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| Summerslam |
With less than 17 days remaining until WWE’s biggest party of the summer, fans are bracing for yet another chapter in the legendary SummerSlam saga. While recent years have given us questionable match cards and weak builds, this year offers a unique surprise: SummerSlam will be held over two nights for the first time ever.
Is it innovation, or just another cash grab? That’s up to you. But let’s set the present aside and dive into nostalgia — these are my top 10 favorite SummerSlam matches of all time. Matches that, in my opinion, captured the magic, storytelling, and in-ring greatness that define pro wrestling.
10. Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena
SummerSlam 2014 – Undisputed WWE World Heavyweight Championship
16 suplexes. That’s all it took to crush the myth of “Super Cena.” Lesnar didn’t just defeat Cena — he demolished him in a one-sided beatdown that left the WWE Universe in shock. This match changed how fans perceived Cena and reestablished Lesnar as the ultimate alpha.
Lesnar held the title until WrestleMania 31, where he lost it to Seth Rollins in what many call the greatest Money in the Bank cash-in of all time.
9. British Bulldog vs. Bret Hart
SummerSlam 1992 – Intercontinental Championship
One of WWE’s most emotional moments happened in front of 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium. Hometown hero British Bulldog dethroned his brother-in-law Bret Hart in a wrestling classic. Not only was it a feel-good moment, but Hart’s efforts to make Bulldog shine elevated the match to legendary status.
8. CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy
SummerSlam 2009 – TLC Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
A brutal, emotional, and unforgettable TLC war. Punk played the villain perfectly, and while Jeff Hardy’s daredevil style wowed the crowd, his personal demons overshadowed his momentum. The ending saw Punk stand tall, setting up his underrated Straight Edge Society phase.
7. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels
SummerSlam 2002 – Unsanctioned Street Fight
HBK returned after four years of retirement only to be betrayed by his best friend. Their brutal street fight was a storytelling masterpiece filled with blood, weapons, and real emotion. Although Michaels won, Triple H had the last laugh, attacking him post-match with a sledgehammer.
This feud led to their epic encounter at the first-ever Elimination Chamber later that year.
6. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman vs. Samoa Joe
SummerSlam 2017 – Universal Championship Fatal 4-Way
Arguably the best fatal four-way in WWE history. Each man brought something unique: Braun’s dominance, Joe’s aggression, Reigns’ power, and Lesnar’s resilience. The match was a high-octane slugfest that kept fans guessing until Lesnar retained his title in dramatic fashion.
5. Edge vs. The Undertaker
SummerSlam 2008 – Hell in a Cell Match
Edge betrayed Vickie Guerrero, and she retaliated by throwing him into the Devil’s Playground. What followed was a vicious, unforgettable Hell in a Cell match featuring broken walls, chokeslams through tables, and pure carnage. Undertaker’s win marked his return to WWE’s active roster in iconic fashion.
4. Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena
SummerSlam 2013 – WWE Championship (Triple H as Special Referee)
This was the moment Daniel Bryan truly arrived. In a match that proved Cena could hang with technical greats, Bryan pulled off the upset — only to be betrayed by Triple H and cashed in on by Randy Orton. Thus began the legendary Yes Movement, one of WWE’s most beloved storylines.
3. Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk
SummerSlam 2013 – “The Best vs. The Beast”
Fueled by betrayal from Paul Heyman, Punk went to war with Lesnar in a physical masterpiece. Punk fought valiantly, but Lesnar’s power proved too much. This was Punk’s last SummerSlam before his controversial WWE departure in 2014.
2. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart
SummerSlam 1994 – Steel Cage Match for the WWF Championship
Forget The Usos — this is the real brother-vs-brother epic. With the Hart family ringside, Bret and Owen delivered a technical masterpiece full of tension and drama. Bret escaped the cage to retain, but the match itself remains one of the greatest ever in WWE history.
1. AJ Styles vs. John Cena
SummerSlam 2016
Who would’ve thought in 2005 that TNA’s top guy would one day beat WWE’s franchise player on the grand stage of SummerSlam? Cena brought his A-game, but Styles was flawless — Styles Clash and Phenomenal Forearm later, he pinned Cena clean in an instant classic
Conclusion:
This list is entirely subjective, but it reflects matches that personally moved me as a lifelong wrestling fan. I’d love to hear your picks — what’s your top 10 SummerSlam matches of all time?
Let’s keep the wrestling nostalgia alive