As SummerSlam is tonight we thought we would get some of the group together for some more of our SummerSlam Classics. This is our favourite matches from the ‘biggest party of the summer’.
Fazza’s Thoughts (@FazzasThoughts)
For me, The Rock vs Triple H 1998 in a Ladder Match will be one of the greatest SummerSlam matches of all time. Not just for the wrestling, but for the story these two told over the period of months. This was a time when both where mid-card talents, working their way towards the heights we know them for now. In 1998, the Intercontinental Title was just as coveted as the WWE Title. People recognised it as a stepping stone towards greatness. This was on the line as two of the future Hall of Famers went head-to-head in a ladder match.
This match had everything and could easily have been the best match of 1998. The Rock had Mark Henry from the Nation in his corner, whilst Triple H had China from DX. The match was a blast and had everything from China and Mark Henry getting into it, to finally having Triple H grab the title after a 26-minute match.
This match was in the prime of the war with WCW and WWE did not disappoint with this match. The Rock and Triple H would feud for years, and whilst The Rock and Stone Cold is considered one of the greatest feuds of all time, for me, this is just as up there as one of the greatest feuds and matches of all time.
On The Mat (with Matt) @HEELMatt
Shane McMahon vs Steve Blackman is one of my Top 10 favourite matches of all time. SummerSlam was the first PPV I stayed up late for, mainly because of this match. It was 10 minutes of brutality, spots and kendo sticks.
The build-up to the match (how Shane won it, Mick Foley suspending the 24/7 nature of the title, the constant pursuit of Blackman after Shane) showed how a mid-card storyline should be booked these days. Plus, there were Kendo sticks. And trash cans. And collars. The match itself started out with Blackman giving Shane a Kendo stick to get him in the ring, and then the match got underway and shortly after ending up out in the crowd before Blackman took McMahon back to the ring for some trash can fun.
Test and Albert (Shane’s running buddies at the time) then hit the ring for interference, but that didn’t pull away from the story that was being told. Blackman fought back, they fought up the entranceway and, well, you know what happens next. Shane and Steve went for a climb up the TitanTron. One fell down backwards, one hit an elbow drop, and the rest is history.
Tybo Talks (@TyboTalks)
This may be a strange pick for my favourite Summer Slam match of all time, but let me explain. This match was right in the middle of the somewhat lacklustre WCW/ECW Invasion of 2001, don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed the Invasion storyline but just imagine how good it could have been with the likes of Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and The Outsiders to name but a few.
It was also at this point that Austin was working my favourite of all his gimmicks, yes I loved heel Austin. Austin wasn’t just a standard heel, he was insane, paranoid, ruthless, vicious, and loved Vince McMahon. Literally, no one was safe. Divas, referees and even good ol’ JR took one of the most brutal bloody beatings I have ever seen and announcer take.
So after Austin had jumped ship to ‘The Alliance’ and took the WWE (then WWF) Championship with him it took an Olympic hero to get it back. It’s safe to say that the Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle rivalry that twisted through whole Invasion storyline, was easily the best thing about it, and this match delivered on all counts. The story they both told was amazing. The back a forward between the two was first-rate, the hardcore nature of the match was used correctly, and not overused. This was one of the very rare matches where when the match was over both men came out looking stronger than when they entered.
Austin the heel realizing he couldn’t beat Angle clean so attacked three referees until he got disqualified, and Angle the face, bloody, beaten taking stunner after stunner and never staying down for the three counts.
This is almost a forgotten classic, and would even go so far as to say this easily one the best feuds of either man’s career. If you read this and go on the WWE Network to watch it, Tweet me!
What is your favourite SummerSlam Match? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @SLTDWrestling
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