Top 5 Summerslam Matches of All Time

[theBusiness]

Pretty straightforward. Give your top 5. Discuss.

1. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (1994) - One of my favorite matches of all time. These two put on a classic and imo, the greatest steel cage match ever. Not your typical cage brawl, these men actually wrestled and the excitement was non stop. Should've been the main event. No questions asked, this is number one on my list.

2. Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog (1992) - A tad bit overrated imo, but still one of the best summerslam matches ever. The atmosphere is what really made the match, I just wish Bret wasn't in control for most of the bout. I think this is the only time in history the IC title match was the main event.

3. Bret Hart vs. Mr Perfect (1991) - I actually like this match better than the 1992 main event, but I still think the Bulldog-Bret match was of more significance. Bret and Perfect always had incredible chemistry and this match is the best example of that. Also one of my personal matches favorites of all time.

4. Edge & Christian vs. Dudley Boyz vs. Hardy Boyz (2000) - Need i say more?

5. Stone Cold vs. Kurt Angle (2001) - A flat out brawl. Kurt seemed invincible in this match. Even though it ended with a bullshit DQ, it is still a classic. I also think this should have been the main event instead of Rock-Booker, but with a different ending of course. Hard for me to decide between this match and Kurt-Brock at SS03.

 

[steveom07]

Just mention 2 that may get over looked -

Shane Mcmahon vs Test (1999) The action inside of the ring was nonstop and saw a lot of interference while outside of the ring a drama was unfolding as Stephanie was shown watching the match and cheering on her boyfriend

Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio (2005) Fighting for custody of Reys son Dominic.

 

[Maverick29]

5) Bret Hart vs British Bulldog (1992)
4) Bret Hart vs Owen Hart (1994)
3) Bret Hart vs Mr Perfect (1991)
2) Shawn Michaels vs Vader (1996) - this much is underrated IMO, a good, well put together match.
1) Shawn Michaels vs HHH (2002) - Shawn's Comeback was just.. wow. A whole new generation got introduced and schooled on how good HBK was, realized what they've had been missing, and the older generation got an old favorite back, for 8 long years more.

 

[Raito]

2002 HBK v HHH - Not the best match but every time HBK moved i was legit worried cause I knew how hurt he had been. Was awesome to see him be him again, and classic HHH to sledge hammer the back. I've never really thought anyone gets hit by the hammer, but I was still worried and emotively moved by that.

1998 - HHH v Rock Ic Title ladder match. Not the best match, but the first time I knew these guys were main event. MSG helped.

20?? Rey vs Angle. Rey could really go then, and hadn't hit the roids yet, Angle was 9 years younger and in awesome fashion.

20?? Rock vs Brock. The last cm punk v cena type thing. Rock completely lost the crowd and Brock was a monster.

199? Bulldog v Bret Hart - Unlike most other wwf i had seen from that era this match was a fight I belived. They hit hard, didnt have nonsensical facial actions every moment, and were over as hell with a nice touch of sentimental meaning. So many things right with this.

Honorable mentions - TLC, Taker v Austin98, Jericho v Cena, heaps more i cant think of probably these were just off the top of my head

 

[S.J. Maximus]

1. 1992 Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog - It's really hard to say that the match that produced the biggest pop in WWF history is not the best SummerSlam match of all-time so I won't even try. A true classic that always gets replayed as 'a SummerSlam rewind' and the story was real (brother in-laws battling with Diana at ringside).

2. 2001 Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle - Although the finish pissed me off this match was very brutal and exciting. I've never been more behind Kurt Angle in a match in my life and I was hoping he'd win the title but he didn't despite kicking out of 3 stunners for the first time ever.

3. 1991 Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect - Although it wasn't a main event, wasn't for the world title, wasn't even the most hyped match of the night, this match was the best match of the night and one of the best of all time. Two of the best ring generals of all time putting on a brilliant match where Bret became the first to kick out of the PerfectPlex.

4. 1994 Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart - Damn, how good is the Hitman!? Putting on another legendary SummerSlam bout, this time with his brother in what was (IMO) one of the best feuds ever and should've resulted in an Owen Hart title reign. I didn't like the ambush after the match (it was way too long and boring) but the match itself was amazing.

5. 2004 Randy Orton vs. Chris Benoit - I know I'm alone with putting this one on my list but this match definitely has legendary status because it crowned the youngest World Heavyweight Champion of all time. I honestly didn't think Orton had a chance but I was shocked to see him leave with the gold


Honorable Mention: TLC 2000, Punk vs Hardy 2009, Taker vs Taker 1994, HBK returns vs HHH 2002, Elimination Chamber 2003,

 

[darbare]

Well since I can only speak on recent Summerslams dating back to the 90s when I started watching, due to young age, here are my faves in no order.

1) 2002- Rock vs Brock- amazing atmosphere, crowd was totally behind Brock with the Rock becoming a stale face
2) 2002- Triple H vd HBK- Shawns comeback match...and then for him to win with a rollup was sweet...the ending with the sledgehammer was crazy
3) 2002- Angle ve Mysterio- awesome match n Reys debut PPV
4) 2004- Orton vs Benoit- Randys always been my favorite, but to see him coming into his own in this match was awesome (probably my all tme favorite)
5) 2005- Cena vs Jericho- buildp was amazing, top 3
6) 2005- Hogan vs Michaels- when I think of summer 2005 ths match and story comes to mind, top 2
7) 2006- Edge vs Cena for WWE title....awesome buildup and surprise fnish with Edge leaving Boston as champ
8) 2007- Cena vs Orton- changed my mind this is top 2....I was standing up by the time this match was over
9) 2009- Cm Punk vs Jeff Hardy- match of the year TLC match
10) 2010- Nexus vs Team WWE- only the buildup was worth mentioning

 

[bigbootydaddyV]

1. 1992 Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog - It's really hard to say that the match that produced the biggest pop in WWF history is not the best SummerSlam match of all-time so I won't even try. A true classic that always gets replayed as 'a SummerSlam rewind' and the story was real (brother in-laws battling with Diana at ringside).

2. 2001 Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle - Although the finish pissed me off this match was very brutal and exciting. I've never been more behind Kurt Angle in a match in my life and I was hoping he'd win the title but he didn't despite kicking out of 3 stunners for the first time ever.

3. 1991 Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect - Although it wasn't a main event, wasn't for the world title, wasn't even the most hyped match of the night, this match was the best match of the night and one of the best of all time. Two of the best ring generals of all time putting on a brilliant match where Bret became the first to kick out of the PerfectPlex.

4. 1994 Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart - Damn, how good is the Hitman!? Putting on another legendary SummerSlam bout, this time with his brother in what was (IMO) one of the best feuds ever and should've resulted in an Owen Hart title reign. I didn't like the ambush after the match (it was way too long and boring) but the match itself was amazing.

5. 2004 Randy Orton vs. Chris Benoit - I know I'm alone with putting this one on my list but this match definitely has legendary status because it crowned the youngest World Heavyweight Champion of all time. I honestly didn't think Orton had a chance but I was shocked to see him leave with the gold


Honorable Mention: TLC 2000, Punk vs Hardy 2009, Taker vs Taker 1994, HBK returns vs HHH 2002, Elimination Chamber 2003,

Haha man not only was the ambush not done well in the Bret/Owen match, but Bulldog did a terrible job of selling the clothesline from Anvil, it was one of the first times i remember not being able to tell myself wrestling wasn't fake back then. But yea, there is a reason Bret is called Mr Summerslam, he definitely put on some of the most classic matches then. I think had Punk Cena 1 been at summerslam instead of MITB they could have made the list, sadly i'm not too sure the rematch will. Anyways though on to my top 5, the majority of which are Bret matches, haha it may as well be a top 5 bret hart summerslam list

5.. Bret/Owen - an amazing cage match, had the whole fam involved, and was just a great match overall.

4. The Mega Powers beat the Mega Bucks. This was one of the matches that got me to be the wrestling fan I am today (no not just because of Liz taking off her skirt, though to an 8 year old boy, WOW) it was a match full of legends and it had that big match feel to it. Probably one of the biggest tag matches of all time, esp for the Mega Powers and the only non bret match worthy of the list.

3. Hart Foundation/Demolition.. 2/3 falls match, during the peak of tag team wrestling in the WWF. Great match and even had LOD involved. At the time I was waiting for the HF to get their belts back after getting screwed out of them so this was a great one and it set up a feud with Demolition and LOD (dream feud back then)

2. Mr. Perfect/Bret Hart - CLASSIC.. 'nuff said

1. Bret Hart/Bulldog - An IC match worthy of the main event, in London, amazing spots, chemistry, psychology... truly the best match in summerslam history.

 

[SickJames]

It's hard and I wish this was a top ten, but there'd be a top 5 out of that, lol.

I'll still list briefly the last 5 in my top ten, but I have to choose a Top 5 so here we go:


Hell in a Cell
Edge vs The Undertaker (not only a nice HIAC bout which we dont see anymore and may have been the last great one, but did you see the fucking ending?!! lol It's hard to outdo HIAC even for my number 2 match when this one features what that one has!)


TLC Match
(WWE Tag Team Championships)
Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz vs The Dudley Boyz (there's too much great about this match lol it has to take the number one spot, yes over some personal matches, rare matches, but this one epic! it really had pure excitement from start to finish, pure wrestling classic? no, one of the best matches in SS history? yes! As you'll see from my list, SummerSlam has a love fetish with ladder matches, great ladder matches, and some of the very best were at this event, but the added element of tables and chairs, and not just for the fact of the aforementioned triple tango of weapons, but the usage of these weapons, made this one of the greatest matches at the event! These matches you're basically watching a split screen with a replay the whole time FOR A REASON, am I a little over-awed, maybe... maybe not)


Steel Cage Match
(WWE Championship)
Bret Hart vs Owen Hart (a bitter rivalry between two brothers made it all the more better, but what really made this match is the fact that there's a Steel Cage around the ring, with less use of it as a weapon, yet usage in a very special rare manner that adds to the match in a very different way, gotta give them credit for having the suspense factor without weapon usage much, it was used, but not like you usually see it done moreso throughout the entire bout)


I Quit Match
Ric Flair vs Mick Foley w/Melina (this match was pure awesomeness, it had a nice ending that you really didnt think was gonna happen, though the way it happen didnt make the loser look bad and it was a brutal bout, Flair's snapped before, but this was special)


Singles Match
(WWE Intercontinental Championship)
Bret Hart vs The British Bulldog (best pure wrestling match in the history of SummerSlam)



(6-10 of my top ten)

Ladder Match
(WWE Intercontinental Championship)
The Rock vs Triple H (I loved HBK/Razor's but I liked this one better, the spots was better, it was more heated, People's Elbow in the ladder! yay and the catching HHH off the ladder into a Rock Bottom)


Elimination Chamber Match
(World Heavyweight Championship)
Triple H vs Chris Jericho vs Goldberg vs Randy Orton vs Kevin Nash vs Shawn Michaels (I love Elimination Chamber Matches, but I cant put this in my top 5 though the nice wrestling at the start between Y2J & HBK made it great and the slick ending by HHH, other matches were just better)


Unsanctioned Street Fight
Shawn Michaels vs Triple H (oh damn this was great, HBK's first match back and even after it was over, the last vile act by The Game, epic stuff, I was wondering if he could still go, was happy to see my first live HBK match [on TV]


Ladder Match
(WWE Intercontinental Championship)
Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon


Ladder Match
(Custody of Dominick)
Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio (it was personal, there was a child involved, there was a friendship deteriorated, there was mental hurt and pain and the match reflected all of that and Vickie getting involved was a nice touch, Eddie and Rey's best storylines I believe and the match as always, awesome)





that's my TOP TEN overall [above] and you can of course see the Top 5 since I had to put them in order



HONRABLE MENTIONS:


Singles Match
(Icon vs Icon)
Hulk Hogan vs Shawn Michaels (I loved this match for Shawn's overselling, it was the best overselling of all time! epic showdown, entertaining match)

Singles Match
(Neither Man Permitted to hit the Other in the Face)
Shawn Michaels vs Rick Martel (I thought the stip was very very cool, especially with the two men in the ring, it made sense, and the match was very well done too, I enjoyed this)

Singles Match
(WWE Championship)
Randy Savage vs The Ultimate Warrior

Singles Match
(WWE Championship)
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Kurt Angle

Triple Threat Match
(WWE Championship)
The Rock vs Kurt Angle vs Triple H

Singles Match
(World Heavyweight Championship)
Chris Benoit vs Randy Orton

Kiss My Ass Match
The Rock vs Mr. Ass

TLC Match
(World Heavyweight Championship)
Jeff Hardy vs CM Punk

Singles Match
(WWE Championship)
Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar

Falls Count Anywhere Match
Shane McMahon vs Eric Bischoff (it got personal, it had a nice Dive by Shane, hell it was fun to watch, he didnt get Vince in the ring (unfortunately we didnt get to see that) but he got Shane

Till Death Do Us Part Match
(Winner Marries Lita)
Kane vs Matt Hardy (not one of the best matches, but the stip made me give this a shoutout, it was awesome)

Singles Match
Edge vs Matt Hardy (couldnt have it in my top, it was great, personal, but HBK vs HHH was miles better to me as a match, even though it wasnt a true issue like Hardy/Edge, the match was awesome as a match with no rules aside from it being Shawn's first one back)

Singles Match
(ECW Championship)
John Morrison vs CM Punk (this match really saw two young guys start a rivalry that would show they are the future out of the wake of the biggest wrestling tragedy ever (yeah it is, two others were killed even if you dont like Benoit, or care that he killed himself)

Singles Match
(WWE Championship)
The Rock vs Brock Lesnar

Singles Match
Kurt Angle vs Rey Mysterio

Singles Match
Chris Jericho vs Ric Flair (this match had pure aggression and intensity in it. You had to love every minute of it)

Singles Match
(WWE Intercontinental Championship)
Bret Hart vs Mr. Perfect

Singles Match
Hulk Hogan vs Randy Orton

Singles Match
The Undertaker vs The Undertaker (wasnt great of a match, but the thing of the real vs fake, i just liked it)

and I believe this Sunday,

Singles Match
(WWE Undisputed Champion)
John Cena vs CM Punk
Special Guest Referee: Triple H


could be on the list after what should be an epic showdown, but again I must say, it's very hard to choose and years go by and you may forget a few wow matches you've seen, but go back and it's really hard to pick!

I had to atleast shout out the ones that didnt make my Top 5 and Top 10 overall.

 

[cotb16]

Some of my personal favorites from SummerSlam (in no order):

Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect at Summerslam 1991 for the Intercontinental Title

Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog in 1992 for the Intercontinental Title. This match had some of the biggest pops and superior technical wrestling.

John Morrison vs. CM Punk in 2007 for the ECW Title. This feud created out of the Chris Benoit scandal was viewed as the start of something big for both men.

The Dudley Boyz v. The Hardy Boyz v. Edge and Christian in 2000, the first TLC match for the Tag Team Titles. No discussion needed.

Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart in 1994, a steel cage match for the WWF Title. Not only was it the continuation of a family feud, but to have two great technical wrestlers was even greater.

 

[e72882]

Here are my top 5:

5.) Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Triple H vs Mankind (Special Guest Referee: Jesse Ventura) - Summerslam '99. I'm maybe the only who might agree with this, but I was a huge Mankind fan and the involvement with Jesse Ventura as the special ref was also a treat. That Mankind won his 3rd WWE Title despite losing it to Triple H the next night on Raw.

4.) The Rock vs HHH (Ladder match / Intercontinental Title.) - Summerslam '98. This isn't the best ladder match ever, but it is one of my favorites. This was a brutal match that saw HHH beat the Rock and it was a great battle between DX and the Nation. Mark Henry and Chyna made their presence known during the match to push the Nation vs DX storyline and it had a great live band performance by the DX Band.X Band.

3.) Bret Hart vs The British Bulldog (Intercontinental Title) - Summerslam '92. Even though Bret lost his IC Title to his brother in law, but he did so in such a great fashion that it showed proof of what the WWF had in Bret and that he was on a role as the future WWF Champion.

2.) Bret Hart vs Mr. Prefect (Intercontinental Title) - Summersalm '91. Bret wins the Intercontinental title by beating Mr. Perfect. This helped solidify Bret Hart as a rising star and a future champion. I agree with a previous poster in that this match was better than SS '92 and that Perfect was a better opponent for Bret.

1.) Bret Hart vs Owen Hart (Steel Cage) - Summerslam '94. Not much else to say that hasn't already been said. This is still my favorite Bret match and Owen proved he had what it takes to be a champion.

 

[poppycock]

Bret Hart vs British Bulldog - Nobody could leave this match off of a best of Summerslam list and seriously mean it for any reason than to be different. An amazing match both in the ring and the atmosphere around Wembley Arena as our very own Davey Boy Smith captured the IC Title. Not only one of if not "the" best Summerslam matches ever but also worthy of any top 10 best WWE matches of all time list.

Mankind Vs Undertaker - 1996 Boiler Room Brawl - A personal favourite and something very different from the Bret Hart Vs Bulldog match. Mankind Vs Undertaker is probably my favourite feud in WWE history and whilst not a great example of "wrestling" the boiler room brawl was a big part of the fued and a match I enjoy watching from time to time.

Triple H Vs The Rock - 1998 Ladder Match - Great match between two of the biggest stars in WWE history.

Hardyz Vs Edge and Christian Vs Dudley Boys - 2000 TLC - Amazing match during a great period in WWE tag team wrestling. Everybody involved gave it everything and then some.

RVD Vs Benoit - 2002 IC Title - Wasn't sure what to go for out of this or Micheals Vs Triple H but seeing as the later one would probably be mentioned more I went for the IC Title match. Really good solid wrestling title match up between too brilliant in ring performers.

 

[bro_kick1995_KOTR]

For me.. my two favorite Summer-Slam matches are classics IMO.

NUMBER ONE

Summerslam 1988

The Honky Tonk Man was in the midst of a Historic reign as IC champ. He had it for like 3 years or something. When he came out all Cocky and Arrogant challenging anyone to fight him and the ultimate warriors music hit. I Freakin MARKED OUT. He beat him in Literally 3 seconds. It started a whole new ERA of wrestling IMO.


Summerslam 1991

Jake the snake Roberts vs the model rick martel. Blindfold match.

Great feud, Great wrestlers, great match stipulation. Just a fun match at a great summer event for wrestling fans.

 

[Vendetta123]

Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels (2002) - Shawn Michaels first match back since injury his back, such a great brutal match! And he won, so yea, definitely one of my favorites.

TLC 1 (2000) - Wow...need I say more??

Shane McMahon vs. Test (1999) - Alright I'm kind of a Shane McMahon mark, because he's such a risk taker and definitely can take a beating. Just a fun brawl

Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (1995) - Another great Ladder match from these two...what a wonderful wonderful match, though not as good as the first one, but still a good match.

Breat Hart vs. Own Hart (1994) - Fantastic Match! Brothers just going all out and giving us one of the best matches ever.