10 Incredible Last Minute PPV Changes You Never Saw Coming

5. SummerSlam 1992

Though the in-ring product was often some as dynamic and interesting as it had been in years, 1992 was WWE’s own ‘annus horribilis' for robust pay-per-view planning. After a calamitous run-up to WrestleMania, SummerSlam was cautiously pieced together until a panicked reliance on an exciting new revenue stream transformed the show into a company milestone.

Originally set to take place in Washington D.C, the card had Randy Savage giving Ric Flair his WrestleMania rematch in the main event, with Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels competing over the Intercontinental Title and the Ultimate Warrior paying off his televised hostilities with Papa Shango. Several other pre-arranged battles would change shape following a jaw-dropping decree just weeks later.

Changing gears spectacularly, WWE crafted ‘The SummerSlam You Thought You’d Never See’. Still the only supershow ever held in the UK, the company filled Wembley Stadium with over 80,000 ravenous supporters that saw their countryman Davey Boy Smith topple Bret Hart in an epic show-closer. Savage and Warrior were programmed together in a match that almost bettered their WrestleMania 7 war. Left without a match, Ric Flair stirred sh*t between them beforehand, then battered the pair on the night ahead of his second WWE Title victory just days later. He’d have already lost it the next time the company ran a pay-per-view…

Michael Hamflett

Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett

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