But how will the match stack up to previous SummerSlam main events? SunSport ranks every headline match from the 30-year history of SummerSlam.
20. Stone Cold Steve Austin v Triple H v Mankind – Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship – SummerSlam 1999
A weaker effort from Stone Cold’s red-hot run of main events, with Mankind thrown into what should have been a straight Austin v Triple H match.
It’s all built around wrestler-turned-governor Jesse Ventura as the special guest ref – 11 years after he guest refereed the first ever SummerSlam main event.
This loses marks for transparent backstage politics.
Mankind wins the title but loses it to Trips the next night on Raw – so Austin avoids putting over rising star Triple H.
19. Ultimate Warrior v Rick Rude – Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship – SummerSlam 1990
Rude and his manager Bobby Heenan are on top heelish form, carrying Warrior to an entertaining but short cage match. But it’s a stitch up for Warrior.
While Warrior wrestles Rude – who he’s beaten lots of times already – Hogan nabs a match with legit monster heel Earthquake in the double main event.
No wonder Warrior’s title run was a dud. Regardless, Warrior gyrating his hips Rick Rude-style as he escapes the cage is still funny 28 years later.
18. The Mega Powers v The Mega Bucks – SummerSlam 1988
Hulk Hogan and Macho Man join forces to battle Andre the Giant and Ted DiBiase in the original SummerSlam main event.
Andre’s way past his best but the babyfaces sell like he’s still a monster. Ted DiBiase bumps around and the Hulkster-Macho combo is irresistible.
The finish of the match – which sees Miss Elizabeth whip off her skirt to distract the heels –hasn’t aged well. And it was pretty poor at the time, to be honest.
17. The Rock v Booker T – WCW Championship Match – SummerSlam 2001
Despite being part of the awful Invasion – plus some dubious booking of Booker T before he’d even got warmed up in WWE – this is highly entertaining.
Attitude Era fans will especially enjoy the ringside goings-on. Shane McMahon gets involved, so the Acolytes come down to almost knock his head off.
It turns into a self-defeating ego trip for Vince McMahon when Rock beats Booker to become WCW champ – killing dead the WWE v WCW war and most anticipated story in wrestling history.
Sign up for Dream Team 2018/19 now
- Dream Team is back and better than ever ahead of the new Premier League season
- Completely free to play
- £400k jackpot up for grabs across the season
- REGISTER FOR DREAM TEAM 2018/19 HERE
16. Stone Cold Steve Austin v The Undertaker – WWE Championship Match – SummerSlam 1998
Stone Cold was famously disappointed with this match – and it’s definitely lacking the intensity that these two are capable of.
It’s built around The Deadman joining forces with Kane to defeat Austin – but Taker does the right thing and refuses his little brother’s help.
It’s not a stinker by any stretch of the imagination. Austin v The Deadman in Madison Square Garden is still worth your time.
15. Hulk Hogan v Shawn Michaels – SummerSlam 2005
A fantasy match that never quite lives up to the opening video package (one of WWE’s best ever).
Hulk bleeds a gusher and it’s fun to watch Michaels make a mockery of the classic Hogan match layout with his OTT selling.
Despite the dastardly heel tactics from HBK, this was only ever going to end one way – big boot, leg drop and 1-2-3, brother.
14. Triple H v Goldberg v Shawn Michaels v Chris Jericho v Kevin Nash v Randy Orton – Elimination Chamber Match for the World Heavyweight Championship – SummerSlam 2003
Goldberg comes into the match and charges through everyone with spears and jackhammers – easily ‘Berg’s finest moment of his first WWE run.
It’s arguably the best Elimination Chamber match too.
They are largely forgettable, especially these days.
But it comes to a premature end when Triple H (at the height of his inflated ego and sporting some snug bicycle shorts) nails Goldberg with a sledgehammer.
13. Undertaker v Edge – Hell in a Cell Match – SummerSlam 2008
The Deadman lures Edge into WWE’s most demonic structure to end their excellent, long-running feud.
They go all-out on the hardcore stuff, with ladders, tables, ring steps, and chairs thrown into the mix.
Taker wins it, so choke slams Edge through the ring and straight to Hell – cue some trademark Deadman magic.
12. Brock Lesnar v Randy Orton – SummerSlam 2016
Though hugely controversial at the time, this is gutsy booking from WWE that crushes the usual conventions of PPV main events.
Both men bring out the big guns – suplexes, F-5s, and an RKO on the announce desk – before Lesnar busts Orton open with his elbows (for real) for a stoppage finish.
It blurs the line between reality and fiction as only a performer as legit as Lesnar can.
11. Brock Lesnar v Triple H – No DQ Match – SummerSlam 2012
An intense match with sound psychology – Trips goes after Brock’s previously injured stomach, while Brock targets Trips’ arm to soften him up for the Kimura Lock.
Remember when Brock went around breaking everybody’s arms?
But this feels like the first chapter of a longer story (which it is) so even Triple H tapping to the Kimura doesn’t have the impact of a definitive finish.
SummerSlam takes place on Sunday August 19. See the history of the event on 30 Years of SummerSlam – out on DVD August 27.
Source: Read Full Article