The Biggest Party of the Summer is just around the corner!
For the first time in a few years, we have two different shows that will be represented at SummerSlam – Raw and SmackDown. Both shows have provided solid build for some fantastic match-ups with some of the biggest names in the industry right now.
But before we look ahead, why don’t we look back! Let’s take a look at the Top 25 matches in SummerSlam history!
This year has card full of matches that might be able to be added to this list next year. I personally expect to see Seth Rollins vs Finn Balor somewhere towards the top of this list. Time will indeed tell!
Here we go!
#25
MATCH – Bret Hart vs The Undertaker
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship
Year – 1997
LOCATION – Continental Airlines Arena – East Rutherford, NJ
Top to bottom the 1997 edition of the summer bash is regarded as one of the best. At the top was a battle between two of the biggest stars of the decade with another superstar, Shawn Michaels, as the referee. Another great match but the biggest outcomes from this match was the chair shot that started an amazing HBK/Taker feud and started us on the path to Montreal in November of that year.
#24
MATCH – Mankind vs The Undertaker
TITLE/STIPULATION – Boiler Room Brawl
YEAR – 1996
LOCATION – Gund Arena – Cleveland, OH
This took place when backstage fight scenes were rarely seen. The Boiler Room Brawl gave the WWF fans in introduction into just how far Mick Foley will go to 
entertain them. The crazy spots from Foley plus the unthinkable Paul Bearer turn on The Undertaker make this a memorable match.
#23
MATCH – Hulk Hogan vs Shawn Michaels
TITLE/STIPULATION – None
YEAR – 2005
LOCATION – MCI Center – Washington, DC
Two of the biggest names in the game go one-on-one. The real story here was the trademark Hogan backstage politics. Hogan wanted to win this match against a heel HBK because he thought that would make sense…yeah. At least we did get a few weeks of heel HBK which provided several entertaining bits on Raw from a classic anti-Canada promo in Canada and the Larry King Live spoof. Classic stuff!
#22
MATCH – CM Punk vs Brock Lesnar
TITLE/STIPULATION – None
YEAR – 2013
LOCATION – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA
Paul Heyman Guy vs Paul Heyman Guy. This was an all-out brawl from two of the best shoot fighters. Lesnar goes over on Punk…another guy who beats Punk and then leaves. If you listened to the infamous Colt Cabana podcast from last year, you know that this was one of the reasons why Punk left. To me, it’s an understandable gripe.
#21
MATCH – Nexus vs Team Raw
TITLE/STIPULATION – None
YEAR – 2010
LOCATION – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA
Nexus came in on fire by literally destroying everything and everyone they saw when they debuted on Raw. The group would attack legends like Bret Hart, Ricky Steamboat and even Vince McMahon himself. The group had a lot of momentum 
that summer, and then John Cena kind of killed it. The match was pretty entertaining, including the introduction of the surprise member of Team Raw, a young rookie named Daniel Bryan. I wonder how far Nexus could have gone if they had won their first big pay-per-view match…ah well.
#20
MATCH – Triple H vs Goldberg vs Shawn Michaels vs Kevin Nash vs Chris Jericho vs Randy Orton
TITLE/STIPULATION – Elimination Chamber for the World Heavyweight Championship
YEAR – 2003
LOCATION – America West Arena – Phoenix, AZ
The Elimination Chamber made its SummerSlam debut in 2003.Perhaps no Chamber match had as much star-power as this one did. Six current and future Hall of Famers competed for Raw’s World Heavyweight Championship. Even with a hamstring injury that limited what he could actually do during the match, Triple H came out on top … which was pretty much the norm for that time.
#19
MATCH – Mankind vs Triple H
TITLE/STIPULATION – Steel Cage Match
YEAR – 1997
LOCATION – Continental Airlines Arena – East Rutherford, NJ
This match came shortly after the famous Mankind interview promos to introduce the world to Mick Foley, rather than the deranged superstar the fans knew. Those interviews and this match made Foley a fan-favorite to levels previously thought unimaginable. Jumping off the top of the classic blue bar cage helped a little as well.
#18
MATCH – Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon
TITLE/STIPULATION – Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship
YEAR – 1995
LOCATION – Civic Arena – Pittsburgh, PA
A rematch of their epic ladder match 17 months prior…and one that doesn’t really get talked about. Somewhat understandable with the WrestleMania history the two made the year before. This match had its charm though, including pissed off Shawn Michaels getting, well, pissed off at the ref’s before the match starts.
#17
MATCH – Brock Lesnar vs The Undertaker
TITLE/STIPULATION – None
YEAR – 2015
LOCATION – Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY
You hear the term “big fight feel” thrown out a lot in wrestling. This match 
epitomized that phrase! Right from the get go we saw that this wasn’t going to be a match, it would be a fight! If it weren’t for a confusing ending, this match could have been higher.
#16
MATCH – CM Punk vs John Cena
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship
Year – 2011
LOCATION – Staples Center – Los Angeles, California
The Summer of Punk was capped off with this match billed as WWE Champion vs WWE Champion. Punk won a solid match, but the fun started after the bell. After an attack from a returning Kevin Nash, Alberto Del Rio comes down to cash in Money in the Bank and becomes the new WWE Champion. A lot of action for a three minute span.
#15
MATCH – Jeff Hardy vs Rob Van Dam
TITLE/STIPULATION – Ladder Match for the Hardcore Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – 2001
LOCATION – Compaq Center – San Jose, CA
These two legendary high flyers showed off their skills in a ladder match in 2001. Even with all of the phenomenal moves these two pulled off, watch the match on the WWE Network. Van Dam misses on a move that, if hit, could have been seen as one of the most memorable moments in SummerSlam history.
#14
MATCH – Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero
TITLE/STIPULATION – Ladder Match for the Custody of Dominick
YEAR – 2005
LOCATION – MCI Center – Washington, DC
To those of you who were not regular viewers in 2005, yes you read that right. Custody of Rey Mysterio’s oldest son is what was on the line … … … you know this match has to be good to be this high on the list with THAT kind of a stipulation! And it was! So many high spots between the two friends made this a match to be talked about!
#13
MATCH – Edge vs The Undertaker
TITLE/STIPULATION – Hell in a Cell
YEAR – 2008
LOCATION – Conseco Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN
This was one of the most underrated rivalries of the era which came to a head inside Hell in a Cell. The match was great, but the theatrics started after the bell. Not happy with just beating Edge, The Dead Man takes the Rated R Superstar to 
the top of a ladder, chokeslams him THROUGH the ring and then raises the fires of hell from the hole in the ring that Edge created. DRAMA!
#12
MATCH – Dudley Boyz vs Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian
TITLE/STIPULATION – TLC for the Tag Team Championship
YEAR – 2000
LOCATION – Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena – Raleigh, NC
Everyone talks about these three teams TLC match at WrestleMania 17, but this match was the originator. It may not have had the super-high spots that the rematch did seven months later but was still something to be talked about.
#11
MATCH – Mick Foley vs Ric Flair
TITLE/STIPULATION – I Quit Match
YEAR – 2006
LOCATION – TD Banknorth Garden – Boston, MA
Two icons in the business collide in what ended up being a pure blood bath. Flair walked into Foley’s world and made the Hardcore Legend scream I Quit. Such an underrated classic!
#10
MATCH – John Cena vs Daniel Bryan
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship
YEAR – 2013
LOCATION – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA
A confusing start to the Yes movement, but a start nonetheless. Bryan beats Cena in the battle of Bella significant others to win his first WWE Championship…and it lasts a minute or two. Randy Orton comes down, cashes in Money in the Bank and gets the 1-2-3 from special referee Triple H, whose heel turn starts The Authority. Money in the Bank creates a lot of brief SummerSlam drama!
#9
MATCH – Demolition vs The Hart Foundation
TITLE/STIPULATION – Two out of Three Falls for the Tag Team Championship
YEAR – 1990
LOCATION – The Spectrum – Philadelphia, PA
One of my favorite tag matches of all time. Two of the most popular teams in the era met in a 2 out of 3 falls classic. On top of that, we get our first major WWF appearance from arguably the most popular team of all time – the Legion of Doom. Not too much this match didn’t have!
#8
MATCH – Seth Rollins vs John Cena
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE World Heavyweight Championship/United States Championship
YEAR – 2015
LOCATION – Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY
The last few years have seen John Cena Seth Rollins in some of the most exciting matches of the era. Put them together and it’s instant gold! This could have been 
a possible top 5 match if it wasn’t for the unbelievably unnecessary Jon Stewart run in.
#7
MATCH – The Rock vs Triple H
TITLE/STIPULATION – Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship
YEAR – 1998
LOCATION – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
I think the most exciting part about this match is that with how exciting it was, this was far before both men reached their prime! I for one am still holding out hope on one last battle between The Game and The Brahma Bull. If they do lock horns again, it will be hard to live up to the excitement that this match created.
#6
MATCH – Mr. Perfect vs Bret Hart
TITLE/STIPULATION – Intercontinental Championship
Year – 1991
LOCATION – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Welcome to the big leagues, Bret Hart! In Hart’s first major singles match, he and Mr. Perfect put on a wrestling clinic in Madison Square Garden as The Hitman captured his first Intercontinental Championship. The fact that Perfect put on this match with basically half of a back just adds to the greatness of this match!
#5
MATCH – Jeff Hardy vs CM Punk
TITLE/STIPULATION – Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
YEAR – 2009
LOCATION – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA
The Top 5 starts with Jeff Hardy’s last major match for WWE. Before heading out though, Hardy would create one more memorable moment with his 20 foot jump off of a ladder onto Punk who was laid out on the announce table. Punk won the match – his prize? A surprise attack from The Undertaker who was claiming his place as #1 contender. Seriously though, check it out on the network, I am still amazed at how Taker was able to slide right under Punk with no one noticing!
#4
MATCH – Bret Hart vs Owen Hart
TITLE/STIPULATION – Steel Cage Match for the WWF Championship
YEAR – 1994
LOCATION – United Center – Chicago, IL
Everyone talks about the match between the two brothers at WrestleMania 10, but this match should get just as much praise. With nearly the entire Hart clan sitting in the front rows of the United Center, Bret and Owen showed that a cage match can be more than just blood and gore while still keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats.
#3
MATCH – The Rock vs Brock Lesnar
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship
YEAR – 2002
LOCATION – Nassau Memorial Veterans Coliseum – Uniondale, NY
It takes a special rookie to get people to boo The Rock in 2002 – Lesnar was indeed that special of a rookie! In less than 6 months from making his main 
roster debut, Lesnar shocks the world and defeats The Great One to win his first Undisputed Championship.
#2
MATCH – Bret Hart vs The British Bulldog
TITLE/STIPULATION – Intercontinental Championship
YEAR – 1992
LOCATION – Wembley Stadium – London, England
In the first major Pay Per View show overseas, and really the only one since, England welcomed their star home to the tune of over 80,000 screaming fans cheering on The British Bulldog. It was an incredible environment that ended up doing more for Hart in a loss than the Bulldog in the win. But at least Davey Boy had that moment to cap his career.
#1
MATCH – Shawn Michaels vs Triple H
TITLE/STIPULATION – Unsanctioned
YEAR – 2002
LOCATION – Nassau Memorial Veterans Coliseum – Uniondale, NY
Arguably the best rivalry of the era, Michaels returned to WWE after a four year absence recovering from a broken back. Again, if you’re new, you read that right, broken back! Michaels and The Game would put on a 45 minute classic complete with tables ladders and chairs, and a nasty sledgehammer shot at the end. Michaels would stick around for the next 8 years before calling it a Hall of Fame level career. Again…a broken back!
So there you have it! What do you think of the list? Should a match be higher? Lower? Any matches on the card this year have the chance to join a future list? Follow us on Twitter @From_TheTopRope and let us know!
