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The 35th edition of SummerSlam will emanate from Nissan Stadium in Nashville this Saturday. The blockbuster show will be main-evented by Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing Match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
While the Tribal Chief and the Beast Incarnate will probably steal the show, the WWE Universe has witnessed some incredible SummerSlam main events over the years. Superstars and fans alike are highly motivated and excited for the Biggest Party of the Summer.
This listicle will explore five memorable SummerSlam main events that stole the show and left fans in awe. The list will only include events from 2013 onwards.
#5 John Cena (c) vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship with Triple H as Guest Referee (SummerSlam 2013)
After a fantastic run with Kane as one-half of Team Hell No, Daniel Bryan embarked on a solo run that saw a dramatic surge in his popularity. By July 2013, he was among the most over superstars on the roster, second only to John Cena.
Eventually, due to his momentum and fans' support, Cena selected Bryan as his challenger for SummerSlam. Triple H made himself the Special Guest Referee, further enhancing the stakes of the colossal WWE Championship encounter.
The Beard and the Champ took each other to the limit at the show. It was a back-and-forth encounter that saw each competitor execute their signature moves. However, in the end, after a Herculian effort, Bryan connected with a definitive Running Knee for the three-count to win his first WWE Championship.
The real shocker came after the instant classic. The Game Pedigreed the new WWE Champion, and Randy Orton cashed his Money in the Bank contract to win the top prize. While the dramatic ending sent everyone into a frenzy, Cena vs. Bryan was a memorable match, perhaps one of the best of 2013.
#4 John Cena (c) vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (SummerSlam 2014)
Brock Lesnar is often fittingly given the title "Mr. SummerSlam" by many fans. The Beast Incarnate has an impressive win-loss record at the Biggest Party of the Summer. However, few victories have been as convincing as his dominating win over John Cena in 2014.
Heading into the match, the WWE Universe was expecting a back-and-forth, a bloody encounter between the two OVW (Ohio Valley Wrestling) graduates. However, fans couldn't have been more wrong. The Beast obliterated and squashed Cena, a rare sight then, in the middle of the ring to climb to the top of the mountain again.
The Face That Runs The Place took sixteen German Suplexes and two F5s, the second of which marked the end of his short reign. Cena hardly caused his opponent any problems. The Champ struggled to hold his own against the dominant Lesnar, who was having the run of a lifetime.
This match earns a spot on the list due to its sheer shock value. For sixteen minutes, the Leader of the Cenation was mercilessly beaten down by The Beast.
#3 Roman Reigns (c) vs. John Cena for the Universal Championship (SummerSlam 2021)
The most recent SummerSlam main event was also an enjoyable encounter that had the live crowd buzzing. Roman Reigns, the reigning Universal Champion, was up against Cena, who was desperately gunning for his record-setting seventeenth World Championship.
Together, the two gladiators told a remarkable story. The veteran in Cena, fighting for another shot at glory, took the fight to the vile Tribal Chief, who had dashed so many dreams before. The sixteen-time World Champion was the underdog in the match; he repeatedly went for roll-ups, only to be cut short and dominated by Reigns.
The Champ dug deep into his arsenal, including a Super Attitude Adjustment from the top rope. However, the Head of the Table spoiled Cena's night by laying him out with a vicious Spear for the pinfall.
The Head of the Table's celebration was cut short by the returning Brock Lesnar, but it felt good for him to stand over one of the greatest of all time.
#2 Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Seth Rollins for the Universal Championship (SummerSlam 2019)
While he may be one of the most disliked men on the roster today, Seth Rollins was Monday Night RAW's biggest babyface for the first half of 2019. His arch-nemesis was Lesnar, who cashed his Money in the Bank briefcase to win back his Universal Championship at Extreme Rules.
At SummerSlam, in front of a packed crowd in Toronto, Rollins and Lesnar put together a thrilling, adrenaline-pumping main event and the WWE Universe was on the edge of its seats. It was the night when Mr. Monday Night Rollins established himself as one of the best of his generation.
The Beast Incarnate did his usual thing: a multitude of German Suplexes inside and outside the ring combined with some F5s. However, the injured challenger resiliently fought back with a flurry of well-connected Superkicks and skull-crushing Curb Stomps, eventually winning back the prestigious Universal Championship.
Through his resilient effort and memorable five-star performance, Rollins won over the loud live crowd that admired his efforts.
#1 Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe vs. Braun Strowman for the Universal Championship (SummerSlam 2017)
The Universal Championship scene was red-hot in the summer of 2017: three goliaths, Roman Reigns, Samoa Joe, and Braun Strowman, were gunning for the Beast. Neither of these men was one to back out from a fight, and they took each other to the limit at SummerSlam.
Far from a technical classic, these four behemoths tore apart in an all-out war that left ringside a mess. The Monster Among Men was the star of the match. He drove Lesnar through two announce tables with consecutive Running Powerslams and then buried the champion under an announce table, sending him out of the arena on a stretcher.
However, the Beast returned in the final moments of the match. After taking a few Superman punches from the Big Dog, he countered a Spear into the F5 to retain his Universal Championship.
The 2017 edition of SummerSlam is remembered today only because of this memorable Universal Championship match, and few matches have been able to top the carnage we witnessed here.
