Top WWE SummerSlam Events (And the Ones That Flopped): A Look Back Before the Two-Night 2025 Event Begins
SummerSlam 2025 is upon us—and not just any SummerSlam. For the first time ever, WWE is turning the “Biggest Party of the Summer” into a two-night spectacle. That’s right, August 2nd and 3rd will go down in history no matter what happens, and fans everywhere are buzzing with anticipation. But before we step into what could be a game-changing weekend, let’s hit pause and look back.
From unforgettable moments that made us leap out of our seats to colossal flops that left us shaking our heads, SummerSlam has seen it all. We’re taking a ride down memory lane to revisit the absolute best—and some of the most painful—SummerSlams of all time. These picks come straight from the heart, but we’ve also listened to fan polls, critiques, and the collective voice of the wrestling community.
🏆 Top WWE SummerSlams of All Time
SummerSlam 2002 — Perfection Between the Ropes
Ask any hardcore wrestling fan for their favorite SummerSlam, and chances are they’ll yell “2002!” without hesitation. This show was STACKED.
- Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock? Brock became the youngest WWE Champion ever, cementing himself as a beast.
- Shawn Michaels came back after four long years and absolutely tore the house down with Triple H in an Unsanctioned Street Fight.
- Kurt Angle and Rey Mysterio opened the show with what might be the best opener in SummerSlam history.
From top to bottom, this card slapped harder than a Ric Flair chop.
SummerSlam 2013 — Bryan’s Glory, Orton’s Steal
Daniel Bryan’s emotional journey reached a new peak when he beat John Cena clean for the WWE Championship… only for Randy Orton to slither in and cash in his MITB contract after a Triple H heel turn. Betrayal. Drama. Heat.
And if that wasn’t enough? CM Punk and Brock Lesnar delivered a gritty, physical war in a No DQ match. Instant classic.
SummerSlam 1992 — British Bulldog’s Coronation
Wembley Stadium. 80,000+ UK fans. A magical night.
The Intercontinental Title match between Bret Hart and British Bulldog didn’t just steal the show—it became the show.
Add Randy Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior with Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect scheming in the background, and this card became a surreal wrestling dream.
SummerSlam 2000 — Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Oh My!
The first-ever TLC match. Edge & Christian. The Hardyz. The Dudleyz. Chaos. Carnage. LEGENDARY. This match wasn’t just groundbreaking—it defined an entire generation of tag team wrestling. Then there was The Rock defending his WWE Title in a chaotic Triple Threat with Triple H and Kurt Angle, with love triangles, betrayals, and Stephanie McMahon eating a sledgehammer shot.
Oh, and yes… there was also a “Stinkface Match.” Let’s just pretend that part didn’t happen.
SummerSlam 1998 — Highway to Hell
The Attitude Era was at full throttle.
- Austin vs. Undertaker in the main event for the WWF Championship? Electric.
- The Rock vs. Triple H in a ladder match for the IC Title? Brutal and brilliant.
It was chaos, it was loud, and it was peak ‘90s WWE.
😬 SummerSlams That Didn't Live Up To The Hype
SummerSlam 1993 — Lex Express… To Disappointment
This one still stings. The whole summer, we were sold a dream: Lex Luger was the All-American hero, traveling the country on the Lex Express, waving flags, shaking hands, hugging fans and kissing babies, oh and slamming Yokozuna on the USS Intrepid. And what was the payoff? A count-out victory. That’s right—after all that buildup, Luger didn’t even win the WWF Championship.
The confetti still fell. The crowd still cheered. But deep down, we all knew… this wasn’t it. We deserved more, and damnit Lex Luger deserved better.
SummerSlam 1994 — The Tale of Two Matches
On one hand, Bret vs. Owen in a steel cage for the WWF Championship was a masterclass—pure storytelling and athleticism.
But then… came Undertaker vs. “Underfaker.” Yep, it was Taker vs. Fake Taker.
The so-called "other" Undertaker—an eerie doppelgänger introduced by Ted DiBiase—was portrayed by wrestler Brian Lee. As part of a bizarre storyline, DiBiase claimed he had purchased The Undertaker, parading the imposter around as the real deal. But at SummerSlam, the truth was revealed when the original Deadman, Mark Calaway, returned to confront his imitator. In a surreal showdown, the true Undertaker vanquished the fake, putting an end to the deception once and for all.
It was confusing, weird, and—let’s be honest—just plain bad. And somehow, it main evented the show. That’s a decision we still don’t understand.
SummerSlam 1995 — Diesel Disaster
The mid-’90s were a weird time for WWE, and SummerSlam ‘95 proved that. Looking back it is almost laughable but I still watch the old events for the nostalgia and to relive the excitement I had when I was a little kid. BUT..... Diesel vs. King Mabel in the main event? Yikes.
Slow. Clunky. Awkward. And the worst part? There was no heat. Not trying to bash either one of these wrestlers because they both offer their own value to the history of professional wrestling, BUT—Vince, what in the world were you thinking booking this one? Maybe he had more hope that Kevin Nash/Diesel was stronger than what he was? Nothing happened here, boring, but for history purposes, rewatch it for yourself.
Aside from Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon in another iconic ladder match, this event was an unmemorable dud.
FYI the Diesel vs King Mabel match is so bad I can't even find the full match, besides a 360p version.
SummerSlam 2010 — The Nexus Gets Buried
The Nexus invasion storyline was red-hot, and fans were buzzing about a possible torch-passing moment when they faced Team WWE.
Instead? Super Cena struck again. Nexus lost, their momentum died overnight, and the group was never the same. It’s widely considered one of the biggest missed opportunities in SummerSlam and WWE history. Cena was in a weird spot gimmick wise he was a straight edge good guy but would still slip up and talk with slang, hilarious. Still for history purposes, it is definitely worth the rewatch. It's nice to take a trip down memory lane when we think WWE is in a bad spot because of TKO these days.
🎤 Wrestling.News | Backstage Take
SummerSlam has always been a rollercoaster—when it's good, it delivers moments we’ll never forget. But when it misses… it leaves scars. We feel them. We remember them. And sometimes we still complain about them on X 15 years later. But, at the end of the day even the "worst" SummerSlam events will forever go down in history as memorable moments for those of us that watched the events live. Even though the events were absolutely horrible we were still excited just to watch, we were grateful for one of the parents forking out the now what seems low, low price of $29.95 for the pay-per-view. Back then however, that was expensive for a professional wrestling event.
As we approach the first-ever two-night SummerSlam in 2025, the expectations are sky-high. Will WWE give us another classic like 2002? Or will we be adding 2025 to the “what could’ve been” list? Either way, we’ll be watching. And yelling. And probably arguing about it online.
Stay tuned, stay locked in.
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