10 Most Momentous WWE SummerSlam Title Changes In History
The Most Important Times A Belt Changed Hands At The Biggest Party Of The Summer.
A title change in wrestling can mean many things; the crowning of a new top star; the beginning of new main event storyline; somebody forgetting to kick out at two. All special moments in their own way.
Regardless of what they mean, title changes are usually always exciting. They have produced some of the biggest pops of all time and a night can go down in wrestling history off the strength of a good one. Nowhere has this been more evident than at The Biggest Party of the Summer.
SummerSlam's history is full of huge title changes, many of which would shape the very fabric of wrestling as we know it. Historic reigns began, new stars were made, and entire eras were kicked into gear with a just three slaps on the mat.
So let's round up the best and try and work out which SummerSlam title change has had the biggest impact on WWE. Whilst that impact may have been short term for some of these entries, other title changes had far-reaching rammifications - ones that can still be felt to this very day.
10. Triple H Wins The Intercontinental Championship (1998)
SummerSlam 1998 played host to just the fifth ladder match in WWE history, pitting Intercontinental Champion, The Rock, against his babyface challenger, Triple H.
Both men had been at each other's throats for months with the assistance of their respective factions - The Nation of Domination and D-Generation X - and things finally came to a head during the semi-main event of SummerSlam.
Their ladder match is widely regarded as a classic, one of the best early examples of the format, and ended with Trips claiming the gold with a little help from Chyna. This was Triple H's second Intercontinental Championship reign, but his first as a babyface, and his performance in this match got him over with the fans like never before. That's not to say that The Rock didn't come out of this match looking good - his stock was also elevated by his excellent showing here.
This was a star-making performance for both men, evidenced by the fact that they would both become world champion for the first time within a year of this SummerSlam - Triple H's title win coming the night after the following year's event.