10 Times The Opening Match Stole A WWE Show
8. SummerSlam '88 - The British Bulldogs Vs. The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers
The inaugural SummerSlam is a star studded event, with Hogan and Savage in the headliner, and Junkyard Dog, Jake the Snake, and Ultimate Warrior dotted across the undercard. The problem is that most of the matches aren’t all that great. The spectacle is as brash and fun as you’d expect of a WWE event of this era, but the majority of bouts are either rush jobs or plodding affairs.
The exception to this is the opening scrap between the Bulldogs - Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith - and Jacques and Raymond Rougeau. The two teams had real backstage beef, particularly Dynamite and Jacques (the former had bullied the latter, who ultimately stood up for himself by smashing Dynamite’s teeth out).
While that adds spark to the match, there’s nothing unprofessional about this clash, properly pacy wrestling that ages far better than most anything else on the card. The Rougeaus are archetypal sneaky heels, and the Bulldogs’ explosive combination of speed and power pops the hot crowd big time.
The match ends in a time limit draw, and the two teams brawl their way to the back. The bad blood wasn’t over, inside or outside the ring.