Top 15 WWE SummerSlam undercard matches

1988: Intercontinental Championship — Honky Tonk Man vs. Ultimate Warrior

In the summer of 1988, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake had a golden opportunity to face The Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental Championship. But thanks to a nasty attack from “Outlaw” Ron Bass, an injury forced Beefcake out of action and out of his scheduled SummerSlam title shot.

That left the then-champion Honky Tonk Man without an opponent. So the night of the very first SummerSlam card ever, the champion made a move he would soon regret. He stepped in the ring and demanded an opponent, and said he didn’t even care who it was.

Several moments went silently by, as the fans wondered who would step up to the challenge. Suddenly, the familiar power chords of The Ultimate Warrior’s theme sounded through the arena, as he charged to the ring. The crowd at Madison Square Garden erupted, as the Warrior burst into the ring and steamrolled the champion. Within seconds of getting in the ring, the Warrior had pinned the champion and claimed his first championship in the WWF.

The Honky Tonk Man never stood a chance, as the match officially lasted all of 30 seconds. And just like that, the Warrior was skyrocketing to higher fame. He would run with the title until he ran into Hulk Hogan in 1990 at WrestleMania VI. He captured the WWF Championship and went on to even more success.

For Honky Tonk Man, he would stick with the company for a few short years, leaving in early 1991. After a brief stint in WCW in 1994, he returned to WWF in 1997 as a part-time commentator and manager for Billy Gunn.