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The first-ever two-night WWE SummerSlam is less than a week away. The show at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will be headlined by the WrestleMania 41 rematch between John Cena and Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
It will also be the 38th annual SummerSlam, an event that began in 1988 in New York City. There have been a lot of great moments at The Biggest Party of the Summer, but there have also been some bummers along the way.
Let's look at six of the biggest mistakes in SummerSlam history.
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#6. Shinsuke Nakamura failing to beat Jinder Mahal for WWE Championship (2017)
One of the boldest moves in WWE history was Jinder Mahal becoming the WWE Champion in 2017. Mahal's hard work since returning to the company paid off with a big reward, though it was an unpopular move to some members of the fanbase.
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Shinsuke Nakamura was coming off red hot from NXT that same year, securing a big win over John Cena to earn a shot at Mahal's title at SummerSlam. Instead of continuing to build on Nakamura's momentum, WWE opted to extend The Maharaja's reign.
While The King of Strong Style recovered the following year with a Royal Rumble win, he inexplicably lost to AJ Styles at WrestleMania 34. Maybe if Nakamura had received an immediate push after his call, he would have had a better career, especially with Mahal being relegated to midcard after dropping the WWE Title.
#5. Kevin Nash ending Summer of Punk prematurely (2011)
CM Punk was the hottest thing in WWE in 2011, dubbed the "Summer of Punk," which arguably began with his pipebomb on RAW. It led to his win over John Cena at Money in the Bank.
The Second City Saint defeated Cena at SummerSlam that year to become the Undisputed WWE Champion. However, Triple H and Kevin Nash spoiled it by attacking Punk, which led to Alberto Del Rio's cash-in.
At the time, it was an unnecessary storyline since Nash was unable to compete despite attacking Punk. The only reason this one is not higher on the list is that The Straightedge Superstar did have a 434-day reign as WWE Champion from late 2011 to early 2013.
#4. Hulk Hogan beating 'Legend Killer' Randy Orton (2006)
Hulk Hogan's last match in WWE was against Randy Orton at SummerSlam in 2006. Orton was still The Legend Killer at this stage of his career, which meant that he would have benefited immensely from a win over Hogan. However, The Hulkster prevailed and didn't put over the younger Orton.
The outcome slowed down The Viper in a way, taking about a year before he became a full-fledged main eventer, rivaling John Cena's ultimate babyface. Getting a win over Hogan would have been great for Orton's legendary list of victims that already included Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, The Undertaker, Sgt. Slaughter, Ric Flair, Jake Roberts, Jerry Lawler, and Dusty Rhodes.
#3. Goldberg's undefeated streak ending after less than five months in WWE (2003)
The main reason why Goldberg was so successful in WCW was his undefeated streak. The aura of the former NFL player was off the charts, and his run in WCW was one of the greatest feats of the now-defunct promotion.
When Goldberg signed with WWE in 2003, he immediately dispatched The Rock to start another winning streak. But instead of making it longer, the company did the opposite and ended it in less than five months at the hands of Triple H.
Goldberg was on the verge of winning the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam 2003. He was about to Spear Triple H, who had a sledgehammer in hand, and countered the behemoth's attack. A longer streak might have saved Goldberg's first run rather than ending it with a disappointing match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 20.
#2. Lex Luger not winning the WWE Championship against Yokozuna at the 1993 SummerSlam
Hulk Hogan left a huge void in WWE when he joined WCW in 1994. Vince McMahon tried to portray Lex Luger as his replacement, giving him the All-American gimmick that should have been a success.
It could have worked if Luger had defeated Yokozuna at SummerSlam 1993 to become WWE Champion. Technically, Luger won via countout, but championships don't change hands unless it's a pinfall or submission.
While the win could have extended the feud and led to an eventual win, the over-the-top celebration effectively ended Luger's WWE career in the eyes of fans since it made no sense at all. Luckily for the legend, he got his well-deserved push in WCW a few years later.
#1. John Cena beating The Nexus (2010)
Before the Summer of Punk in 2011, the previous summer was dominated by The Nexus. The upstart group led by Wade Barrett took over WWE, attacking everyone in their path, including Vince McMahon.
The Nexus was immediately put into the spotlight at SummerSlam 2010 against Team Cena, comprising John Cena, Bret Hart, Edge, Chris Jericho, R-Truth, John Morrison, and Daniel Bryan.
Despite the need for the win, The Nexus lost after Cena overcame the odds. Edge and Jericho wanted the young group to win, and Cena even acknowledged that his team's win didn't do any favors to the Barrett-led stable.
A win for The Nexus would have changed the course of history, especially for all the original members.
