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SummerslamWrestlemania is known by pro-wrestling fans around the world as the biggest show of the year. Everyone tunes in to watch the biggest stars competing on the grandest stage of them all. However due to such large expectations, Wrestlemania doesn’t always deliver quite as anticipated.Summerslam on the other hand, is widely viewed as the second biggest event of the year, but receives nowhere near the amount of hype as mania. Thus, there have been many times where Summerslam has actually been able to outshine its perceived bigger counterpart. So now let’s take a look at 5 times when Summerslam was better than the Wrestlemania from the same year:
#5 1997
Wrestlemania 13 had a few good matches but the main event between Taker and Sid fell a little flat. The saving grace of mania was the legendary bout between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart that will forever be remembered as a truly historic moment.
The 1997 Summerslam event though was simply a better all-round show with a great match by Undertaker and Bret Hart. The bout between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Owen Hart also added quality to the event.
#4 2011
Wrestlemania 27 will go down infamously in history as one of the worst Wrestlemania’s in recent memory. The card was plagued with average matches such as the ridiculous Cole vs Lawler rivalry as well as a lacklustre main event between the Miz and John Cena. Furthermore, the main event was hindered by a messy screw finish involving The Rock which really didn’t help.
CM Punk v Randy Orton was the best match on the card, but unfortunately they were only given 14 minutes to work. WM 27 also had a couple of other decent bouts such as Rhodes vs Mysterio and Undertaker vs HHH but overall, the show was weak.
The 2011 Summerslam event on the other hand, was extremely solid. Barrett vs Bryan was a very good midcard bout and the event would only get better. Orton and Christian delivered an enthralling no holds barred match. The main event was even better as WWE champion CM Punk battled WWE champion John Cena with special guest referee Triple H to determine who was the true undisputed WWE champion. Punk would win only to get screwed by Kevin Nash followed by a shocking Del Rio cash-in.
It’s safe to say that Summerslam 2011 well surpassed its bigger cousin.
#3 1995
Wrestlemania 11 as a whole was only an average event. The main event between Lawrence Taylor and Bam Bam Bigelow left a lot to be desired. Diesel vs Shawn Michaels was okay but most of the other bouts were largely forgettable.
The 1995 Summerslam event wasn’t great either but it was still much better than Mania that year. The main event bout of Summerslam between Diesel and King Mabel was only average, but it was the amazing ladder match between Michaels and Razor Ramon that really made the event spectacular. A few of the other undercard matches for Summerslam were also fairly decent.
#2 2013
Wrestlemania 29 really didn’t have that many memorable matches. Lesnar v HHH fell flat and not many were too interested with a Cena vs Rock rematch. Swagger v Del Rio was solid but still very forgettable. The only amazing match was the Undertaker v CM Punk bout. Those two put on an exceptional performance that will be remembered for many years to come. The streak bout was great, but unfortunately the rest of the event was only average.
Summerslam 2013 though was a much better-rounded spectacle. Del Rio and Christian were able to deliver a solid world championship bout that was filled with emotion. Brock Lesnar and CM Punk would proceed to outdo them by delivering a near-perfect bout that should have been a match of the year candidate.
But then the main event came that was arguably able to surpass them. John Cena and Daniel Bryan captivated the audience with a thrilling WWE championship bout. The best part though was that Bryan won cleanly much to audience’s delight. Of course, HHH would attack him thus, leading to Orton cash-in but still the moment was amazing.
Summerslam without a doubt outshined Wrestlemania 29. Perhaps the biggest crime though was that Cena vs Rock won the Slammy for Match Of The Year.
#1 2002
Wrestlemania 18 was okay but it was still far from great. The main event between Triple H and Chris Jericho was solid but perhaps not quite Mania main event worthy. The best bout on the card was easily the showdown between Hollywood Hulk Hogan and The Rock simply due to the crowd’s strong investment. The rest of the card was largely forgettable for the most part.
The 2002 Summerslam event on the other hand, was much better. The main event alone between The Rock and Brock Lesnar for the WWE championship was absolutely outstanding. Another incredible match-up was the very personal street fight between Triple H and Shawn Michaels that enthralled the audience. The rest of the card was also much better than Mania.
Summerslam 2002 most definitely exceeded Wrestlemania 18.
