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SummerSlam is considered to be one of WWE's biggest events of the year, after WrestleMania. The event has a long history and has seen some of the most important matches of all time take place.
As a result, there are some unforgettable matchups that took place in WWE's "biggest party of the summer" over the years. Some of these matches helped build a superstar to another level and displayed their potential in front of an enormous audience.
At other times, SummerSlam has seen some of the greatest matches ever take place as legends put everything on the line to make their moments memorable.
The following are some of the all-time great SummerSlam matches which can be watched again and again without them getting old.
#20 Finn Balor vs Seth Rollins – SummerSlam 2016
Finn Balor’s match against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam 2016 should have been the start of a new era for RAW. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. Despite the shadow that hung over the match in the aftermath of the pay-per-view, the bout itself was one of the best ever at SummerSlam.
Finn Balor made his way out as The Demon King. It was the final of the inaugural tournament to determine the new WWE Universal Champion. Balor had defeated Roman Reigns to get there and he was going to become champion one way or the other. He faced Seth Rollins, who was determined to become the first-ever Universal Champion, and the two wrestlers put on one of the most exciting and fast-paced bouts of the night.
In the end, Finn Balor connected with the Coup de Grace and he became the first-ever Universal Champion.
He would not be able to hold it for even a week.
The next day, it was revealed that during the match Finn Balor had sustained a shoulder injury at SummerSlam. He was forced to vacate the title and take time away from the company. When he returned, he would never receive the same push on the main roster that allowed him to win the title in the first place.
#19 Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect – SummerSlam 1991
When it comes to SummerSlam, you can't talk about the best matches in event history without mentioning this forgotten classic. In what is often considered one of the greatest Intercontinental Championship matches of all time, Bret Hart picked up the first-ever singles title win of his career, defeating WWE Hall of Famer Mr. Perfect at SummerSlam 1991. The match was even more special, as when looked back on, Mr. Perfect was heading into it with an injured back.
Speaking about the match on WWE's The Bump, Bret Hart would later reveal that despite all his issues, Mr. Perfect didn't let up.
“When SummerSlam came, Curt, he had a lot of back problems that were ailing him pretty good. He really wanted to have that match. When he heard he was gonna wrestle me, no matter what happened, he was gonna be there for me. But he couldn't really train really hard for that match."
The two men went back and forth for a twenty-minute classic before Bret Hart stopped a leg-drop from Mr. Perfect and turned it into a Sharpshooter to win the match. They produced the "perfect" match at SummerSlam and it elevated both men by the end of the night.
#18 Bret Hart vs. The Undertaker - SummerSlam 1997
Heading into SummerSlam 1997, The Undertaker was the WWF Champion. He was in the middle of a push as a main event star when he faced Bret Hart at the event. At the time, Hart was not the beloved babyface that fans remember him as. Instead, he was in the middle of an anti-USA gimmick that led to him being one of the most hated stars on the roster.
On top of everything else, Shawn Michaels was the special guest referee, and there was a stipulation that barred him from costing Hart the title. As a result, he was forced to call the match down the middle while seeing his biggest rival compete.
The match was excellent as Hart and The Undertaker had brilliant chemistry, but what made the match was the ending sequence. Bret Hart tried to use a steel chair on The Undertaker. Michaels pulled it away from him, only for Hart to spit in his face. Michaels swung the chair blindly and accidentally hit The Undertaker, after which he was forced to count the pinfall and award Hart the title.
This led to a rivalry between Michaels and The Undertaker, while also boosting the rivalry between Michaels and Hart. The SummerSlam match went down in history thanks to brilliant storytelling from all three individuals involved.
#17 Triple H vs. The Rock – SummerSlam 1998
Perched on the brink of superstardom, The Rock and Triple H delivered one of the greatest SummerSlam matches in WWE history, especially if one thinks about its significance in retrospect. ‘The Game’ and ‘The People’s Champ’ were yet to become the WWE stalwarts they would go on to be when they faced each other in a Ladder Match at SummerSlam 1998 over the Intercontinental Championship.
Triple H was accompanied to the ring by fellow DX member Chyna, while The Rock had his Nation of Domination stablemate, Mark Henry. Needless to say, both Chyna and Mark Henry went on to play important roles in the match, but it is the storytelling by Triple H and The Rock themselves that set the contest apart despite being considered a mid-card match.
After two unsuccessful attempts, Triple H finally landed the Pedigree after recovering from a Rock Bottom in time. Mark Henry stepped in and threw flour into Triple H’s eyes to allow The Rock enough time to stand back up, but The Cerebral Assassin managed to climb up the ladder by feel alone.
He could have been intercepted by The Rock yet again if not for Chyna’s well-aimed low-blow that bought Triple H enough time to go all the way up and retrieve the Intercontinental belt from where it was hanging.
#16 Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk – SummerSlam 2013
SummerSlam 2013 saw CM Punk face Brock Lesnar in a No Disqualification Match. Punk was in the middle of his best run in WWE. Paul Heyman had turned on Punk and had backed his perpetual client, Brock Lesnar, instead.
The match was intense from the beginning as WWE booked it as “The Best vs The Beast”. Lesnar was the dominant force early on in the match as he demolished Punk with chairs and whatever other weapons he could get his hands on.
However, Punk was the gutsy underdog in this SummerSlam bout. He would keep fighting and would manage to fight back again and again.
He made everyone believe in him as he mounted an incredible offense, sending Lesnar on the backfoot. He showcased why he was called the best in the world, but just when it looked like he would win, it was all snatched away from him.
Brock Lesnar fought back and Heyman managed to cause a distraction, which allowed Lesnar to hit Punk with his F-5 on top of a chair. Lesnar defeated Punk, but the match itself won the respect of everyone present.
#15 Brock Lesnar vs John Cena - SummerSlam 2014
John Cena did not have the best luck at SummerSlam pay-per-views in the early 2010s. In 2013, he lost the WWE Championship to Daniel Bryan in one of the most iconic moments in SummerSlam history.
At SummerSlam 2014, he was simply demolished by “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar. The moment Lesnar arrived on the scene, things changed in WWE. However, this Lesnar was a more brutal version of the star than anyone had been ready for.
John Cena was defending the WWE World Heavyweight title against Brock Lesnar. However, he never got a chance to start. Lesnar hit him with an F-5 within seconds of the match starting. He was then taken down with eight German suplexes that left him battered. While Cena kicked out and tried his own Attitude Adjustment, it was of no use. Lesnar hit him with seven German Suplexes, and then escaped Cena’s STF attempt, to hit him with an F-5 to win the match.
The match was a shock to the system for the WWE Universe. No one ever thought that they would see John Cena manhandled in that manner. This SummerSlam match is the reason Lesnar still has that feel of an indomitable force who can take anyone on.
#14 The Rock vs Brock Lesnar – SummerSlam 2002
SummerSlam 2002 might be one of the best years for the show. The card saw several top matches scattered throughout, and as a result is often referred to when talking about the top matches of all time.
The match between The Rock and Brock Lesnar is one that cannot be forgotten when talking about SummerSlam. The Rock was in the middle of his seventh reign as WWE Champion while also dominating the Hollywood Box Office.
However, there was someone new looking to take over in WWE. Brock Lesnar entered WWE at this time as “The Next Big Thing”. He faced The Rock in the main event of the match, and overcame everything The Brahma Bull threw at him. He managed to take the Sharpshooter, The Rock Bottom, and the spinebuster.
Instead, he mocked The Rock by hitting him with a Rock Bottom of his own. He went on to hit him with an F-5 and became the then-youngest WWE Champion in the history of the company.
The match signaled the change of an era in WWE.
#13 Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns vs Samoa Joe vs Braun Strowman – SummerSlam 2017
SummerSlam 2017 saw a match that was probably a dream one for every wrestling fan. Samoa Joe, Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman, and Brock Lesnar all faced each other in a fatal four-way match in the main event of SummerSlam.
No matter what type of superstar fans supported, they all had a ball in the game. Be it a beast like Lesnar, a monster like Strowman, an indie darling destructive superstar like Joe, or a franchise superstar like Roman Reigns, the match had it all.
When the four of them met, it was never going to be a technical masterpiece. Instead, they did what they did best. They battled like warriors, throwing everything at each other, including commentator’s chairs.
Lesnar had to be stretchered out mid-way through the match after he was put through two tables. However, just when the audience felt that they were going to see a new champion, Lesnar returned, and took three Superman Punches from Reigns. He then reversed a Spear into an F-5, hitting it and retaining his title.
The SummerSlam match was an epic that saw a clash of titans, leaving fans wanting more.
#12 The Rock vs. Triple H vs. Kurt Angle – SummerSlam 2000
SummerSlam 2000 saw a triple threat match for the WWE title in the main event of the pay-per-view. Kurt Angle, The Rock and Triple H all had unfinished business with one another. The match was impressive from start to finish, and it appeared even more impressive when it later emerged that Angle fought a large part of the match suffering from a concussion.
Angle suffered a concussion when Triple H hit him with a pedigree on the announce table. The match remains one of the best triple threat matches of all time because of the final few minutes.
Stephanie, who was at ringside, accidentally took a punch from Triple H. Kurt Angle used Triple H’s own sledgehammer against him, knocking him down.
In the end, The Rock got the win after he hit Triple H with the People’s Elbow.
What made the match amazing was the chemistry between the three men. It seemed that none of them lagged behind one another, making for some of the best moments in SummerSlam history.
#11 CM Punk vs John Cena – SummerSlam 2011
CM Punk faced John Cena in a match to determine the undisputed WWE Champion at SummerSlam 2011.
It is no secret that the best-ever match CM Punk had with Cena was at WWE Money in the Bank, where Punk not only won but left with the WWE title.
He was now back in WWE, and with Cena recently having won a replacement WWE title himself, the two confronted each other in a match where there would be no doubt left as to who was the legitimate champion.
Triple H was the guest referee, adding to the drama of the story. John Cena came close to beating Punk, hitting him with the Attitude Adjustment for the near-fall. Punk hit the GTS, but Cena kicked out. Punk went on to hit another GTS and won the match under unfortunate circumstances. Triple H counted the pinfall, but Cena’s foot had been on the bottom rope.
The winner was determined and Punk emerged as the Undisputed WWE Champion at SummerSlam. Punk would not celebrate long, as Kevin Nash returned and hit him with a Jackknife Powerbomb. This was followed by Alberto Del Rio coming out to cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase. Del Rio defeated Punk and won the title, leaving a sour taste for fans everywhere.
#10 Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena - SummerSlam 2013
Daniel Bryan and John Cena faced each other at SummerSlam in one of the most significant moments in the history of WWE. At SummerSlam 2013, Bryan was set to face John Cena for the WWE Championship.
It was time for Bryan to finally arrive in the spotlight. On top of that, Triple H was added to the match as the special guest referee for the encounter. Fans were firmly behind Bryan as he looked to establish that the WWE Champion didn’t need to have a set look.
The match was the start of a change in WWE, as wrestlers who might have been smaller than the muscled champions of the past, were finally getting a chance at the main event. Daniel Bryan grabbed the opportunity, and in 30 minutes put on one of the best SummerSlam matches of all time against John Cena.
At the end of the day, Daniel Bryan was able to pin John Cena and immediately, the entire stadium erupted into cheers. It was one of the best moments, but it didn’t last long.
Triple H turned on Daniel Bryan and hit him with a pedigree. He then called out Randy Orton, who was the Money in the Bank briefcase holder. He cashed it in and pinned Bryan, taking away his hard-won title moments after his long struggle to finally reach the top of the roster.
#9 Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar – SummerSlam 2003
Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar had one of the best feuds of the year in 2003, and at SummerSlam, they put an exclamation point next to it. At WrestleMania, Lesnar had beaten Kurt Angle clean.
Angle was out for a long time after that but when he returned as a face, he won the WWE title back in a triple threat match. Lesnar turned heel ahead of the match at SummerSlam.
The bout between the two performers was extraordinary. Lesnar was the heel beast but he had one weakness that Angle was focused on – his ankle. Kurt Angle worked on the angle throughout the match and Lesnar sold as if nothing else mattered.
At one point in the match, Angle even made Lesnar tap out, but thanks to the lack of a referee, the match didn’t end. Vince McMahon’s presence at ringside and interference made the match even more interesting as he helped Lesnar. Lesnar hit Angle with an F-5, but went for it a second time.
Angle reversed it into an ankle lock and kept it locked it, pulling Lesnar away from the rope. In the end, Lesnar had to tap out clean, which was unbelievable at this point in his career. The SummerSlam match remains one of the best displays of wrestling storytelling, and also talks about why Kurt Angle is one of the best of all time.
#8 Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle - SummerSlam 2002
SummerSlam 2002 saw several amazing matches, but the one between Rey Mysterio and Kurt Angle is often overlooked. The match is not as talked about as some of the other ones on the card, despite being one of the best technical matches of all time.
Rey Mysterio faced Angle at that year’s SummerSlam as the two legends looked to tell a story through their wrestling. Rey Mysterio was the one dominant at the start of the match for a change, as Angle seemed unable to keep up with the unique offensive style of the luchador.
Angle was on the back foot for a large part of the match, but he soon understood Mysterio’s attacks and adjusted. When he did, he started to reverse the moves and created some of the best moments in the match after that.
Eventually, the high-flying style of Mysterio caught up with him. He managed to hit the 619 and splash for a near-fall, but Angle kicked out, reversed a hurricanrana and turned it into an ankle lock in one of the best wrestling sequences of the night.
Mysterio was unable to escape and had to tap, leading to Angle winning at SummerSlam.
#7 Edge & Christian vs. Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudleys - SummerSlam 2000
SummerSlam 2000 saw some of the most memorable events in WWE history. However, nothing was as memorable as Edge and Christian facing The Hardy Boyz and The Dudleys for the WWE Tag Team titles.
The match was the first-ever triple threat tag team TLC Match in history. Throughout the course of the match, all three teams looked to create memories and pioneered a whole different style of matches. The six men lived up to the word extreme as they did things that had never been seen before in WWE history.
Edge and Christian knocked Bubba Ray Dudley off a ladder through four stacked tables. Matt Hardy climbed the ladder later in the match only to be thrown off and through two stacked tables.
Jeff Hardy had his moment as he hung from the titles, the ladder knocked out from under him. He was knocked down and in the end, Christian and Edge came out as the winners becoming the new Tag Team Champions.
The match would see multiple remakes in various forms, but it remains one of the most iconic matches in SummerSlam history.
#6 Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon – SummerSlam 1995
In what could definitely be called a lackluster year both in terms of creativity and execution, the SummerSlam 1995 Ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon quite literally saved ‘The Biggest Party of the Summer’.
The summer months of 1995 saw both men become popular babyfaces. Michaels captured the Intercontinental title by defeating Jeff Jarrett and went on to defend it against Razor Ramon at SummerSlam.
With two ladders in play this time, Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon put up an underrated classic which almost came close to their WrestleMania X clash. Ramon worked the match mostly as a heel, repeatedly targeting Michaels’ knees, but the latter emerged victorious in the end amid vivid displays of agonizing pain.
The Intercontinental title was successfully defended and Shawn Michaels had avenged the loss to his real-life close friend.
The match saw Michaels and Ramon both continue in their course to pioneer the ladder match, and once again, they changed things completely for the industry with their use of the ladders as weapons.
#5 Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels - SummerSlam 2002
As I'd mentioned before, SummerSlam 2002 may be one of the best events in the pay-per-view's long history, and it's thanks to matches like this one. When Shawn Michaels returned to the ring for the first time after four years in 2002, it was a moment to be remembered. Michaels had joined Triple H on WWE RAW when the Game betrayed him, putting his face through the glass of a car window.
He admitted to the same and said that it was hit time to be the one that everyone talked about. Shawn Michaels retired thanks to a crippling injury in 1998 and it had been assumed he would never wrestle again. Thus, fans were taken aback when Shawn Michaels not only returned, but did so in an unsanctioned street fight against his best friend at SummerSlam 2002.
The two of them had the match of a lifetime.
It didn’t look like Shawn Michaels had not wrestled in a WWE ring for the better part of the last four years. Instead, he picked up just where he left off, at times appearing to be even better than before at SummerSlam.
Be it using weapons of all kinds or jumping off a ladder, he did it all in the match. In the end, he got the win and Triple H, furious at losing, broke his sledgehammer on his back, seemingly “crippling” him all over again.
From beginning to end, the match was a masterpiece, telling the story WWE wanted told.
#4 British Bulldog vs. Bret Hart - SummerSlam 1992
SummerSlam 1992 remains one of the most special editions of the event in WWE history.
WWE does not often host pay-per-view events in the United Kingdom. So when WWE went to Wembley Stadium to host the 1992 edition of SummerSlam, fans were more than ready.
The company decided to put together two of the greatest technical wrestlers of all time in the ring. Bret Hart faced The British Bulldog in a match where London fans were screaming the house down.
It was an instant hit and remains one of the greatest classic matchups to this day. The two were among the most gifted wrestlers of their time and they were wrestling in Bulldog’s hometown. The fact that they were family, added to the match. The action itself saw multiple reversals as Bulldog finally managed to pin Bret Hart.
He used a Jackknife cover to take Hart unawares and keep his shoulders down for the three count. The two men embraced after the match and The British Bulldog became the new Intercontinental Champion.
#3 The Undertaker vs Edge – SummerSlam 2008
At SummerSlam, The Undertaker and Edge’s long feud came to an end.
When you face The Undertaker in a long-drawn-out feud, you can be sure that at some point, you are in danger of entering the most dangerous structure in WWE – the Hell in a Cell. Edge found himself entering the confines of the devil’s favorite playground with The Undertaker in a match that he desperately wanted to avoid at SummerSlam 2008.
The two wrestlers had battled in every manner before, so when the time came for their match, neither was going to hold back. They used chairs, ladders, and tables inside the cell, making sure to batter each other as much as possible. The match was more extreme than the other encounters and The Undertaker was out for revenge for all the misery Edge had caused him over the previous year.
The Undertaker destroyed him by hitting him with a chokeslam from the top rope through two tables. He ended Edge in satisfying fashion as he hit him with a Tombstone Piledriver and won the SummerSlam match.
However, he was not done. He returned to the ring and made a statement by chokeslamming Edge from the top of a ladder through the ring, “straight to hell”. The match is often regarded as one of the best Hell in a Cell matches of all time.
#2 Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart - SummerSlam 1994
SummerSlam 1994 saw what is widely regarded as one of the best steel cage matches of all time. Steel cage matches have the potential to be some of the best matches of all time if executed correctly.
At the SummerSlam pay-per-view, the two brothers faced each other in a struggle for supremacy. Bret Hart and Owen Hart collided in a steel cage match where the winner would have to escape the cage. There was no pinfall and no submission. Many fans still think of it as the best cage match of all time, and there are very few arguments against that.
Bret and Owen Hart had a sibling rivalry ongoing for a long time heading into the match. The family was in tatters and all the members of the Hart Family appeared at ringside when the two brothers met.
In a match that saw their chemistry on full display, Bret and Owen managed to astound the crowd in what can only be called one of the best matches of all time. Bret Hart managed to win, but suffered a beatdown at the hands of Owen and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart after the match was done.
#1 John Cena vs. AJ Styles - SummerSlam 2016
At SummerSlam 2016, the WWE Universe got one of the best matches that went down as an instant classic.
John Cena and AJ Styles are two of the best wrestlers to have ever entered a ring. After AJ Styles arrived in WWE in 2016 at the Royal Rumble, and soon enough he focused on the star that he wanted to defeat – John Cena.
There were multiple matches on the night, but this was the one that stole the show.
AJ Styles was finally getting the chance to battle against the man who had ruled WWE for over the past decade. A win here would guarantee that he would go down in history, but a loss would spell catastrophe for his WWE career.
When the time came, AJ Styles did the unthinkable. He kicked out of an Attitude Adjustment that John Cena had delivered from the second rope, stunning Cena and the audience as well. Soon after this, he hit the Styles Clash and then connected with a Phenomenal Forearm that allowed Styles to get the win in his first-ever SummerSlam.
The SummerSlam win would help Styles establish himself on SmackDown and become the face of the Blue brand.
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