Summer Slam (2009) - Background

Background

SummerSlam featured professional wrestling matches involving different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots, and storylines that were played out on Raw, SmackDown, ECW and WWE Superstars—World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) television programs. Wrestlers portrayed a villain or a hero as they followed a series of events that built tension, and culminated with a wrestling match or series of matches. All wrestlers were from WWE's Raw, SmackDown, and ECW brands—a storyline division in which WWE employees are assigned to a television program of the same name.

The Raw brand's main event was announced on the July 27 episode of Raw by the show's guest host and storyline matchmaker, Shaquille O'Neal. Randy Orton would defend the WWE Championship against the winner of a Beat the Clock challenge, which was determined by who of the five competitors could defeat their opponent in the fastest time: Mark Henry, Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP), Triple H, Jack Swagger, or John Cena. Henry set the pace by defeating Carlito in 6:49, while MVP, Triple H, and Swagger failed to defeat their opponents. Cena beat Henry's time by defeating The Miz, and become Orton's opponent at SummerSlam.

The main rivalry from the SmackDown brand heading into SummerSlam was between Jeff Hardy and CM Punk in their continuing conflict over the World Heavyweight Championship. Animosity stemmed from Extreme Rules when Punk invoked the guaranteed title match he earned by winning the Money in the Bank ladder match against Hardy and defeated him for the World Heavyweight title. The two faced off at the next two pay-per-view events, The Bash and Night of Champions, with Hardy winning the latter match to regain the title. This also saw a number of conflicts between the two over their respective philosophies in life; Punk is legitimately straight edge, which promotes a drug-free lifestyle, while Hardy, who has had a number of indiscretions with drugs throughout his career, was at odds with the way Punk reprimanded the fans for their potential addictions. Following two assaults on Hardy, SmackDown General Manager, Theodore Long, announced that another match would be held between the two at SummerSlam in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match (TLC).

The ECW brand will be represented at the show with Christian defending the ECW Championship against William Regal. On the August 11 episode of the program, Christian was a guest on the talk show segment, The Abraham Washington Show, where the eponymous host announced the number-one contender for the title would be Regal, leading to both men making statements in the following week until it was announced the two would meet at the event.

On the July 27 episode of Raw, the Unified WWE Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho and The Big Show got into a heated confrontation with Shaquille O'Neal. After the two refused to get into a fight with him, O'Neal announced that the champions would fight Shad Gaspard and JTG (collectively known as Cryme Tyme) in a tag team match later that night with O'Neal acting as the match's ringside enforcer, which led to the champions getting disqualified, invoking their adversaries' ire. On the July 31 episode of SmackDown, Cryme Tyme defeated Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith (collectively known as The Hart Dynasty) to become Jericho and Big Show's opponents at SummerSlam.

WWE Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio had been the target of Dolph Ziggler since July. The two met at Night of Champions, only to see Mysterio retain the title. Ziggler regained his contender status on the August 7 episode of SmackDown by defeating R-Truth, Mike Knox, and Finlay in a fatal four-way.

Stemming from his previous rivalry with Randy Orton, Triple H started to target Orton's Legacy associates, Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes. Triple H failed to win his Beat the Clock challenge to face Orton in a match with Rhodes when DiBiase distracted him for sufficient time to make beating Mark Henry's time impossible. After losing a handicap match against the two the following week on the August 3 episode of Raw, Triple H announced that he was going to get a partner to counteract the two, hinting throughout the show that he intended to reform D-Generation X with Shawn Michaels. A week later, it was revealed that Michaels, who had not been seen on WWE programming since WrestleMania XXV, had been working as a chef at a corporate cafeteria. At the cafeteria, Triple H convinced Michaels to quit his job and return at SummerSlam to face DiBiase and Rhodes in a tag team match.

At The Bash, The Great Khali was assaulted with a steel chair by Kane in his match with Dolph Ziggler. The following weeks saw both men interfere in each other's matches with Kane running away from his adversary any time Khali made his way to gain a measure of revenge. On the August 7 episode of SmackDown, Kane attacked Khali from behind before kidnapping Khali's translator, Ranjin Singh. The following week, it was revealed that Kane was holding Singh hostage in a backstage room at the Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, interrogating and abusing him, before Khali found him, leading to Kane beating down on Khali. It was announced the following week on WWE's official website that the two would meet at SummerSlam.

After Jack Swagger was moved to the Raw brand, he had a verbal confrontation with Montel Vontavious Porter, which led to MVP challenging the former to a fight, which was declined by Swagger on the grounds of his unwillingness to "fight criminals", referring to MVP's previous incarceration. The coming weeks saw Swagger and MVP interfere in each other's business before MVP challenged Swagger on the August 17 episode of Raw. As the match commenced, Swagger got himself disqualified, leading to the announcement of a conclusive match at SummerSlam.