WWE Hall of Famer outperformed names like Brock Lesnar, John Cena, The Rock, and more ahead of SummerSlam

WWE SummerSlam 2025 is around the corner, and the upcoming event will etch its name in the company's history books going forward, as it's the first-ever two-night event in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, a veteran outperformed several names before the event.

Nearly four decades ago, WWE held its first SummerSlam in New York. After the success of the first event, The Biggest Party of the Summer became one of the four biggest events of the company for decades to come. Along with an impressive record, the show has often produced some of the best matches of the year, and one name has topped the list.

Recently, WWE released a list to determine the '25 Greatest SummerSlam Matches Ever.' The list includes legends, veterans, and some rising stars as well, but one name outperformed almost every other name. That's none other than Bret 'The Hitman' Hart.

Names like Brock Lesnar, John Cena, The Rock, Roman Reigns, and more have found a place on the list more than once. However, Bret Hart not only holds the number one spot with British Bulldog, but the Hall of Famer also has three matches in the top 5 list.

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Brock Lesnar comes closest in this list to the 68-year-old veteran, as he has 7 matches in the list. The Beast Incarnate hasn't dominated the top 5 spot like The Hitman.

Here's the entire list:

#25. Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar (2023)
#24. Seth Rollins vs. John Cena (2015)
#23. The Undertaker vs. Bret Hart (1997)
#22. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins (2019)
#21. Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch (2022)
#20. Randy Orton vs. Christian (2011)
#19. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker (2015)
#18. Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk (2009)
#17. Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle (2001)
#16. Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero (2005)
#15. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe vs. Braun Strowman (2017)
#14. The Rock vs. Triple H (1998)
#13. John Cena vs. CM Punk (2011)
#12. Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar (2022)
#11. John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan (2013)
#10. The Undertaker vs. Edge (2008)
#9. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (1995)
#8. The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar (2002)
#7. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (2002)
#6. The Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz vs. Edge & Christian (2000)
#5. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (1994)
#4. CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar (2013)
#3. Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (1991)
#2. John Cena vs. AJ Styles (2016)
#1. Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog (1992)

Will The Rock or Brock Lesnar appear at WWE SummerSlam 2025?

Almost two years ago, Brock Lesnar had his final match in the Stamford-based promotion against Cody Rhodes in Michigan at WWE SummerSlam 2023. The Beast Incarnate hasn't made an appearance for the company since the event, but he has been acknowledged on the weekly product.

Elsewhere, The Rock plays a bigger role in the promotion as one of the board members on TKO Group Holdings, but hasn't appeared for the product since WWE Elimination Chamber 2025. Unfortunately, there's an update on both names and their status for the first-ever two-night event.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON), Brock Lesnar's status hasn't changed since 2024, meaning he won't show up at the event. Meanwhile, BodySlam.net reported that there's no indication of The Final Boss showing up in New Jersey.

It'll be interesting to see how the company books the event in Las Vegas.

About the author

Aakaansh is a WWE news writer in Sportskeeda. After getting hooked on professional wrestling in 2008 watching WWE and TNA, he found himself admiring the work ethic and passion of the wrestlers for their craft, the business, and the industry as a whole.

With a post-graduate degree in writing, and currently pursuing a Master's degree in Communication, Aakaansh's knack for writing and love of pro wrestling eventually led him to SK seven years ago before he found a permanent place in the division in 2021, initially writing SEO content and transitioning to news in April 2022.

He is committed to producing detailed, factual, and unbiased reports free of opinion, which will resonate with both long-term and newer fans. When not writing about pro wrestling, Aakaansh is engaged in the dynamic worlds of pop culture, anime, and Fortnite.

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Edited by Aakaansh Sukale