10 Best WWE SummerSlam Moments Of The 90s

3. Paul Bearer Betrays The Undertaker

Bearer Undertaker Mankind SummerSlam 1996
WWE.com

Since debuting in 1990, The Undertaker had been a staple of WWE programming. For almost as long, Paul Bearer was a constant presence leading The Undertaker to the ring. Aside from his ghastly appearance, Paul Bearer was a unique manager in the world of WWE in that he had only one active wrestler that he managed (which was 'Taker).

"Friend" just never seemed the right term for what Paul Bearer was to The Undertaker, but their relationship seemed to often be The Undertaker's motivation.

This made Paul Bearer's betrayal of The Undertaker at SummerSlam '96 so shocking. Not only was Bearer abandoning his only client but he threw away their entire history away by aligning with The Undertaker's fiercest rival and his toughest opponent to date, Mankind.

Through the months and years that followed, Paul Bearer would go on to manage Mankind, Vader and The Executioner before introducing the fans of WWE to The Undertaker's long-lost brother, Kane.

The Bearer/Undertaker feud would last for years after the events of August 18th, 1996 and it lead to some of the biggest moments in The Undertaker's career. It was the biggest turn of the year in WWE, and it was perfect for the stage of SummerSlam.

Contributor
Contributor

A former stuntman for Paramount Pictures, Matt enjoys sports, water skiing, driving fast, the beach, professional wrestling, technology, and scotch. At the same time, whenever possible. Having attended many famous (and infamous) shows including WrestleMania XV, In Your House: Mind Games, and the 1995 King of the Ring, Matt has been a lifelong professional sports and wrestling fan. Matt's been mentioned in numerous wrestling podcasts including the Steve Austin Show: Unleashed, Talk Is Jericho, and Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard. As a former countywide performer, Matt has been referred to as Mr. 300 for his amazing accomplishments in the world of amateur bowling. He is also the only man on record to have pitched back-to-back no hitters in the Veterans Stadium Wiffle Ball League of 2003.