Top 15 WWE SummerSlam undercard matches

1993: Intercontinental Championship — Shawn Michaels vs. Mr. Perfect

There are days when you think Shawn Michaels and Mr. Perfect were just mirror images of each other. At SummerSlam 1993, we got a glimpse into that very thought as the two battled for the Intercontinental Championship.

Perfect was more than a seasoned veteran by the time this match rolled around, and had already had a run with the I-C Title. Two years earlier, he had faced Bret Hart for it, and was hoping to regain the title he once held. Michaels was well into his singles run, after the big split with former Rockers partner Marty Jannetty. Having the seven-foot Diesel in his corner was usually a help as well. And it helped in a huge way in this match.

The two had a solid match, with both having their own unique offenses come into play. But the aforementioned benefit of having a bodyguard at ringside turned things around at the “perfect” time. The former champion delivered a Perfect-plex to Michaels, and hooked the leg for the pin. But Diesel reached into the ring and pulled Perfect out of the pin and to the outside of the ring.

The challenger went after Diesel, but the numbers game was against him. When he rolled Michaels back in the ring, the referee got caught by Michaels rolling in and went down. It was enough of a distraction for Diesel to grab Perfect and ram him into the ring post. It would result in a count-out victory for Michaels, who escaped with the I-C Title.

It was just the beginning for Michaels however, who would go on to a storied career. Perfect’s in-ring career (for WWE, at least) would wrap up that year, and would not be seen again until he returned to commentary at the 1995 Survivor Series.