5 best opening matches in WWE SummerSlam history

The opening match of any professional wrestling event, from your high school gym indie shows to big spectacles like WrestleMania or SummerSlam, is probably one of the most important bouts on the card. It sets the tone for the entire show.

Over the years, there have been plenty of pay per view opening matches that can stake their claim to being among the best of all time. While the curtain raisers of WrestleMania are well known, SummerSlam has also had its fair share of opening matches that are considered legitimately great.

Over the past few years, WWE has often relied on important mid card title or grudge matches to open the Biggest Party Of The Summer. This year, as well, WWE might opt for one such encounter as both the Intercontinental Title or the grudge match between Seth Rollins and Dominik Mysterio could be the perfect options for the top slot.

With this year's SummerSlam just around the corner, let's take a look at five best opening matches in the PPV's history.

Honorable Mentions:

Brain Busters vs The Hart Foundation (1989)

Mankind vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley (1997)

Edge vs Lance Storm (2001)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article belong to the writer and doesn't necessarily represent Sportskeeda.

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#5. Hakushi vs 1-2-3 Kid (SummerSlam 1995)

A great encounter between two highly underrated athletes.

Long before he developed into one of the most reliable in-ring performers during the Attitude Era as X-Pac, Sean Waltman had an equally successful first run in the WWE as the 1-2-3 Kid. Going toe-to-toe against the likes of Razor Ramon, Ted Dibiase and Bret Hart in memorable matches during his early years in WWE, the Kid made a huge name for himself with his impeccable and smooth style of wrestling between the ring.

However, by SummerSlam in 1995, he was already a well established mid-card star in the organization, having held the Tag Team Championship and challenged for both WWF and Intercontinental Championships as well. Paired with him for the event was Hakushi, and the two made sure their match kicked the show off with a bang.

At just a little over nine minutes, this match was completely different than any other match on the card. From high flying moves to technical mat wrestling, both performers made sure they popped the crowd up with a brilliant maneuver every now and then. The Kid tried his best to outperform the Japanese superstar, but Hakushi managed to put him down to win the best opening match in SummerSlam history... at that time.

#4. Rey Mysterio vs Dolph Ziggler - Intercontinental Championship (SummerSlam 2009)

The first major match for Ziggler at a Big Stage.

Dolph Ziggler has been a constant fixture of the SummerSlam card ever since his debut back in 2008, having been part of all but two events in the subsequent decade. He has challenged for the WWE Title and the Intercontinental Title, defended the Intercontinental Title, been part of Intergender matches and was even part of a glorified squash last year. His love affair with the opening match at the pay per view, however, presents a very intriguing picture.

The Showoff has been part of five opening matches in SummerSlam history, all of which range from good to great from in-ring perspective. The first of them, in 2009, brought the then young talent to the limelight. Determined to win the Intercontinental Title from Rey Mysterio, who had already defeated him at Night of Champions, the future showoff challenged the masked legend to another match at the biggest event of the summer.

Opening the show in Los Angeles, the two highly gifted stars had a barn burner of a match. Mysterio was already in the form of his life, having defeated Chris Jericho merely months ago, and he gave his all to make the young Ziggler look like a million bucks. Non stop action took place for nearly 15 minutes between the opening and closing bell, with both superstars giving everything they had that night. Even though Mysterio got the best of his opponent and left SummerSlam in Los Angeles with the Intercontinental Title, it was Dolph who earned the most with this amazing clash.

#3 Chris Jericho vs Dolph Ziggler (SummerSlam 2012)

Jericho and Ziggler had the best match of the night.

Barely three years after debuting at SummerSlam in 2009, Ziggler was at the peak of his career during the Summer of 2012. He was challenging for the World Heavyweight Championship on pay per views, and also had the Money in the Bank briefcase for the same championship in his hands. With Vickie Guerrero by his side, he was easily one of the most hated superstars on the roster.

However, it was his rivalry against Chris Jericho during that same period that gave him the necessary push that catapulted him to stardom a year later. Built around the proven old formula of the younger talent berating the seasoned veteran for his lack of recent success, the storyline and the chemistry between the two in the weeks leading to SummerSlam was so impeccable during the build that it turned Jericho, a hated heel, into a super over performer within weeks.

Opening the show in Los Angeles, the two had exactly the match that was expected from the two. Despite having his ribs injured, Jericho had an answer to every move from Ziggler, even going as far as hitting a top rope hurrincanrana midway in the match. The Showoff focused his attack on his challenger's ribs, and it worked well for him for over 12 minutes. However, it wasn't enough for him to topple the legend at SummerSlam as Y2J forced the heel to submit to the Walls of Jericho to win this amazing contest.

#2 Seth Rollins vs Dolph Ziggler - Intercontinental Championship (SummerSlam 2018)

Rollins and Ziggler charged the crowd with their stunning encounter.

In 2018, Seth Rollins was on a roll inside the ring. His matches during and post the WrestleMania season against the likes of The Miz, Finn Balor, Elias and Samoa Joe over the Intercontinental Title had turned him into the biggest babyface on the Red Brand. It was, however, his rivalry with a resurgent Dolph Ziggler in the SummerSlam season over the same title that literally elevated the prestige of the Workhorse's title and the two superstars to a whole new level.

Flanked by Drew McIntytre by his side, Ziggler had emerged from the horrors of 2017 and defeated Rollins to end his first reign as the Intercontinental Champion weeks before Extreme Rules. The two had a solid Iron Man match in the main event of the pay per view as well, where Ziggler managed to overcome the odds with the help of his partner. However, the two veterans saved their best performance for SummerSlam in Brooklyn.

Given their reputations as two of the WWE's best in-ring performers, it wasn't a surprise that the match was an instant classic. While the match started slow, the last 10 minutes were complete non stop action that had the Brooklyn crowd on their feet. With the returning Dean Ambrose by his side to neutralize McIntyre, the Architect brought an end to Ziggler's reign with a Stomp and improved his impeccable record at SummerSlam.

#1 Kurt Angle vs Rey Mysterio (SummerSlam 2002)

One of the greatest opening match in WWE Pay Per View history.

SummerSlam in 2002 was a stunning show, maybe among the best editions of the pay per view along with 2013, 2015 and 2018. Headlined by two bonafide main event matches in The Rock vs Brock Lesnar and Triple H vs Shawn Michaels, the show had a few other mid card matches than can actually be classified as good pay per view matches.

If there is one match from the card that stands above from all other matches on the show apart from the two main events, it is the opening sprint between Kurt Angle and Rey Mysterio. Years before they were fighting for the World Titles in the main event of WrestleMania, it was this contest from SummerSlam 2002 that defined the impeccable chemistry these two legends shared inside the ring.

From the opening bell, where Mysterio hit Angle with a surprise hurricanrana to the closing bell, this was 9 minutes of non-stop action between two superstars who were at their very best. In his very first WWE pay per view match, Mysterio took the Olympic Gold Medalist to the limits with his agility and speed, and had the crowd on their feet for his stunning moves.

Being the in-ring technician that he was at that time, Angle too played his part perfectly well in putting Mysterio over by selling all his offensive maneuvers, and made the masked superstar looked like a legend even in a loss. Even after so many years, it still remains the best opening match in the history of SummerSlam.