'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE is prepared to take over The Motor City with this year's edition of the annual event, SummerSlam. The stage is set with WWE's top superstars prepared to enter Detroit's Ford Field and deliver an unforgettable night of drama, action, and compelling storylines.
The event will feature a 25-man battle royal, a match for the World Heavyweight Championship, and other top-tier bouts. The night will be topped off with the main event, Roman Reigns defending his title against Jey Uso.
Since the inaugural SummerSlam event in 1988, WWE has booked some classic bouts, including several historic main events. One of the best main events in SummerSlam history includes Randy Orton defeating Chris Benoit in 2004 to become the youngest World Heavyweight Champion of all time.
With that in mind, there have also been some badly booked SummerSlam main events too. Today we take a look at some of the worst. Here is our list of 4 times WWE booked the wrong main event at SummerSlam.
#4 - SummerSlam 1993: Yokozuna vs. Lex Luger for the WWE Championship
The 1993 SummerSlam pay-per-view has something in common with this year's summer spectacle, as both events emanate from the greater Detroit area.
In 1993, WWE held SummerSlam at The Palace at Auburn Hills, which is just north of Detroit.
Heading into the 1993 event, WWE officials came up with the idea to push Lex Luger as a politician, so to speak. They put Luger in a tour bus, decked out with patriotic insignia, and sent him on his way in the "Lex Express." Meanwhile, Yokozuna was the WWF Champion and was set to defend his title against the fan-favorite Lex Luger.
As the main event began, Lex started off hot, but things quickly went south when Luger attempted to bodyslam the nearly 600-pound champion, but Yokozuna's massive size proved to be too much for Lex. In the end, the match was less than appealing by main event standards. Luger won the contest, but Yokozuna retained the title due to count-out.
#3 - SummerSlam 1990: The Ultimate Warrior vs. Rick Rude for WWF Championship
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was the site of the third-annual SummerSlam event. The card was stacked with plenty of top-tier superstars, but the matches were less than thrilling. Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, and Jake The Snake Roberts were just a few of the stars that graced the 1990 SummerSlam card.
The main event of the 1990 SummerSlam pay-per-view featured the reigning WWF Champion, The Ultimate Warrior, defending his title against Ravishing Rick Rude inside the infamous blue cage. Leading into the event, the build was lackluster and the feud itself was nothing to write home about.
When the bell rang, Warrior controlled most of the bout, but with the match lasting only 10 minutes, there was not enough time to tell a story worthy of being billed as the main event.
In the end, the 1990 SummerSlam event was considered by many as a bust. Despite there being nearly a dozen matches booked, most of them lasted less than 5 minutes. WWE creative officials seemingly went with quantity over quality for this show.
#2 - SummerSlam 1994: The Undertaker vs. The UnderFaker
The 7th annual SummerSlam pay-per-view took place at Chicago's United Center, and was billed as "So Hot it's Scary." The main event looked intriguing, but the match itself turned out to be a dumpster fire and in hindsight, the entire storyline should have probably been scrapped.
WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker injured his back during a match against Yokozuna at the 1994 Royal Rumble event. Taker would be out of action for several months while he nursed his injury. His grand return eventually took place at SummerSlam.
Former WWE Superstar Brian Lee was the man behind the fake Undertaker persona. He was managed by Ted DiBiase and was brought back to the company primarily for the purpose of working this particular angle.
In the end, the real Undertaker came out with the win after a short contest lasting less than 9 minutes. There are many who believe the main event should have been the WWF Championship match that featured Bret Hart retaining his title against Owen Hart.
#1 - SummerSlam 1995: Diesel vs. King Mabel for the WWF Championship
1995 was a year that most WWE fans would probably like to forget. The year didn't include very many noteworthy moments, and SummerSlam was a good representation of how the year went.
Heading into SummerSlam, there was not much hype surrounding the 8th annual event. King Mabel was never considered a main event-worthy superstar, but based on his size and intimidating presence, Vince and company decided it would be a good idea to have the 500-pound star challenge Big Daddy Cool for the winged eagle.
The two big men went back and forth for a few minutes until Diesel landed a clothesline off the second rope, securing the win and retaining his title. When the dust settled, this was considered by many accounts as a massive failure.
WWE could have probably salvaged the event by putting another match in the main event slot. Earlier in the evening, Shawn Michaels defeated Razor Ramon in a ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship. This would have been a much better option for the main event.
