Summerslam's Biggest Main Event Ever?

[Wolf Pac]

We've all had discussions over what is Wrestlemania's biggest main event of all time but I've never seen one about WWE's second biggest PPV and over the course of history, we've had a lot of major Summerslam main events. On the first Summerslam ever, we had the Mega-Bucks vs. Mega-Powers which was a huge deal at the time; 92, Summerslam was hosted in the Wembley Stadium and headlined by the classic Bulldog vs. Bret bout over the IC Title; 93 saw WWE's newest American Hero, Lex Luger take on the biggest threat to the WWE at the time, Japan's Yokozuna; 98, we had Stone Cold vs. Undertaker and even though it had been happened once before, WWE still gave it a Wrestlemania like build up; In 2002, you had the next big thing Brock Lesnar, who was over as hell at the time, go over The Rock for his first WWE Title in what was WWE's fastest rise of all time; 2005, you had two icons, two legends, face off for the first time ever in Hogan vs. Michaels; And this year, we have "The Perfect Storm" when Brock Lesnar takes on HHH in a match people have wanted to see since the Ruthless Aggression Era. There could be some more Summerslam main events that could be considered big but this is as far as I will go.

So like the title says, what was Summerslam's biggest main event of all time?

 

[donfryeismyhero]

We've all had discussions over what is Wrestlemania's biggest main event of all time but I've never seen one about WWE's second biggest PPV and over the course of history, we've had a lot of major Summerslam main events. On the first Summerslam ever, we had the Mega-Bucks vs. Mega-Powers which was a huge deal at the time; 92, Summerslam was hosted in the Wembley Stadium and headlined by the classic Bulldog vs. Bret bout over the IC Title; 93 saw WWE's newest American Hero, Lex Luger take on the biggest threat to the WWE at the time, Japan's Yokozuna; 98, we had Stone Cold vs. Undertaker and even though it had been happened once before, WWE still gave it a Wrestlemania like build up; In 2002, you had the next big thing Brock Lesnar, who was over as hell at the time, go over The Rock for his first WWE Title in what was WWE's fastest rise of all time; 2005, you had two icons, two legends, face off for the first time ever in Hogan vs. Michaels; And this year, we have "The Perfect Storm" when Brock Lesnar takes on HHH in a match people have wanted to see since the Ruthless Aggression Era. There could be some more Summerslam main events that could be considered big but this is as far as I will go.

So like the title says, what was Summerslam's biggest main event of all time?

Man, this is a tough question. I'd say the 1st SummerSlam pitting The Mega Powers vs The Mega Bucks. You had Hulk & Savage with the lovely Liz in their corner battling the 2 top heels in the company at the time Andre the Giant & The Million $ Man with The Brain & Virgil. Plus Jesse The Body Ventura was the special guest ref. It was a fun match & Jesse's favortism towards the heel team led to an unexpected finish.

 

[HBKperfect23]

1992 gets my vote. The atmosphere for Bret and Davey was electric. Doesnt hurt that this match would be the greatest match in wrestling history.

The first one in 1988 is a close secoud. Hogan and Andre back in the same ring, the team of the two biggest stars of the 80s in Hogan and Savage. The build up was great. Dibease played the perfect heel.

I would add in 1998 as an honorable mention. The highway to hell build up for Austin/Taker was amazing.

 

[luiginyc84]

1992, 1998 & 2002 had the best atmospheres during the matches. Crowd was hot throughout the entire matches. I would have to give the edge to 2002 though.

 

[SickJames]

Okay I know people usually will say how can you shoot down other people's opinions etc etc, but we arent talking best match technically (Bret/Bulldog) or something like that we are talking the BIGGEST main event. The biggest main event hands down...

Shawn Michaels vs Hulk Hogan!

There is no match that matches this star power and the fact that it NEVER happened before

Rock/Brock isnt bigger as much as I like Rock.

HBK/HHH wasnt bigger


these matches were cool, better build was HBK/HHH, and both were really main events, screw the last match thing, anyone who watched a long time knows they have double main events etc.


Anyway Hogan vs Michaels cant be outdone by ANYTHING you can name on a basis of big match and you know it. Try, but it isnt what you liked more etc it's the biggest main event, thats it

 

[kaptin]

In terms of name value, Hogan vs Michaels is probably the biggest but Shawn intentionally ruined the match.

I remember when Michaels initally turned on Hogan and I was really looking forward to that match but he was flipping and flopping and massively overselling because he was having a cry about having to do the job.

Really immature and unprofessional.

I still like Summerslam 88 for biggest main event.

 

[dman1373]

In terms of name value, Hogan vs Michaels is probably the biggest but Shawn intentionally ruined the match.

I remember when Michaels initally turned on Hogan and I was really looking forward to that match but he was flipping and flopping and massively overselling because he was having a cry about having to do the job.

Really immature and unprofessional.

I still like Summerslam 88 for biggest main event.

I hate when people say that michaels over sold and whatever, cause its complete bullshit. If you ever watched a michaels match you would know thats how he sells, especially for bigger guys.

And i dont know how it was ruined when it was the best match i have seen hogan in since the 80s. If anyone can find a better match of hogans since the 80s show it to me. And dont give me that over rated rock vs hogan match.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

Austin vs. Undertaker at Summer Slam 1998. This was a huge main event and had an epic 3 to 4 month build up (sigh I wish the WWE would have this kind of build up these days), at the time Austin was "the man" but Undertaker was still considered the "greatest force of the WWF".

How is this possible, well Austin was the most popular star at the time but Taker has yet to loose clean in a match and has already been dominant for over 8 years (beating the likes of Yokozuna, Jake Roberts, Hulk Hogan, Diesel, and recently the, at the time, unstoppable Kane, etc.). Both were the top baby faces also.

So when these two were finally scheduled to go at it, the crowd was divided and no one knew who would win in this match.

Plus the promotion and marketing was pretty brilliant too. They had a music video "Highway To Hell" featuring Austin/Taker on RAW. And a poster resembling Godzilla

Yeah it also helped that this was taking place in MSG.

 

[donfryeismyhero]

I hate when people say that michaels over sold and whatever, cause its complete bullshit. If you ever watched a michaels match you would know thats how he sells, especially for bigger guys.

And i dont know how it was ruined when it was the best match i have seen hogan in since the 80s. If anyone can find a better match of hogans since the 80s show it to me. And dont give me that over rated rock vs hogan match.

Very true. That's what HBK always did when he was working heel against bigger guys. To show off just how much more bigger & powerful the guy was across from the ring from Shawn.

 

[WRESTLING_GENIUS]

name wise its hogan vs HBK.....
But match wise and all around build up sorry but i will choose Bret Hart vs Undertaker summerslam 97 HBK special refree and the first match he refd and the start of a feud that ended at WM 26 when HBK hit taker with the chair to set up the first hIAC match, and the montreal screwjob...... Thats my personal favorite atleast......

 

[rge2010]

I hate when people say that michaels over sold and whatever, cause its complete bullshit. If you ever watched a michaels match you would know thats how he sells, especially for bigger guys.

And i dont know how it was ruined when it was the best match i have seen hogan in since the 80s. If anyone can find a better match of hogans since the 80s show it to me. And dont give me that over rated rock vs hogan match.

You seriously need to watch that match again. HBK made Hogan look an idiot intentionally. He did a fucking forward flip after the big boot!!! It was ridiculous!!!! I also found it pretty disrespectful to the business and speaking of business, HBK had previous for going into business 'for himself' which he did here. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyN5sAShqOA ........by the way, I do agree Hogan should have done the job.

Biggest Summerslam Main Event and best Summerslam match ever has to be 1992 - Bret vs Bulldog. Over 90,000 fans!!! But going on name value alone it is Michaels vs Hogan.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

I can't imagine Hogan vs. Shawn Michaels as the biggest Summer Slam main event compared like Austin/Undertaker. Perhaps through its name value you could make the argument but Hogan barley showed up on RAW to promote the main event. Shawn Michaels did most of the leg work in and out of the ring to build the feud. Hogan didn't even look like he cared all that much.

Yeah ok, Hogan is a big star and Shawn Michaels is an Icon but it takes the effort of all involved to make a rivalry and build up compelling.

 

[SickJames]

You guys are funny, again talking about the build for Taker/Austin, the big crowd for Bret/Bulldog and really the greatest SummerSlam is still 2002 to me with HBK/HHH, Rock/Brock, but still the biggest main event, not even purely on name value, you guys all keep brushing over it and stating another match, but it only shows deep down, you know it's definative. Hell, you guys always go off the definative and with a comment like RGE's with him trying to argue the greatest match (it is) in SummerSlam history being the greatest main event... that's not true. Two different things.

I mean, even if Shawn did oversell, it was tasteful and entertaining. The point of a wrestling match and really, Shawn shouldve won, but that's an argument for a different time.


It's just funnny that threads always have people give answers that arent concrete, always the opinion factor rather than the fact factor. I mean really, again, people are allowed there opinions but I could point out a number of times people were even asked to state one thing and totally go a different route. Or the "I understand you asked for this, I'm on the fence and I'm gonna say this" or the "I dont get why you posted this, this is stupid, not even gonna participate" meaningless post



There was a thread days ago that was about naming the best submission move ever. Now obviously most, as I stated in the thread, would gun for The Sharpshooter, with The Figure Four being a runner up pick, but that's on legacy of The Hart Family, a love of them from fans and the move being legendary, also being used by Sting, being maybe the most well known sub move, although that DOES NOT make it the best.

Best submission move would be the most realistically damaging one, the whole entire point of a submission move, making someone tap, or they pass out

There is no deadlier sub move than Hell's Gate and that's another plain and simple fact. And the fact that anyone could pick a move that hurts your back and legs or your stomach or your arms is laughable. When we compare pain, that move will do it every time.



Some things (topics) can be arguable, but some really are definate.




If I asked people to take any two wrestlers past or present to give me the best technical wrestling match of all time, you'd get a lot of opinion, and with all due respect to Benoit, Mr. Perfect, Jericho and the whole lot of guys that are great techs, the one answer truer than any would be Bret Hart vs Kurt Angle. Name me one better.




Hogan/Michaels > any other SummerSlam main event you can name

 

[Jonyboyuk2]

For me it would have to be Bret Hart V British Bulldog at SummerSlam 1992. It was a match that turned me from a casual viewer in to a major wrestling fan. I was 9 when it happened and I watched that match the other night. My Girlfriend has never watched wrestling but I made her watch it with me. (and the rematch at IYH in 1995).

Other honourable mentions for best summerslam main event-

HBK v HHH summerslam 2002 (I know it is a co-main event).
Brock V Rock at the same card had a wicked essence to it and the Rock put Lesnar over like a pro.
Stone Cold V Taker 1998 - that was a riot from beginning to end - what a feud!
CM Punk V Cena- because Punk was excellent.
Bret Hart V Undertaker with HBK refereeing in 1997 - Bret was fantastic in his heel manor-isms.
Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake V Zeuz and Macho Man was amazing - not for the wrestling but for the spectacle. Me and my friends went crazy for that when we were 6.
Hulk Hogan v HBK 2005 was fantastic thanks to HBK - even when he over sold.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

There is no question that you are talking Summerslam 92. I remember it was announced by Davey on TV-AM (UK then's version of "Good Morning America") and the onsale date. I forced my dad onto the phone and luckily we got tix. They had gone within 12 hours, 80 thousand tickets gone in that short a space of time was unheard of people also forget the 2nd part of the show's pull was Savage v Warrior, to date the biggest rematch in history.

But in reality, one "mid-card" match sold most of those 80,000 tickets by the time the Americans had even heard the card...one business day. So that makes it Summerslam's biggest/greatest/most important main event ever.

 

[GameOver]

there have been many awesome SummerSlam's over the decades but realistically how many can you remember as being the main event or any matches for that matter.

I grew up watching from the start of WWF under Vince McMahon jr.

SummerSlam 88 was the next big thing, can remember most of the PPV from top to bottom, not just cause i watched the first 10yrs of PPV's so many times they were engrained, but it was entertaining.

after that they were ok. SummerSlam 92 with Davey vs Bret had to be the biggest from a crowd standpoint and it was a wrestling classic and outdoors which was i believe the first outdoor PPV for WWF at that point. note i said PPV not show. that whole SummerSlam was probably the best overall PPV since WrestleMania 3

moving forward i struggle to remember any.
Austin vs Triple H vs Mankind for the title (with Jessie Ventura as the special ref.).
Brock vs Rock obviously.

so my memory fails me i'm gonna have to go with SummerSlam 92 Bret vs Davey only cause it's the biggest one i remember, Mega Powers vs Mega Bucks looking back was pretty crap if it wasn't for Elizabeth stripping on a PG show lol .

 

[harrythem]

It'd still be the first one. You had Hogan and Macho at their peak. You had Andre and DiBiase as the perfect heels. It was the biggest main event ever. It also had Elizabeth showing the most flesh a bird had in wrestling at the time too!

Hogan vs HBK had star power but, honestly, 88 had even more (I'd even say Macho & Andre were both more over during that period then HBK has ever been at any point in his career. Yeah, they were THAT over).

92 was awesome (being English and being their live) so I love that one. 98 had a really good build till they completely ignored it on the day itself (where was the cahoots dammit!)

It'd say 99 was pretty big too. Not at the time but, that was when Triple H first joined the main event dance. Sure he didn't win but, him being in that position since (and taking over the company with his wife one day) sure has had the biggest effect on the WWE as a whole

 

[justtxyank]

It'd still be the first one. You had Hogan and Macho at their peak. You had Andre and DiBiase as the perfect heels. It was the biggest main event ever. It also had Elizabeth showing the most flesh a bird had in wrestling at the time too!

Let's just clarify that it was the most skin shown in the WWF up to that point. Despite what Vince would have you believe, there were other promotions out there in America that had done everything Vince would do on tv and more. They just didn't have the exposure to show it.

I do agree though that the Mega Powers vs Mega Bucks was the biggest main event.

I'll throw one into the ring here though that is being overlooked. Summerslam 93, Yokozuna vs Lex Luger.

This was a huge main event at the time. Luger had received a push unlike any since Hogan in the early 80s and Yokozuna was a MASSIVELY over super-heel. SS 93 has the 2nd highest attendance in Summerslam history behind the one in England which has the unfair advantage of being in England.

It really is forgotten in time just how big Luger vs Yokozuna was. The WWF messed up royally by botching that finish and having Luger win by countout. He was so hot, the feud was so hot, etc. He should have won that match.

 

[nbrew2119]

Diesel vs. Mabel HA...actually, as far as names, I'll say HBK and HHH...I know it wasnt the main event, but, the hype around it was somethin else with HBK making the big comeback and everything, and the music that they had behind it, could feel the emotion.

Although, my favorite main event, was Randy Orton/Chris Benoit...very good wrestling match, and was kinda surprised when Orton pinned Benoit clean...very nice at the end when Benoit shook Ortons hand after losing.

 

[HBKperfect23]

But match wise and all around build up sorry but i will choose Bret Hart vs Undertaker summerslam 97 HBK special refree and the first match he refd and the start of a feud that ended at WM 26 when HBK hit taker with the chair to set up the first hIAC match, and the montreal screwjob...... Thats my personal favorite atleast......

While I dont agree that its number 1, it certainly deserves to be mentioned. What a great time in wrestling. I still consider the USA/Canada stuff one of the best wrestling angles ever. Ill second this simply because it was one of of my personal favorites.

 

[rokuma]

You seriously need to watch that match again. HBK made Hogan look an idiot intentionally. He did a fucking forward flip after the big boot!!! It was ridiculous!!!! I also found it pretty disrespectful to the business and speaking of business, HBK had previous for going into business 'for himself' which he did here. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyN5sAShqOA ........by the way, I do agree Hogan should have done the job.
.

Have you EVER watched HBK or wrestling in general? All of the selling HBK did during that much was warranted. Hogan's character is built on him being huge, strong, and indestructible. HBK is easily 50-60 lbs lighter than Hogan and with some of the moves Hogan did (pushing HBK away, the clothesline over the top rope, ramming his head into the turnbuckle) it is easily believable that a guy the size of Michaels would be launched in such a way. It's classic old-school heel selling. And honestly, his selling saved the entire match.

Anyways, I can't imagine a Summerslam main event being more hyped than Hogan/Savage vs Dibiase/Andre. Four of the greatest of all-time at the first ever Summerslam squaring off in a MASSIVE tag team match. The match itself wasn't the best Summerslam main event (probably Bulldog/Hart IMO), but it's likely one of the most hyped. You could make an argument that Brock/Rock in 2002 was one of the biggest as well, as it gave Brock the legitimacy to become a huge star, but this one was hyped and looked forward to back in the day.

 

[HBsam31]

I have to go old school and say The Mega Powers vs The Mega Bucks. Having Hogan and Andre in the same ring again was awesome. It was a really big deal at that time, and Jesse Ventura as ref really added to it. He was always a non fan of Hogan and we all wondered if he would make the count. This was just kind of a sentimental favorite for me.

 

[thebarber]

if we are talking greatest Summerslam main event, it has to be Summerslam 92, Wembley Stadium, Bret Hart vs davey Boy Smith. It was huge, whenever Summerlslam is menioned, that match is the first that comes to mind. In ring quality is was probably the best. May not have been the two biggest names at the time, but this was an epic back and forht match, and Im hard pressed to find a better match that headlined a Summerslam.

 

[SickJames]

I'll say this. I think people are confusing best match in SummerSlam history with biggest main event. Here's how you draw the line.

Flair himself once said, and it's true, after being asked who was the greatest between Hogan and himself, he stated he was the better wrestler, Hogan was the bigger star. This can be compared here.


Bret/Bulldog would be Flair here and Hogan/Michaels would be Hogan.

The biggest main event if Hogan/Michaels, the best match, which just so happened to not even BE the biggest match that night, but went on last for the IC belt anyway, was Bret/Bulldog, in days where the IC belt could be the last match on the card.


That was a huge event, etc etc, but still, the end of the day, Hogan Michaels is a bigger main event.


You think Bret vs Bulldog would outsell Hogan vs Michaels at WrestleMania? despite the buyrates or whatever numbers SummerSlam did because it was still two different times in wrestling and popularity decreased before 2005 I bet though if you had a vote world-wide not on these smark forums, let the casual fan in two and see which match would get the vote over the other if the question was which would you rather go see main event Mania. People would prefer to see the bigger names. Thus the bigger fucking main event

Just like Hogan Andre may not be Savage/Steamboat tech wise, but it was the bigger match that night although it wasnt the BEST match on the card, best doesnt make it bigger or the biggest thing going. Look at Mania. The BEST match wasnt Rock/Cena, it wasnt even Y2J/Punk (tech yes, but story and overall no) Taker/HHH stole the show and Michaels was a huge part of that




Hogan vs HBK is your winner

 

[harrythem]

So, by that logic, Hogan vs HBK isn't the biggest main event, that would be the Mega Powers vs Mega Bucks, due to the fact that it had THE star power of Hogan, Macho and Andre in (who, as I said, all were more over at that period than HBK ever has been in his entire career).

So Powers vs Bucks is the winner, not Hogan vs HBK and, honestly, it isn't even close, just by using your own logic!