SummerSlam 1991 retro review highlights iconic moments and matches

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Elizabeth and Randy Savage exchange vows as the two became a match made in heaven. | (Photo: WWE) Bret Hart’s breakout moment as a singles star came at SummerSlam 1991, where he won the Intercontinental Championship from Mr. Perfect. Recently, I shared my thoughts on the match. While I thought it was good, not great, several memorable moments from SummerSlam 1991 have since flooded my social media timeline. After a while, it began to feel as if the universe was telling me to rewatch it. So, that’s what I did. How good was SummerSlam 1991? Here’s a retro review of the event that saw “The Hitman” make his mark on a night when “nuptials turned to napalm.” Background SummerSlam 1991 took place on August 26 at Madison Square Garden, where the event originated in 1988. In the first half of a double main event, Hulk Hogan’s months-long feud with Sgt. Slaughter came to a head in a handicap match that became memorable for different reasons. That was billed as “A Match Made in Hell.” The other main event was decidedly more celebratory. Promoted as “A Match Made in Heaven,” Randy Savage tied the knot with his longtime manager Elizabeth. Elsewhere, the Legion of Doom sought to make history by adding the WWE (then WWF) tag team titles to their resume. Virgil sought to humble his former employer, Ted DiBiase, while the Jailhouse Match pitted law enforcement officers against one another, with the Big Boss Man facing The Mountie. Ricky Steamboat, Davey Boy Smith and Texas Tornado vs. The Warlord and Power & Glory Result: Steamboat, Smith, Tornado win by pinfall Takeaway: The real fight was on commentary. After an over-the-top opening by Vince McMahon, Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby “Brain” Heenan, and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper welcomed viewers to SummerSlam as this six-man tag kicked off the action. There was a disconnect between commentary and the action in the ring. The fans inside the Garden were hot from the start. But as Roma leveled Steamboat with a beautiful standing dropkick, Monsoon ran down the rest of the card while Heenan and Piper bickered. Things cooled off as the heels took control, but the crowd fired up again after Steamboat hot tagged the Tornado, who quickly tagged out to the Bulldog, keeping the Warlord off-balance. Roma tagged back in but was soon flattened by Steamboat with his signature flying body press for the win. Though there was nothing on the line, fans reacted as if they had seen a title change. Heenan finally gave the wrestlers their due as he put over the promotion. “You’re only gonna see action like that here in the World Wrestling Federation,” he remarked. Shortly after, Roma left the company, later citing his unhappiness with how he and Hercules were being booked. Steamboat would also leave, returning to WCW in the fall. Considering how commentary spent so much time selling a pay-per-view fans already paid to see rather than comment on their match, I can see why they’d be frustrated. Overall, this accomplished what it was supposed to: warm up the fans without stealing attention from what was to come. Grade: B Intercontinental Championship: Mr. Perfect (c) vs. Bret Hart Result: Hart wins the I.C. title via submission with the Sharpshooter Takeaway: Better than I gave it credit for, but… A pre-match interview with Perfect and his new manager, The Coach, aired. In a bit of foreshadowing, Perfect said “History will be made” as the Excellence of Execution faced perfection. Perfect, who came in with a back injury, took some stiff back bumps early. Following a Hart clothesline that sent Perfect over the ropes, Monsoon speculated that his back might have been hurt. It appeared Perfect, in storyline, had enough. He grabbed Coach and began heading to the locker room. But Hart wouldn’t let him leave, ripping Perfect’s singlet as he tossed him back in the ring. Perfect soon took control, sending Hart crashing to the floor. The spot was supposed to see Hart hit the steel barricade. Instead, he collided with a ringside photographer, who seemed unfazed. Despite a moderate pace that gave Hennig time to recover between moves, the action seemed non-stop. Fans rallied behind Hart after he kicked out of a Perfectplex and stormed back with his signature moves of doom. Following a low blow by Perfect, Hart countered a leg drop to the midsection with a Sharpshooter for the win. Though he moved well and looked good, Perfect looked heavier than usual, a fact Piper touched on. In his autobiography, Hart noted that Perfect hadn’t worked out in two months because of his injury, which would sideline him for more than a year following this match. For my taste, I still prefer two other matches from 1991 over this: the Steiner Brothers against Lex Luger and Sting at SuperBrawl, and Randy Savage vs. the Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VII. That said, I stand corrected. Though it wasn’t perfect, it was indeed excellent. With the benefit of hindsight and a better understanding of the wrestling business, I can’t say enough good things about Perfect’s fortitude and the way he and Hart executed this match. Grade: A+ The Natural Disasters vs. The Bushwhackers Result: The Disasters win by pinfall following an Earthquake Splash Takeaway: Goodbye, Andre. SummerSlam 1991 marked Andre the Giant’s last pay-per-view appearance in WWE. By then, injuries had taken their toll on the 7-foot, 500-pound legend, who appeared on crutches while cornering The Bushwhackers. In storyline, those injuries were a result of a sneak attack by Earthquake months earlier. Meanwhile, Tugboat, the future Shockmaster in WCW, turned heel and became Typhoon. With Quake, they formed the Natural Disasters. During the match, Heenan left the broadcast booth to confront Hulk Hogan on behalf of Ric Flair, who was set to debut soon with WWE. As viewers would see later, that did not go well for Heenan, who had a door slammed in his face. Surprisingly, Luke and Butch had Quake and Typhoon on the ropes with their unorthodox offense. The Disasters eventually fought back, ending things with an Earthquake Splash by Quake to Bushwhacker Luke. Post-match, Earthquake and Typhoon cornered Andre, but were confronted by the Legion of Doom. As they ran off, Andre got the last laugh, blasting Quake and Typhoon with his crutch. Grade: C- Million Dollar Championship: Ted DiBiase (c) w/ Sensational Sherri vs. Virgil Result: Virgil pins DiBiase to win the Million Dollar Championship Takeaway: The employee bankrupts his ex-employer. If you weren’t watching wrestling at the time — or weren’t even born — DiBiase’s pre-match interview does a good job of catching viewers up on their recent history and putting heat on “The Million Dollar Man.” For over three years, Virgil served as DiBiase’s bodyguard. But in the months leading to their breakup, DiBiase had become increasingly abusive, forcing Virgil to clean “the fungus from his toes” or wipe dirt from his boots. While it wasn’t implied at the time, it’s hard to look at this through 2026 eyes and not see some racial overtones. It’s also what makes DiBiase’s comeuppance here all the more satisfying. Further context: DiBiase’s title was his personal, self-made championship. Though the title wasn’t recognized by WWE, the only way for Virgil to win it was by pin or submission. Also, Piper, who in previous months encouraged Virgil to stand up to his old boss, was especially biased here. Heenan, meanwhile, returned to commentary during the match and was immediately clowned by Piper and Monsoon. Midway through, Virgil caught DiBiase with the latter’s finisher, The Million Dollar Dream. With the title slipping from their grasp, Sherri came into the ring and blasted Virgil with her purse, causing a disqualification. Or so it seemed. Instead, referee Earl Hebner ordered Sherri to return to the dressing room or face permanent suspension. After officials ushered her to the back, the match restarted. Following a ref bump, DiBiase removed a turnbuckle pad and tried to run Virgil’s head into the exposed steel. With a last gasp, Virgil countered and ran DiBiase’s face into the steel twice. With both men down, Hebner, who recovered, began to count them out. As emotions in the Garden bubbled, Virgil inched his way toward DiBiase and threw an arm over him for the pin. Fans erupted with an ovation on par with Hart’s victory earlier in the night. If it wasn’t for the love story between Savage and Elizabeth, this might have been WWE’s feel-good moment of the year. A fun match from beginning to end, and a masterpiece from DiBiase, whose bumping and selling made Virgil look like, well, a million bucks. Grade: B+ Jailhouse Match: Big Boss Man vs. The Mountie Result: Boss Man wins by pin following a move to be named later* Takeaway: Come for the wrestling, stay for sports entertainment. Coming off the previous high, this match was in a tough spot. The Boss Man got a warm reception, but the crowd seemed drained, as little stood out until the end. After The Mountie survived a Boss Man Slam, Boss Man put him away with what in later years would be known as the Alabama Slam. In 1991, though, it was simply, “OH!” Then the real fun began. After the match, Boss Man called for the police, who handcuffed The Mountie and hauled him away as he kicked and screamed. Heenan reminded viewers how The Mountie had badgered popo during his pre-match promo and told them not to be nice. Throughout the rest of the show, we got a series of vignettes updating us on The Mountie’s situation. This may have been the best work of Jacques Rougeau’s career. He screamed, cried, and even read his Miranda rights to the police. He literally and figuratively gave them the finger while being fingerprinted, before getting tossed into a cell with an apparent drunk and a leather-clad thug. “Don’t you just love the way leather feels against your body?” the thug asked in an effeminate tone. The implication was that The Mountie would need soap on a rope just as badly as he needed Jimmy Hart to make bail ASAP. The humor is dated, perhaps even offensive, as it plays on the worst fears of prison. Yet, it does so in a ridiculously campy way that feels perfectly suited to the time and a character who had just been sentenced to hard time. Match Grade: C Post-Match Grade: A+ World Tag Team Championship: The Nasty Boys (c) w/ Jimmy Hart vs. The Legion of Doom Result: The LOD win the titles by pin following a Doomsday Device Takeaway: The Warriors’ road to immortality ends with gold. Before the match, a series of interviews featured superstars reflecting on their earlier bouts. Sid Justice, the special referee for the “Match Made in Hell,” maintained he would remain impartial and ensure justice was served, despite footage showing him speaking with Sgt. Slaughter and his troops earlier that day. Finally, the tag title match began with the LOD bum-rushing the ring and taking out Knobbs and Sags while Hawk and Animal were still wearing their spiked shoulder pads. That seemed fair enough in a No DQ, No Countout match. Still, referee Joey Marella reprimanded both teams when things got out of hand, or conveniently had his back turned when the Nasty Boys tried to cheat. Heenan questioned why a referee was even needed, while Piper countered that he was there to keep either side from going too far. Still, there was some chaos. Sags blasted Hawk with a beverage cooler, and Hawk returned the favor by using Hart’s motorcycle helmet on both Nasty Boys. That opened the door for Animal to hoist Sags onto his shoulders while Hawk hit a clothesline from the top rope for the pin and the titles. Though this wasn’t a great match, this easily drew the biggest pop of the night, and rightfully so. With the victory, the team better known as the Road Warriors became the only team to win the WWE, NWA, and AWA world tag titles. For a duo already considered by many the greatest tag team of all time, this solidified that claim. Grade: C– Irwin R. Schyster vs. Greg “The Hammer” Valentine Result: IRS wins with a small package. Takeaway: Valentine gets a heartbreaking audit. As Bobby Heenan hilariously put it, this was the Figure 4 vs. the W-4. Exactly six years earlier, Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake cheated to beat Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham to win the WWE Tag Team Championship. Now, Rotunda was back as IRS, the villainous taxman, and it was time for Valentine to pay. Besides IRS getting heat with a pre-match promo, there was nothing special to this match. It came before the first half of the double main event, and did what it was supposed to do: build momentum for IRS, who won with a small package after pulling Valentine over by the hair. Grade: C– Handicap Match: Hulk Hogan & Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter, Col. Mustafa & Gen. Adnan Result: Hogan & Warrior win by pin following a leg drop from Hogan to Slaughter Takeaway: A match that was hell to sit through. A feud between American icons Hulk Hogan and Sgt. Slaughter once seemed like a dream match. By SummerSlam, fans couldn’t wait for it to end. In 1991, with America at war with Iraq, Slaughter turned heel and sided with the enemy. WWE’s exploitation of the Gulf War was widely viewed as tasteless. The timing also hurt the rivalry. The war had ended a month before WrestleMania VII, where Hogan defeated Slaughter to win the WWE Championship for what was then a record-setting third reign. Yet the feud limped on. Soon, Iran’s Iron Sheik, now Col. Mustafa and well past his prime, was added to the mix. Credit to Hogan for trying to make this feel bigger than it was in the pre-match interview. He compared it to the night he won the WWE Championship and kicked off Hulkamania, arguing that winning this match was just as important as retaining the title. Big picture, the match served to spotlight newcomer Sid Justice, formerly Sid Vicious in WCW. As special referee, it was unclear where his loyalties lay. Early on, Justice stopped Slaughter from illegally using his belt. When Hogan refused to break a chokehold, Justice put his hands on Hogan, warning him it was his way or the highway. As Justice’s actions suggested he favored one side, Piper defended his character, saying, “He’s just trying his heart out.” In the end, Justice called it fair and square even as the match broke down, with Warrior chasing Mustafa and Adnan away with a chair. With Justice’s back turned, Hogan threw powder in Slaughter’s face, hit the leg drop and scored the pin. For a main event, this was completely flat. Fans cheered Warrior and chanted for Hogan, but the reaction felt uninspired. It was like a church congregation reciting prayers from memory rather than with feeling. That changed when Hogan invited Justice back into the ring after the match. In a clear seal of approval from wrestling’s top star, Hogan posed with the newcomer, giving Justice his endorsement and bringing the crowd back to life. Grade: C- A Match Made in Heaven: Randy & Liz Get Married Result: Elizabeth said, “I will,” and Savage said, “Oh yeah” Takeaway: And they lived happily ever after… for a little while, anyway. Before the wedding, a music video highlighting Savage and Liz’s six-year relationship in WWE aired. But the original song, “Together Forever,” was dubbed over here with something else. For the original version, which still stirs strong emotions, check it out here. As wrestling weddings go, this was as tame as it was beautiful. The wedding party consisted of unnamed family and friends — no wrestlers, and neither side’s parents. Kudos to the “Macho Man,” who had his own entrance, perhaps making it fashionable for future grooms to do the same. Savage’s eyes, normally intense and smoking with rage, revealed nerves and tenderness, even as he recited his vows in his familiar growl. Elizabeth, for her part, seemed as timid as ever, though knowing how their real story played out makes some of her reactions easy to interpret differently. After Liz said, “I will,” and Savage said, “Oh yeah,” Macho’s eyes bugged out, perhaps in trepidation, when the preacher declared he could now “kiss the bride.” As they kissed, balloons fell from the rafters while fans stood and cheered. Before the show faded to black, Liz looked at Randy and said, “I love you.” All the feels. Grade: A The Final Bell When I told our Senior Producer “Sugar” Sean Rueter what I was working on, he said of this show, “I remember loving it, but the only things I’ve revisited are the wedding and Hart-Perfect match.” For a long time, I felt the same way. But watching SummerSlam 1991 back for the first time in more than 30 years, I enjoyed it and was surprised to see the show retain much of its charm from that era, right down to seeing what looked like a mostly blue-collar audience, dressed in bright wrestling tees or tank tops. Given the backstage strife before and after SummerSlam — including Warrior’s falling-out with the company over money and Savage and Liz’s real-life divorce a year later — it’s amazing the show came off without a hitch. Whatever problems were boiling under the surface, nothing stood out on-screen, which is a testament to everyone’s professionalism. Additionally, knowing how things played out for the Savages and others on this show, I’d be lying if I said I also wasn’t feeling a bit melancholy as well. Still, the wedding is a must-watch, as are the Intercontinental Championship and Million Dollar Championship matches. The Mountie vignettes are also worth your time. Hopefully, WWE Vault adds the full highlights of The Mountie’s night as a separate clip. The rest is at your discretion. The only match I’d skip is The Bushwhackers vs. Natural Disasters. I would say the same for IRS vs. Greg Valentine, but Bray Wyatt fans may want to see his dad, the evil tax man, work his brand of magic. Final Grade: B