summerslam summerslam annual summerslam professional wrestling pay view event produced world_wrestling_federation wwf took place august madison square garden located new_york_city new_york pay view created help company compete rival promotion world championship wrestling annual pay view events produced wwf wrestlemania royal_rumble survivor series event consisted professional wrestling matches preliminary matches included title defense surprise challenger turned ultimate warrior ultimate warrior won match approximately thirty seconds end longest intercontinental championship reign main event match pitting mega powers long time rivals giant savage won match miss elizabeth savage manager distracted removing skirt reveal bikini development late 1980s vince_mcmahon world_wrestling_federation wwf main competition professional wrestling industry mcmahon countered successful pay view began airing creating wrestlemania franchise wrestlemania iii march successful professional wrestling pay view event history mcmahon created survivor series franchise aired day november defeating ratings war mcmahon created royal_rumble event airing free january event set ratings record network million households tuning watch event retaliation created aired simultaneously wrestlemania garnered higher ratings long filed bankruptcy sold company renamed wwf continued replace closed circuit programming pay view programming mcmahon added pay views lineup capitalize success previous events addition wrestlemania march royal_rumble january survivor series november mcmahon created event august named summerslam wwf having pay view market monopoly turner began airing monthly pay views result companies brought hundreds millions dollars revenue summerslam world_wrestling_federation successful events big pay views wrestlemania survivor series royal_rumble events king ring known classic background prior summerslam villainous character longest reigning wwf history originally supposed defend championship unable compete result storyline injury received outlaw week prior event demolition smash held won year wwf defend titles summerslam champions fan favorites weeks earlier turning manager screen feud began weeks summerslam gimmick rude winning match invite pre selected woman audience kiss ring occasion women refused comply later identifying robert wife feud intensified rude began wearing pair picture prompting furious roberts charge ring strip rude appearing television viewers leave rude naked live audience saw stripped string instead months prior pay view undisputed wwf heavyweight champion savage wwf crowd favorites feuded giant respectively feuds came result wwf heavyweight championship man single elimination tournament set crown new champion disqualified match savage reached championship match final match savage defeated help savage feuded title spring summer involved mid summer helped attack savage delivering promo savage quickly recovered challenged tag team match partner named partner later revealed team known mega powers team dubbed mega announcing guest referee declared fair neutral color commentator wwf programs favored villains according main storyline chosen wwf president person capable handling match event event began match soon bell match begun smith attacked teams traded blows flipped heads fell mat escaped offensive maneuver partner smith performed double team maneuver despite having upper hand failed pin time match ended minute time draw match bad news brown bell brown attacked performing corner slipped arms underneath brown locked hands neck submission known nelson end match brown defeated striking head finishing second match ended way ring match began rude attacked rude times subsequently rude climbed wrestling ring rope pulled reveal pair picture result husband ran ring attacked rude forcing referee dog match tag team match powers pain accompanied manager baron accompanied slick immediately powers pain chased ring slick distracted powers pain long advantage slammed mat rope allowed pin fifth match event match ultimate warrior reigning champion accompanied match announced original challenger unable wrestle prior match refused informed replacement immediately match grabbed ring announcer microphone said wrestle don care challenge answered ultimate warrior warrior accidentally knocked floor rushed ring hit ropes advantage beginning attacking entrance attire body mat following warrior bounded ropes landed stomach man signature ultimate warrior pinned thirty seconds win title longest intercontinental title reign wwf history ended shortest title matches history match probably audience moment warrior defeated fans erupted cheers voting match year following contest match crowd favorite control match manager distracted allowing use suplex pin win seventh match night reigning champions demolition smash accompanied challenged soon bell sounded attacked members demolition control brief demolition gained advantage tagged match chased ringside returned tag match men began fighting inside ring attacked ring apron end match attempted hit trademark smash pinned win match accompanied slick slick distraction took early advantage match crushing refused pin finish match instead attempted climb rope land stomach missed performing attempted pin got shoulder save pinned slammed opponent mat allowing pin win second match night hercules roberts attempted slam opponent head mat ddt hercules able escape maneuver control match hercules attempted slam roberts mat roberts reversed ddt enabling pin hercules win match night main event accompanied giant accompanied manager bodyguard special guest referee mega powers took early advantage attacked giant ring apron able regain control men began knocked mega powers ring subsequently scripted ending match miss elizabeth began arguing referee ripped skirt reveal underwear distracted savage climbed rope dropped elbow followed hitting leg drop pinned villainous character aligned despite long time air savage fan tag team partner began obviously slow count result savage slammed arm time indicating savage won match aftermath mega powers continued team event new storyline developed jealous paying attention felt perceived lower billing mega powers order key events developed burgeoning feud included asking elizabeth accompany televised matches act overly friendly accidentally eliminating savage royal_rumble january knocking rope floor final falling happened elizabeth received screen injury tag team match savage left ring tended elizabeth attacked backstage rivalry culminated match won title pinning savage wwf intercontinental champion ultimate warrior began receiving air time prominent matches feud man continued months warrior placed new feud early retaining title demolition held months record breaking month reign champions eventually losing title saturday night main event midst title reign despite billed villains demolition popularity fans continued grow tag team eventually turned face survivor series production reception event produced world_wrestling_federation wwf took place august new_york_city madison square garden pay view means pay view subscribers ordered event original plan summerslam bring nwa wwf vince_mcmahon owner wwf wanted flair challenge savage main event wwf championship flair felt obliged nwa leave promotion wwf savage paired end feuds respective screen rivals list summerslam moments history intercontinental championship title win listed number miss elizabeth distraction main event listed number called ultimate warrior win man genuinely said match exciting battle contrast negative reaction main event match citing dimensional similarly called tag team match solid match stated lack finish disappointment reviewed matches negatively called match good match overall rated event stated warrior big win elizabeth surprise finish totally forgettable results
SummerSlam (1988)