WWE SummerSlam 2015: Power Ranking Every Match at PPV
SummerSlam is traditionally home to some spectacular wrestling, and the 2015 edition of the annual extravaganza was no different.
In the night's main event, Undertaker exceeded all expectations, delivering a classic bout with Brock Lesnar that should serve to quell some of the criticisms of The Phenom's age and ability at this point in his career.
Seth Rollins put on a show, putting forth what may be his finest performance to date against the always game John Cena. With both the WWE world heavyweight and United States titles at stake, the two elite performers stunned the Brooklyn crowd with a fantastic contest.
And those were only the main events.
The rest of the card was littered with good-to-great wrestling from one of the most talented and stacked rosters in the industry.
Which matches ranked high on this list in terms of overall quality and effectiveness?
Why is one match above another? What made the bout so good?
I am glad you asked.
10. Ryback vs. Big Show vs. The Miz
1 of 10
The Triple Threat match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship will never be confused with other classics in SummerSlam lore; however, it did accomplish what it set out to do: strengthen Ryback as champion and continue his reign with the gold.
Big Show was portrayed as the unstoppable monster early, with Ryback and The Miz forced to put aside their differences and work together to try to thwart him. They did not fare so well.
From there, Miz became the cowardly heel, desperately seeking gold and using his opportunistic approach to do it. He entered the ring as Ryback and Big Show were trading blows, delivered the Skull Crushing Finale to The Big Guy and almost picked up the win.
Despite rapid-fire pin attempts by the Hollywood A-lister, Ryback fought back and finished him off, pinning Miz following a KO Punch by Big Show.
The match was fine for what it was but easily the worst of the evening.
9. Stephen Amell and Neville vs. Stardust and King Barrett
2 of 10
One of the more interesting matches on Sunday's card was a tag team bout pitting villains Stardust and King Barrett against Neville and Arrow star Stephen Amell. How would the Hollywood star fare in his first match, on a stage as grand as SummerSlam, in front of a crowd as vocal as the one in Brooklyn?
As it turns out, he was phenomenal, showcasing outstanding athleticism and an ability to get beaten up convincingly. He made his comeback, to the delight of the crowd, and made the hot tag to Neville. Before The Man That Gravity Forgot could put the match away with the Red Arrow, Amell climbed the ropes and came off with a plancha, wiping his opponents out at ringside.
It was a great moment for a star who has been open about his fandom and desire to work with WWE.
For the other three performers in the match, it was nice to get on a card such as SummerSlam, despite being midcarders who are fairly low on the proverbial totem pole.
8. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus
3 of 10
The match between Randy Orton and Sheamus that kicked off this year's broadcast was essentially the same as every other one between the former heavyweight champions. In other words, it was a technically solid match between grizzled veterans. If you are into those kinds of matches, you probably enjoyed this one quite a bit.
For everyone else, it was a reminder of just how undefined the two characters are.
One guy won, and everyone forgot the match even happened five minutes later. With no real story to speak of, fans struggled to care about the action unfolding in the ring.
That said action was not particularly interesting outside of the way Sheamus masterfully played to the audience with heel mannerisms seriously affected the quality of the match.
By the time Sheamus evaded the RKO and caught The Viper with consecutive Brogue Kicks, it was time to wrap things up and move on, which fans did all too readily.
7. Team PCB vs. Team BAD vs. Team Bella
4 of 10
The major issue with the Divas Elimination Tag Team match at SummerSlam was the fact that Team B.A.D. was unceremoniously beaten early, deflating a crowd that really wanted to witness more of Sasha Banks' greatness following a Match of the Year candidate the night before.
From there, Team PCB and Team Bella proceeded to work an efficient tag match that saw the heels work over Paige, leading to a hot tag to Charlotte and a surprise victory for Becky Lynch over Brie Bella.
There was nothing wrong at all with the match, but given the fact that this was the Divas' first opportunity on a huge pay-per-view event to really let loose and deliver something special, it was a bit disappointing.
That was especially true when fans tuned into Raw on Monday and were treated to a similar, if not better, bout.
6. Dolph Ziggler vs. Rusev
5 of 10
If there is one thing Dolph Ziggler does better than anyone else, it is sell. Conversely, Rusev is at his finest when he is using his strength and athleticism to bump his opponent around the ring. Sunday night, the Bulgarian Brute looked to establish dominance by pummeling Ziggler and delivering payback for taking girlfriend Lana away from him.
Rusev targeted the upper body of his opponent, all in hopes of applying the Accolade and leaving with his hand raised in victory. As he has done so many times, though, Ziggler fought back, displaying a ton of heart in the process.
Ziggler appeared well on his way to victory, stunning his opponent with a sleeper and Fameasser. Then the action spilled to the floor. Lana and Summer Rae engaged in the anticipated catfight while Rusev and Ziggler left themselves unable to answer the official's count.
The contest ended in a double count-out, which is always a controversial conclusion in a pay-per-view setting.
Finish notwithstanding, the contest was a great bit of sports entertainment that allowed both competitors to get their trademark stuff in. It delivered the interactions between the women at ringside and made everyone look good for their inevitable blow-off match.
5. Lucha Dragons vs. Prime Time Players vs. Los Matadores vs. New Day
6 of 10
This tag title bout was the worst-booked match in the weeks preceding Sunday's show, and there was a decided lack of interest and anticipation leading into it.
The hard work from all four teams involved, though, led to a compelling bout that again cemented New Day as one of the most entertaining acts in the industry and Titus O'Neil as a performer with unrivaled energy.
Darren Young took tremendous punishment as the babyface in peril. The Lucha Dragons dazzled with some innovative double-team maneuvers, and Los Matadores...well, at least El Torito took a solid face-plant bump at the hands of Xavier Woods.
Big E delivered his scary spear through the middle rope, demonstrating just how big an opportunity competing at SummerSlam really is. Meanwhile, New Day's attempt to play with the rules early on by pinning each other was one of those small things that elevate a match in ways that throwing 12 different variations of a powerbomb never will.
In the end, New Day regained the titles, picking up the pinfall win off of a sitout spinebuster by O'Neil.
4. Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper
7 of 10
Given the story that had built over the weeks leading into SummerSlam, a certain level of chaos was necessary for the match pitting Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose against Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper to be a success.
The performers achieved that level of chaos Sunday night, with the fight spilling to the ringside area early and often.
A big bump taken by Reigns left him incapacitated near the announce position, which left Ambrose to battle his diabolical opponents on his own. Wyatt and Harper wore down the Lunatic Fringe, but a reappearance by Reigns and some tremendous teamwork late in the bout helped earn the babyfaces the pinfall victory.
The timing of every major spot, including Reigns' comeback, was so perfectly done that the match hit its mark despite having limited time.
The tribute to the legendary Legion of Doom with the Doomsday Device on Wyatt was a nice touch and made for a great spot near the conclusion of the bout.
3. Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens
8 of 10
The names Cesaro and Kevin Owens evoke certain expectations for the overall quality of a match. Even though the former Ring of Honor standouts were shoved into the death spot of the card, they still lived up to those expectations, delivering a physical, high-impact match.
It was as stiff a match as any on the card, with Cesaro unleashing a series of uppercuts that popped the crowd. Owens was his typically intense self, as the frustration he felt following his loss the previous night at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn played a key role in the story of the match.
Fans did not immediately invest themselves in the match, and who can blame them? The show was running long, as four hours is an ungodly amount of time to ask fans to remain consistently hot. Luckily, the aggression from the competitors left fans wanting more.
It was not necessarily the Match of the Year that the most passionate fans may have expected, but nonetheless it was a fantastic display of two guys with a grudge beating the unholy hell out of each other for no other reason than proving they were better than their opponent.
2. The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar
9 of 10
The feud between Undertaker and Brock Lesnar leading into SummerSlam was one of hatred and vengeance. As such, it should have demanded a vicious and brutal fight between the industry giants.
That is exactly what the two legends produced.
From the get-go, Lesnar pummeled The Deadman, setting the stage for an incredibly physical match.
The Beast Incarnate tossed The Phenom around the squared circle, introducing him to the magical and mystical land of Suplex City, while Undertaker showed resiliency in fighting back and bloodying his opponent.
Whether it was the F5 through the announce table, the double sit-up spot (featuring "Undertaker Face," a Twitter sensation in the wake of the show) or Lesnar's defiant middle finger while trapped in Hell's Gate, the match was full of moments that helped make it the epic main event that SummerSlam deserved.
The controversial finish, which this writer did not hate, is the only thing keeping this one from landing in the top spot of these rankings.
1. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins
10 of 10
With both the WWE World Heavyweight and United States Championships at stake, John Cena and Seth Rollins delivered a phenomenal match full of false finishes and memorable spots.
The Architect stole the show with a performance that ranks among the greatest of his career. For the first time since winning the top prize in the industry at WrestleMania, he looked like a legitimate champion. He looked like a guy who deserved to be in the spot he is—an elite wrestler who can hang with the best in the business without the assistance of The Authority.
The finish involving Jon Stewart may have ruined the match for some, but it served its purpose in earning the company mainstream media attention.
The contest was a bit sloppy at times, including a botched springboard stunner, but the sequencing was so strong and the crowd so hot that it is impossible to discount the quality of the match outside of that one issue.
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