4. Becky Lynch Shocks the World (SummerSlam 2018)
The weeks leading up to SummerSlam 2018 saw Becky Lynch go on a dominant winning streak, building massive momentum and fan support. That run secured her a one-on-one match with Carmella for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at “The Biggest Party of the Summer.”
While Lynch believed she finally had her best chance to win gold for the first time in over a year, Charlotte Flair made a surprise return from hiatus to throw a massive wrench in those plans. Following Flair’s non-title victory over Carmella on SmackDown, the SummerSlam showdown was suddenly converted into a high-stakes triple threat match.
Lynch immediately expressed her frustration, arguing that Flair cut in front of the line based purely on her family name and status. Despite her objections, the match moved forward as scheduled at SummerSlam inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Near the end of the match, Lynch had Carmella locked in her signature submission hold, putting herself on the absolute verge of becoming champion. However, Flair re-entered the ring and blindsided Becky with a Natural Selection, pinning her best friend to capture the championship.
Following the match, a tearful Lynch embraced Flair in the center of the ring. But as Charlotte raised her title, Becky suddenly snapped, unleashing a vicious slap across Flair’s face. The crowd erupted into massive cheers as Lynch battered her former friend and threw her over the announce table.
3. Paul Bearer’s Stunning Betrayal (SummerSlam 1996)
SummerSlam 1996 hosted what was arguably one of the most shocking heel turns in WWE history. The seeds of that betrayal were first planted earlier that spring when Mankind, played by Mick Foley, made his disturbing WWE debut.
Unlike most wrestlers, Mankind wasn’t intimidated by Undertaker’s mind games. He even cost “The Deadman” a high-stakes bout against Goldust at In Your House 8: Beware of Dog. Driven by revenge, The Undertaker met Mankind at SummerSlam in Cleveland, Ohio, in WWE’s first-ever Boiler Room Brawl.
The rules for the match stated that both competitors would begin inside the arena’s boiler room, fighting their way through the backstage area and all the way to the ring.
Once the brawl finally spilled into the ring, a battered Undertaker managed to fend off Mankind. Dropping to his knees, he reached out to Paul Bearer for the urn that fueled his power, similar to Superman drawing power from the sun.
But Bearer shockingly refused to hand over the urn, slapping Undertaker across the face before striking him over the head with it. Mankind seized the opportunity immediately, trapping “The Deadman” in the Mandible Claw until he fell unconscious.
Afterward, Bearer handed Mankind the urn before kneeling over Undertaker’s body. He ordered Mankind’s druids to drag “The Deadman” out of the arena, walking up the aisle arm-in-arm with Mankind to seal the ultimate betrayal.
