Triple H solidified himself as the best heel in the business with this performance, as he targeted Michaels' previously injured back throughout the contest and continued the assault after it concluded. Michaels wasn't the only one who impressed, though. Heading into the match, it was anyone's guess whether this was a "one more match" situation for Michaels, but as the near 30-minute masterpiece ebbed and flowed, it became clear that this wouldn't be the last time we saw him in the ring. The true nature of Michaels' comeback was ignited with the sound of the opening bell, and it was clear in the first few minutes of the match that he hadn't lost a step. The bout accomplished many things, but none greater than the story it told. That was enough provocation to seal the deal, though it took an additional turn as an "unsanctioned" contest due to Michaels' injury history - and with that, one of the greatest SummerSlam matches of all time was set. Triple H took that indignity even further the following week when he ambushed Michaels in the parking lot. But with one pedigree to Michaels, Triple H became the ultimate villain. Michaels returned just one month before SummerSlam, ready to pick up where he had left off as he and Triple H wore Degeneration-X shirts to the ring and celebrated their return as such on the July 22 episode of Monday Night Raw. His first match since the main event of WrestleMania 14 in 1998 was equally impressive because of how much steam Michaels and Triple H picked up in such a short time.
After Michaels spent four years on the shelf with a back injury that seemingly ended his career, this epic encounter between longtime friends kicked off the second phase of Michaels' Hall of Fame career.
On a night when highlights where the norm inside New York's Nassau Coliseum, none shined brighter than the unsanctioned street fight featuring Triple H and the returning Shawn Michaels. From high-octane action and brilliant storytelling, to a monumental comeback and a historical conclusion, the biggest party of the summer was never as hot as it was in 2002. That night's main event marked the changing of the guard, and it was made all the more important by everything that preceded it. Sixteen years ago, as WWE was looking to re-establish its identity post-Invasion, SummerSlam 2002 produced a landmark moment that came to define the decade that followed in the WWE. WWE pay-per-view events come and go, but great moments stand the test of time. SummerSlam 2002: A look back at a landscape-shifting moment in WWE history
Wwe raw 2002 the rock upgrade#
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