The main feud heading into SummerSlam on the SmackDown! brand was between The Rock and Brock Lesnar, with the two feuding over the WWE Undisputed Championship. On the June 24 episode of "Raw", it was announced that Lesnar would face off against the champion at SummerSlam, as a result of winning the King of the Ring tournament. At Vengeance, Rock defeated The Undertaker and Kurt Angle in a triple threat match to win the WWE Undisputed Championship by pinning Angle after executing a "Rock Bottom". On the July 25 episode of "SmackDown!", during Rock's WWE Tag Team Championship match against The Un-Americans (Lance Storm and Christian), Lesnar interfered by nailing Rock's tag team partner Hollywood Hulk Hogan with an "F-5". Due to Lesnar's interference, Rock and Hogan won the match by disqualification, but not the titles. On the August 8 episode of "SmackDown!", Lesnar put his SummerSlam title shot on the line against Hogan with the stipulation added that if Hogan were to defeat Lesnar, he would face Rock in a WrestleMania X8 rematch at SummerSlam for the WWE Undisputed Championship. At the end, Lesnar locked Hogan in a bear hug. When Hogan kayfabe passed out, the referee stopped the contest. After the match, Lesnar then nailed Hogan in the head with the steel chair, causing Hogan to bleed. On the August 15 episode of "SmackDown!", Rock took on the WWE Intercontinental Champion Chris Benoit in a "Champion vs. Champion" match, which Lesnar interfered once again. During the match, Lesnar taunted Rock while Rock was placed in the "Crippler Crossface" by Benoit. Rock, however, was able to defeat Benoit following a "Rock Bottom". On the August 22 episode of "SmackDown!", after Rock and Edge defeated Benoit and Eddie Guerrero in a tag team match, Lesnar appeared for another stare down with Rock, which led to a brawl between the two that ended the show.