25 Greatest Matches In WWE SummerSlam History

Before SummerSlam 1991, Bret Hart was considered a tag team star -- he and Jim Neidhart formed the Hart Foundation, one of the most successful teams of the late 1980s. It was his classic bout with Mr. Perfect for the Intercontinental Title that changed that perception and created the greatest hero the company had ever -- and would ever -- see.

Perfect had held the Intercontinental Championship since the previous November, and with his manager, Coach, by his side, he had defeated many of WWE's most popular babyfaces. This match, as expected, started with some excellent technical wrestling, but Mr. Perfect soon tried to bail on the bout, forcing Bret to bring him back to the ring. 

When Coach tried to get involved, Bret knocked him off the apron, but that gave Perfect the opportunity to nail him with a low blow. Perfect tried to follow up on the illegal attack with a legdrop across Bret's lower stomach, but the challenger caught the champion's leg, worked him into the Sharpshooter, and scored the submission.

Not only had Bret proven himself as a singles superstar, but his road to becoming the face of WWE had begun.