SummerSlam (1999)

SummerSlam is an annual pay-per-view, produced every August by World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) since 1988. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer,"[1] it is one of the promotion's original four pay-per-views, along with WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and Survivor Series, dubbed the "Big Four".[2] It is considered WWF's second biggest event of the year behind WrestleMania.[3][4] 1999 was the twelfth event in the SummerSlam chronology.[5]

The main feud heading into SummerSlam was between Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H and Mankind over the WWF Championship. The previous month at Fully Loaded, Austin retained the WWF Championship by defeating The Undertaker in a first blood match when X-Pac interfered, allowing Austin to hit Undertaker with a television camera. Also at Fully Loaded, Triple H defeated The Rock in a Strap match to become the number one contender for the WWF Championship, thanks to the help of Billy Gunn and China. In recent weeks, Triple H stated that he's been studying Austin for months to figure out how to beat him.

On the August 9th episode of Raw is War, it was revealed that Minnesota governor as well as fellow WWF legend Jesse "The Body" Ventura would be the special guest referee for the main event at SummerSlam. When Triple H came out and got in Ventura's face, WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels set up a match between Austin, Triple H and Undertaker. When Austin was found mysteriously attacked in a stairwell, Michaels accused Triple H of being the attacker but Triple H denied it. Michaels then set up a Triple threat match with the title of number one contender on the line between Triple H, Undertaker and Chyna. Austin returned later that night and hit Triple H with a chair, then put Chyna on top allowing her to win the match and become number one contender.

The following week, Triple H challenged Chyna to a match with her number one contender status on the line which Chyna accepted. Chyna again won the match after Mankind returned from a knee injury and attacked Triple H. Mankind then challenged Chyna for her number one contender status but Chyna refused to accept and low blowed Mankind, Michaels overruled Chyna and made the match. Mankind later defeated Chyna when Triple H attempted to interfere. Shane McMahon stated as owner of the WWF he was booking a match between Mankind and Triple H to determine the undisputed number one contender. Michaels agreed to the match and he and Shane named themselves as referees. When Mankind and Triple H covered each other, Michaels and Shane both counted to three but they argued over who is the number one contender. Ring announcer Tony Chimel announced that both men are winners and that there will be a Triple threat match at SummerSlam.

Another rivalry heading into SummerSlam was between Test and Shane McMahon. In July before Fully Loaded, Shane and the Mean Street Posse had started a feud with Test because of his relationship with Stephanie McMahon whom Shane feels was dating "beneath the family standards". Over the following weeks, Test had faced Posse member Joey Abs whom Shane had set up on a date with Stephanie. On the July 12 episode of Raw is War, Test wrestled the Posse in a Gauntlet match but it ended in no contest when Shane interfered. When the Posse attempted to break Test's ankle, Stephanie came out and grabbed her brother from behind. Thinking that it was a referee, Shane backhand elbowed his sister and knocked her out. The following two weeks, Stephanie rejected Joey Abs and demanded that her brother and his friends stay out of her life. On the August 15 episode of Sunday Night Heat, Shane challenged Test to a "Love her or Leave her" Greenwich Street Fight at SummerSlam. If Shane won Test and Stephanie could no longer see each other but if Test won Shane would give his blessing to them. Test agreed and accepted the challenge.