# Survivor Series (2004)
Survivor Series (2004) was the eighteenth [Survivor Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/survivor-series) professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), held on November 14, 2004 at Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, and featuring the Raw and SmackDown brands on one card.[1](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results) • [2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) Seven matches aired on pay-per-view, headlined by [Randy Orton](https://www.edgepedia.org/randy-orton)'s team defeating [Triple H](https://www.edgepedia.org/triple-h)'s team in the Raw elimination match and JBL retaining the WWE Championship against Booker T.[1](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | November 14, 2004, Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio[1](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results) |
| Edition | Eighteenth Survivor Series; both Raw and SmackDown featured[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) |
| Attendance | Approximately 7,500 announced[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) |
| Commercial performance | 325,000 pay-per-view buys, a decline from the prior year[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) |
| Main event | Randy Orton, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho & Maven def. Triple H, Batista, Edge & Snitsky; Orton the sole survivor[1](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results) |
| WWE Championship | JBL def. Booker T to retain[1](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results) |
| Runtime | 2 hours, 36 minutes, unusually compact by later WWE standards[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) |
## Event context
The show brought Raw and SmackDown together without the brand-versus-brand structure later editions used.[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) Raw offered higher stakes in its story: because [Eric Bischoff](https://www.edgepedia.org/eric-bischoff) was away on vacation, whichever side won the main event would see its four members take turns running the show, each holding power over Raw for a week, so Team Orton and Team Triple H were competing for a tangible reward rather than mere bragging rights from eliminations.[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) SmackDown centered on JBL defending the [WWE Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/wwe-championship) against Booker T, Team Guerrero facing Team Angle, and [John Cena](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-cena) returning from a storyline injury.[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/)
A dark match presented on Sunday Night Heat saw La Résistance defeat The Hurricane and Rosey to retain the World Tag Team Titles; it is excluded from the pay-per-view card.[3](https://wrestlingrecaps.com/2010/12/27/wwe-survivor-series-2004-11142004/) • [2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) [Jim Ross](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-ross), Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, and Tazz handled commentary.[3](https://wrestlingrecaps.com/2010/12/27/wwe-survivor-series-2004-11142004/)
## Results
**Opening matches.** [Spike Dudley](https://www.edgepedia.org/spike-dudley) retained the WWE Cruiserweight Championship in a fatal four-way against [Rey Mysterio](https://www.edgepedia.org/rey-mysterio), Chavo Guerrero, and [Billy Kidman](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-kidman), pinning Guerrero after a Kidman springboard leg drop at 9:03.[3](https://wrestlingrecaps.com/2010/12/27/wwe-survivor-series-2004-11142004/) Shelton Benjamin then retained the Intercontinental Championship against Christian in a match of about thirteen minutes, overcoming Tyson Tomko's interference to pin Christian cleanly.[1](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results) • [2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) These two matches were consistently identified by contemporary reviews as among the night's strongest.[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/)
**Elimination matches.** In the SmackDown elimination match, [Eddie Guerrero](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-guerrero), Rob Van Dam, Big Show, and John Cena defeated [Kurt Angle](https://www.edgepedia.org/kurt-angle), Mark Jindrak, Luther Reigns, and Carlito, with Guerrero, Big Show, and Cena surviving; [Big Show](https://www.edgepedia.org/big-show) last eliminated Angle.[1](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results) • [4](https://officialwwe.fandom.com/wiki/Survivor_Series_%282004%29) Carlito left before the bell after Cena chased him from the arena, reducing Team Angle to three.[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) In the main event, Randy Orton, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, and Maven defeated Triple H, Batista, Edge, and Snitsky, with Orton as the sole survivor.[1](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results)
**Midcard and title matches.** [The Undertaker](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-undertaker) defeated Heidenreich in a match that ran nearly sixteen minutes and was widely criticized as slow.[1](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results) • [2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) [Trish Stratus](https://www.edgepedia.org/trish-stratus) retained the Women's Championship against Lita by disqualification, an angle designed mainly to intensify their rivalry for a later Raw payoff rather than a decisive title match.[1](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results) • [2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) In the WWE Championship match, JBL retained against Booker T in a bout smothered by interference.[1](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results) • [2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/)
## Reception and significance
Purchases totaled 325,000 pay-per-view buys, marking a clear drop from the previous year's event and representing disappointing sales for one of WWE's Big Four shows.[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) Retrospective criticism has generally described the card as average: strong opening matches and a star-making sole-survivor performance from Randy Orton around a weak middle.[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) The event is also a marker of roster transition, with John Cena, Batista, Edge, Shelton Benjamin, and Orton all in prominent positions shortly before their rises to main-event status.[2](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/) The pay-per-view was Billy Kidman's final WWE PPV appearance.[3](https://wrestlingrecaps.com/2010/12/27/wwe-survivor-series-2004-11142004/)
## References
1. [Full Event Results, Survivor Series 2004, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2004/results)
2. [Survivor Series 2004 Review & Final Grade, WrestleFile](https://wrestlefile.com/events/survivor-series-2004/)
3. [WWE Survivor Series 2004 11/14/2004, Wrestling Recaps](https://wrestlingrecaps.com/2010/12/27/wwe-survivor-series-2004-11142004/)
4. [Survivor Series (2004), OfficialWWE Wiki](https://officialwwe.fandom.com/wiki/Survivor_Series_%282004%29)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Professional wrestling promotions and championships › Survivor Series*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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