10 Major WWE Summerslam Feuds That Flopped

3. The Rock vs. Billy Gunn (1999)

By the time 1999 arrived, WWE was at its hottest in terms of storytelling and success. They had finally overcome WCW to prove themselves as the number one company in professional wrestling. In order to maintain the momentum his company had built, Vince McMahon understood that he needed to create new stars to surround his main eventers with and one of his first attempts to do so was Billy Gunn. Known to millions as "Mr. Ass," Gunn had turned on tag team partner "Road Dogg" Jesse James and friend X-Pac, won the King of the Ring tournament and appeared well on his way to a legitimate main event push. The first step in said push? A feud with The Rock. Like Booker T would experience two years later, trying to get over with an opponent on the level of The Rock when booking is doing you no favors is almost impossible. Despite having having the talent to succeed and the charisma that one needed to connect with the audience, Gunn was never booked as though he was a real threat to wrestling's most electrifying star. Instead, he was a strong midcarder with a gimmick that centered around his backside and a skill set that was better suited to tag team wrestling. And that was how he treated, especially when he took to the ring for his match against Rock at SummerSlam. Gunn was outclassed in every way imaginable and became the brunt of a joke when his face was, to quote Jim Ross, "rubbed in that large woman's ass!" Gone was any chance he ever had of being taken seriously as a legitimate foe of Rock, Steve Austin or Mankind. Destined to be recognized as a member of the New Age Outlaws, Gunn would continue to star for WWE for six more years but never against reached the status that he enjoyed entering the annual August extravaganza in 1999.