5 WWE SummerSlam moments that surprised everyone
WWE SummerSlam has made a name for itself for being one of the "big four" pay-per-views, second only to WrestleMania in terms of big matches and storylines. This year too, it promises to be "The Biggest Party of the Summer", despite there being question marks over the location because of the pandemic. Randy Orton will go up against Drew McIntyre, while Seth Rollins is set to face Dominik Mysterio in the two most anticipated matches on the card.
Despite not following a dedicated stipulation like Royal Rumble or Survivor Series, SummerSlam packs quite a punch when it comes to surprising the fans. Unpredictability often fuels the events at SummerSlam, which helps fill the lull that typically follows WrestleMania.
With less than two weeks left for this year's event, let's take a look into the five most surprising moments of WWE SummerSlam over the past few years.
#5 Finn Balor wins against Seth Rollins – WWE SummerSlam 2016
From being an NXT call-up to the first-ever WWE Universal Champion on his PPV debut, the rise of Finn Balor in the main roster was monumental. For the title match, Balor went up against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam 2016 after having defeated Roman Reigns.
The two went back and forth in a frenzied contest, exchanging Pedigrees and Coup de Graces. The finish saw Rollins miss the Phoenix Splash off the top rope. The Demon took the opportunity to hit another dropkick and the final Coup de Grace to seal the deal and become the inaugural WWE Universal Champion.
What was more shocking than the action-packed match itself was what happened on RAW the next night. A heartbroken Balor announced that he had injured his shoulder during the match and was forced to vacate his title as he would take time to recover. It was a sad but unavoidable ending to a glorious contest.