30 Greatest SummerSlam Moments
WWE’s second biggest event of the year has left us breathless over the years.
For the past 30 years, WWE has found ways to shock us on the biggest night of the summer. Stunning victories, heartbreaking betrayals and the culmination of a long romance have helped shape SummerSlam into the second biggest event of the year. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane to relive the greatest SummerSlam moments…
30. Undertaker Rises
After Kane accused Rey Mysterio of putting his brother out of commission, Undertaker appeared out of a casket at SummerSlam 2010, withered and aching. He was about to chokeslam Mysterio, but then turned his attention to the true attacker: Kane. However, the Big Red Machine resisted the goozle and dropped Undertaker once more.
29. Moment of Zen
Jon Stewart, the host of SummerSlam 2015, interfered in the title vs. title match between Seth Rollins and John Cena, blasting the latter with a steel chair and allowing former enemy Rollins to become the first simultaneous WWE and U.S. Champion. Stewart would later explain that as a fan of tradition and wrestling history, he couldn’t let Cena tie the Nature Boy’s record. (Where the hell were ya at Rumble 2017, Jon?)
28. Leaving on Top
In his last WWE PPV appearance until WrestleMania 33, Jeff Hardy went extreme one more time, delivering a swanton bomb off a giant ladder onto CM Punk through the announce table. Oh My Gawd!
27. Another Round
After MVP had brought in Evander Holyfield to box Matt Hardy on Saturday Night’s Main Event, Hardy returned the favor by bringing in a professional for a beer drinking contest: good ol’ Stone Cold Steve Austin.
26. Sweetness
Pro Football Hall of Famer Walter Payton accompanied Razor Ramon for his Intercontinental Championship match against Diesel. The Chicago crowd erupted for the former Bear sporting a Ramon shirt and attempting to even the odds with HBK in Diesel’s corner.
25. One Giant Leap
Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy was about to beat Triple H in a cage match at SummerSlam 97, but after pouring his heart out to J.R. just a couple months earlier, recalling hitchhiking to see Jimmy Snuka soar off the cage and imitating his idol with a homemade film of Dude Love, Mankind climbed back up the cage and delivered a flying elbow to the roar of the New Jersey crowd.
24. Coach Turns Heel
Nobody saw it coming…because nobody cared. After three years of being a backstage interviewer, Jonathan Coachman became a featured player on Raw, whacking Shane McMahon with a steel chair and aligning himself with Eric Bischoff.
23. Tatanka Sells Out
The Native American had accused Lex Luger of being in Ted DiBiase’s pocket for months, eventually challenging him to a match at SummerSlam 1994. As Luger jawjacked with DiBiase at ringside, Tatanka rolled up Luger for the pin. Afterwards, Tatanka showed his true colors by attacking Luger and revealing that it was he who was the newest member of the Million Dollar Corporation.
22. Motor City Monologue
Jerry Lawler was supposed to wrestle Bret Hart at SummerSlam 1993, but The King entered the arena on crutches with a huge icepack on his knee. For the next several minutes, Lawler spun an epic tale about being injured in a car accident in the Motor City, and being unable to compete. Of course, the whole thing was a ruse and he whacked Hart with a crutch later in the night.
21. Everybody Has a Price
Tatanka wasn’t the only person to sell their soul to the Million Dollar Man at SummerSlam. A few years prior, Dusty Rhodes’ sweet Sapphire revealed that she had taken DiBiase’s money, forfeiting her match against Sensational Sherri and abandoning the American Dream.
20. Triple Crown
The Legion of Doom defeated The Nasty Boys to become the only duo to win the AWA, NWA and WWE Tag Team Titles.
19. Straight to Hell
How’s this for a blow off? After defeating Edge in Hell in a Cell, Undertaker chokeslammed his rival off a ladder and through the ring, which flames then emerged from. It was Lucha Underground theatrics after a hellacious NWA-style match. The Rated-R Superstar wouldn’t return until three months later at Survivor Series.
18. Roman Returns
At the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, Roman Reigns was concerned about just overcoming leukemia, so he stepped away from the ring. Five months later, the “big dog” returned to his yard, attacking both Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt. We didn’t know it at the time, but that set in motion his heel turn and new role as the “Head of the Table.”
17. The Beast Is Back
Once Brock Lesnar lost to Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36, we didn’t expect to see “The Beast Incarnate” for a long time due to lack of crowds. A year went by and then some, and rumors swirled that perhaps Tony Khan’s deep pockets would sway Lesnar to AEW. However, after Reigns defeated Cena at SummerSlam 2021, Lesnar made his dramatic return to the shock of the wrestling world.
16. Sunday Bloody Sunday
Kicking out of a F-5 was probably Randy Orton’s biggest mistake. Frustrated and growling, The Beast took off his gloves and pounded Orton to a bloody pulp, a disturbing image in the sanitized P.G. Era. The blood was pouring so much that Jericho reportedly thought the incident was legit, and confronted Lesnar backstage after the show.
15. The Deadman Rises…Again
After CM Punk defeated Jeff Hardy in a TLC, he stood over the fallen daredevil with the World Heavyweight Championship hoisted high. Then the lights went out and when they returned, it was Undertaker lying under Punk in the Deadman’s most creative and shocking return ever.
14. Loss of Innocence
The MegaPowers claimed they had a “secret weapon” to defeat Andre the Giant and DiBiase at the inaugural SummerSlam. Just when it seemed our heroes would be finished, the secret weapon went into action: Miss Elizabeth hopped on the apron and took off her skirt to reveal panties, distracting all the villains and even special guest ref Jesse Ventura. It was an outrageous moment for late-80s WWE and gave many a Hulkster a wet, hot American summer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW0S-nfaeeo
13. Virgil’s Finest Hour
Before he was an internet meme, Virgil had the support of fans around the world as he finally snapped on DiBiase. When he defeated his former boss and won the Million Dollar Belt at SummerSlam 1991, New York City went bananas.
12. The Body Returns
Jesse Ventura, as acting governor of Minnesota, refereed the main event of SummerSlam 1999. It was a controversial decision considering the content of the Attitude Era and Ventura’s own hostility with Vince McMahon, stemming from a lawsuit only a few years prior. After Shane O’Mac interfered, the Body tossed him over the rope and yelled, “That one’s for your old man, you little bastard!”
11. The Last Laugh
Lesnar has a knack for sitting up ala Undertaker, and then laughing at his destruction. Well, in a sight no one ever expected, Undertaker sat up and laughed back in the greatest GIF ever.
10. Nail in the Coffin
A five-year alliance came to a shocking end as Paul Bearer turned his back on the Undertaker. The Deadman had battled Mankind in the first Boiler Room Brawl, and as he went to retrieve the urn from his manager and win the match, Bearer yanked the urn away, enabling Mankind to capitalize.
9. History Making
Two years after Lesnar won the WWE Championship at 25 years old (and a few months after he deserted the company), 24-year-old Orton defeated Chris Benoit in the main event of SummerSlam 2004 to become the youngest world champion in WWE history.
8. Don’t Call It a Comeback
Despite being part of the group that destroyed John Cena, CM Punk, referees, announcers and the entire ringside area, Daniel Bryan was chosen as the 7th man on Team WWE at SummerSlam 2010. Bryan had been fired a couple days after the Nexus debut for choking out Justin Roberts with his necktie, apparently a major offense in the P.G. Era.
7. What a Knock Out
With his wife Rebecca by his side, Shawn Michaels announced that recent injuries are forcing him into retirement. That wasn’t good enough for Y2J, who interrupted the emotional moment and demanded that Michaels give credit to Jericho. When Michaels refused, Jericho pulled him in for a punch, but hit his wife by mistake. A hush fell over the arena as Michaels seethed and Jericho retreated in disbelief.
6. The Boy Wonder
Shane McMahon’s reputation for daredevil antics stems from SummerSlam 2000, when he tried to escape from Steve Blackman’s wrath by climbing the Titantron. Blackman proceeded to chase Shane O’Mac all the way up, finally catching him with some Singapore cane shots that sent Shane crashing some 50 feet below.
5. The Authority Begins
As Daniel Bryan can attest, happiness is fleeting. Minutes after winning the WWE Championship from John Cena, special guest ref Triple H stabbed Bryan in the back, delivering a pedigree and allowing Orton to cash in. Thus, igniting one of the biggest storylines ever as Bryan battled The Authority all the way to WrestleMania XXX.
4. The Mountie Goes to Jail.
“You want my finger? Here’s the finger!” After losing a Jailhouse Match to the Big Boss Man, the Mountie was taken away in a paddy wagon to spend the night in a New York City jail cell. Hilarity ensued as Mountie reluctantly was finger printed and had his picture taken, before locked in the cell with a Deliverance-sounding criminal asking if he liked the way leather feels against his body.
3. Macho Wedding
It was the match made in Heaven: “Macho Man” Randy Savage finally tying the knot with his longtime valet Miss Elizabeth. The wedding actually served as the main event of SummerSlam 1991, and was maybe the only wrestling wedding uninterrupted. In reality, Savage and Liz had been married for seven years at this point, and would divorce the next year.
2. Chairshot Hear Round the World
Bret Hart had Undertaker on the ropes in their WWE Championship match at SummerSlam 1997. After special guest ref Shawn Michaels pulled Hart away from the corner, The Hitman hocked a loogie onto his arch nemesis. Michaels retaliated by swinging a steel chair, which Hart ducked and Undertaker received. Hart made the cover and HBK had no choice to but the pinfall. That chairshot ignited the historic feud between Michaels and Undertaker, giving birth to Hell in a Cell, and laid the foundation for the Montreal Screwjob three months later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWIqA3q6VlE
1. The Ultimate Squash
SummerSlam became a night to remember right away as Ultimate Warrior answered Honkytonk Man’s open challenge, bursting into Madison Square Garden and mauling Elvis’ doppelganger within 30 seconds. After months and months of retaining the title by hook and by crook, the longest Intercontinental Champion met his match and his historic reign ended with a thunderous ovation.
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