Nearly 18,000 at MSG Witness Shawn Michaels`(TM) Return to Glory in First Ever Elimination Chamber Match; Big Show(TM) Hands Brock Lesnar(TM) First Loss
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE via COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--Nov 17, 2002--Earlier tonight at a sold out Madison Square Garden, five new WWE(TM) Champions were crowned at WWE Survivor Series(R). With nearly 18,000 fans in attendance, WWE Survivor Series grossed more than $1.25 million making it the highest-grossing WWE event ever at MSG.
RAW(R) (TNN, Monday, 9 p.m. ET/PT) presented the first ever Elimination Chamber Match, which featured a circular chamber comprised of nearly two miles of chain and 10 tons of steel. After four years of rehabilitating a back injury that nearly ended his career, Shawn Michaels defeated five men, including former champion Triple H(TM), to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
SmackDown!(TM) (UPN, Thursday, 8 p.m. ET/PT) delivered an equally surprising turn of events when Brock Lesnar`s agent, Paul Heyman(TM) switched his allegiance mid-match and helped Big Show defeat Lesnar to become the WWE Champion. This was Lesnar`s first defeat since joining WWE in March. ''The WWE Championship, WWE`s most prestigious title may be worn by a superstar, but it is controlled by the real power, and that`s me,'' stated Heyman.
''I think the performance of our RAW(R) and SmackDown!(TM) Superstars was outstanding, making this the most unforgettable Survivor Series pay-per-view ever,'' stated WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon.
In other Championship matches, RAW Superstar Victoria(TM) defeated Trish Stratus(TM) in a hardcore match for the WWE Women`s Championship. SmackDown! featured the Guerrero`s as the new WWE Tag Team Champions, and Billy Kidman(TM) as the new Cruiserweight Champion.
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