WWE SummerSlam 2015: 7 Forgotten Undercard Classics from Event's History
For the first time, Sunday's WWE SummerSlam 2015 pay-per-view will be four hours in length, thus allowing each of the advertised matchups to go longer than usual. With what's on tap, it's shaping up to be a strong show filled with exceptional in-ring action and memorable matches.
In its nearly 28-year history, SummerSlam has featured some of the most stacked cards in WWE PPV history. In result, not every match on the show has received the recognition it deserves due to being overshadowed by the night's unforgettable main event matchups.
Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon, John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar and Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels are only a few of the many monumental matches to occur at the August extravaganza, but there are several other outstanding bouts that often go unnoticed.
Now with the WWE Network, fans can relive the forgotten gems of SummerSlam in all their glory. Whether it was because they were well-wrestled or because they captivated a crowd, the following matches left a lasting impression in the annals of pro wrestling history, even if they're not regularly brought up in discussion.
As the biggest party of the summer quickly approaches, which matches from this year's installment could one day earn a spot on this exclusive list?
Alundra Blayze vs. Bull Nakano: SummerSlam 1994
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The recent "Diva Revolution" in WWE has seen the women get more time to talk and wrestle and ultimately earn a slot on this year's SummerSlam card. Although the three-team elimination match has the potential to tear the house down, it might pale in comparison to the contest between Alundra Blayze and Bull Nakano from SummerSlam 1994.
Without a doubt, Blayze was the epitome of what the women's division was all about in WWE at its peak from 1993-95. She dominated the title picture more than any other woman, but a champion is only as strong as its opposition.
Of all the women Blayze battled with during her time with WWE, Nakano was unquestionably her greatest in-ring rival. They truly brought out the best in each other, which is why their SummerSlam encounter was nothing short of solid.
For an event as depleted as this one, this contest in particular shined through as being among the highlights of the night. They were given decent time, too, having gone almost eight minutes before Blayze secured victory and retained her title.
The only issue with the match was that it received very little build, but where it lacked in telling a story, the two women succeeded in contesting a classic.
Shane McMahon vs. Test: SummerSlam 1999
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As amazing a character as Shane McMahon was on WWE programming throughout the Attitude Era, he was also known for being an incredible athlete. He didn't wrestle regularly, but when he did, fans knew they were in for something special.
One of McMahon's most memorable matches came at SummerSlam 2000, when he faced Steve Blackman and fell off the top of a scaffold. As a result, his SummerSlam match against Test from the year prior tends to be overlooked.
Test's heated battle with McMahon stemmed from his lust for his sister Stephanie, whom he was forbidden to be with at that time. If he could somehow beat the son of the WWE Chairman in this Greenwich Street Fight, he'd earn the right to resume his relationship with her.
McMahon may not appear to be any threat to Test in the ring, but The Mean Street Posse certainly helped even the odds. With there being no disqualifications, the vindictive stable made their presence felt throughout the bout but failed in their attempt to help McMahon to victory.
After being driven from ringside by the returning Stooges, Test capitalized on the distraction by laying out McMahon for the three-count as the crowd roared, before embracing Stephanie afterward. It would have established him as a star, had the follow-up not been so lackluster.
Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit: SummerSlam 2000
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Needless to say, the entire Attitude Era was an exciting time to be a wrestling fan, but the year 2000 will go down as one of the greatest years for in-ring action in WWE history.
For a show that featured a tremendous Triple Threat match between Triple H, The Rock and Kurt Angle and the first ever Tables, Ladders & Chairs match, it's not hard to see why a contest such as Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit got lost in the shuffle. Despite that, they managed to deliver an instant classic in the undercard that's undeservedly gone unnoticed in the years since.
In the months following WrestleMania 2000, Jericho and Benoit were embroiled in a ruthless rivalry over the Intercontinental Championship that saw them trade wins on pay-per-views. Their matches at the Backlash and Judgment Day events were great enough to where the feud was rekindled in time for SummerSlam that August.
With Benoit having already beaten Jericho twice before on pay-per-view, Y2J was in a must-win situation at SummerSlam. Although the first two falls of their 2-out-of-3 Falls match were fairly rushed, the third fall was extremely well-wrestled and saw the momentum constantly shift between the two competitors.
Nearly 15 minutes into their mat classic, Benoit got the upper hand over Jericho and pinned him with his feet on the ropes to walk away victorious. While they could have benefited from more time, it was a testament to how talented they were as workers that they contested an excellent match regardless.
Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio: SummerSlam 2002
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Has there ever been a better year for WWE debuts than 2002? In that year alone, the WWE Universe was introduced to four future main event-caliber performers in John Cena, Batista, Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton.
Unlike the aforementioned Superstars, Rey Mysterio didn't go through developmental before he finally debuted in WWE that summer. He was given the star treatment immediately upon his arrival on the SmackDown brand, as evidenced by his encounter with Kurt Angle at SummerSlam.
SummerSlam 2002 is regarded as one of the greatest pay-per-views of all time, and rightfully so. From top to bottom, it had a stacked card, including an exceptional opener between Mysterio and Angle.
Of course, Angle could wrestle a broom for an hour and make it entertaining, but putting him in the ring with an equally excellent worker like Mysterio created a compelling combination where there never seemed to be a dull moment.
Even in defeat, Mysterio was solidified as a star with all the offense he scored against Angle. The live crowd ate up every second of this exciting affair, which kicked off the night on a high note.
Ric Flair vs. Mick Foley: SummerSlam 2006
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A total of 16 "I Quit" matches have been held in WWE in the last two decades, but only a select few of them have been considered above-average. The most memorable matches include The Rock vs. Mankind and John Cena vs. JBL, but Mick Foley vs. Ric Flair was a forgotten gem from 2006's SummerSlam.
Coming out of retirement once again shortly following WrestleMania 22, Foley set his sights on Flair after The Nature Boy had some disparaging things to say about him in his autobiography. This triggered an extremely personal rivalry between the two that was set to culminate at the biggest party of the summer.
Considering both icons were at the twilight of their respective careers at that point in time, expectations were rather low for the bout going in. The hardcore environment, however, allowed them to go all out and deliver a brutal, bloody bout that played to their strengths.
Following his stellar showings against Edge at WrestleMania and against the ECW Originals at One Night Stand, this bout continued Foley's strong streak of excellent pay-per-view outings. Meanwhile, Flair proved he was capable of contesting a great match even at 57.
The finish, in which Foley quit after Flair threatened to hurt his dear friend Melina, was somewhat weak, but it was still the best match on the entire card that night in Boston.
Daniel Bryan vs. Wade Barrett: SummerSlam 2011
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Daniel Bryan and Wade Barrett have much more history than the average WWE viewer might think. They started out on NXT together in its inaugural season before going on to form one of the most impactful groups in recent WWE history, The Nexus.
Of course, it was shortly thereafter that Bryan was exiled from the sadistic stable due to his legitimate departure from WWE, but they'd later clash in the main event of SummerSlam that August when he returned to the company to aid John Cena's team in victory against Nexus.
It was another year before they crossed paths again, this time on the SmackDown brand. At the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, Bryan cost Barrett the opportunistic briefcase and won it for himself, so logically, Barrett was out for revenge.
The feud was barely built up in the weeks leading up to their SummerSlam match, which likely played a factor in the crowd being as quiet as they were for it, but they produced an absolute clinic by pulling everything out of their respective arsenals to put the other away.
The only thing the match was lacking was crowd interaction from both competitors, which is funny to think about all these years later, considering how over Bryan is now. They've had many matches against each other in the years since, but this was by far the best.
Chris Jericho vs. Dolph Ziggler: SummerSlam 2012
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Many of the SummerSlam shows in recent years have been exceptional, but the one installment that doesn't get enough credit was the 2012 event. It featured the first Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar match, a fun Triple Threat for the WWE Championship and, most importantly, an amazing encounter between Dolph Ziggler and Chris Jericho.
Fresh off his huge victory at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, Ziggler boasted about winning "the big one" when Jericho couldn't, prompting Jericho to hit a Codebreaker on the fellow bleached-blond Superstar on the July 16 edition of Raw.
As a result, Jericho reinvigorated his career as a babyface and headed into his match with Ziggler with a head of steam. Ziggler, too, was riding a wave of momentum as Mr. Money in the Bank, so it was shaping up to be a show-stealer.
Although it was their first time working against each other in singles competition, they instantly found in-ring chemistry together and delivered a great matchup. It was imperative that Ziggler came out of the match looking like Jericho's equal, and despite coming up short, he benefited from being in the ring with Y2J.
The Walls of Jericho earned the former WWE champion a rare win on the grand stage, only for Ziggler to get his heat back by trumping Jericho the next night on Raw and (temporarily) ending his career. Why the rubber match didn't go down at WrestleMania 29 remains a mystery.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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