20 all-time great WWE SummerSlam matches

#17 Triple H vs. The Rock – SummerSlam 1998

WWE Greatest Matches, No73! HHH Vs The Rock. Ladder Match, SummerSlam 1998. @TripleH @TheRock #WWENetwork #WWE pic.twitter.com/vWwsM21zqP

— WWE Today In History 🌐 (@WWE__History) December 27, 2014

Perched on the brink of superstardom, The Rock and Triple H delivered one of the greatest SummerSlam matches in WWE history, especially if one thinks about its significance in retrospect. ‘The Game’ and ‘The People’s Champ’ were yet to become the WWE stalwarts they would go on to be when they faced each other in a Ladder Match at SummerSlam 1998 over the Intercontinental Championship.

Triple H was accompanied to the ring by fellow DX member Chyna, while The Rock had his Nation of Domination stablemate, Mark Henry. Needless to say, both Chyna and Mark Henry went on to play important roles in the match, but it is the storytelling by Triple H and The Rock themselves that set the contest apart despite being considered a mid-card match.

After two unsuccessful attempts, Triple H finally landed the Pedigree after recovering from a Rock Bottom in time. Mark Henry stepped in and threw flour into Triple H’s eyes to allow The Rock enough time to stand back up, but The Cerebral Assassin managed to climb up the ladder by feel alone.

He could have been intercepted by The Rock yet again if not for Chyna’s well-aimed low-blow that bought Triple H enough time to go all the way up and retrieve the Intercontinental belt from where it was hanging.