Summerslam 1988: 30 year Anniversary

Every year we look back at the past especially when certain events hit major milestones and it is especially interesting when it is the first event hitting a major milestone. For modern wrestling fans it might be hard to believe that at one point the WWE had only four PPV's during the entire year. The first year that WWE had the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, Summerslam, and Survivor Series was 1988 and this is really when the idea of the big four began. 

Looking at the card it was nothing special and in my opinion the show got worse as it went on from the first tag match. The two main points of this show was the Mega Powers & DiBiase/Giant as this was the most hyped match from the event continuing from the events of WrestleMania earlier in the year. This was also the height of the Mega Powers run together ahead of the blow up. The other major spot of the show was the Intercontinental Championship match between Ultimate Warrior & Honky Tonk Man. Originally this match was suppose to include Brutus Beefcake but he sustained an injury and was replaced with the Warrior. Going into the match though Honky had his record setting reign as champion and most didn't think this match would be as one sided as it was, but I also think that a lot of fans were happy to see Honky lose after being such a slimy heel for most of his reign.

Overall this show is mostly remembered as just being the first Summerslam ever and was the event that completed the big four for the WWE. Also this event was a steeping stone in the bigger build to WrestleMania that nobody really knew at the time was happening, but looking back we know that now.  

Summerslam 1988 

​Davey Boy Smith & Dynamite Kid draw (time) Jacques Rougeau & Raymond Rougeau
Bad News Brown def. (pin) Ken Patera
Rick Rude def. (DQ) Junkyard Dog
The Barbarian & The Warlord def. (pin) Boris Zhukov & Nikolai Volkoff
The Ultimate Warrior def. (pin) Honky Tonk Man (c) WWF Intercontinental Title (title change)
Dino Bravo def. (pin) Don Muraco
Ax (c) & Smash (c) def. (pin) Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart WWF Tag Team Titles
Big Boss Man def. (pin) Koko B Ware
Jake Roberts def. (pin) Hercules
Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage def. (pin) Andre the Giant & Ted DiBiase referee: Jesse Ventura