Summer Slam (2005) - Event

Event

Before the event officially began, Chris Masters defeated The Hurricane in a match taped for Sunday Night Heat. The first match of the event was between Chris Benoit and Orlando Jordan for the WWE United States Championship. The match started with both locked up in a collar-and-elbow. Benoit forced Jordan into the corner, and as the referee attempted to break them up, Jordan punched Benoit. Benoit then avoided a clothesline attempt and performed a German suplex. Benoit then applied the Crippler Crossface to force Jordan to submit. Benoit won the match and the title in 25.5 seconds.

The second match was between Edge and Matt Hardy. The fight started outside the ring, with Hardy gaining the early advantage. After repeated punches, Hardy applied a rear naked choke. Edge fought back with a headbutt and punches. Edge then performed a spear to the outside. Both were down briefly before Edge brought Hardy back into the ring. Hardy fought back with punches and mounted punches in the corner. During this, Edge pushed Hardy upwards, causing his head to hit the ringpost and bleed. Edge attacked Hardy's head repeatedly, and Hardy was incapable of defending himself. The referee finally stopped the match and awarded Edge the victory.

The third match was a Ladder match between Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio for the custody of Dominick. A briefcase with legal documents inside was suspended above the ring. After throwing Mysterio into the steel steps, Guerrero ascended a ladder. Mysterio performed a springboard dropkick and knocked down the ladder. Mysterio then performed a dropkick, sending the ladder into Guerrero's face, and a springboard seated senton to the outside. Guerrero then performed a powerbomb off the ladder, and a Hilo to Mysterio, who was sandwiched between two ladders. Both ascended the ladder again, and Mysterio performed a back body drop onto another ladder. Guerrero performed an Alley Oop to Mysterio onto a ladder balanced on the top rope. As Guerrero ascended the ladder, Dominick entered the ring and attempted to shake the ladder. Guerrero confronted him and, as he was about to attack him, Mysterio fought off Guerrero and performed a 619 and a Droppin' Da Dime with the ladder. Both attempted to obtain the briefcase, but was stopped by the other. After Guerrero performed the Three Amigos onto a ladder, he ascended the ladder, but Vickie Guerrero came down and pushed down the ladder. She then held onto Eddie as Mysterio retrieved the briefcase to win the match.

The fourth match was between Eugene and Kurt Angle for the Olympic gold medal that originally belonged to Angle. Angle gained the early advantage with repeated short-arm clotheslines. Eugene then countered with a spinebuster and attempted a People's Elbow, but Angle performed a clothesline. Angle then performed several German suplex. Eugene fought back, and performed a Rock Bottom. Eugene then performed a Stone Cold Stunner and applied the ankle lock. Angle countered, and performed an Angle Slam. He then applied the ankle lock and forced Eugene to submit to win the match. After the match, Angle threw Eugene out of the ring and had the referee place the gold medal around his neck.

The fifth match was between The Undertaker and Randy Orton. The Undertaker gained the advantage after a leaping flying clothesline and attacks in the corner. Orton gained the advantage by avoiding a big boot. Orton then attacked The Undertaker's left knee. The Undertaker eventually countered an attack by sending Orton outside the ring. The Undertaker then performed a guillotine leg drop to Orton, who was on the apron. The Undertaker then performed an Old School and a reverse STO. The Undertaker then performed a Snake Eyes, but Orton came back with a dropkick. The Undertaker avoided an RKO attempt and attempted a Tombstone Piledriver, which Orton countered into an inverted headlock backbreaker. Orton then performed a crossbody, but The Undertaker rolled through and performed a chokeslam. A fan then entered the ring and distracted The Undertaker, allowing Orton to perform an RKO and win the match. Orton then revealed the fan to be "Cowboy" Bob Orton in disguise.

The sixth match was between John Cena and Chris Jericho for the WWE Championship. Jericho gained the early advantage until he missed a springboard crossbody to the outside. Cena fought back briefly, but Jericho came back with a dropkick, and a superplex to Cena. Cena fought back with a back body drop, but missed a flying shoulder block. Jericho then delivered a one-handed bulldog, but missed a lionsault. Jericho countered an FU attempt and attempted to apply the Walls of Jericho, but Cena kicked Jericho outside. Cena performed a diving leg drop bulldog and attempted an FU, but Jericho countered into a DDT. Jericho then performed a pendulum backbreaker and repeated elbow drops to Cena's back. Cena fought back and performed a spin-out powerbomb. He then attempted a Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Jericho countered and applied the Walls of Jericho. He then performed a belly to back suplex from the turnbuckles. As he attempted another attack, Cena countered into an FU to win the match and retain his title.

The seventh match was a No Holds Barred match between John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) and Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship. JBL attacked Batista during his entrance, and they fought on the entrance ramp and at ringside, using several weapons. Batista performed a spear to JBL through the security wall. JBL shoved Batista into the ringpost and continued to beat down Batista after a short-arm clothesline. He then whipped and choked Batista with a leather belt. Batista fought back with a belly to back suplex and whipped JBL with the belt. JBL fought back, performing a Clothesline from Hell and bringing the steel steps into the ring. He attempted an attack on the steps, but Batista countered with a back body drop. He then performed a spinebuster and two Batista Bombs, with the second onto the steel steps, to win the match and retain his title.

The main event was between Shawn Michaels and Hulk Hogan. This was Hogan's first SummerSlam appearance since 1991. During Hogan's entrance, a huge American flag unrolled from the top of the stage and covered the entire set. The match started slow, until Hogan sent Michaels outside. Hogan performed a scoop slam on the announce table and sent Michaels into the ringpost. Michaels reversed another attempt and sent Hogan into the ringpost twice. Michaels continued to attack his head with punches and mounted punches and applied the sleeper hold. Hogan fought out of it with a belly to back suplex, but failed to gain the advantage as Michaels performed a flying forearm smash. Michaels then missed a diving elbow drop, and Hogan fought back briefly. Michaels performed another flying forearm smash and applied the sharpshooter. Hogan broke the hold and avoided another attempt by kicking Michaels into the referee. Michaels performed a low blow and hit Hogan with a steel chair. Michaels then performed a diving elbow drop and a superkick. Hogan then fought back with a big boot and a leg drop to win the match. After the match, Michaels extended his hand to Hogan saying, "I needed to know and I found out," and Hogan shook his hand. It has been suggested that Michaels deliberately made a mockery of the match by over-selling throughout the contest, allegedly because he was unhappy about being asked to job to an inferior opponent.