SummerSlam was the eighteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling
pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment. It was
presented by THQ's WWE Day of Reckoning 2 and took place on August 21, 2005, at
the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. featured talent from the Raw and
SmackDown! brands. The main match on the Raw brand was Hulk
Hogan versus Shawn Michaels, which Hogan won by pinfall after executing a leg
drop. The predominant match on the SmackDown brand was a No Holds Barred
match for the World Heavyweight Championship between Batista and John
"Bradshaw" Layfield, which Batista won by pinfall after executing two Batista
Bombs, with the second on the steel ring steps. Another primary match on the Raw
brand was for the WWE Championship between John Cena and Chris Jericho,
which Cena won by pinfall after performing an FU. The main match on the
undercard featured a Ladder match for the custody of Rey Mysterio's son
Dominick between Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero, which Mysterio won by
retrieving the briefcase suspended above the ring.
Background Eight professional wrestling matches
were scheduled on the event's card, which were planned with predetermined
outcomes by WWE's script writers. The storylines revolving around these
matches before, during, and after the event were also planned by the script
writers. The event featured wrestlers and other talent from both the Raw and
SmackDown brands – a storyline expansion to which WWE assigned its employees.
Wrestlers portrayed either a villainous or fan favorite gimmick, as they
followed a series of events which generally built tension, leading to a
wrestling match. The main feud heading into SummerSlam on
the Raw brand was between Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels. A feud between Michaels,
and Muhammad Hassan and Daivari began on the April 4 episode of Raw, when Hassan
and Daivari attacked Michaels. Michaels demanded a match against the two, but he
would only be given one if he found a partner. Hogan eventually became
Michaels' partner, and they defeated Hassan and Daivari at Backlash. Hogan
did not appear again until the July 4 episode of Raw in Carlito's talk show
segment. Carlito, along with Kurt Angle, made comments about Hogan's daughter and
eventually attacked him. Michaels came out to help Hogan, and they defeated
Carlito and Angle in a match later that night. After the match, Michaels
performed a superkick on Hogan and left. The following week, Michaels challenged
Hogan to a match at SummerSlam, which Hogan later accepted.
The predominant feud on the SmackDown! brand was between Batista and John
"Bradshaw" Layfield, with the two feuding over the World Heavyweight
Championship. During the WWE Draft Lottery, SmackDown! was left temporarily
without a top championship after John Cena, the reigning WWE Champion, moved
to Raw in the draft. On the June 30, 2005 edition of SmackDown!, a six-man
elimination match between JBL, Undertaker, Booker T, and SmackDown!
draftees Chris Benoit, Christian, and Muhammad Hassan was made and General
Manager Theodore Long was to present a new title to the winner called the
SmackDown Championship. JBL won the match by eliminating Christian last, but
Long announced that plans had changed and there was no need for a separate
title. Instead, Long revealed that Batista, who had been the reigning World
Heavyweight Champion since defeating Triple H at WrestleMania 21, was joining
the brand as the final draft pick and by winning the match, JBL was the number
one contender. JBL faced Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship at The
Great American Bash, where JBL won by disqualification when Batista used a
steel chair. JBL was given a rematch at SummerSlam on the following episode of
SmackDown!. Batista allowed JBL to choose the stipulation, and JBL made it
a No Holds Barred match. On the August 11 episode of SmackDown!, during
Batista's match with Christian, JBL interfered and hit Batista with a steel
chair. The following week, JBL faced Funaki in a No Holds Barred match,
during which Batista interfered and attacked JBL.
Another rivalry leading into the event was between John Cena and Chris Jericho,
with the two battling over the WWE Championship. Their feud began when Cena
was drafted to Raw during the WWE Draft and began a feud with General Manager
Eric Bischoff. Cena refused to comply with Bischoff, who saw Cena as an unfit
champion. After Cena successfully defended the title at Vengeance against
Jericho and Christian, Bischoff hand-picked Jericho to face Cena for the
title at SummerSlam. On the August 1 episode of Raw, Jericho refereed a match
between Cena and Carlito. After the match, Jericho attacked Cena with a
television camera. On the August 15 episode of Raw, Cena faced Jericho and
Carlito in a handicap match. At the end, Jericho hit Cena with a steel chair.
Event Before the event officially began, Chris
Masters defeated The Hurricane in a match taped for Sunday Night Heat. The
first match of the event was between Chris Benoit and Orlando Jordan for the
WWE United States Championship. The match started with both locked up in a
collar-and-elbow. Benoit forced Jordan into the corner, and as the referee
attempted to break them up, Jordan punched Benoit. Benoit then avoided a
clothesline attempt and performed a German suplex. Benoit then applied the
Crippler Crossface to force Jordan to submit. Benoit won the match and the
title in 25.5 seconds. The second match was between Edge and
Matt Hardy. The fight started outside the ring, with Hardy gaining the early
advantage. After repeated punches, Hardy applied a rear naked choke. Edge fought
back with a headbutt and punches. Edge then performed a spear to the outside.
Both were down briefly before Edge brought Hardy back into the ring. Hardy
fought back with punches and mounted punches in the corner. During this, Edge
pushed Hardy upwards, causing his head to hit the ringpost and bleed. Edge
attacked Hardy's head repeatedly, and Hardy was incapable of defending
himself. The referee finally stopped the match and awarded Edge the victory.
The third match was a Ladder match between Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio
for the custody of Dominick. A briefcase with legal documents inside was
suspended above the ring. After throwing Mysterio into the steel steps, Guerrero
ascended a ladder. Mysterio performed a springboard dropkick and knocked down
the ladder. Mysterio then performed a dropkick, sending the ladder into
Guerrero's face, and a springboard seated senton to the outside. Guerrero
then performed a powerbomb off the ladder, and a Hilo to Mysterio, who was
sandwiched between two ladders. Both ascended the ladder again, and Mysterio
performed a back body drop onto another ladder. Guerrero performed an Alley Oop
to Mysterio onto a ladder balanced on the top rope. As Guerrero ascended the
ladder, Dominick entered the ring and attempted to shake the ladder. Guerrero
confronted him and, as he was about to attack him, Mysterio fought off Guerrero
and performed a 619 and a Droppin' Da Dime with the ladder. Both attempted to
obtain the briefcase, but was stopped by the other. After Guerrero performed the
Three Amigos onto a ladder, he ascended the ladder, but Vickie Guerrero came
down and pushed down the ladder. She then held onto Eddie as Mysterio
retrieved the briefcase to win the match.
The fourth match was between Eugene and Kurt Angle for the Olympic gold medal
that originally belonged to Angle. Angle gained the early advantage with repeated
short-arm clotheslines. Eugene then countered with a spinebuster and
attempted a People's Elbow, but Angle performed a clothesline. Angle then
performed several German suplex. Eugene fought back, and performed a Rock
Bottom. Eugene then performed a Stone Cold Stunner and applied the ankle lock.
Angle countered, and performed an Angle Slam. He then applied the ankle lock and
forced Eugene to submit to win the match. After the match, Angle threw
Eugene out of the ring and had the referee place the gold medal around his
neck. The fifth match was between The
Undertaker and Randy Orton. The Undertaker gained the advantage after a
leaping flying clothesline and attacks in the corner. Orton gained the
advantage by avoiding a big boot. Orton then attacked The Undertaker's left
knee. The Undertaker eventually countered an attack by sending Orton
outside the ring. The Undertaker then performed a guillotine leg drop to
Orton, who was on the apron. The Undertaker then performed an Old School
and a reverse STO. The Undertaker then performed a Snake Eyes, but Orton came
back with a dropkick. The Undertaker avoided an RKO attempt and attempted a
Tombstone Piledriver, which Orton countered into an inverted headlock
backbreaker. Orton then performed a crossbody, but The Undertaker rolled
through and performed a chokeslam. A fan then entered the ring and distracted The
Undertaker, allowing Orton to perform an RKO and win the match. Orton then
revealed the fan to be "Cowboy" Bob Orton in disguise.
The sixth match was between John Cena and Chris Jericho for the WWE
Championship. Jericho gained the early advantage until he missed a springboard
crossbody to the outside. Cena fought back briefly, but Jericho came back with
a dropkick, and a superplex to Cena. Cena fought back with a back body drop,
but missed a flying shoulder block. Jericho then delivered a one-handed
bulldog, but missed a lionsault. Jericho countered an FU attempt and attempted to
apply the Walls of Jericho, but Cena kicked Jericho outside. Cena performed a
diving leg drop bulldog and attempted an FU, but Jericho countered into a DDT.
Jericho then performed a pendulum backbreaker and repeated elbow drops to
Cena's back. Cena fought back and performed a spin-out powerbomb. He then
attempted a Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Jericho countered and applied the Walls
of Jericho. He then performed a belly to back suplex from the turnbuckles. As he
attempted another attack, Cena countered into an FU to win the match and retain
his title. The seventh match was a No Holds Barred
match between John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Batista for the World Heavyweight
Championship. JBL attacked Batista during his entrance, and they fought on
the entrance ramp and at ringside, using several weapons. Batista performed a
spear to JBL through the security wall. JBL shoved Batista into the ringpost and
continued to beat down Batista after a short-arm clothesline. He then whipped
and choked Batista with a leather belt. Batista fought back with a belly to back
suplex and whipped JBL with the belt. JBL fought back, performing a
Clothesline from Hell and bringing the steel steps into the ring. He attempted
an attack on the steps, but Batista countered with a back body drop. He then
performed a spinebuster and two Batista Bombs, with the second onto the steel
steps, to win the match and retain his title.
The main event was between Shawn Michaels and Hulk Hogan. This was
Hogan's first SummerSlam appearance since 1991. During Hogan's entrance, a
huge American flag unrolled from the top of the stage and covered the entire set.
The match started slow, until Hogan sent Michaels outside. Hogan performed a
scoop slam on the announce table and sent Michaels into the ringpost.
Michaels reversed another attempt and sent Hogan into the ringpost twice.
Michaels continued to attack his head with punches and mounted punches and
applied the sleeper hold. Hogan fought out of it with a belly to back suplex,
but failed to gain the advantage as Michaels performed a flying forearm
smash. Michaels then missed a diving elbow drop, and Hogan fought back
briefly. Michaels performed another flying forearm smash and applied the
sharpshooter. Hogan broke the hold and avoided another attempt by kicking
Michaels into the referee. Michaels performed a low blow and hit Hogan with
a steel chair. Michaels then performed a diving elbow drop and a superkick. Hogan
then fought back with a big boot and a leg drop to win the match. After the
match, Michaels extended his hand to Hogan saying, "I needed to know and I
found out," and Hogan shook his hand. It has been suggested that Michaels
deliberately made a mockery of the match by over-selling throughout the contest,
allegedly because he was unhappy about being asked to job to an inferior
opponent. Aftermath
The following night on Raw, Eric Bischoff made a You're Fired match
between John Cena and Chris Jericho for the WWE Championship. Although Bischoff
interfered, Cena won the match, and Jericho was fired. Immediately after the
match, Kurt Angle attacked Cena and was revealed to be Bischoff's new
hand-picked representative to win the title from Cena. Angle and Cena feuded
until the start of 2006, with Angle unable to win the title.
The feud between Batista and John "Bradshaw" Layfield ended when Batista
defeated JBL in a Texas Bullrope match on the September 9 episode of
SmackDown!. Batista then began a storyline with Eddie Guerrero when
Guerrero was given a title match at No Mercy, and the two became friends. This
storyline ended with Guerrero's unexpected death.
The feud between Matt Hardy and Edge continued with a Street Fight and a
Steel cage match, and it ended with Hardy losing a Loser Leaves Raw Ladder
match on the October 3 episode of Raw. The feud between The Undertaker and
Randy Orton continued with a Casket match at No Mercy, where The Undertaker
lost to Randy and "Cowboy" Bob Orton. After the match, Randy and Bob poured
gasoline on the casket and set it ablaze. The Undertaker had vanished from
the casket, and their feud briefly went on hiatus until Survivor Series. Shawn
Michaels started a feud with Chris Masters when Masters interrupted
Michaels, wanting to take the spotlight. The feud between Chris Benoit and
Orlando Jordan continued with Jordan losing in rematches, lasting less than a
minute each. Results
References External links
Official 2005 SummerSlam site