SummerSlam 1997 SummerSlam 1997 was the tenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay - per - view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF ) . It took place on August 3 , 1997 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford , New Jersey . The tagline was " " Hart & Soul " " . Background . Summerslam 1997 featured professional wrestling matches involving different wrestlers from pre - existing scripted feuds , plots and storylines that were played out on " WWF Monday Night Raw " and other World Wrestling Federation television programs . Wrestlers portrayed a villain or a hero as they followed a series of events that built tension , and culminated into a wrestling match or series of matches . The featured rivalry heading into the event involved WWF champion The Undertaker and Bret Hart . On the July 7 episode of " Raw is War " at Edmonton , Alberta , Hart was announced as the number one contender for the WWF title . In an interview with Vince McMahon , Hart said that if he did not win the title at Summerslam , he would not wrestle on American soil again . The next week , Shawn Michaels , Hart ' s nemesis , requested Vince McMahon to be a part of SummerSlam . On the July 21 episode of " Raw " , Hart , his brother Owen , and his brother - in - law The British Bulldog ( The Hart Foundation ) , challenged three American wrestlers into a flag match . Shawn Michaels was announced as a special referee for the main event at SummerSlam , and in response to the announcement , Hart attacked Michaels and McMahon . Later , the Hart Foundation defeated the American team that contained the Tag team champions Steve Austin and Dude Love , with the Undertaker , where the Hart Foundation won thanks to an interference from Brian Pillman . The next week , Hart challenged The Patriot , a match where Hart lost thanks to an interference from Michaels . After the match , the referees prevented Hart from attacking Michaels while the Undertaker watched from the entrance ramp . A predominant feud entering the event featured WWF Intercontinental Champion Owen Hart and Steve Austin . On July 6 , on the pay - per - view , Hart managed to pin Austin in a five on five match . The day after it , Austin attacked Hart while he was singing the Canadian national anthem . At the same night , Austin told Vince McMahon that if he did not win the title from Hart at Summerslam , he will kiss Hart ' s ass . The next week , Austin teamed up with Dude Love to win the vacant tag team titles in a match with Hart and the British Bulldog . At the July 21 episode of " Raw " , Hart ' s teamed managed to defeat Austin ' s team at a three on three flag match . The next week , Hart attacked Austin during a tag titles match against The Godwinns , counting him out . After the match , Austin attacked Hart . Another rivalry heading into event featured the WWF European Champion The British Bulldog and Ken Shamrock . The two were at opposing teams of the Canadian Stampede PPV . At the July 14 episode of " Raw " , the Bulldog said that if he lost at Summerslam , he would eat a can of dog food right after the match . The next week , the Bulldog attacked Shamrock during a match with Vader , powerslamming him on the steel ramp , and making him lose the match via count out . The next week , Bulldog and Shamrock competed in an arm wrestling contest , but as Shamrock was about to win , the Bulldog headbutted him , hit him with a steel chair and poured a can of dog food over him .