10 Fascinating WWE SummerSlam 1996 Facts
9. Ahmed Johnson Missed The Show With A Dire Injury
Johnson and Faarooq were set to square off at SummerSlam for the Intercontinental belt, stemming from Faarooq's debut on the July 22 episode of Raw in which he'd assaulted Johnson. That debut, however, would have horrible implications for the reigning champion.
During Faarooq's run-in, he kicked Johnson harshly in the lower back, and Johnson would later say he felt like he'd been shot. Johnson recalls that Vader noticed him breathing funny later that night, and Ahmed was taken off the road following those Raw tapings. The pain didn't subside, and The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Johnson wound up in intensive care, requiring emergency surgery on his kidney on August 6.
The SummerSlam match was scrapped, and Johnson would end up vacating the belt, which was later won by Marc Mero in a tournament final.