SummerSlam (1999)

World Wrestling Federation pay per view event

The 1999 SummerSlam was the 12th annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay per view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It took place on August 22, 1999, at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Nine matches were contested at the event.

SummerSlam is an annual pay per view (PPV) produced every August by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) since 1988. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is one of the promotion's original four pay per views, along with WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and Survivor Series, and was considered one of the "Big Five" PPVs, along with King of the Ring. It has since become considered WWF's second biggest event of the year behind WrestleMania. The 1999 event was the 12th SummerSlam and was scheduled to be held on August 22, 1999, at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event was rated as the third best pay per view of 1999 by YouTube wrestling channel Cultaholic Wrestling in their ranking of every 1999 PPV ranked from worst to best.

After Triple H attacked Stone Cold after the match with steel chair shots to his legs and knee, Austin took time off to rehab from the injury but vowed to get revenge on Triple H. The next night on Raw is War, Triple H bragged about crippling Austin and challenged Mankind to a match for the WWF Championship. With Shane McMahon as guest referee, Triple H defeated Mankind after a pedigree to win his first WWF Championship. Mankind later formed an alliance with The Rock and they became known as The Rock 'n' Sock Connection. On the August 30 episode of Raw is War, they defeated Undertaker and Big Show to win the WWF Tag Team Championship. On the September 9 episode of SmackDown!, they lost the titles back to Undertaker and Big Show in a buried alive tag team match after Triple H interfered and hit Big Show with a slegehammer before he helped to bury Mankind. Austin returned and got revenge on Triple H by attacking him and throwing him into an ambulance before ramming it with a 18 wheeler truck. On the September 13 episode of Raw is War, Triple H had Austin arrested for aggravated assault and demanded that Linda McMahon put Austin at the bottom level of the ladder. Linda refused and Triple H began to accost her until Vince McMahon came to his wife's aid. Vince stated that he wouldn't get involved in WWF business but it was personal between him and Triple H. As he challenged him, Austin returned and attacked Triple H but lost a WWF title match to him when he punched referee Earl Hebner getting disqualified in the process. On the September 16 episode of SmackDown!, Triple H had been ordered into a title defense of the WWF Championship. He picked Shane as the referee and picked Vince McMahon as his opponent. Vince won the match and the title when Austin attacked Triple H with a stunner. On the September 20 episode of Raw is War, Vince vacated the WWF Championship as he was prohibited from taking part in the company's day to day business due to the Fully Loaded contract he signed. Austin stated that he would reinstate him back in the WWF if he grants him his title shot. Vince accepted and stated that Austin would meet the winner of the six pack challenge match for the vacant WWF Championship at Unforgiven. He then announced that the vacant slot is given to Triple H and Austin would be the enforcer for the match. At Unforgiven, Triple H regained the WWF Championship after winning the six pack challenge match when pinned Rock after a pedigree and Austin made the count. Ken Shamrock would enter into a feud with the debuting Chris Jericho after Jericho launched numerous insults at him, then Jericho employed the returning Curtis Hughes as his bodyguard (similar to his gimmick in WCW when he had a bodyguard named "Ralphus"). The feud between Test and Shane McMahon continued as the next night on Raw is War, Test came to the ring to propose to Stephanie McMahon but before she would accept they were interrupted by Shane who said that their relationship would continue "Over my dead body!" Stephanie scolded her brother asking him why he would take away something away from her that made her so happy. She then told Test that she loved him but said she just needed sometime to think and walked away smiling. On the August 26 premiere episode of SmackDown!, Test again proposed to Stephanie and she finally accepted. As they celebrated their engagement with a kiss, Shane and the Mean Street Posse hit the ring and attacked Test until he was saved by Mankind. Later Test and Stephanie announced their wedding date would be on the October 11 episode of Raw is War. As they shared the news with the fans and with Pat Patterson, Gerald Brsico and Linda McMahon in the ring with them, The Posse who is now with Terri Runnels again interrupted and Shane came out and ended the feud by telling the Posse to leave and gave his blessing for Test and Stephanie's relationship asking Test to always treat Stephanie right. The Posse responded on the September 13 episode of Raw is War, by rebelling against Shane orders and Joey Abs challenged Test to a match after calling Stephanie a tramp. Test won the match but when the Posse attacked him again, Shane saved his future brother in law and he and Test chased the Posse out of the arena. On the September 16 episode of SmackDown!, Shane challenged Abs to a match which he won after receiving help from Patterson, Brisco and Shawn Stasiak who was the referee.