The 25 greatest matches in SummerSlam history

No. 3: Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (2002)

“It was you, Hunter.”

With those words, best friends became better rivals in summer 2002, when it was revealed that it was Triple H who viciously attacked Shawn Michaels in a parking lot, making the inactive HBK wheel chair–bound. After The Game’s dirty secret was exposed and Michaels was back on his feet, there was only one course of action: the two “friends” would clash at SummerSlam 2002 in a Street Fight.

When the familiar strands of “Sexy Boy” hit the speaker system at that pay-per-view, the WWE Universe erupted as Michaels made his return to the ring. What may have been unfamiliar to those watching, however, was the style employed by HBK — he relied on brawler tactics to even the odds of the battle. Still, although he had not competed in a match since WrestleMania XIV, a four-year absence caused by a back injury, it was clear early on that Michaels could still go. The battle was fast-paced and increasingly violent, and it was a highlight of SummerSlam.

“I can still fight,” Michaels told Triple H just weeks before their battle waged. And, after a brutal and exhausting bout, HBK proved just that by defeating Triple H. – ALEX GIANNINI (WATCH)