Top 15 WWE SummerSlam undercard matches

2002: Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H

Things were changing drastically throughout the WWF in 2002. In the previous several years, the changing of guard had passed from Steve Austin, to The Rock, to the always controversial D-Generation X. And that included the two founding members of D-X, Shawn Michaels and Triple H.

Michaels had been out of action since 1998, when he lost the WWF Championship to Austin at WrestleMania XIV. Lingering back problems were too much for HBK to continue in the ring and he was forced to step away. But in 2002, his longtime friend and partner shocked the world by turning on him.

After Michaels showed video evidence on Raw that Triple H was in fact the one behind the vicious assault, it led to an unsanctioned street fight at SummerSlam. There was no hope for a wrestling “clinic,” no Iron Man match that ran over the 60-minute time limit. This was a come dressed as-you-are brawl that was going to settle things between the former friends.

And the two brawled, and used every weapon they could get their hands on. In the end, it was Michaels getting the victory on Triple H and seemingly putting an end to the feud. However afterwards, The Game struck again. This time, he drilled HBK in the back with a sledgehammer and walked away with a sickening grin. His actions would come back to haunt him again later in the year, as Michaels would win the World Heavyweight Championship at Survivor Series in the first-ever Elimination Chamber match.