10 Times WWE Got The SummerSlam Main Event Wrong

9. SummerSlam 2004 - Chris Benoit vs. Randy Orton

Randy Orton Headlock Chris Benoit SummerSlam 2004
WWE

What The Main Event Should Have Been: Chris Benoit vs. Triple H.

Brock Lesnar had left the WWE four months before SummerSlam 2004. Vince McMahon was furious over this unexpected departure, and wanted him forgotten and off the record books. This felt like a big part of the reason why Randy Orton defeated Benoit at the event: to become the new youngest World Heavyweight Champion.

Benoit’s run with the title was largely forgettable, due in part because he was so completely overshadowed by Triple H. At Bad Blood 2004, Benoit battled a lukewarm Kane in an 18 minute match, while Shawn Michaels and Hunter were given the main event in a 47 minute Hell in a Cell match. Two months later, Hunter and Benoit had their rematch at Vengeance; it should have been saved for the Slam.

Two things happened at SummerSlam 2004 that hurt the company over the following months. The first was that Eugene was booed by the notoriously rebellious Toronto, and then pinned by Hunter, which killed a lot of his momentum. The second thing was that it lead to Orton’s ridiculously short four week title reign, which was kicked off with a terrible babyface run.

If the plan was to give the title back to Hunter all along (which it most assuredly was), they should have done it in a great final chapter with Benoit.

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