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The Biggest show of the Summer is now just a little over one week away, and we could not be more excited for this year's Summerslam. Well actually, we could be. A lot lot more. There have been years in the past when fans have been more excited about Summerslam than they were about WrestleMania.
But in 2018, the build-up to Summerslam has revolved around only two encounters(Sorry AJ, You're in neither of them), and the overall build to the show has been so lackluster that it just feels like any other special show and not The Second biggest show of the year. Fans have always looked forward to the marquee matches at this show, for the World Title matches in the main event, but neither of them have got the fans riled up so far.
Speaking of World Titles, while the Raw brand's match between Lesnar and Reigns has received plenty of coverage, fans are so tired of their repeated meetings that they are not even bothered anymore about the match. On the Blue Brand's side, the match between Styles and Joe is a green, fresh pairing, but their rivalry has been booked so bad that fans are yet to fully invest their time in this WWE Title feud.
Summerslam has featured a total of 41 World Title matches in its 30 years long history, some of which are still rated among the best in the entire WWE history. While it is almost a guarantee that fans will again hijack the Universal Title match, Joe and Styles definitely have what it takes to steal the show if given ample amount of this. To see that, we'll have to wait until next Sunday. Till then, here are the 15 best World Title matches in Summerslam history.
#15 Seth Rollins vs Finn Balor - Universal Title (2016)
Seth Rollins and Finn Balor have a tremendous chemistry with each other. From their stunning triple threat match at 'Mania this year to those twin clashes on Raw, the two have always set the stage on fire whenever they are given the spotlight. This trend, however, began two years ago with a highly underrated clash at Summerslam 2016.
Often considered as an underwhelming match due to the pre-match response from the fans during the unveiling of the Universal Title, this title clash had the perfect heel-face dynamics and was a showcase of the talents of both Balor and Rollins. Balor, in particular, was stunning, taking bumps and hitting big maneuvers despite dislocating his shoulder during the match.
The only thing that hurt the credibility of this match was the disinterested crowd, which was busy booing the Universal Title during the first half of the match. However, the crowd was fully involved during the second half, as they witnessed Balor become the first ever Universal Champion, albeit only for one day.
#14 Alberto Del Rio(c) vs Christian - World Heavyweight Title (2013)
In my last article, where I presented the best Summerslam editions of all time, I placed the 2013 edition of Summerslam at the top, and there is every reason for that show to be on the top of that list. The only Summerslam show with two World Title matches in this list, Summerslam was a terrific show that was literally the apex of WWE's Summer programming.
While everyone was expecting Punk-Lesnar and the other World Title match (about which we will talk later) to tear the house down, not a lot of expectations were there from the World Heavyweight Title contest between Alberto Del Rio and Christian, and this is why the fans were left stunned after a gem of a match that they wrestled at Summerslam 2013.
Coming in early on in the show, the match was so good that the crowd were on their feet during the final moments. While not possessing the same emotions as their previous World Title encounter at Extreme Rules 2013, the way the match was carried out was enough to enthrall the crowd and drain them for the next couple of matches. Del Rio's viciousness, a raucous crowd and Christian's never say die attitude turned this regular match into one of those underrated pay per view gems.
#13 Chris Benoit(c) vs Randy Orton - World Heavyweight Title (2004)
Randy Orton is a wrestling legend, and you just can't argue with that fact. Despite being labeled as a boring wrestler in the past few years, Randy has, time-in and time-out, proven again and again that he is easily one of the smoothest in-ring workers in the world. Now in the midst of a heel turn that has again rejuvenated his career, Orton is again back at the top of the WWE ladder.
Back in 2004, however, Orton was in the midst of a huge singles push when he held the Intercontinental Title for almost 7 months and had a stunning feud with one Mick Foley. Despite being a heel, Orton was widely popular with the fans and was pushed as the top contender for the World Heavyweight Title at Summerslam against Chris Benoit.
Now, irrespective of what he did later in his career, one can not deny the fact that he was a magician in the ring, and it was evident in that match against Orton in 2004. The way Benoit put Orton over in the main event catapulted Orton into super stardom. After a 20-minute slug-fest that had both wrestlers perform at their best, Orton executed an RKO to win the World Title and become the youngest World Champion at the age of 24.
#12 John Cena(c) vs Brock Lesnar - WWE World Heavyweight Title (2014)
SUPLEX CITY B***H!!
The three words above summarize this blockbuster contest from the 2014 edition of Summerslam. After sending the whole wrestling world into a state of paralysis with a victory over The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXX, Brock Lesnar became the biggest and baddest superstar in the wrestling world. Well, second biggest.
After John Cena's WWE World Title win at Battleground, Brock Lesnar was chosen as his challenger for the title at Summerslam. The two were not strangers to each other, considering Lesnar had a stunning return match against Cena at Extreme Rules in 2012, and the fans were expecting a sequel to that match, maybe even a better encounter. What the fans got, however, was the most jaw-dropping sequence in the history of WWE.
In a match that lasted 16 minutes, Brock Lesnar decimated and destroyed John Cena, WWE's supposed franchise player, like a rag doll in the most shocking one-sided beatdown in WWE history. Just like he did with Randy Orton two years later, Lesnar broke Cena with 16 German Suplexes. Cena got minimal offense during the ending sequence, but Lesnar ended his quest with an F-5 to end Cena's reign and begin his unending reign of Terror in WWE.
#11 Seth Rollins(c) vs John Cena(c) - Champion v Champion for WWE World Heavyweight and United States Title (2015)
Seth Rollins' reign as WWE World Heavyweight Champion in 2015 was just a pure work of gold. From his exceptional heel promos to his tremendous matches against Randy Orton and his former Shield Brothers, his entire reign was a piece of masterstroke by the WWE. Hence, it was obvious that, eventually, he would end up facing Big Match John in the future for the title. And he did, at Summerslam, but with a twist.
John Cena was at his prime from an in-ring perspective during that post WrestleMania 31 period, when he proudly held the United States Title. From his excellent feuds with Rusev and Kevin Owens to his pay per view level matches on Raw on a daily basis, Cena was just killing it as a fighting champion. A legitimate nose injury to Cena, followed by a loss for Rollins led to Rollins challenge Cena in a Champion v Champion Winner Take All match.
From in-ring perspective, this was undoubtedly the best match of Rollins' World Title reign. Pre-injury Rollins was a cheetah in the ring, and John was in the midst of his best in-ring year, and it was perfectly reflected in this near 20-minute classic. The only thing that hurt this match was the worthless interference from Jon Stewart, that led to a screwy win for Rollins. Outside of that, this was a sensational match that stands out as among the best of either of the competitor's career.
#10 Randy Savage(c) vs The Ultimate Warrior - WWF Title (1992)
Summerslam 1992 is often regarded as one of the best editions in the history of The Summer Spectacle. Taking place at Wembley Stadium, the show was headlined by the universally acclaimed match between Bret Hart and Davey Boy Smith. However, not including the inputs of Randy Savage and Ultimate Warrior, who wrestled one of the best World Title matches till that point, would be a disrespect to both the legends.
Between his Historic victory in the main event of WrestleMania VI and his eventual departure from WWF in the fall of 1992, The Ultimate Warrior had a rather tumultuous relationship with Vince McMahon. The best thing that the Ultimate Warrior was involved in that period was his feud with Randy Savage that produced two of the best matches of the careers of these legends. While not on the level of their WrestleMania encounter, this match at Summerslam has also managed to build its own legacy over the years.
Warrior always brought his best against Macho Man, and this was no different. For 28 minutes, these two Hall of Famers beat each other to the inch of their lives, with neither of them getting a clear advantage over the other. The interference from Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect was also perfectly executed as it gave Warrior a count-out victory and laid the stone for another future match between Flair and Savage.
#9 Shawn Michaels(c) vs Vader - WWF Title (1996)
A match between a small, fan favorite guy and a huge, villainous behemoth is always a treat to the eyes of the fans of wrestling entertainment. But things take a turn for the good when both of them are established and proven in-rings works, and this is what made the clash between Shawn Michaels and Vader at Summerslam 1996 a memorable one.
Vader's WWE debut was as impactful as it could have gotten. Attacking Gorilla Monsoon, the On-Screen President of WWF, the Mastodon established himself as a bad guy. Already a well established heavyweight outside the WWE, Vader soon became embroiled into a rivalry with the WWF Champion, Shawn Michaels that not only produced the best match of Vader WWE career but also ended his main event run in the company.
Fighting in the main event of Summerslam 1996, this 23-minute long WWF Title match told a sensational David v Goliath story with Michaels relying on his quickness and Vader on his power and strength. The two restarts, however, first after a count out win and then a DQ win for Vader, slightly hampered the importance of the match in the subsequent years. Apart from that, this match was easily the best defense of Michaels' first reign as WWF Champion.
#8 Steve Austin(c) vs Kurt Angle - WWF Title (2001)
Even 17 years after it took place, The Invasion storyline often generates mixed response from the fans of professional wrestling. Some call it a sensational follow up to the Monday Night Wars while others call it a disappointing period that was only produced to bury all the former WCW and ECW superstars. However, everyone can argue with one fact - It did feature 4 month of sensational main event feud between a group of superstars.
However, it was the feud between Steve Austin and Kurt Angle for WWF Title that stands as the best from that period. Initiated when Austin turned on Team WWF by hitting Angle with a stunner during the main event of Invasion pay per view, the rivalry became the focal point of the WWE programming with both simultaneously holding the World Title before Austin cost Angle the World Title, turning this rivalry more personal.
Fighting in the penultimate match of the night, the two Hall of Famers wrestled a heated, personal slugfest that was easily the best match of the night. Angle's determined side, even after getting busted open, resulted in a sensational sequence for over 20 minutes. Even the disqualification finish, which saw Austin get himself intentionally disqualified, surprisingly played well as it set up that awesome title win for Angle a month later. However, this match, from in-ring perspective, stands as the best one-on-one match from Invasion.
#7 Christian(c) vs Randy Orton - No Hold Barred for World Heavyweight Title (2011)
The Summer of 2011, also known as The Summer of Punk, can be labelled as the best period for the World Titles in the history of WWE. While the pair of John Cena and CM Punk were engaged in one of the most heated feud for the WWE Title, it was the Blue Brand's pair of Christian and Randy Orton who were continuously wrestling sensational matches for the World Heavyweight Title, and it all ended with this violent match at Summerslam 2011.
Already engaged in a rivalry since May, their rivalry became more personal and intense when Christian turned heel. After losing the title to Christian at Money in the Bank when he was disqualified for hitting his opponent with a low blow after being spat on the face, Orton was granted another match at Summerslam for the World Heavyweight Title. The only difference this time - It was a No Holds Barred Match.
Fighting in the co-main event along with the WWE Title match, these two veterans stole the show from under the nose of Punk and Cena with this good ol' style hardcore match. For over 23 minutes, the two completely battered each other with tables, kendo sticks, chairs, trash cans and their finisher moves. The RKO to end the match stands as one of the best executed moves of all time as WWE closed the chapter of one of its best World Title feuds.
#6 Kurt Angle(c) vs Brock Lesnar - WWE Title (2003)
It was Brock Lesnar's 12-month duel with Kurt Angle during his first stint with WWE that actually brought him all the recognition and respect that he now bolsters. Their match in the main event of WrestleMania XIX was a treat to the eyes, and it was about time that they recreated the same magic in the ring.
And they did, less than 6 months after WrestleMania, at Summerslam 2003. But this time, the tables had turned big time. Following his World Title loss to Angle in a Triple Threat Match at Vengeance 2003, Lesnar aligned himself with Vince McMahon and turned into a vicious heel. While their encounter at WrestleMania was more about who the better in-ring performer was, it became a lot more personal by the time Summerslam 2003 came around.
What did not change was the sensational contest between the ring. The amateur background of both superstars, coupled with Lesnar's power and the perfect heel/face dynamics mixed together to produce a gem of a match in the ring that was as good as their match at 'Mania. This time, however, it was Angle's turn to prevail as he made Lesnar tap out to the Ankle Lock to retain his title.
#5 The Rock(c) vs Brock Lesnar - WWE Undisputed Title (2002)
This match was a star-making moment for Brock Lesnar. He was being touted as the next big thing in wrestling ever since his arrival. Not only was Lesnar fighting in the main event of the second biggest pay per view in WWE calendar year, he was doing so with the WWE Undisputed Title on the line. His opponent - none other than 'The Great One' The Rock.
Having been the Face of the Company for the last two years, The Rock was slowly making a transition to Hollywood. On the other hand, Lesnar's King of the Ring victory propelled him into the main event. The build to the match was quite personal, with both superstars interfering in each other's matches. This was not just a world title match, it was a fight to be the Face of the Company.
Even the presence of Shawn Michaels' return match couldn't stop this match from becoming a landmark contest. Lesnar, despite being a sensational amateur wrestler, was still a rookie in WWE, but Rocky carried him in such a way that it made this match look bigger than it actually was. By the time the match reached its closing moment, it was evident that Brock indeed deserved all the hype that surrounded him.
One Rock Bottom attempt reversed into an F-5 and the WWE had a new Big Boy in the Town. Lesnar was now the New and the Youngest WWE Champion.
#4 John Cena(c) vs Daniel Bryan - WWE Title (2013)
There's a reason why the World Title match between Alberto Del Rio and Christian from Summerslam 2013 remains an underrated classic till this date, and that reason is the WWE Title match that closed the show that night. As the match that officially began the Yes! Movement in WWE, Daniel Bryan was catapulted to the top of the WWE ladder with this encounter against WWE's resident main eventer - John Cena.
Despite being a former World Heavyweight Champion and a stunning in-ring performer, Daniel Bryan was never considered a main even player by the WWE. However, following the success of Team Hell No, his popularity surged to a new level. After victories over Randy Orton, Sheamus, and Christian, Bryan was chosen by John Cena as his challenger at Summerslam for the WWE Title.
Following an all-time classic match like Punk vs Lesnar was not an easy task, but the pair of Cena and Bryan succeeding in delivering a match that was almost on par with that fight. The 27 minutes was a mixture of Bryan's technical style and Cena's Powerhouse style. The most shocking thing, however, was the fact that Bryan pinned Cena clean in the middle of the ring to win the WWE Title. Even though Bryan didn't leave Staples as the WWE Champion (we all know why), but this match certainly was the best match of his WWE career till that point.
#3 Jeff Hardy(c) vs CM Punk - Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match for World Heavyweight Title (2009)
2009 was undoubtedly the best year for the now retired World Heavyweight Title. From the stunning matches between John Cena and Edge in the first few months to the re ignition of the acclaimed rivalry between Undertaker and Batista in the last few months, World Heavyweight Title reached the pinnacle of its 12-year history in 2009. But, neither of this would have been possible without the best ever feud for that title - Hardy v Punk.
A rivalry between a red hot babyface and a hated villain is probably the best scenario for a WWE rivalry. Punk's Money in the Bank cash in over Hardy at Money in the Bank, and his subsequent slow-burning heel turn and his straight edge lifestyle turned him into a hated villain, while Hardy was easily the biggest babyface at that time. After two World title matches, the second of which saw Hardy regain the title, a grudge match, a TLC match, was scheduled between the two for Summerslam 2009.
Given the main event slot ahead of Cena-Orton and DX-Legacy matches, the two took full advantage of the opportunity given to them and wrestled one of the best TLC matches in recent memories. Tables were shattered, ladders were bent, chairs were crushed and bodies were sacrificed in this instant classic. After 21 full minutes, Punk put the penultimate nail in Hardy's WWE career as he knocked him down and unhooked the title belt.
Oh, and The Undertaker returned and chokeslammed Punk. So, Happy Ending for everyone.
#2 Brock Lesnar(c) vs Braun Strowman vs Roman Reigns vs Samoa Joe - Fatal-4-Way for Universal Title (2017)
Summerslam 2017 was a huge mixed bag of moments. For more than fifty percent of the runtime, the show was a big fat disappointment and two of the best matches of the pay per view happened at the pre-show. Talk about a big mismanagement of match order. It wasn't until the final two hours of the show that things started picking up with the likes of Ambrose, Rollins, The Bar, Kevin Owens and Styles delivering pay per view level performances
However, none of their matches come in comparison with the gigantic Fatal-4-Way match at Summerslam 2017. It is not that often these days that you have the audience react positively to the main event of a 7-hour long pay per view that featured both Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, but it was so perfectly executed here that it became impossible for the fans to react negatively to it, and they were chanting This is Awesome by the end.
None of the superstars involved in this matchup - Lesnar, Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe - were skilled in-ring performers. But each of them was very much capable of causing destruction, and this is exactly what they did a year ago in Brooklyn. The whole match was a big car wreck, with Braun Strownman emerging as the MVP of the match. Despite being powerslammed through two announce tables, Lesnar somehow managed to retain his title, something that he is still holding 12 months since.
#1 Bret Hart(c) vs Owen Hart - Steel Cage Match for WWF Title (1994)
Ingredients - Two Siblings, A Year Long Rivalry, A Steel Cage, WWF Title and 33 minutes at WWE's Second Biggest Pay Per View
Result - A 5-Star classic that will go down as not just the Best World Title match, but THE BEST MATCH in the history of Summerslam.
Bret Hart and Owen Hart wrestled a classic at WrestleMania X that will undoubtedly go down as the best opening match in the history of Summerslam. Even then, despite their majestic efforts, it was Michaels and Razor that got the match of night title and the illustrious 5-star rating from Dave Meltzer. However, it didn't take them a whole lot of time to wrestle a match that successfully convinced Uncle Dave to honor them with the maximum rating.
This match was the apex of their rivalry, and it was clearly demonstrated in the way this match was wrestled by the brother. They didn't look like brothers at any point of the match. It was as if they were two sworn enemies who were hell-bent on destroying each other. Both had an answer to each other offense and successfully managed to tackle the other for over 30 minutes. In the end, however, Bret successfully avenged his Mania loss by entangling Owen's leg in the Cage wall and escaping the cage to win the best match in event's history.
