Survival of the Fittest is a professional wrestling tournament originally held by Ring of Honor (ROH), and later also by sister promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The inaugural tournament took place in 2004 and, with exceptions (2008, 2013, 2019–2020, 2022), has become an annual tradition in ROH ever since. In 2026, ROH's sister promotion AEW utilized the match for the first time.
Format Originally established for the American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), wrestlers compete in a variety of "qualifying" matches, usually either singles matches or tag team matches, with the winner(s) of each match advancing to an elimination match where the last remaining competitor is deemed the Survival of the Fittest winner, and receives a future ROH World Championship match (except the 2023 and 2024 tournaments which were for the ROH World Television Championship). In 2026, the tournament was utilized by sister promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) to determine the next holder of the women's AEW TBS Championship.
History The tournament setup is based on Maryland Championship Wrestling's Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup, as ROH was to continue the Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup following the shutdown of MCW in 2003. However, following a controversy with ROH's owner in early 2004, MCW dropped their association with Ring of Honor, and ROH renamed the already scheduled tournament "Survival of the Fittest".
In 2019, it was announced the event would take place on November 9 and 10, but the shows were ultimately cancelled.
In 2022, ROH was acquired by Tony Khan, the president and owner of AEW. After the women's AEW TBS Championship was vacated in late May 2026, AEW introduced the Survival of the Fittest match to determine the title's next holder, culminating on the July 1 episode of AEW Dynamite.
List of winners ROH 2004 – Bryan Danielson 2005 –Roderick Strong 2006 – Delirious 2007 – Chris Hero 2009 – Tyler Black 2010 – Eddie Edwards 2011 – Michael Elgin 2012 – Jay Lethal 2014 – Adam Cole 2015 – Michael Elgin (2) 2016 – Bobby Fish 2017 – Punishment Martinez 2018 – Marty Scurll 2021 – Bandido 2023 – Kyle Fletcher 2024 July – Atlantis Jr. 2024 December – Komander 2025 – Bandido (2) 2026 – Athena
AEW 2026 – Hikaru Shida
Championship match for winner Men's – Championship victory – Championship match loss – Championship match draw/no contest – Vacated championship match victory Women's – Women's championship victory – Women's championship match loss – Women's championship match draw/no contest – Women's vacated championship match victory +#WinnerEventYearChampionship match1Bryan DanielsonMidnight Express Reunion2004Danielson unsuccessfully challenged Samoa Joe for the ROH World Championship.2Roderick StrongThis Means War2005Strong unsuccessfully challenged Bryan Danielson for the ROH World Championship.3DeliriousHonor Reclaims Boston2006Delirious unsuccessfully challenged Bryan Danielson for the ROH World Championship.4Chris HeroGlory By Honor IV - Night 12007Hero unsuccessfully challenged Nigel McGuinness for the ROH World Championship.5Tyler BlackFinal Battle2009Black wrestled ROH World Champion Austin Aries to a sixty-minute time limit draw. Black defeated Aries in a rematch to win the ROH World Championship at the 8th Anniversary Show.6Eddie EdwardsManhattan Mayhem IV2010Edwards defeated Roderick Strong to win the ROH World Championship.7Michael ElginShowdown in the Sun - Night 22011Elgin unsuccessfully challenged Davey Richards for the ROH World Championship.8Jay Lethal11th Anniversary Show2012Lethal unsuccessfully challenged Kevin Steen for the ROH World Championship.9Adam ColeFinal Battle2014Cole unsuccessfully challenged Jay Briscoe in a Fight Without Honor for the ROH World Championship.10Michael Elgin (2)All Star Extravaganza VIII2015Elgin unsuccessfully challenged Adam Cole for the ROH World Championship.11Bobby FishManhattan Mayhem2016Fish unsuccessfully challenged Adam Cole for the ROH World Championship.12Punishment MartinezRing of Honor Wrestling (February 10, 2018)2017Martinez unsuccessfully challenged Dalton Castle for the ROH World Championship.13Marty ScurllG1 Supercard2018Scurll challenged Jay Lethal in a three-way ladder match for the ROH World Championship, also involving Matt Taven. Taven won the match.14BandidoBest in the World2021Bandido defeated Rush to win the ROH World Championship.15Kyle FletcherFinal Battle2023Survivor of the Fittest for the vacant ROH World Television Championship. Fletcher defeated Komander, Lee Moriarty, Bryan Keith, Dalton Castle and Lee Johnson to win the championship. 16Atlantis Jr.Death Before Dishonor2024Survivor of the Fittest for the ROH World Television Championship. Atlantis Jr. defeated Shane Taylor, Brian Cage, Lee Johnson, Lio Rush, and Johnny TV to retain the championship.17KomanderFinal Battle2024Survivor of the Fittest for the ROH World Television Championship. Komander defeated defending champion Brian Cage, Willie Mack, Mark Davis, AR Fox. and Blake Christian to win the championship.18Bandido (2)Final Battle2025Survivor of the Fittest for the ROH World Championship. Bandido defeated Sammy Guevara, Blake Christian, The Beast Mortos, Hechicero, and Komander to retain the championship.19AthenaSupercard of Honor2026Defeated Maya World, Trish Adora, Yuka Sakazaki, Billie Starkz and Zayda Steel to retain the ROH Women's World Championship in the first ever Women's Survival of the Fittest Match in ROH history.20Hikaru ShidaAEW Dynamite2026Defeated Maika, Harley Cameron, Persephone, Queen Aminata, and Kris Statlander in AEW's first-ever Survival of the Fittest match to win the vacant AEW TBS Championship.
Tournament results 2004 ROH's first Survival of the Fittest tournament took place on June 24, 2004 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Qualifying match: Mark Briscoe defeated Alex Shelley to advance Qualifying match: Colt Cabana defeated Trent Acid to advance Qualifying match: Generation Next (Austin Aries and Roderick Strong) defeated John Walters and Josh Daniels This match was originally scheduled to be a singles match between Walters and Aries, but was changed to a tag team match after Generation Next attacked Walters. As a result of scoring the victory, Aries advances to the finals. Qualifying match: Homicide defeated Jay Briscoe to advance Qualifying match: Bryan Danielson defeated Jack Evans to advance Qualifying match: Samoa Joe defeated Matt Stryker to advance Final match: Bryan Danielson defeated Austin Aries, Colt Cabana, Homicide, Mark Briscoe and Samoa Joe in a Six-Way Elimination match to win Survival of the Fittest
EliminatedWrestlerEliminated byMethodTimeSamoa JoeColt CabanaPinned with a sunset flip15:22Colt CabanaMark BriscoePinned after a shooting star press17:06HomicideMark BriscoeBoth men pinned each other 19:05Mark BriscoeHomicideAustin AriesBryan DanielsonSubmitted to an Elevated Boston crab42:28Bryan Danielson colspan="2"
2005 ROH's second Survival of the Fittest tournament took place on September 24, 2005 in Boston, Massachusetts. Qualifying match: Jay Lethal defeated Sal Rinauro to advance Qualifying match: Colt Cabana defeated Ricky Reyes to advance Qualifying match: Austin Aries defeated Jimmy Rave by disqualification to advance Qualifying match: Samoa Joe defeated Milano Collection A.T. to advance Qualifying match: Roderick Strong defeated Jerrelle Clark to advance Qualifying match: Christopher Daniels defeated James Gibson to advance Final match: Roderick Strong defeated Austin Aries, Christopher Daniels, Colt Cabana, Jay Lethal and Samoa Joe in a Six-Way Elimination match to win Survival of the Fittest.
EliminatedWrestlerEliminated byMethodTimeSamoa JoeRoderick StrongPinned after Daniels hit Joe with the Best Moonsault Ever13:57Christopher DanielsAustin AriesPinned with a sunset flip19:12Jay LethalRoderick StrongPinned after Death by Roderick31:23Colt CabanaPinned after a pildedriver35:51Austin AriesSubmitted to the Stronghold50:30Roderick Strong colspan="2"
2006 ROH's third Survival of the Fittest tournament took place on October 6, 2006 in Cleveland, Ohio. Qualifying match: Matt Sydal defeated Davey Richards to advance Qualifying match: Delirious defeated Jimmy Rave to advance Qualifying match: Austin Aries defeated Christopher Daniels to advance Qualifying match: The Briscoe Brothers (Jay and Mark) defeated Homicide and Roderick Strong to advance Qualifying match: Bryan Danielson vs. Samoa Joe ended in a 20-minute time limit draw As a result of a draw, neither wrestler advances Final match: Delirious defeated Austin Aries, Jay Briscoe, Mark Briscoe and Matt Sydal in a Five-Way Elimination match to win Survival of the Fittest.
EliminatedWrestlerEliminated byMethodTimeAustin AriesJay Briscoe and Mark BriscoePinned after a Doomsday Device11:17Jay BriscoeMatt SydalPinned with a roll-up19:04Mark BriscoePinned after the Shooting Sydal Press23:06Matt SydalDeliriousSubmitted to the Cobra Stretch34:51Delirious colspan="2"
2007 ROH's fourth Survival of the Fittest tournament took place on October 19, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Qualifying match: Roderick Strong defeated Brent Albright to advance Qualifying match: Chris Hero defeated Karl Anderson to advance Qualifying match: Rocky Romero defeated T. J. Perkins to advance Qualifying match: Austin Aries defeated Delirious to advance Qualifying match: Claudio Castagnoli defeated Davey Richards to advance Qualifying match: Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness ended in a 20-minute time limit draw As a result of a draw, neither wrestler advances. Qualifying match: Human Tornado defeated Shane Hagadorn and Tony Kozina This was originally scheduled as a non-tournament match, but turned into one as a result of Bryan Danielson and Nigel McGuinness wrestling to a draw. Survival of the Fittest: Chris Hero defeated Austin Aries, Claudio Castagnoli, Human Tornado, Rocky Romero and Roderick Strong in a Six-Way Elimination match to win Survival of the Fittest.
EliminatedWrestlerEliminated byMethodTimeHuman TornadoChris HeroPinned after the Hero's Welcome3:58Rocky RomeroPinned after Aries hit Romero with a 450° splash13:32Austin AriesPinned with a roll-up15:38Colt CabanaPinned after the Hero's Welcome35:51Claudio CastagnoliPassed out in the Hangman's Clutch50:30Chris Hero colspan="2"
2009 ROH's fifth Survival of the Fittest tournament took place on October 10, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Due to his performance in an ROH World Championship match the night before, ROH Executive Producer Jim Cornette gave Delirious a bye into the finals of the tournament. Qualifying match: Roderick Strong defeated Rhett Titus to advance Qualifying match: Tyler Black defeated Kenny King to advance Qualifying match: Colt Cabana defeated Kevin Steen to advance Qualifying match: Claudio Castagnoli defeated Petey Williams to advance Qualifying match: Chris Hero defeated Kenny Omega to advance Final match: Tyler Black defeated Chris Hero, Colt Cabana, Claudio Castagnoli, Delirious and Roderick Strong in a Six-Way Elimination match to win Survival of the Fittest.
EliminatedWrestlerEliminated byMethodTimeClaudio CastagnoliColt CabanaPinned after Hero hit Castagnoli with a rolling elbow23:00Colt CabanaDeliriousPinned with a roll-up23:05DeliriousRoderick StrongPinned after the Sick Kick24:59Chris HeroTyler BlackPinned with God's Last Gift28:38Roderick StrongPinned after the Avada Kedavra39:36Tyler Black colspan="2"
2010 ROH's sixth Survival of the Fittest tournament took place on November 12, 2010 in Dearborn, Michigan. Qualifying match: Rhett Titus defeated Colt Cabana to advance Qualifying match: Claudio Castagnoli defeated Grizzly Redwood to advance Qualifying match: Kevin Steen defeated Kyle O'Reilly to advance Qualifying match: Adam Cole defeated Steve Corino to advance Qualifying match: Eddie Edwards defeated Chris Hero to advance Qualifying match: Kenny King defeated El Generico to advance