WWE SummerSlam is the Biggest Party of the Summer. Throughout the years, SummerSlam has delivered spectacular matches and moments printed in the history books. It is often considered as WWE’s second biggest show of the year besides WrestleMania.
Since 1988, the show has been happening annually to thrill wrestling fans around the globe. Sooner, SummerSlam will turn into a two-night event. Before this mega move, let’s discuss best SummerSlam events in the Best WWE Pay Per View Series.
1. SummerSlam 2002
Hosted by Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, WWE SummerSlam 2002 went live on August 25. It was the first SummerSlam event of the Ruthless Aggression Era. Several new names made their impact on the night and certified themselves as the top stars of the future.
In his debut PPV match for WWE, Rey Mysterio battled Kurt Angle in an instant classic. Mysterio lost the match, but everyone was sure of his success in the coming time after an impressive performance. Top names like Undertaker and Ric Flair were part of the show. Triple H and Shawn Michaels tore the house down with their greatness in the ring.
In the main events, Brock Lesnar sky-rocketed into stardom when he defeated The Rock for the WWE Championship. Rock was headed to Hollywood, and WWE gave fans their upcoming top star, Brock Lesnar.
2. SummerSlam 2022
On July 30, WWE SummerSlam 2022 made headlines from Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. It is considered one of the best SummerSlam events of the last ten years. The show kicked off with an outstanding final match in the Bianca Belair vs Becky Lynch trilogy. As Bianca retained the title, Bayley made a shocking return alongside Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky, signaling an alliance between the three, which was later called Damage CTRL.
Logan Paul established himself as WWE’s own with a singles win over The Miz. The Usos defeated Street Profits in an Undisputed Tag Titles match where Jeff Jarrett served as the special guest referee. Liv Morgan defeated Ronda Rousey in a controversial finish to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
In the main event, arch rivals Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar collided in a Last Man Standing Match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. The match was explosive and one of the best of both competitors’ careers. It gave us a memorable spot where Lesnar lifted one side of the ring with a tractor. Roman Reigns was the last man standing and retained the title.
3. SummerSlam 2015
SummerSlam 2015 aired from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on August 23. The major highlight of the night was a WrestleMania rematch between Undertaker and Brock Lesnar. The Beast had shattered The Phenom’s WrestleMania streak more than a year ago, and The Deadman was back for redemption. Undertaker defeated Lesnar via submission in a dramatic finish.
Besides this mega match, Seth Rollins was the star of the night. He conquered John Cena in a “Winner Takes All” match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and the United States Championship. Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose were in a tag team action against The Wyatt Family. Overall, it was a fun show, and Seth Rollins came out as an assertive future great.
4. SummerSlam 2013
SummerSlam 2013 happened at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on August 18. The match card was stacked with fiery matches for the Biggest Party of the Summer. The show opened with a “Ring of Fire” contest between Bray Wyatt and Kane. With distractions from his Wyatt Family members, Bray came out as the winner in his debut PPV match.
Alberto Del Rio defeated Christian for the World Heavyweight Championship. Brock Lesnar defeated CM Punk in a No Disqualification match with Paul Heyman in his corner. Billed as “The Beast vs The Best”, the match was outstanding and is still regarded as one of the best SummerSlam matches in the history.
In the main event, Daniel Bryan challenged John Cena for the WWE Championship with Triple H as the special guest referee. Bryan was so over at the time, and he defeated Cena. After the match, HHH turned heel and attacked Bryan, allowing Randy Orton to cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase and walking out as the new WWE Champion.
5. SummerSlam 2009
Taking place on August 23, WWE SummerSlam 2009 was dubbed “Biggest Event of the Summer” rather than “Biggest Party of the Summer.” Rey Mysterio successfully defended the IC Title against Dolph Ziggler in the opener in a decent match. DX (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) defeated Legacy (Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase) in a quality tag team action match. Christian shockingly beat William Regal in 8 seconds to retain the WCW Championship.
Randy Orton retained the WWE Title against John Cena in a dramatic match. In the main event, CM Punk challenged Jeff Hardy for the World Heavyweight Championship in a TLC match. Both stars delivered a Match of the Year contender that night. Punk claimed the title in the end. After the match, The Undertaker made a surprising return and delivered a chokeslam to the new champion.
6. SummerSlam 2011
Taking place from Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, SummerSlam 2011 happened in a crucial time in WWE history. It was CM Punk Era in WWE and many called it the WWE version of the “Summer of Punk”. The show was all around a match between John Cena and CM Punk to become the Undisputed WWE Champion. Triple H served as the special guest referee.
Punk defeated Cena while his foot was on the rope. HHH didn’t notice and ended the bout in Punk’s favor. The match was fantastic. After the match, Kevin Nash made a shocking return and attacked CM Punk. Alberto Del Rio was smart enough to cash in the Money in the Bank on Punk to claim the title. Other than that, Randy Orton defeated Christian in a decent No Holds Barred match for the World Heavyweight Championship.
7. SummerSlam 2001
San Jose, California, hosted WWE SummerSlam 2001 on August 19. It was a combination of WWE and ECW matches. Multiple championships changed hands on the illustrious night. Edge defeated Lance Archer for the IC Title. RVD and Jeff Hardy tore the house down in a ladder match for the Hardcore Championship. Kane and The Undertaker, aka Brothers of Destruction, beat DDP and Chris Kanyon in a Winner Takes All steal cage match for the WWE and WCW Tag Team Championships.
Kurt Angle defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin, but the WWE Title stayed with Austin due to a disqualification finish. In the night’s main event, The Rock ended Booker T’s WCW Championship reign. It was the first time both WWE and WCW championships were defended on the same night, and it was a fun show. You can also check out WrestleMania Edition of the Best WWE Pay Per View Series.
8. SummerSlam 2000
SummerSlam 2000 was the 13th annual SummerSlam, and it took place in North Carolina. The show was full of highlight-worthy moments. Shane McMahon crashed off the 50 ft metal apparatus in a match for the Hardcore Championship against Steve Blackman. Chris Benoit defeated Chris Jericho in a 2-out-of-3 falls match. The Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz, and Edge and Christian revolutionized tag team wrestling in a 5-star classic ladder match for the WWE Tag Team Championships. The match is applauded to date.
Kane and Undertaker’s battle ended in a no conntest. In the main event, The Rock successfully defended the WWE Championship in a triple threat against Kurt Angle and Triple H. The key moment of the night was definitely the tag team ladder match.
9. SummerSlam 2008
SummerSlam 2008 took place in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was WWE’s first major event after transitioning to a TV-PG rating. The show featured a unique Winner Take All mixed tag team match where Kofi Kingston and Mickie James fought Santino Marella and Beth Pheonix with both the IC Title and the Women’s Title. CM Punk cemented his World Championship reign by beating JBL.
Batista defeated John Cena in their first-ever singles match. In the main event, Undertaker and Edge delivered a banger Hell in a Cell match. There was the use of multiple weapons with no blood, signaling a new change in policy. In the end, Taker choke-slammed Edge through the ring and set him on fire.
10. SummerSlam 2003
From Phoenix, Arizona, SummerSlam 2003 featured the final ever PPV match between Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle. The Gold Medalist came out on top with the submission. Kane and RVD delivered a decent No Holds Barred match. The main event of the night was the Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship.
The participants included Triple H, Chris Jericho, Goldberg, Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, and Randy Orton. Triple H successfully defended his championship with Ric Flair in his corner.
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