WWE SummerSlam 2011: The 50 Greatest Matches in SummerSlam History

Since 1988, WWE SummerSlam has served as summer's answer to WrestleMania.  Often a wake up call in WWE after a natural come down period following their biggest pay-per-view of the year, SummerSlam has delivered some of the most unique and outstanding matches in history. 

With a famed tradition decorated with matches spanning from tag team warfare to gimmick greatness, SummerSlam has rich wrestling heritage dripping out of its pores. 

Once upon a time, before the pay-per-view market was saturated, SummerSlam rivaled WrestleMania as the WWE's big show, with SummerSlam in 1992 out-drawing WrestleMania VIII held that same year despite boasting a Hogan-less card. 

Despite sinking in prestige as of late, SummerSlam continues to put out great matches dating back to last year, and possibly this year with the highly anticipated Punk vs. Cena rematch on the bill. 

For news and rumors leading into SummerSlam, watch Big Nasty on the B/R Video page, and follow him on Twitter @ThisIsNasty.

50. The Undertaker vs. Kama: SummerSlam 1995

The Undertaker and Kama Mustafa worked a standard big man brawling match at SummerSlam of '95 as the high profile casket match was showcased.  While the build up to this contest left much to be desired, this match overachieved as both veterans did a solid job of telling a simple story in the ring.

49. The Hart Foundation vs. Demolition: SummerSlam 1990

The WWE in the early nineties was rich with decorated tag teams who all fought to make the WWF Tag Team titles one of the hotter titles in all of wrestling. 

The legendary Hart Foundation took on tenured WWE tag team Demolition, picking up a feud that had dated back to the first SummerSlam in 1988 when Demolition defeated the Harts for the tag team championships. 

Now freshly reunited, Bret Hart and Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart battled Axe and Smash in a rare two out of three falls tag team match.  This time, it would be the Hart Foundation that was victorious.

48. X-Pac vs. Jeff Jarrett: SummerSlam 1998

X-Pac's entertaining feud with Jeff Jarrett lead up to the very match that explains Jarrett's appearance to this day.

In a match that featured a heavy amount of brawling, with the loser having to be subjected to a haircut. X-Pac, who was accompanied by the legendary Howard Finkel, pulled out the victory over Jarrett. 

Jarrett subsequently had his head shaved against his will with help from the Headbangers.

47. Team WWE vs. Team Nexus: SummerSlam 2010

The Nexus storyline was decorated in hype and ratings at its inception; however, it prematurely peaked against its own will when team WWE defeated the Nexus at SummerSlam 2010. 

The match would feature Bret Hart, who was eliminated by disqualification, compete in his first SummerSlam match in 13 years.  Unfortunately, all most people will remember about this Survivor-Series Style, 10-man tag is the finish.

The match ended rather abruptly when sole survivor John Cena fought off both Nexus leader Wade Barrett and Justin Gabriel before snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. 

Many criticized the familiarity of Cena's "Superman" booking on such a big stage, and with so much fuel left in the Nexus tank . The Nexus storyline, stable and spinoff would soon peter out over the next several months.

46. Shawn Michaels and Rick Martel: SummerSlam 1992

HBK and the always underrated "Model" Rick Martel win on originality points here.  Their match at SummerSlam of 1992, believe it or not, included a stipulation that neither man could touch the other man's face. 

Both narcicisstic standouts worked around the stip as best they could and somewhat pulled it off. 

45. Randy Orton vs. the Undertaker: SummerSlam 2005

Randy Orton and the Undertaker had a strong rivalry that lead to high profile showdowns at both WrestleMania and SummerSlam pay-per-views. 

With the young Orton once again showing that he was more than capable of hanging with top alphamales in WWE history, Orton would gain an elusive victory over the Undertaker with his father, Cowboy Bob Orton, in his corner.

44. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus: SummerSlam 2010

Despite their WWE Championship clash not being the featured attraction, it may as well have been as Randy Orton and Sheamus battled in a stellar match for the WWE's richest prize. 

This match probably should be ranked higher, but it ended cheaply as Sheamus got himself disqualified— which became a trend in Sheamus WWE Championship matches—in order to hold on to his WWE Championship.     

43. Razor Ramon vs. Diesel: SummerSlam 1994

This rare WWF matchup between Razor Ramon and Diesel in SummerSlam 1994 fell below many fans' radar; however, it was one of the handful of times in the 90s that the Intercontinental Championship came off as a main event-level title. 

Razor defeated Diesel to regain the Intercontinental Championship, with help from Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears. 

42. Virgil vs. Ted DiBiase: SummerSlam 1991

The most important match in the history of the Million Dollar Championship pit longtime allies Ted DiBiase and Virgil against one another.  Fed up with being DiBiase's servant, for lack of a better word, Virgil would rebel against his former employer. 

Virgil's own declaration of independence lead to a feud between the two.  On a pay-per-view that featured the "Match Made in Heaven" marriage between Randy Savage and Queen Liz, Virgil reached his own promise land by capturing the Million Dollar Championship.

41. The Ultimate Warrior vs. "Ravishing" Rick Rude: SummerSlam 1990

The cage match between the Ultimate Warrior and "Ravishing" Rick Rude outperformed its singles match predecessor from the year before. 

Defending his title as the new top babyface of the WWF, and new WWF Champion, the Ultimate Warrior defeated Ravishing Rick at SummerSlam for the second year in a row.

40. The Ultimate Warrior vs. the Honky Tonk Man: SummerSlam 1988

The way the Honky Tonk Man's one year reign as Intercontinental Champion came to an end was almost as memorable as the reign itself. 

Filled with self-confidence befitting only of a champion of his unprecedented tenure, the Honky Tonk man pridefully challenged any WWF Superstar to a match for his Intercontinental Championship since his scheduled opponent Brutus Beefcake had suffered an injury. 

This brought out the Ultimate Warrior, and in a fervent pace that brought down Madison Square Garden in New York, the Ultimate Warrior ended Honky Tonk's reign of terror in a matter of seconds. 

The match itself was nothing to write home about, but the atmosphere and expert hot-shot booking made this a special moment.

39. The Big Boss Man vs. the Mountie: SummerSlam 1991

Shawn Michaels and Rick Martel weren't the only WWF Superstars with similar gimmicks who battled at SummerSlam. 

In yet another match for gimmick supremacy, the Big Boss Man took out the Mountie, his Canadian counterpart, in a match where the loser would have to spend the night in a New York City jail.  There's no question that a French Canadian would be very popular in a New York City jail.

38. The Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage: SummerSlam 1992

The Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage had unmistakeable chemistry in the ring, and a properly built WWF Championship contest led to an outstanding match between the two WWF legends that went almost half an hour. 

Unfortunately, the championship match ended in a count out victory for the Warrior, thus hurting the otherwise compelling battle.

37. The Legion of Doom vs. Money Inc: SummerSlam 1992

The Legion of Doom were arguably the most beloved tag team in WWF and WWE history.  And while the legendary tag team needed no help getting over as babyfaces, they were perfectly cast as the heroes opposite the detested team of Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster. 

The motorcycle entrane by the Legion of Doom is enough to put this match on the map by itself; however, these two tag teams staged a memorable contest.

36. Mankind vs. Triple H: SummerSlam 1997

Mankind and Triple H's physical rivalry helped Triple H's slow rise from the grave of WWF into the main event picture. 

Despite being armed with the intrusive Chyna, Triple H was unable to defeat the hardcore legend in a match that was right up Mankind's alley.

35. Shane McMahon vs. Test: SummerSlam 1999

Shane McMahon always seemed to overachieve in big time matches.  The son of WWE's Chairman fought Test in a brutal match that featured the type of death-defying stunts that McMahon would become known for. 

What this match lacked in technical prowess, it more than made up for in emotion and brawling as the Minneapolis crowd was drawn into a "Love Her or Leaver Her" match.

34. Mankind vs. Steve Austin vs. Triple H: SummerSlam 1999

Mankind's third reign as WWF Champion came in a high profile triple-threat match against Triple H and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at SummerSlam 1999. 

The match featured Jesse Ventura as the Special Guest Referee in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it delivered. 

These three stars of the Attitude Era clashed in a war that ended, somewhat surprisingly, with Jesse Ventura raising Mankind's hand in victory. 

33. Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle: SummerSlam 2001

This match probably deserves to be in rarefied air as one of the all time classic SummerSlam matches between two legendary wrestlers with an insane amount of chemistry. 

However, a non-finish in favor of Steve Austin, who kept his WWF Championship after being disqualified, hurt the legacy of an otherwise incredible duel.

32. Barry Horowitz vs. Skip: SummerSlam 1995

Two WWF Superstars benefited from proficiently told underdog stories in the mid-nineties: Sean Waltman, known then as the 1-2-3 Kidd, and Barry Horowitz.

The Jewish jobber shocked the world with a win over Skip on RAW, and tension between the two would escalate all the way to SummerSlam, where Horrowitz proved that his previous win was anything but a fluke.

31. The Undertaker vs. the Undertaker: SummerSlam 1994

SummerSlam is no stranger to the surreal, as evidenced by perhaps the strangest yet most memorable match in WWE history.  In one of those moments that even casual wrestling fans remember, The Undertaker faced off against one of his greatest opponents—himself. 

Kinda.
 
With Ted DiBiase parading around the WWF with what he claimed was the real Undertaker, Paul Bearer would soon prove him wrong. 

Wearing purple, so that the fans wouldn't be confused, the real Undertaker returned at SummerSlam in '94 to beat his imposter (played by Brian Lee) and stake his claim as the undisputed deadman of the WWF.

30. Ken Shamrock vs. Owen Hart: SummerSlam 1998

Ken Shamrock and Owen Hart added to the legacy of original gimmick matches at SummerSlam. Competing in Stu Hart's Dungeon, where the former mixed martial artist Ken Shamrock seemed to have a distinct disadvantage, the late Owen Hart pulled out a cheap victory after clobbering Shamrock with a dumbell. 

29. Rob Van Dam vs. Jeff Hardy: SummerSlam 2001

One of the few bright spots of the failed WWF Invasion angle of 2001 was the rise of Rob Van Dam.  One of the matches that put Van Dam on the map was an entertaining ladder match for the WWF Hardcore Championship at SummerSlam in 2001. 

This was one of the few matches in the history of the defunct WWF Hardcore Championship that actually made the garbage title appear meaningful.

28. Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio Jr.: SummerSlam 2002

Kurt Angle and Rey Mysterio should translate to "I'm there" in every wrestling fans book.

These two athletic former world champions did not disappoint in a solid singles match that got the Nassau Coliseum in New York nice and hot for arguably the greatest SummerSlam card of all time. 

27. Rob Van Dam vs. Chris Benoit: SummerSlam 2002

RVD and Chris Benoit worked their tails off for north of 15 minutes for the right to wear the once prestigious Intercontinental Championship.

Combining Benoit's technical prowess with Van Dam's high flying and unorthodox style created an entertaining match that ended in Van Dam capturing the Intercontinental Championship.

26. Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Orton: SummerSlam 2006

Hulk Hogan's match with Randy Orton worked in that it received a nice build, and it made Orton come off as a star who could hang with legends of Hogan's caliber. 

While a win for Orton would have gone a long way in the Viper solidifying his legend killer gimmick, Hogan's victory did little damage to Orton's heat. 

25. Edge vs. John Cena: SummerSlam 2006

Edge was quite possibly the greatest rival that John Cena ever had. 

Battling desperately to regain the WWE Championship in his hometown of Boston, Cena came up short as Edge retained the WWE Championship with help from Lita. 

24. Randy Orton vs. Chris Benoit: SummerSlam 2004

This is one of a small handful of matches that made Randy Orton.  With Chris Benoit valiantly defending his World Championship against any and all comers, a young(er) Randy Orton seemed to come out of nowhere and steal a World Championship victory. 

The two competed in a very good back and forth match, punctuated by a sudden RKO and a clean victory that scored the third generation star his first ever World Championship. 

23. Batista vs. John Cena: SummerSlam 2008

Batista and Cena will never be known as legendary in ring tacticians, but their match at SummerSlam in 2008 overachieved in many ways. 

WWE's two biggest stars of the post-attitude era staged a very physical war, with Cena suffering a legit neck injury as a result of a midair powerbomb by big Dave.

Batista won this encounter, sending Cena to the shelf for months.  Cena would get his revenge years later in what would come to be Batista's final WrestleMania match to date at WrestleMania 26 in Arizona.

22. Edge vs. the Undertaker: SummerSlam 2008

Edge and the Undertaker competed in so many different matches, they could probably have a top fifty list to  themselves. 

One of their better matches came at SummerSlam in 2008, where the Undertaker defeated Edge in a Hell in a Cell. 

Following an Undertaker victory, Taker called upon the powers from the dark side to bring about flames, effectively sending Edge to Hell.  Again, it was one of the better matches, not post-matches.

21. Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Eddie Guerrero: SummerSlam 2005

Once you get past the sketchy storyline of Rey Mysterio agreeing to put his kid on the line in a custoy battle to be settled in the ring against Eddie Guerrero, you get one of the best ladder matches in WWE History. 

Guerrero and Mysterio had an emotional contest as a contract for Mysterio's son Dominick hung in the balance. 

The feel-good finish saw Mysterio defeat Guerrero, capture the contract and in effect, retain custody of his young son.

20. WWE Elimination Chamber: SummerSlam 2003

The vaunted Elimination Chamber has been protected as a hellish structure of finality since its debut in 2002.  One of the more brutal, pre-PG chamber matches included a host of talented workers, all of whom were former, current or future world champions. 

The match ended with Triple H winning his first of four Elimination Chamber matches, the most in history.

19. Shawn Michaels vs. Vader: SummerSlam 1996

Vader made an immediate impact when he burst onto the scene in the WWF as a coveted free agent.  After attacking WWF president Gorilla Monsoon, the monster eventually proved his worth inside the ring and, alongside Jim Cornette, earned a match against Shawn Michaels for the WWF Championship. 

The finish of this match was heavily overbooked, but Shawn Michaels' affinity for working with big men shined throughout as the two put together a match that was miles better than it probably should have been.

18. Underaker vs. Steve Austin: SummerSlam 1998

The Highway to Hell befittingly lead to the legendary litterbox otherwise known as Madison Square Garden. 

In it, and once the cat poo had settled, Steve Austin and a heel-minded Undertaker competed in a classic brawling encounter that saw Austin barely escape with the WWF Championship. 

Following the match, the Undertaker uncharacteristically shook Austin's hand out of respect before exiting the ring.

17. Shawn Michaels vs. Hulk Hogan: SummerSlam 2005

Hulk Hogan and HBK on opposite sides of the bill is all a promoter needs to put the proverbial butts in the seats.  This was exactly the case in 2005, following Michaels' shocking turn on his former commemorative tag team partner. 

While Michaels and Hogan did indeed have good match, with Michaels taking the majority of the bumps, the match would have been far better had Michaels have taken it seriously. 

After learning that Hogan had no intentions of "doing the job" to Michaels in a previously planned rematch, Michaels went out of his way to make a mockery of their '05 showdown in Washington D.C.

16. The British Bulldogs vs. the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers: SummerSlam 1988

The first match in the history of SummerSlam was one of the best, as the British Bulldogs fought to a no-contest against the Fabulous Rougeau brothers. 

This match went a long way in setting the tone for a rich history of classic tag team matches at SummerSlam.

15. The Undertaker vs. Mankind: SummerSlam 1996

With many scratching their heads wondering what the heck a Boiler Room Brawl would look like on their way to the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Mankind and the Undertaker aggressively introduced the viewing public to the brutal gimmick match. 

Living up to its name, the Boiler Room Brawl of SummerSlam '96 was one of the best brawling matches in history, and the finish certainly did not disappoint either. 

After years by the Undertaker's side, Paul Bearer turned on his longtime client when he struck the Undertaker with the fateful urn.

Per the rules of the match, Mankind escaped the boiler room, made it inside the ring and grabbed hold
of the urn to "urn" the victory.  

You see what I did there?

14. Bret Hart vs. the Undertaker: SummerSlam 1997

In perhaps one of the most important guest-referee matches in recent memory, Shawn Michaels stood between then arch rival Bret Hart and future rival the Undertaker in the main event of SummerSlam 1997.  It was stipulated that if Michaels was to unfairly officiate the match, he would never be allowed to wrestle in America again. 

After Bret pushed Michaels past his limits, capped off with an infamous spit to the face, Michaels inadvertently struck the Undertaker with a chair illegally used by Hart.  The subsequent loss form Taker caused any residual HBK babyface characteristics to evaporate. 

13. Steve Austin vs. Owen Hart: SummerSlam 1997

Austin vs. Owen Hart wasn't a great match, but it was iconic.  The match will forever be known as the time Owen Hart dropped Austin on his head with a sickening piledriver, effectively breaking his neck.   
 
Austin barely finished the match, and while his career was in jeopardy, he would eventually recover, thus forging a legacy of toughness and testicular fortitude.

12. Triple H vs. the Rock: SummerSlam 1998

Triple H and the Rock's ladder match in Madison Square Garden at SummerSlam 1998 went a long way in establishing both these "on the cusp" stars as main eventers.

The Intercontinental Championship ladder match elevated both promising young stars, and both would go on to capture major Championships within the next several months. 

11. The Rock vs. Tripe H vs. Kurt Angle: SummerSlam 2000

The Rock, Triple H and Kurt Angle waged an instantly classic triple threat war at SummerSlam, as the three hungry future hall of famers vied for the WWE Championship. 

The Rock would retain the WWE Championship, continuing one of the many championship reigns that defined the Attitude Era.

10. Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho: SummerSlam 2000

Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho were great friends who had great chemistry whether they were competing with or against each other.

Their two out of three falls match at SummerSlam was everything it promised to be on paper with Chris Benoit claiming the victory.  The only thing this match was missing was a title on the line.

9. The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar: SummerSlam 2002

The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar received quite possibly the greatest build of any SummerSlam main event.  Going with the simple tagline of "Rock vs. Brock," WWE booked as comprehensive of a program as possible. 

Billed as WWE's next big thing, a nice build up led to Lesnar defeating the Rock in a very strong match that officially created a new star.

8. TLC I: SummerSlam 2000

The first Tables, Ladders and Chairs match memorably materialized at SummerSlam 2000.  The Dudleys, the Hardys and Edge and Christian battled for the right to capture the WWE Tag Team Titles. 

Continuing a once proud tradition of classic tag team tilts at SummerSlam, the three legendary tag teams performed so well that they were booked in a superior encore performance at WrestleMania X-Seven.

7. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar: SummerSlam 2003

Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar used their amateur wrestling roots to coordinate an athletically charged feud ripe with aesthetically pleasing matches.  Following their classic match at WrestleMania XIX months earlier, the two met again at SummerSlam in 2003. 

The match, of course, delivered, and was even smoother than their dangerous affair at WrestleMania that lead to neck problems for Angle and a concussion from Lesnar after he botched a shooting star press. 

Lesnar once again defeated Angle, continuing a healthy reign as WWE Champion that carried the company through 2003.

6. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart: SummerSlam 1994

The WWE's greatest sibling rivalry culminated in a cage match at SummerSlam in 1994.  Faced with the task of out performing their show-stealing match at WrestleMania X, Bret and Owen put forth a valiant effort as they wrestled for the WWF Championship inside the confines of a steel cage.

5. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon II: SummerSlam 1995

 In an old school tradition of WrestleMania rematches occurring at SummerSlam, Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon replicated their timeless ladder match from WrestleMania X.  While the match wasn't as classic or critically acclaimed, the two worked hard to put on a great performance that elevated Michaels into the upper echelon of sports entertainment. 

Michaels avenged his WrestleMania loss by capturing the Intercontinental Championship, and he would go on to become a first time WWE Champion the following year at WrestleMania XII. 

4. CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy: SummerSlam 2009

Jeff Hardy's final pay-per-view with the WWE, and the last great match of his career, was a high-risk clash against real-life enemy CM Punk.  The climax of the match saw Jeff Hardy perofrm his signature Swanton Bomb frop atop a 20 foot ladder.

Despite the death-defying feat, Hardy would go onto lose the match to Punk before leaving the WWE shortly thereafter.

3. Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect: SummerSlam 1991

Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect added further prestige to the Intercontinental Championship, as the two WWE Hall of Famers put everything on the line for the star making title. 

Perfect with his straps down for much of the match, showing war-torn scars in the field of battle, was a microcosm of the hard-fought, high stakes title match. 

The back and forth match featured a rare kickout of the Perfect Plex by Bret Hart, who went on to win the with a painful looking sharpshooter. 

2. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H: SummerSlam 2002

Shawn Michaels' return match was as emotional as it was entertaining, as Michaels showed no ring rust in his first match since semi-retirement four years prior.

HBK and longtime friend Triple H left it all in the ring during a non-sanctioned, no disqualification brawl. 

To prove that he had fully recovered from what was once considered a career-ending back injury, Michaels effortlessly performed a flying cross body splash on Triple H through a table at one point.  Michaels won the match with a rollup, and Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross later admitted to tearing up after incomparably calling a terrific match.

1. Bret Hart vs. the British Bulldog: SummerSlam 1992

The new age Steamboat-Savage match of the 90's that elevated the Intercontinental Championship happened in the legendary Wembley Stadium at SummerSlam 1992. 

Accompanied by famed heavyweight boxer Lennox Lewis, the hometown hero British Bulldog challenged brother in law Bret Hart for the Intercontinental Championship.  It was one of those rare occasions where a match for the IC Title closed the show. 

The match challenged for consideration as the greatest back-and-forth match in the history of WWE, as the two told a flawless story of being familiar with each others' offensive arsenals due to their family ties. 

One year after Bret Hart captured the Intercontinental Championship from Mr. Perfect in an instant classic, Hart would have a similarly classic wrestling match against British Bulldog, but this time on the losing end as the hometown dog won his first Intercontinental Championship.    

For news and rumors leading into SummerSlam, watch Big Nasty on the B/R Video page, and follow him on Twitter @ThisIsNasty.