WWE SummerSlam: Ranking every main event in history

24. SummerSlam 1988: The Mega Powers vs. The Mega Bucks

There’s so much of me that wants to rank this much higher given that it was the first main event in SummerSlam history but I just can’t do it — and this is coming from someone whose favorite storyline in history was the friendship and rivalry that was Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage.

Coming off of WrestleMania IV, the event in which the Macho Man won his first WWF Championship over Ted Dibiase (who had Andre the Giant in his corner) with the help of Hulk Hogan, this was the natural progression. Savage and Dibiase had their thing and Hogan and Andre obviously had their history. Again, I’m still on the side of the championship being defended at a pay-per-view, but this was the ’80s and this is how things were done.

Jesse “The Body” Ventura was the special guest referee here and did all of the things that a heel ref would normally do, which was mildly entertaining, especially given his real-life disdain for all things Hulk Hogan, but overall, this really wasn’t a good match. Andre had such a hard time getting around the ring at this point and it’s almost sad to go back and watch now. Credit Dibiase for doing the work for his team here.

The Savage-Hogan team was fun to watch and I’ll always give them that. Throw in the lovely Elizabeth taking her skirt off to distract the heels (Ventura’s reaction is priceless) and there is entertainment value here. The finish was fun as Savage hit the elbow on Dibiase and Hogan dropped the leg. Reluctant to make the three count, “The Body” got some help from Savage to give The Mega Powers the win.