10 Amazing WWE SummerSlam Plans You Won't Believe Almost Happened

7. Triple H To Win WWF Title Against Stone Cold Steve Austin - SummerSlam 1999

In the weeks prior to SummerSlam 1999, the WWF Creative Team along with Vince McMahon were attempting to persuade Steve Austin to drop the WWF Championship to Triple H. Their efforts proved to be in vain as Steve Austin outright refused under any circumstances whatsoever to put Triple H over as WWF Champion. As it was the WWF's intention to put the belt on Triple H for a long heel run, a compromise had to be found that would enable HHH to become WWF Champion without Austin losing to Triple H. Austin would eventually agree to Mankind featuring in the SummerSlam main event and defeating him to become WWE Champion. In doing so Mankind would go on to lose the belt to Triple H the very next night on RAW, allowing WWF to arrive to the place they wanted to with HHH the WWF champion. In many ways if Austin had allowed Triple H to beat him at SummerSlam, WWF fans might have witnessed one of the rare symbolic matches in which there is a tangible sense that the torch is being passed from the present to the future. Instead the WWF had to accommodate Austin and build Triple H as WWE Champion without 'the Rattlesnake's' assistance!