WWE SummerSlam: Power Ranking Every Show

1989

Following the success of the original SummerSlam event, the sequel was unable to live up to the mantel it set. The main event shared a couple of competitors from the first PPV, Hulk Hogan and “Macho Man” Randy Savage. However this time they were on opposite sides of the ring, and their partners were the elements that really dragged down this contest. Brutus Beefcake, a performer with no business competing in a main event feud, aligned with Hogan, but at least he was actually a wrestler. Savage had to contend with Zeus, an actor that was roped in due to his role as the villain to Hogan’s character in No Holds Barred.

This weak main event was supported by a mixture of very good matches and utterly hopeless affairs with no significance. All of the eggs were really placed into the main event and Ultimate Warrior besting Rick Rude for the Intercontinental Championship, in a decent contest. However, with the card also containing unremarkable clashes between Greg Valentine and Hercules, Dusty Rhodes against the Honky Tonk Man and Ted Dibiase versus Jimmy Snuka, SummerSlam 1989 was incapable of building upon the excitement generated by the first summertime PPV.