The Top 5 WWE SummerSlam Matches In History

A couple of days ago here at Pop Culture, we took a look at the top five SummerSlam events in history. When we are talking about 29 shows, that turns into quite the task.

Today, we’re narrowing it down further. Out of hundreds of matches in the history of SummerSlam, we are picking our top five matches ever from the summer classic. Do you have any idea how hard that is? When it came to narrowing down the list, several matches that seemed like locks were left off the list. Why? There’s only five spots, man!

There were multiple four-plus star matches that had to be left off of this list, several that occurred in just the last two or three years.

In an effort to mix some old school with some new school, we think we have come up with a pretty good mix that establishes the top five SummerSlam matches of all time. Let’s take a journey down memory lane.

5. John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan (2013)

By the summer of 2013, Daniel Bryan had become a top name in WWE among fans. The problem? WWE still didn’t see it. What ended up happening with Bryan winning the unified world titles the following spring at WrestleMania XXX wasn’t even close to being in the cards going into SummerSlam 2013.

Bryan and Cena put on a wrestling clinic here, and it’s perhaps the most important match in Bryan’s career to that point. Everyone always remembers the fact that Bryan won the title, only to lose it in just seconds after the match due to Randy Orton’s Money In The Bank cash-in. However, that shouldn’t take away from the greatness that came before that finish. This was also, sadly, Bryan’s final SummerSlam bout. 

Following this match, there was no plan for Bryan to get the main event push we later saw. There was no plan for him to get revenge on Orton. Instead, the fans forced change. They forced that change enough to eventually get Bryan in the main event of WrestleMania, where he had the crowning moment of his career at the Superdome in New Orleans. 

4. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (1995)

It’s very hard for a sequel to top an original, as anyone in Hollywood can tell you. That said, Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon came darn close at SummerSlam 1995. 

17 months after their game-changing ladder match at WrestleMania X, the two men set out to replicate that greatness in another ladder match at SummerSlam 1995. This one was also for the Intercontinental title and it also, not surprisingly, stole the show. Ironically, Shawn Michaels was originally scheduled to face Sid at this show. Instead, Gorilla Monsoon had taken over as the new president of the World Wrestling Federation (storyline wise) and decided to make the ladder match to please the fans. Good move. 

Outside of the ladder match, the 1995 edition of SummerSlam was….not good. It was headlined by Diesel vs. King Mabel for the world title and also featured Bret Hart against Isaac Yankem DDS (the future Kane). 

3. Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog (1992)

Ric Flair reportedly said at the time that he thought this was the greatest wrestling match he had ever seen. He wouldn’t be far off. 

These brother-in-laws fought it out in front of over 80,000 fans at historic Wembley Stadium. Very few crowds in wrestling history have topped this one, and they were all-in to see their native son, Davey Boy Smith, capture the Intercontinental title. 

Bret claimed in his 2007 autobiography that he had to carry a blown-up (tired) Bulldog throughout the match and that Davey nearly injured him severely by messing up a move at one point. Watching it back, it’s clear that Davey is out of breath early on and Bret certainly does seem to direct the match. 

In the end, the Bulldog reverses a sunset flip into a pinfall and the crowd went wild. We went off the air with a pyro display and Bret, Davey, and Diana Hart all embracing in the center of the ring. It was a great moment that will live on in wrestling forever. 

2. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge and Christian (2000)

The late 1990s and early 2000s were a golden era of tag team wrestling. So many legendary teams rose through the ranks during this time and had great match after great match, PPV after PPV. 

At SummerSlam 2000, the first-ever TLC (Tables, Ladders, and Chairs) match was held between the Hardys, the Dudleys, and Edge and Christian. It was developed between these three teams because each object represented a signature weapon that they used in their matches. The Hardys were known for using ladders, the Dudleys for using tables, and Edge and Christian for the use of chairs (remember the Con-Chair-To?).

One of the signature spots in this match was when Bubba Ray Dudley was sent off a ladder through four stacked tables on the outside of the ring. Almost immediately thereafter, Matt Hardy was then sent off a ladder through two stacked up ladders. After all of the teams tried to reach the hanging title belts, Edge and Christian would eventually retain their belts. 

1. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (1994)

Not only is this the greatest SummerSlam match ever, in my opinion, but it’s also possibly the greatest non Hell In A Cell cage match of all time. 

Amazingly, this match didn’t even main event SummerSlam 1994, the first event ever held at Chicago’s massive United Center. Instead, The Undertaker vs. The Undertaker headlined. Remember that one? Or did you block it from your memory? Good.

The whole family was involved in this bout, with several Harts sitting in the first few rows of ringside. Particularly important was the presence of Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith, who was fresh off a run with WCW.  The whole family would be involved after the conclusion of the match.

After an iconic bout, probably most remembered for Bret’s superplex of Owen off the top of the cage, Bret successfully defended his championship by escaping the cage. Immediately, he was ambushed by Neidhart, who had jumped the guard rail. Neidhart and Owen then padlocked the cage door and kept Bret in the cage as they beat on him while keeping the family at bay. After several unsuccessful attempts by many of the Hart men to climb into the cage for the rescue, Bulldog eventually made the save. 

In the days where WWE cage matches could only be won by escaping over the top or through the door, this bout was about as perfect as one could be. And I still kind of miss that old blue cage.