Since its inception in 1988, WWE SummerSlam has stood as the company’s premier summer event—often dubbed “The Biggest Party of the Summer.” While WrestleMania grabs global headlines and Royal Rumble kicks off the road to it, SummerSlam has consistently served as a pivotal moment in WWE storytelling: a place where feuds boil over, championships change hands, and generational moments are made. This review series takes a year-by-year journey through the event’s history, highlighting what to watch, what to skip, and the aftermath that shaped wrestling’s ever-evolving landscape. From five-star clinics to shocking swerves, SummerSlam has it all—and we’re breaking it down match by match.
By the summer of 1997, the WWF was in the thick of its creative transition, laying the groundwork for what would soon become the Attitude Era. At the center of it all stood Bret “Hitman” Hart—reinvigorated as an anti-American heel—and his bitter rival, The Undertaker, WWF Champion and locker room leader. The two icons collided in the night’s marquee match, but it was the special guest referee, Shawn Michaels, whose presence added an unpredictable edge.
SummerSlam ’97 wasn’t just a pivotal show—it was a pressure cooker of evolving storylines, rising tensions, and real-life heat. From a broken neck that altered a career to a controversial finish that intensified an already volatile triangle of top stars, this event became one of the most unforgettable chapters of the late ’90s wrestling boom.
Venue: Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Date: August 3, 1997
Attendance: 20,213
MAIN EVENT:
The Undertaker (WWF Champion) vs. Bret “Hitman” Hart (WWF Championship)
Special Guest Referee: Shawn Michaels
This was a masterclass in layered storytelling. With Shawn Michaels as the guest referee—despite his heated rivalry with Bret Hart—the drama was dialed all the way up. The stipulation: if Bret didn’t win the title, he’d never wrestle in the U.S. again. The match itself was physical and deliberate, with Hart targeting Taker’s legs and using heel tactics, while Michaels tried to keep things under control.
The finish came when Bret spat on Shawn, triggering a furious chair shot attempt—only for Bret to duck and HBK to accidentally level The Undertaker. Forced to count the pinfall or break the stipulation, Michaels begrudgingly handed Hart the win and the title.
Why it Mattered:
This match set in motion a domino effect: HBK vs. Taker (and later the first-ever Hell in a Cell), the deepening Bret-HBK feud, and Bret’s final title reign before the infamous Montreal Screwjob. It was the beginning of the end of the New Generation—and the dawn of the Attitude Era.
WHAT TO WATCH:
1. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Owen Hart (Intercontinental Championship)
A solid technical battle until tragedy struck. Owen botched a piledriver, dropping Austin on his head and causing a serious neck injury that would ultimately shorten his career. Austin somehow mustered the strength to roll Owen up for the win—but the mood was forever changed.
2. Mankind vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley (Steel Cage Match)
This opening bout stole the show early. Mankind’s top-of-the-cage elbow drop and his split-persona psychology (shifting between Cactus Jack and Dude Love mid-match) gave fans a preview of the depth he’d bring to the table in the years to come. Triple H also continued building heel heat with Chyna at his side.
3. Legion of Doom vs. The Godwinns
Short and violent. While not a technical marvel, this was a satisfying power match that gave the crowd exactly what they wanted: LOD beating the brakes off the Godwinns.
WHAT TO SKIP:
Goldust vs. Brian Pillman
This had potential, but it never got going. The stipulation—Pillman must wear a dress if he lost—was more about shock value than in-ring action. The chemistry was off, and both men would go on to better moments (tragically short-lived in Pillman’s case).
The Disciples of Apocalypse vs. Los Boricuas
A chaotic, multi-man tag that felt like an overbooked Raw match. The crowd wasn’t engaged, and this angle of gang warfare between DOA, Los Boricuas, and the Nation of Domination just never clicked with fans.
AFTERMATH:
SummerSlam 1997 was a defining moment. Bret Hart was back on top, but his days in the WWF were numbered. Shawn Michaels’ accidental involvement sparked a feud with The Undertaker that would lead to Hell in a Cell. Austin’s injury forced WWF to rethink how to feature him, eventually turning his brawling anti-hero style into gold. And behind the curtain, real-life tensions between Bret and Shawn—and Bret and Vince—were boiling over.
This show was the last true breath of the New Generation. After this, nothing would ever be quite the same.
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