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WWE SummerSlam season is upon us! The second-biggest event of the year has given us memorable moments in the last three-and-a-half decades of its illustrious history.
Some of these moments include massive swerves that no one saw coming. On that note, let's look at five of the biggest swerves in SummerSlam history.
Disclaimer: The list is far from exhaustive and represents only the author's views alone.
#5. Jon Stewart helps Seth Rollins defeat John Cena (WWE SummerSlam 2015)
Amid Seth Rollins' push to the moon as The Authority's new pet, the former Architect of The Shield developed an interesting narrative with Jon Stewart in early 2015, then-host of The Daily Show.
The one-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion also invaded Stewart's show in March of that year, prompting the celebrity host to visit RAW and land a vicious low blow.
The company temporarily dropped the angle until WWE announced Stewart as the host of SummerSlam 2015 in Brooklyn. Rollins was the Undisputed World Champion then and was slated to face US Champion, John Cena, in a Title Unification match at the massive show.
Fans expected Stewart to cost Rollins and get a sweet measure of revenge. Unfortunately, the host of WWE SummerSlam 2015 attacked Cena at a crucial stage of the match and allowed The Visionary to unify the titles.
Considering the animosity he shared with then-WWE World Heavyweight Championship, it made little sense for Stewart to help his on-screen rival in bagging a massive victory. The common understanding was that the company was probably trying to protect Cena in defeat.
The former Daily Show host reasoned that he didn't want The Champ to tie Ric Flair's long-standing record of 16 World Championships. For his shenanigans, Stewart suffered a brutal Attitude Adjustment on the night after SummerSlam.
#4. The Undertaker uses a low blow to defeat Brock Lesnar in a controversial ending (WWE SummerSlam 2015)
On April 6, 2014, Brock Lesnar became "The One in 21-1" as he ended The Undertaker's historic undefeated WrestleMania streak. Fifteen months later, Taker returned to seek vengeance.
However, The Phenom of WWE had developed a penchant for delivering low blows to The Beast, which proved decisive in their colossal rematch at The Biggest Party of The Summer in 2015.
Taker vs. Lesnar at WWE SummerSlam 2015 was a hellacious war that exceeded expectations, but the controversial finish severely damaged the overall reception of the encounter.
The Beast Incarnate had Taker locked in the Kimura lock. The Hall of Famer seemingly tapped out, as shown in the post-match footage, but the referee, Charles Robinson, didn't see The Phenom submit. The timekeeper rang the bell, much to Robinson's chagrin.
Heyman and Lesnar believed they had won, but the referee was not convinced. Amid all the confusion, the most fearsome individual in sports entertainment, The Undertaker, hit a low blow and forced Lesnar to pass out to the Hell's Gate.
Having Taker's use of the low blow was a questionable booking decision. There is no shame in losing to one of the greatest entities in sports entertainment. The Phenom looked cheap and weak, even in victory.
#3. The Ultimate Warrior runs wild over The Honky Tonk Man (WWE SummerSlam 1988)
The Honky Tonk Man had an extremely successful Intercontinental Title reign. Having held the gold for an astounding 434 days, he remains the longest-reigning champion to this day.
However, as impressive as his run was, it ended in utter embarrassment at WWE SummerSlam 1988. Brutus Beefcake was originally supposed to be The Honky Tonk Man's opponent, but an ill-timed injury forced the company to find a replacement.
Madison Square Garden exploded as The Ultimate Warrior's iconic entrance resonated through the arena. Warrior bolted down the ramp into the squared and squashed the champion in less than two minutes to win his first singles title in WWE.
No one expected The Honky Tank Man's reign to end so unexpectedly. Moreover, Warrior was a newcomer, and having him run through the veteran was a bold move.
#2. Brock Lesnar dominates John Cena to win the WWE World Heavyweight Champion (WWE SummerSlam 2014)
Following his statement-making win over The Undertaker at WrestleMania 30, Brock Lesnar returned over the same summer to challenge John Cena for the top prize.
Considering his sizeable push, Lesnar was the likely favorite to dethrone The Champ at WWE SummerSlam 2014. If their bout at Extreme Rules 2012 was any indication, the clash was going to be an absolute war between two fierce rivals.
Instead, we witnessed the decimation of The Face That Runs The Place. Cena took sixteen German Suplexes and two F5s. The Leader of the Cenation virtually got no offense in and was no match for The Beast, who was on a mission to wreck everyone.
Cena was one of the most protected assets in WWE at the time. Watching him be mercilessly victimized and conquered added a great deal of uncertainty to WWE programming. Furthermore, it established Lesnar as the new top dog in sports entertainment.
#1. Triple H betrays Daniel Bryan and forms The Authority (WWE SummerSlam 2013)
The main narrative heading into WWE SummerSlam 2013 was Daniel Bryan's potential as a top star. The Beard's popularity exploded during his time with Kane as Team Hell No, and Bryan was on the cusp of breaking out as a massive superstar.
John Cena selected him as his opponent for The Biggest Party of The Summer. Unfortunately, Vince McMahon didn't see The Beard as "The Face of the Company." Triple H disagreed and announced himself as Special Guest Referee over Brad Maddox, then RAW General Manager.
Bryan finally reached the pinnacle of sports entertainment when he cleanly pinned Cena in the center of the ring. However, his glory was short-lived. Mr. Money in the Bank, Randy Orton, walked out to tease a cash-in; Orton seemingly changed his mind and proceeded to walk backstage.
Hunter pulled a major swerve by laying the new champion out with a Pedigree, leaving him vulnerable to Orton, who cashed in to become "The Face of WWE."
This was the birth of The Authority, a stable that ran for three years and set the stage for the Yes Movement too. It was also a nice swerve to see Hunter as a heel in the later stages of his career.
