WWE SummerSlam: Ranking every main event in history

27. SummerSlam 1991: Hulk Hogan & The Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter, Col. Mustafa & General Adnan

The summer of 1991 was an interesting time in the World Wrestling Federation. The Undertaker had debuted the year before. Bret Hart was starting to really make a name for himself as a singles star, including his epic match at this event with Mr. Perfect in one of the best SummerSlam matches in history. Ric Flair was on his way into the company while Andre the Giant, who made his final pay-per-view appearance at this event, was on his way out. Things were simply starting to change from the “Golden Era” and this 3-on-2 handicap match was more or less the last gasp of that era. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t a good match.

Hulk Hogan had won the title from Sgt. Slaughter at WrestleMania VII and as it happened a lot back then, a tag match featuring opponents from WrestleMania headlined SummerSlam. Hogan had his old pal, The Ultimate Warrior, with him while Slaughter essentially had two managers with him, 52-year-old Gen. Adnan and 49-year-old Col. Mustafa, who we obviously all knew was just The Iron Sheik. I do find it a little crazy that Sheik was in there with Hulk Hogan as an era was ending, seeing as how Hogan defeated him at Madison Square Garden to start the Hulkamania era. But that’s about all that was enjoyable about this one.

Sid Justice was the special guest referee for this one as he was just getting going in the World Wrestling Federation and with The Ultimate Warrior leaving to go to the back to get fired immediately by Vince McMahon for threatening to hold up the match, Hogan and Justice took center stage to celebrate, basically starting their march toward their mediocre match at WrestleMania VIII. But hey, at least this match made it past 10 minutes. If only the “wedding” of Miss Elizabeth and Randy Savage could have been the real main event, am I right?