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Over 80,000 fans welcome you to SummerSlam.

SummerSlam, the hottest show of the year.

WWE Summertime Spectacular has thrilled audiences

for nearly four decades.

And it's produced some truly iconic moments.

Here comes Michaels.

Incredible.

The massive title changes-

Oh, he got him.

He got him.

to legendary clashes.

No.

Let's take a look back at the biggest party of the

summer during one of the most prolific decades of professional

wrestling history, the 1990s.

This is WWE's Greatest Moments.

Ooh, yeah.

If you smell-

Oh, my God, what the hell are you doing?

Absolutely unbelievable.

Hulkamania is here.

Hello, everyone, and welcome

to WWE's Greatest Moments.

I'm Michael Cole, and on this edition,

we're reminiscing about the most jaw-dropping and exciting

moments from the SummerSlams of the 1990s.

Are you guys ready for the hottest night

of the summer?

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to SummerSlam.

As we entered the 1990s, the Ultimate Warrior's

rise through WWE was one to behold.

Steamrolling through opponents en route to a WrestleMania

showdown with Hulk Hogan for both the WWE

and Intercontinental Championships.

We have a new World Wrestling-- champion.

Warrior's victory cemented him as a top star

in WWE and soon became a target for many superstars to go

after, including one "Ravishing" Rick Rude.

I'm coming to get you, Ultimate Warrior.

"Ravishing" Rick Rude,

you will feel the full fury of the Ultimate Warrior.

And the two were set to clash

at SummerSlam 1990 inside a steel cage.

The Ultimate Warrior defends the championship-

In a cage.

again challenging "Ravishing" Rick Rude.

In a cage, baby.

SummerSlam 1990,

Steel Cage match.

And it was a grueling match.

Oh.

Ooh.

Oh, no.

Working with Rick

was just an absolute joy.

Once you get so comfortable in a match,

you can just do it without even thinking.

Just show up at the ring, and it just happens.

We have to have a victor here.

We could be here all night.

From the top, no.

Oh, God.

It was the perfect matchup.

There was no one you loved more than the Ultimate Warrior and

probably no one you hated than "Ravishing" Rick Rude.

Going for the door.

He's got him.

He's gonna be out.

Trying to pull Bobby Heenan in.

He just might do that.

Oh.

The Ultimate Warrior, he-he's in control.

He's about to win this match.

Right before Warrior wins, he does the-the hip swivel on Rude.

Look at the gyration right there.

Just shows how dominant he really is.

And I'll never forget that night.

And he was great to work with.

The Legion of Doom's emergence during the

early 1990s sparked a new era for tag team wrestling in WWE.

The LOD were physical, aggressive,

and a damn fun tandem to watch.

Doom is what you're gonna receive at the hands of the LOD.

Hawk and Animal's immense popularity quickly

launched them into the tag team title picture, where they would

ultimately meet the champions, The Nasty Boys, at SummerSlam

1991 under street fight rules.

Not wasting any time, attacking immediately.

I remember wrestling at our first SummerSlam.

Madison Square Garden against The Nasty Boys.

Look out- Oh.

It's such a reaction and a feeling you really

can't put it into words.

Oh.

Getting beat up.

You get in the ring with them, you're in trouble.

Every guy they ran into, they just wiped them out.

So this was our first real test for The Nasty Boys.

Nasty Boys pulling out all the stops here.

Whoa, champs again, baby.

Oh, look at this.

He got the runt.

Oh, helmet to the head.

Hawk is up there.

He nails him.

We got new champions.

He got him.

Our biggest title win to date because the reaction

that people gave you was like second to nothing.

It was just nuts.

What a moment for Legion of Doom.

It's mayhem here in Madison Square Garden.

There may be no greater superstar manager duo

than The Undertaker and Paul Bearer.

The World Wrestling-- has become

his personal burial grounds.

These two terrified audiences and superstars alike

with their otherworldly presence and imposing demeanor.

Mankind, if it was your aim to get my Undertaker's

attention, you've certainly accomplished that.

But there was a strange feeling in the air

heading into SummerSlam 1996, where The Undertaker would take

on the freakish Mankind in the first-ever Boiler Room Brawl.

Mankind is in that boiler room someplace.

Oh, no.

Oh.

I love that the Boiler Room match-

it's different, it's gritty.

They were beating each other up.

I remember Foley falling off the ladder.

Mankind.

Oh.

We were beaten up and banged up, but you didn't

just have to get out of the boiler room into the ring.

You had to claim ownership of the urn.

Whoa.

Oh.

I've got him down, and all I got to do is for

Paul Bearer to give me the damn urn.

Nothing will stop The Undertaker.

All he has to do is take possession of the urn.

Give him the urn.

And he turns his back on me.

Wait a minute.

Give him the urn.

Mankind driving that Mandible Claw.

Nobody thought Paul Bearer would ever turn

on The Undertaker.

Don't do it.

Paul.

Oh.

Come on.

No.

When he hit me with that urn,

you could feel the heat coming from the audience.

Mankind is the winner.

Those are the kind of moments

that you live for in the business when you can get

that gasp and that-that no way he did that.

And, uh, that was one of those moments.

My God, I don't believe what I'm seeing here.

Sibling rivalries are often one of the more unique and

complex stories in WWE history.

This was certainly the case during Bret Hart's year-long

clash with his brother, Owen.

At the 1994 Royal Rumble, Owen shockingly betrayed The Hitman,

tired of standing in his big brother's shadow.

I don't need you, Bret Hart, and I've proven that.

And I don't need my family.

If they wanna turn their backs, go ahead.

I'll stand on my own.

Owen's envy and jealousy furthered

their conflict all the way to SummerSlam.

Owen, how do you solve something like this?

Well, I'll tell you how.

In a Steel Cage match, there's only one Hart that's gonna walk

out of there with the World Wrestling--

Championship belt.

Ladies and gentlemen,

this contest is for the World Wrestling-- Championship.

It was a story that everybody could understand.

It was brother versus brother, and that is a match

that is truly a clinic.

These brothers have come here to SummerSlam

to battle it out.

Just like when they were kids, I mean,

they're pulling out all the stops here.

That match is really the psychology of the cage,

trying to get out.

He's out. He-

No, he's not, he's not out.

He's got a head start.

Both legs are over.

Unbelievable.

It was an interesting contrast seeing them

removed from their technical backgrounds,

being forced to fight it out inside a steel cage.

Oh, wait a minute.

Oh.

Look at that.

And Bret wins it.

Oh, no.

still champion, Bret "Hitman" Hart.

I've always said it.

I think it's the best cage match I ever, um,

was part of, for sure.

Bret Hart has done it here in SummerSlam.

In 1999, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin reigned as WWE

Champion, stomping a mud hole into every

superstar he came across.

But the biggest party of the summer was right

around the corner.

A triple threat match was set for SummerSlam,

live from Minneapolis, between Austin, Triple H and Mankind.

I ain't gonna give a rat's ass

who's in the ring with me.

Let's ring the bell and let's get to it.

That's all I got to say to you,

so get your little ass out of here.

And if the stakes weren't high enough,

the match's special guest referee was none other than

wrestling legend, and then Governor of Minnesota,

Jesse "The Body" Ventura.

We all know who is the power in Minnesota.

The title at stake.

The first person to score a pinfall wins this match.

Going into back end of '99, uh, man, I was on fire.

I was hauling ass.

The business was crazy.

Mick Foley, Triple H, at that point,

had the best year of their careers,

and they both stepped up and knocked it out of the park.

Did you hit him with the chair?

We had this really great chemistry together

in the main event spot.

We wanted to be great and willing to do anything

to make it great.

Ventura admonishing Triple H.

It was fun to break the monotony of politics.

Look at Jesse.

Ventura says, hell no, you're not gonna

win it that way.

Jesse rules.

Jesse rules here.

And plus the opportunity to interact with three

of the greatest of all time.

the match.

There's a Stunner.

That'll be it.

Now Mankind interrupted the count.

SummerSlam, 1999,

there was kind of magic in the air that night.

Mankind's got the leg hooked.

Can he?

Yes.

Mankind is the champion.

And I'm lucky that I became a part of that story.

Mrs. Foley's baby boy became

the WWE Champion at SummerSlam.

In the late 1990s, The Rock and Triple H

led their own distinct factions.

The Game with the loudmouth, D-Generation X-

Suck it.

and The Great One with the imposing

Nation of Domination.

The Rock has Triple H exactly where he wants him.

If you smell what The Rock is cooking, jabroni.

The group's battled it out for months

with their respective leaders fighting over the

Intercontinental Championship.

The People's Champ is gonna enter Madison Square

Garden the Intercontinental Champ,

and he's gonna leave the Intercontinental Champ.

What a better time and place to settle

the score than at the biggest party of the summer,

in a ladder match.

The Intercontinental Title at stake.

In 1998, it was Madison Square Garden.

We had our ladder match.

It was our big moment.

Here we go.

This should be a real dandy, ladies and gentlemen.

The Intercontinental Title was very, very important

to the both of us.

Two great young athletes putting

their bodies on the line.

When you fight over the Intercontinental Title,

you get yourself to that next level to become the top guy.

What else is gonna happen to this son of a gun?

Both of us wanted that spot,

and we were so fired up.

I don't think I've ever seen any more intense

competition from two young guys like we're seeing here.

The ladder match was the tip of the iceberg, but

their meteoric rise as superstars made it special.

Yes.

Triple H did it.

It projected both of us into that main event tier,

at an event as big as SummerSlam at Madison Square Garden.

That ladder match to me was something special.

What a hell of an effort.

Wrestling's greatest couple

is undoubtedly "The Macho Man" Randy Savage

and his one true love, Miss Elizabeth.

The duo captured the hearts of the WWE Universe for years

and remained fan favorites throughout the Macho Man's

legendary career.

I love that man.

Whoa.

And heading into the summer of 1991,

Savage wanted to solidify his relationship with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth, will you marry me?

Ooh, yeah.

The WWE Universe saved the day for SummerSlam,

as Macho Man and his bride to be would take

to the altar in one of the most emotional moments

in WWE history.

We are gathered together in the presence

of this company to join this man and this woman

in the bonds of matrimony.

Randy loved Elizabeth unconditionally.

And he was so madly in love with her.

Elizabeth, do you take this man

as your lawful wedded husband?

I will.

How long were people craving for that moment.

And boy, oh, boy, did Elizabeth deliver.

Do you take this woman as your lawful wedded wife?

Ooh, yeah.

Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth.

That wedding went to perfection.

Now I pronounce that you are husband and wife.

You may now kiss the bride.

It is the greatest love story

of Romeo and Juliet of all time.

What a woman and what a man.

The Intercontinental Championship

is one of the most prestigious titles in WWE history.

But only one former champion could classify

himself as perfect.

I'm the greatest athlete, I got the coolest hair,

I got the best body,

and I got the Intercontinental Championship belt.

The aptly named Mr. Perfect reigned as

Intercontinental Champion heading into SummerSlam 1991.

What a great champion this man is.

But a new challenger emerged in the form

of one Bret "The Hitman" Hart.

Mr. Perfect, you're not going to be perfect after you

step in the ring with The Excellence of Execution.

The tag team specialist looked to launch

a singles career, and who better to take down

than the perfect one?

Bell's gone, this one's underway.

Intercontinental Title belt on the line.

The match I had with

Mr. Perfect at SummerSlam,

I thought it was the best match on the card.

Both of these guys in tip-top physical condition.

Did that move the actual ring?

Curt Hennig was a bump machine.

Curt Hennig was able to go out and make

any and everybody look great.

Perfect in a whole lot of trouble,

and The Hitman gaining confidence.

Oh, was that close.

Perfect about to get on the offense again.

It's gonna sound so cliché, but I don't think there

was a more perfect opponent for Bret that night than Curt Hennig

The fingers locked.

No, he kicked out.

I can't believe it.

Nobody's ever kicked out of that.

Perfect goes for a leg drop,

and Bret Hart smoothly reverses it into a Sharpshooter.

Beautiful counter.

And we got a new champion.

We got a new champion.

No.

This is just such perfect Bret Hart.

Curt Hennig did it at SummerSlam to me,

the torturing of my hand.

Tears in the eyes of mum and dad.

Mr. Perfect, you just weren't good enough.

You're looking at the World Wrestling--

Intercontinental Champion.

The mid-1990s ushered in a new era in WWE

with several superstars emerging

as the future faces of the professional wrestling world.

Two such competitors were "The Bad Guy" Razor Ramon-

Say hello to Razor Ramon.

and "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels.

The greatest Intercontinental Champion ever.

These two solidified themselves as top stars in their

ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship

at WrestleMania X.

From high above.

Oh.

Oh.

Though Razor emerged victorious that night,

just a year and a half later, Michaels was now the champion.

I have not had a good night's sleep

since the ladder match of '94.

And a rematch came calling.

Could Michaels and Ramon deliver another classic performance?

Both men looking up.

The bell has rung.

We were going to PG-13.

Standards and practices, and-and people of that nature had asked

that we don't use household items.

So, we had to use the ladders a little more creatively than

actually hitting someone with them.

As silly as it sounds, that was the-the ruling.

Michaels.

Here we go.

To have this matchup was so fantastic.

But we're gonna take away a lot of the things

that you do-do and see how you do.

But if you're able to have a great match,

despite the obstacles that are put in front of you,

it feels good to be able to overcome those challenges.

And, oh.

That's what I learned too,

a little bit about just letting go.

Like let it happen.

Let it flow.

Razor starting to move.

And he got it.

He got it.

That's what we took from that second one were all of

those challenges and still finding a way to make it work.

That's what it's all about.

We've now reached our number one moment,

and it's not only a big one but arguably

the most famous match in SummerSlam history

in front of the largest crowd the event has ever seen.

78,000 fans packed the legendary Wembley Stadium as London,

England, served as host for SummerSlam 1992.

And who better to compete in the main event

than a true hometown hero?

The British Bulldog will be the next

Intercontinental Champion.

The only problem was the current champ

was his brother-in-law, Bret "The Hitman" Hart.

I was the one that introduced you to my sister

Diana in the first place.

You wouldn't be where you are in the World Wrestling--

if it wasn't for me.

What a matchup this is going to be.

The one that everybody was emotionally invested

in was the Davey Boy-Bret match.

Listen to these people.

Can you hear me?

British Bulldog definitely spurred

on the fandom in the UK.

That was a beautiful story of family

in inner turmoil.

This matchup tearing the respected families apart.

A very concerned Diana looking on.

When you have two wrestlers going out to the ring

and you can ask yourself as a fan, you know,

"I don't know who's going to win,"

that's when we have the magic.

Taking their time, they know what they're doing, and

they know what's at stake.

Sunset flip.

Wait a minute.

Two.

That's it.

That to me was just such a special,

magical moment in the history of our industry.

And when I look back on it,

it's one of my proudest moments for sure.

One of the greatest matches of all time has just

taken place here at SummerSlam.

A truly incredible matchup.

The Bulldog captured the Intercontinental Championship,

and the UK crowd witnessed a national icon reign supreme.

Well, that'll do it for this edition

of WWE's Greatest Moments.

We hope you all enjoy this look back the most thrilling,

electrifying, moving, and rip-roaring SummerSlam

moments of the 1990s.