10 Wrestling Matches That Buried Top Stars ON PURPOSE
2. Ultimate Warrior Vs. Honky Tonk Man - WWF SummerSlam 1988
A far better purpose here: because fans really, really wanted the Honky Tonk Man to eat sh*t.
He was a top star and a draw: an aberration so successful that WWE has long since incorporated his chicken sh*t heel shtick as an enduring archetype. That archetype is awful, of course, but it is what it is.
At SummerSlam 1988, the successful house show bit was finally paid off when the Ultimate Warrior battered him within seconds.
The length of the match was short because the fans had waited long enough. The length of the match was also short because the Ultimate Warrior was a reckless dumbf*ck meathead who didn't know what he was doing, unless Pat Patterson patiently and repeatedly kicked him in the shin to relay complex instructions over the course of several days before those seven good matches he had.
In just 31 seconds, Warrior ended the reign.
Punch.
Punch.
Punch.
Ridiculous fire-up pose that looked like an infuriated Warrior had just received word of an initiative to help child poverty in an area populated by minorities.
Flying shoulder press.
A clothesline so atrocious that he ended up potato-ing Honky's ear.
Running splash.
The end, which, to be objective, popped the crowd daft because he was a major star.