Hall of Famer goes off-script, celebrity attacks champion- 5 controversial moments from WWE SummerSlam history hardcore fans can never forget!

WWE SummerSlam is considered one of the major events in the Stamford-based promotion for a reason. The show has featured several debuts, returns, and unforgettable moments throughout the years.

Roman Reigns started as The Tribal Chief, Brock Lesnar returned sporting a farmer/cowboy look, Becky Lynch betrayed to start her run as The Man, and more have occurred in WWE SummerSlam. While most of these moments will be remembered fondly by many, there were still some moments that happened that created a different kind of buzz and drama after they occurred.

In this list, we will look at five controversial moments that occurred during the WWE SummerSlam Premium Live Event.

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#5. Shawn Michaels oversells Hulk Hogan's moves

The main event of WWE SummerSlam 2005 was a Legend vs. Icon match between Shawn Michaels and Hulk Hogan. Although both are considered legends of the sport and some of the best of all time, they weren't on the same page for the match.

It was reported that Hall of Famers Shawn and Hulk had issues in the lead-up to their match. Since Hogan didn't want a face vs. face match to occur, Michaels had to turn heel forcefully. There were also initial discussions of having two to three matches, with Shawn suggesting Hulk gain most of the victories. However, Hogan refused to do it, citing injuries, which is why only one match happened.

As a result, many believed Michaels went off-script by "overselling" the moves in the match to mock or make Hogan look bad. Despite this, both men shook hands with each other after Hulk picked up the victory.

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#4. Daniel Bryan abruptly loses the WWE Championship

Two of arguably wrestling's faces faced off at the 2013 SummerSlam: Daniel Bryan vs. then WWE Champion John Cena. In the weeks leading up to the event, on-screen authorities would belittle the challenger and state he wasn't ready for the gold.

Despite this and John's real-life injury at the time, they continued with their match, which was greatly met by fans and professionals. Bryan eventually won the title, much to the delight of many fans. However, Randy Orton ruined the celebration by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract with the help of Triple H, who served as the guest referee.

While this was an unfortunate moment for Bryan and his fans, it was an important part of his career as it marked the beginning of the "Yes Movement" and his eventual big win at WrestleMania 30.

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#3. The Ultimate Warrior immediately ended a historic title reign

One of the most memorable moments at the inaugural WWE SummerSlam in 1988 revolved around the Intercontinental Championship. Before Gunther was the longest reigning champion, the record was held by The Honky Tonk Man with 454 days. However, he would lose the title in only 30 seconds at the hands of The Ultimate Warrior.

According to Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, he was supposed to dethrone Honky Tonk Man and was set for another four-to-five-month feud. However, The Ultimate Warrior "threw a tantrum" and said he would quit if he didn't win the belt. As a result, the champion decided to drop the belt.

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#2. Jon Stewart helps Seth Rollins by attacking John Cena

There have been many celebrity involvements and appearances that have happened in WWE throughout the years, one of them involving daily talk show host Jon Stewart. However, he shocked fans in 2015 when he sided with the enemy.

Jon hosted the 2015 event in Brooklyn, which showcased a Winner Takes All match between Seth Rollins and John Cena. Seth was the World Heavyweight Champion, while Cena was the United States Champion.

Stewart had confrontations with Seth leading up to the event, which is why fans expected him to attack Rollins during the unification match. However, he did the opposite by attacking Cena and reasoned he didn't want John to beat Ric Flair's 16-World Championship record. However, Cena got revenge later on by delivering an attitude adjustment to the host on an episode of RAW.

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#1. Brock Lesnar opens Randy Orton at WWE SummerSlam 2016

Randy Orton vs. Brock Lesnar was considered a dream match [Image Credit: WWE.com]

Brock Lesnar made a lot of headlines in 2016. He returned to MMA and defeated Mark Hunt at UFC 200, but the decision was later turned into a no-contest after Brock tested positive for two banned substances. On the wrestling side, he entered a feud with Randy Orton, who even taunted The Beast regarding his failed drug test.

At WWE SummerSlam 2016, their match ended shockingly as Lesnar sliced The Viper's forehead after delivering several elbow shots. Many thought Brock went off-script at the time, even confusing their referee at the time, Mike Chioda, and getting into a backstage confrontation with Chris Jericho as the AEW star thought Brock legitimately hurt Orton.