WWE SummerSlam 2016: Greatest Title Matches in PPV's History

For nearly 30 years, SummerSlam has been one of the signature events on WWE's schedule, an August spectacular dedicated to the hottest feuds, biggest matches and most prestigious championships. On Sunday, August 21, the company will deliver a broadcast on its WWE Network featuring two heavyweight title bouts: Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler.

Each of those bouts has the potential to join the long list of epic championship encounters from years past, including but not limited to Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect and Kurt Angle vs. Steve Austin.

What are the best championship matches in SummerSlam history?

Which one ranks as the greatest to unfold in the month of August?

More importantly, will any of the 2016 matches eclipse the best SummerSlam title defense ever?

Find out now with this look at the best title clashes in SummerSlam history, ranked according to match quality and, when necessary, historical significance.

8. WWE Championship Match: John Cena vs. CM Punk (2011)

On the heels of a legitimate five-star classic at Money in the Bank, CM Punk and John Cena battled in the main event of the 2011 SummerSlam with the undisputed WWE Championship at stake.

With Triple H as the guest referee, the fix appeared to be in.

Management, in particular Vince McMahon, had been adamant that his company would not be championed by a loud-mouthed, disrespectful Punk. Thus, the presence of The Game behind the black and white stripes guaranteed controversy.

Punk and Cena again tore the house down, and the diminished emotional impact was the only thing separating it from its predecessor.

The Straight Edge Superstar won the match, though not without Cena's foot draped over the bottom rope, which created further question about the championship. Nevertheless, all was right with the world.

At least for the time being.

Alberto Del Rio cashed in the Money in the Bank after a shocking powerbomb to Punk from the returning Kevin Nash, ending fans' dreams of one nation under Punk.

7. Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship (1995)

Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels revolutionized the industry in a ladder match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania X. It was a contest that changed perceptions as to what professional wrestling in the 1990s, and beyond, would entail.

One year later in 1995, WWE was in the midst of a creative and financial slump that threatened its position as the top promotion in the industry. With a disastrous SummerSlam lineup featuring Mable in the championship match and a co-main event originally slated to involve Sycho Sid, the prospects of a good show were diminished.

Then, the company decided to switch things up, taking Sid out of the mix and replacing him in the WWE Intercontinental Championship match against Shawn Michaels with Razor Ramon. Despite having zero conflict between them, the contest was inexplicably booked as a rematch to their prior classic.

Ramon and Michaels did not disappoint, delivering a fitting sequel to their iconic bout.

Even well over 12 months after they waged war on the Grandest Stage of Them All, the Superstars used the ladder creatively and built spots based on the original contest.

Michaels won, the babyfaces exchanged a sign of respect, and fans had a legitimate Match of the Year candidate from a promotion that was somewhat unfamiliar with them in '95.

6. WWE Championship Match: Kurt Angle vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (2001)

Kurt Angle was the hottest babyface in the sport as SummerSlam 2001 approached. His war with The Alliance's "Stone Cold" Steve Austin resulted in some entertaining television at a time when the Invasion storyline was failing.

Their bout that August was a violent, brutal affair that saw the former Olympian overcome a tremendous beating that left him a bloody mess.

The drama built throughout, with every near-fall that Angle kicked out of giving fans hope that the Superstar most loyal to Vince McMahon and WWE may deliver the company's world championship back to his boss.

Alas, crooked officiating by referee Nick Patrick kept Angle from securing the win and giving WWE the upper hand in its rivalry with the WCW/ECW coalition.

With his face the proverbial crimson mask, the Pittsburgh native unleashed his fury on Patrick and left no doubt in the minds of fans that Angle was the real People's Champion, despite The Rock coming back from filming.

5. Street Fight for the World Heavyweight Championship (2011)

The feud between Randy Orton and Christian spawned some extraordinary matches in 2011, but none was better than the Street Fight for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam.

Suitably violent and barbaric, with the reversals and counters necessary to create drama in today's wrestling landscape, the match captivated fans and set a standard for in-ring performance at that night's show that was impossible for CM Punk and John Cena to eclipse.

Christian launched himself off the middle rope late in the match...right into an RKO onto the ring steps. In one fell swoop, Orton eliminated his championship aspirations, courtesy of wrestling's most draw-dropping finisher.

The match was extraordinary and served as the final chapter in the last truly great SmackDown feud.

4. Intercontinental Championship Match: Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (1991)

It was in 1991 that defending the WWE Intercontinental Championship on the SummerSlam stage became important. It was there that Bret Hart challenged Mr. Perfect in a match that not only stole the show but elevated Hart permanently.

The Hitman entered as the undisputed underdog against Mr. Perfect, a second-generation star who was as close to a flawless performer as imaginable. He had rolled through competition throughout his WWE career and set a new standard for the IC title.

Hart was the first competitor he shared the ring with who was his equal—a skilled wrestler capable of beating anyone at any time with his dreaded Sharpshooter submission.

Mr. Perfect found that out the hard way. His hubris got the best of him, as his arrogance came back to bite him.

Hart trapped him in the Sharpshooter and scored the title in one of the best matches in SummerSlam history.

3. TLC Match for the WWE Tag Team Championships (2000)

Credit: WWE.com

The rivalry between The Hardy Boyz, Edge and Christian, and The Dudley Boyz intensified over the course of 2000, culminating in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match for the WWE Tag Team Championships at SummerSlam.

The match built on their WrestleMania 2000 bout, which introduced tables and chairs into the prototypical ladder match and forced the competitors to adapt to the new conditions.

More creative than ever with the implementation of the spots and more willing with the suffering they would put their bodies through to entertain the fans, all three teams crafted a five-star encounter that set the standard for gimmick matches in WWE.

Since that night, many have tried to equal the death-defying display produced by The Hardys, Dudleys, and Edge and Christian but have failed.

Today, some 16 years after the iconic bout, it remains the standard-bearer for TLC matches and one of the shining examples of young talent putting it all on the line to achieve their dreams and cement their legacies.

2. WWE Championship Match: John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan (2013)

Credit: WWE.com

For many, Daniel Bryan was the consummate underdog of World Wrestling Entertainment when the 2013 SummerSlam event hit the pay-per-view airwaves. He was everyone's favorite good guy, a hard worker and a master technician.

He had also been denied the push so many believed he deserved, which caused an uprising among spectators, who cheered him over the other stars positioned above him on the depth chart.

A WWE Championship opportunity against franchise star John Cena in the main event of the summertime spectacular gave those fans the opportunity to root for their favorite against the machine's handpicked champion in one of the most emotionally intense matches of the year.

Cena, to his credit, worked the entire match with a torn triceps, but that never diminished his performance. A veteran of high-profile main events, he performed at the level typically expected of him and captivated fans with an emotional roller coaster of a match with Bryan.

The champion threw everything he had at Bryan, but the bearded contender shook it off, came on strong late and delivered a running knee to end Cena's reign.

Confetti fell, pyro exploded at the entrance ramp, and WWE was off to its next great story, which would culminate months later at WrestleMania XXX.

1. Intercontinental Championship Match: Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog (1992)

Over 80,000 fans packed Wembley Stadium in London for the first international SummerSlam event. It was headlined by a WWE Intercontinental Championship match pitting brothers-in-law against each other, as Bret "Hitman" Hart defended against The British Bulldog.

With a rabid hometown crowd behind him, Bulldog went toe-to-toe with the best wrestler on the planet and survived.

Hart controlled the match, but Bulldog's explosive power offset his opponent's technical acumen. Every time the champion tried to put him away, Bulldog had an answer for him. After spending years on opposing teams earlier in their careers, the challenger knew what no one else had to that point: how to defeat Hart for one of wrestling's most prestigious titles.

As Hart tried for a sunset flip, Bulldog sat down on his chest and grabbed his legs for a count of three, winning the biggest title of his career in his homeland.

What should have been a defining moment for Bulldog was another example of Hart's in-ring mastery. The Hitman was the best in his field, and by night's end, he would be primed to carry the mantle for WWE as its world champion.