20 all-time great WWE SummerSlam matches

#18 Bret Hart vs. The Undertaker - SummerSlam 1997

17 years ago today @BretHart beat The Undertaker for his 5th WWF World Title at Summerslam #WWE pic.twitter.com/HTmlAwGovr

— Wrestling's Past (@WrestlingsPast) August 3, 2014

Heading into SummerSlam 1997, The Undertaker was the WWF Champion. He was in the middle of a push as a main event star when he faced Bret Hart at the event. At the time, Hart was not the beloved babyface that fans remember him as. Instead, he was in the middle of an anti-USA gimmick that led to him being one of the most hated stars on the roster.

On top of everything else, Shawn Michaels was the special guest referee, and there was a stipulation that barred him from costing Hart the title. As a result, he was forced to call the match down the middle while seeing his biggest rival compete.

The match was excellent as Hart and The Undertaker had brilliant chemistry, but what made the match was the ending sequence. Bret Hart tried to use a steel chair on The Undertaker. Michaels pulled it away from him, only for Hart to spit in his face. Michaels swung the chair blindly and accidentally hit The Undertaker, after which he was forced to count the pinfall and award Hart the title.

This led to a rivalry between Michaels and The Undertaker, while also boosting the rivalry between Michaels and Hart. The SummerSlam match went down in history thanks to brilliant storytelling from all three individuals involved.