10 Fascinating WWE SummerSlam 1990 Facts

A double-main event heats up the first WWE pay-per-view held in Philadelphia.

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WWE.com

Self-indulgent author's note: I was a happy six-year-old kid when my father took myself, my brother, a childhood friend, and one of my father's friends to SummerSlam 1990, just 40 minutes away in the City of Brotherly Love. It was the first wrestling show I ever attended, and it's a night I'll never forget.

In critical hindsight, SummerSlam 1990 was not the greatest of shows, thanks in large part to a major dead zone between the brilliant Tag Team title match and the solid double-main event, but what did I care? It's why I never dismiss marks: I envy their untainted view of professional wrestling. Oh, to look at the shows through those blissful eyes again.

SummerSlam 1990 was rather notable for two reasons: it was the return of Hulk Hogan from a summer-long injury angle facilitated by Earthquake, and it marked the first time a WWE World Title match on PPV took place without any involvement from Hogan, either as wrestler or as cornerman. The Ultimate Warrior's championship reign wasn't doing the big business that Vince McMahon had hoped. Hogan's comeback would have far greater implications as the calendar flipped to 1991, but in the meantime, Warrior would get to drop the curtain on what was an eventful evening in Philly.

Here are ten facts about SummerSlam 1990 that you may not have known.

10. Jesse Ventura Quit Weeks Before The Show

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WWE Network

SummerSlam 1990 was presented by the rather oddball duo of Vince McMahon and Rowdy Roddy Piper, with Piper shifting wildly between face and heel sentiment in his patented grunty bark. Conspicuous by his absence was Jesse "The Body" Ventura, who had been a part of every single WWE pay-per-view to this point.

In early-August 1990, Ventura dissolved his business relationship of six overall years with McMahon, after an argument over a video game. Sega approached Ventura (who owned his own name and likeness) with the idea of starring in his own wrestling video game. Ventura signed with the game developer, despite McMahon's fervent objections, and the entire ordeal led to prideful Ventura walking out.

The game itself, Jesse Ventura's Wrestling Superstars, was never released in the US, but was the subject of one of Joe Gagne's renowned wrestling video game reviews.

Contributor
Contributor

Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.