Top 10 SummerSlam Matches

WrestleMania, Survior Series, Royal Rumble, and SummerSlam are generally regarded as the cornerstones of World Wrestling Entertainment pay per view. In looking back it is SummerSlam that annually rivaled WrestleMania in capturing the magic of the best annual WWE matches. Today I look back at the top 10 SummerSlam matches.

10 – The Ultimate Warrior vs. Rick Rude Steel Cage Match SummerSlam 1990 – If there is ever a match that showcases how great Rick Rude could be it was this one. Rick Rude did the unthinkable and had a great Match with The Ultimate Warrior. The Match had a fantastic crowd atmosphere which is largely due to the hardcore Philadelphia crowd that loved Rick Rude and wanted to see him win the WWE title. For a moment after Rude hit the Rude Awakening it appeared that he was going to climb over the top and appease the Philadelphia crowd. Unfortunately he climbed to the top and dropped an axe handle instead which of course was countered by the Ultimate Warrior. Warrior doesn’t make the same mistake as he later climbs the cage, hits the floor, and wins the Match. As an added note: Roddy Piper was fantastic on commentary and really helped build the drama of this SummerSlam classic.

9 – The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge and Christian TLC SummerSlam 2000 - I never appreciated this match like some people do so I went back and watched it again. The funny thing about watching this one in 2010 is that the TLC has been done to death so it isn’t nearly as impressive. However if you take that out of the equation, this was one hell of a match. This TLC match took these three tag teams and launched them all into another level on the WWE talent ladder. All of the moves and sequences were innovative for the time and all six guys took some huge risks. It is a really exciting match that needs to be included in any SummerSlam top 10 whether it is in the top or bottom five.

8 – Shawn Michaels vs. Hulk Hogan SummerSlam 2005 – Okay while I may have gotten a pass for Test vs. Shane McMahon, this one may anger some people. Let me defend myself here. One, this was a legendary clash between the top WWE legends from the past two generations. Two, the promos by Michaels were his best of the entire second HBK WWE run (2002-2010) and maybe the best of his career. Three, the drama behind the scenes of Hogan not wanting to do a job, Michaels wanting a series of matches, and the political posturing of both just added to the drama. In the ring while this match is seen as a joke by some, I think it was fantastic. Michaels over selling didn’t hurt the match at all and actually made it seem a bit more legitimate at times. It was the only and last time we got to see vintage Shawn Michaels as a heel and he was every bit as obnoxious and arrogant as he was in 1997. I loved the match and can’t think of anything else more deserving of this spot.

7 – Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock SummerSlam 2002 - This is another one of those matches that isn’t nearly as appreciated as it should be. This match had a tremendous storyline coming into it and lived up to all of the hype. The match started with The Rock laying the title on the ground and charging to the ring to start off one of the most exciting matches you will ever see at SummerSlam. Brock Lesnar would beat The Rock and ascend to being the top WWE superstar. I’d rank this match higher if not for the dumb finish. Lesnar stopped The Rock in mid-People’s Elbow, F5′d him, and won the title. Not the best finish, but one of the most exciting SummerSlam moments in history.

6 – Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon Ladder Match SummerSlam 1995 - Some have argued that this match was better than their WrestleMania X classic it is not nearly as appreciated. If it wasn’t for a last minute booking change that switched a Sid Vicious vs. Shawn Michaels match to the WrestleMania X rematch, I would probably be talking about something else. While it didn’t have the same kind of impact that their first match had, it was every bit as exciting. They added new spots and had a different kind of intensity with Shawn as a babyface. It was no accident that the two ladder matches launched Shawn Michaels into legendary status and kicked off a run to the world title at the next WrestleMania.

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