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Some SummerSlam events have been less than spectacular. In 1995 we saw a lackluster undercard and Diesel face off with Mabel in the main event for the WWE championship.
WWE SummerSlam 2007 saw major returns of superstars but still was lackluster in match quality.
The first SummerSlam was held in 1988 and has been a yearly tradition since then. Various celebrities have wrestled on the show and up to 80,000 fans have watched the event live. The biggest party of the summer always has the potential to top WrestleMania and the Royal Rumble for top show of the year but can also disappoint.
This year's SummerSlam is unpredictable as so many things can happen and that always makes for a great show. It is arguably the second or third biggest pay per view event in the year for WWE. Superstars such as Bret Hart, Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, Brock Lesnar, and John Cena have picked up major victories at the show. What makes an event great is subjective. What makes for a great wrestling show can be just as subjective as any other. For many fans, great matches, storylines, and great conclusions make for a great show. Hype should also be matched with delivery.
Surprises, eventful moments, and excellent in-ring action keep fans glued to their seat and burn the memory of the show into their brains Match quality, great reviews, interesting storylines, and fan reception will be used to judge the top WWE SummerSlams. Here are the top 5 SummerSlams in no particular order.
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#1 WWE SummerSlam 2002
WWE SummerSlam 2002 was one of the best WWE PPVs of all time. The undercard saw Kurt Angle & Rey Mysterio faced off in an exciting ten-minute match up. Rob Van Dam defeated Chris Benoit for the Intercontinental championship.
Shawn Michaels returned to the ring and fought Triple-H in an unsanctioned street fight that was one of the best matches of the year. Brock Lesnar defeated the Rock for the WWE championship to end the show. The show had great matches up and down the card and received rave reviews from critics. The show crowned a new champion and showed that a battered legend could still go in the ring.
#2 WWE SummerSlam 1998
SummerSlam 1998 was an eventful night for the WWE. Triple-H and The Rock fought in a classic ladder match. The two men helped elevate each other despite Triple-H winning. Austin and the Undertaker fought in an impassioned match that saw Austin come out on top.
The Lion's Den match that featured Owen Hart and Ken Shamrock was unique. MMA was growing in popularity and this match showed WWE fans something different. The undercard had some hits and misses but the overall card did what it needed to. The attitude era was in full swing and this pay per view lived up to the hype.
#3 WWE SummerSlam 1997
The opening cage match was a great and exciting start to the show. Cactus Jack and Triple H put on a show. The drama going into the main event was thick. Shawn Michaels, a long time rival of Bret Hart, was a special guest referee in his match against the Undertaker. Bret Hart retained his WWE championship after Michaels mistakenly hit The Undertaker with a Sweet Chin Music.
The career of Steve Austin almost ended in tragedy as Owen Hart botched a piledriver that left Austin temporarily paralyzed. The card had something to offer everyone from top to bottom. With a hot opening and the main event match that kept fans wondering what would happen on Raw makes this pay per view a classic.
#4 WWE SummerSlam 2011
This SummerSlam was defined by it's two biggest matches. Randy Orton and Christian faced off in a no holds barred match for the World Championship. This is one of their many classic matchups. Randy Orton would win the title to become champion once again.
The main event saw CM Punk due battle with John Cena in one of the best WWE matches of this decade. The Money In The Bank cash in by Alberto Del Rio shocked the crowd as he took Punk's championship away. A decent undercard and two big matches in the main event made this SummerSlam a great one.
#5 WWE SummerSlam 2013
Two matches really made this SummerSlam. Brock Lesnar and CM Punk went at it for the first time ever in a no disqualification match. Daniel Bryan and John Cena faced off in a historic and classic matchup that will be remembered through the ages. Both matches were style clashes and it made for great entertainment.
Lesnar defeated Punk and Daniel Bryan became the new WWE champion. The shocker of the night saw Randy Orton cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase and become champion. A decent undercard and two big matches made this SummerSlam a great event.
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