in Texas pay-per-view event, contested December 3 at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas.

The following weekend, Jack Tunney vacated the WWF Championship due to the controversial finishes of the last two matches between Hogan and Undertaker and put the title up for grabs at the 1992 Royal Rumble.