1988:
- The Mega-Powers (Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage) Vs The Mega-Bucks (Ted DiBiase & Andre The Giant) - 2 ¾* - Following Macho Man’s victorious win at Wrestlemania 4 for his first WWF Championship, he would continue feuding with Ted Dibiase throughout mid-1988 and lead to a tag team match with the man that helped him at Wrestlemania – Hulk Hogan. Now going along as ‘The Mega-Powers’ they would face off against the team of ‘The Mega-Bucks’.
1989:
- The Ultimate Warrior Vs Rick Rude – WWF Intercontinental Championship – 3 ¼* - This is actually one of Warriors best wrestling matches, and I feel as if it’s super underrated especially because he was so limited in his wrestling ability.
1990:
1991:
- Bret Hart Vs Mr Perfect – WWF Intercontinental Championship – 4* - Probably one of my favourite Summerslam matches from the 90's the chemistry between both men is phenomenal. Interesting fact when re-watching this match I found out that perfect actually had an injured back and that allows you to appreciate the ending of this match
- Virgil Vs Ted Dibiase – Million Dollar Championship – 3 ¼* -
1992:
- The British Bulldog Vs Bret Hart – WWF Intercontinental Championship – 4 ¼* - Arguably one of the best Summerslam main events of all time; Vince trusted in two of his mid-card stars to main event Summerslam in the biggest venue to date - The Wembley Stadium. Highly recommend, even Hart believes this may be his best match.
1993:
- The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott Steiner) Vs The Heavenly Bodies (Tom Prichard & Jimmy Del Ray) – WWF Tag Team Championships – 3 ½*
- Shawn Michaels Vs Mr. Perfect - WWF Intercontinental Championship - 3* - People forget about this match, probably cause it’s so early in Shawn’s career – very fun match.
- Lex Luger Vs Yokozuna – WWF Championship – 2 ¾* - The build up to this match was essentially the WWF making Lex Luger the next ‘Hulk Hogan’ – the next red, white and blue all American. They had him travel American in his ‘Lex Express’ van going around town to town doing all sorts of meets and greets – but its believed Vince McMahon lost a bit of faith in him when it seemed crowds weren’t rallying for him and it was revealed that Luger wasn’t a fan of doing the ‘Hogan Shtick’ – it also didn’t help that Luger was actually known as a big narcissist at the time.
1994:
- Alundra Blayze Vs Bull Nakano – WWF Women’s Championship – 3 ¼*
- Bret Hart Vs Owen Hart – Steel Cage Match - WWF Championship – 5* - The famous rematch from their Wrestlemania 10 match – and it absolutely lived up to hype. This time it was contested in the famous blue steel cage match and the WWF Championship was on the line. It was high stakes between not only both competitors but the whole Hart family was somewhat involved in this feud.
- The Undertaker Vs The (Fake) Undertaker - -1* - Yes, this match and lead up is super cheesy. But I don’t care I love this match so I’m including this match on this list.
1995:
- Shawn Michaels Vs Razor Ramon – WWF Intercontinental Championship – 4 ¾* - This was a rematch of their Wrestlemania 10 match and it lives up to expectations. They change up a lot of the spots and sequences so they don’t copy the match they had at Wrestlemania 10. It’s one of my favourite rematches from a big match in WWE history.
1996:
- Shawn Michaels Vs Vader – WWF Championship – 4* - This match is pretty notorious for this spot but it’s a really fun match; I wish Vader won the championship here and then would go on to have a short reign with the WWF Championship.
1997:
- Mankind Vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley – Steel Cage Match – 2 ½*
- Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs Owen Hart – WWF Intercontinental Championship – 2 ¾* - One of the main reasons Stone Cold was forced to retire was due to a botched Piledriver caused by Owen Hart in this match. But this match would’ve helped Austin sky-rocket to the Main Event picture after he was finished holding the Intercontinental Championship for a while.
- Bret Hart Vs The Undertaker – WWF Championship – 3 - Besides Takers matches with Shawn in late-1997, this is my favourite Taker match from the 90's. Much like the Rumble 96 match with these two, people just seem to not really enjoy their matches. They would also have a great match in the UK at a show called One Night Only. There's so many stories going into this match including: Shawn Michaels as the referee, Undertakers championship on the line and Brets wrestling career on the line it makes for one of the better matches of the 1990's.
1998:
- Ken Shamrock Vs Owen Hart – Lions Den Match – 3 ½*
- Triple H Vs The Rock – Ladder Match – WWF Intercontinental Championship - 4 ¼* - Great match from two wrestlers who were going to help epitomise the Attitude Era. Before the classics of the tag team ladder matches in the early 00’s this was the match that helped re-establish how good ladder matches could be. Highly recommend this match, as it also one of Rocky’s best matches in general.
- Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs The Undertaker – WWF Championship – 3 ½* - This is the epitome of the Attitude Era for me in regards to 1998, this was the match that felt like it had the most built to it. The Rock wasn’t a made star yet, so it made sense Austin would phenom of the WWE, the Undertaker on the Highway to Hell.
1999:
- Test Vs Shane McMahon - 3 ½*
- Mankind Vs Triple H Vs Stone Cold Steve Austin – WWF Championship – 2 ¾* - This would be Foleys last WWF Championship victory, it would only last for just under 24 hours. It’s a fairly over-booked match, the promo for this match gives a strong indication of that.
2000:
- Edge & Christian Vs The Hardy Boyz (Jeff & Matt Hardy) Vs The Dudley Boys (Bubba-Ray & D-Von Dudley) – Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match – WWF Tag Team Championship – 4 ½* - This is the first ever Tables, Ladders and Chairs match in history and if you know anything about these teams/these matches you know they put all their effort and will into this match and theres a reason these matches were so big at the time and still stand the test of time today. They set the bar for what these matches should be and I don’t think anyone will ever top that.
2001:
- Edge Vs Lance Storm – WWF Intercontinental Championship – 3 ¼*
- Rob Van Dam Vs Jeff Hardy – WWF Hardcore Championship – 3 ½* - This was a dream match in the early 00’s, two highflyers and risk-taking competitors battling it out one on one. However, many people would argue their match from the previous PPV was better.
- The Rock Vs Booker T – WCW Championship – 3* - This was Rocks return match in 2001, after he had been away for sometime to shoot his film The Scorpion King it’s a fun match between to them two. Also always loved the Rock with the big gold belt – guilty pleasure of mine.
2002:
- Kurt Angle Vs Rey Mysterio – 3 ¾* -
- Edge Vs Eddie Guerrero – 3 ¼*
- Rob Van Dam Vs Chris Benoit – WWE Intercontinental Championship – 3 ½*
- Shawn Michaels Vs Triple H – Unsanctioned Street Fight – 4 ¼* - The whole Summerslam 2002 itself is actually one of the best PPV’s of all time and I recommend you watch it. But this match was very special, it was Shawn Michaels first match back again in 4 years against his ‘former’ best friend Triple H in a straight up street fight brawl. It really is a testament that Shawn Michaels who hadn’t wrestled in 4 years that him and Triple H could put on a great match, possibly a match of the year contender.
- Brock Lesnar Vs The Rock – WWE Championship – 3 ¼* - This was a real passing of the torch, and putting a younger talent over. Brock Lesnar in one of the fastest debuts in WWE history would win the King of the Ring, thus earn him self a shot at the WWE Championship and he would win that too. This was the rise of Brock Lesnar; it was also the fall of The Rock’s career because after this run he would return a few more times but never a full time star like he once was.
2003:
- Eddie Guerrero Vs Chris Benoit Vs Rhyno Vs Tajiri – United States Championship – 3 ½*
- Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar – WWE Championship – 4 ¼* -
2004:
- Kurt Angle Vs Eddie Guerrero – 3 ¾* - This would be a rematch from their WWE Championship match at Wrestlemania 20 – every time these two were in the ring together it was magic.
- Randy Orton Vs Chris Benoit – World Heavyweight Championship – 4 ¼* - This is Chris Benoit’s swan song as World Heavyweight Champion. He had a decent run as champion with some great matches with some of Raw’s top talents including: Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair and Kane. But this was the first of Randy Orton’s World Championship win; he really has the crowd behind him during this match. This was the start of WWE’s first time trying to build Orton as the face of the WWE, and he certainly earned the respect of Benoit after the match. Orton would go on to have over 10 World Championship reigns over the course of the next decade, and even though the he got himself in trouble at the start of his career Orton would being smarter about his decions and that’s why WWE continuously praise him and have faith in him. As JBL would say ‘if there was a wrestler built from the ground up it’d be Randy Orton’.
2005:
- Rey Mysterio Vs Eddie Guerrero – Ladder Match – 3 ½*
- John Cena Vs Chris Jericho – WWE Championship – 3 ¾* - One of Jericho’s last matches before taking a hiatus from WWE, he would face a young but hungry freshly new WWE Champion; John Cena. This match is actually fun and WWE officials trusted Jericho enough to work with Cena. However, I should include this was the first time I ever heard an anti-Cena crowd, when most of the audience is pro-Jericho.
- Hulk Hogan Vs Shawn Michaels – 3 ½* - Leading into this match Shawn Michaels turned heel for the first time since 1998, this match is notorious for Shawn Michaels reverting to his 90’s self and just overselling and being obnoxious for the whole duration of this match.
2006:
- Ric Flair Vs Mick Foley – I Quit Match – 3 ½*
- Edge Vs John Cena – WWE Championship – 3 ¾* - Edge & Cena would fight for the majority of 2006, the lead up to this match saw Edge go to Cena’s house and slap his father. I’d argue that Cena’s best feud would potentially be against Edge and this isn’t even the end of it. This match would take place in Cenas hometown and the rematch which was contested in a TLC match would take place in Edge’s hometown.
2007:
- John Cena Vs Randy Orton – WWE Championship – 4* - This would be the first time both men would compete one on one in a ppv (definitely not their last). This is a stellar match and helped show the direction that the company were going to be going and who their main stars would be.
2008:
- CM Punk Vs John Bradshaw Layfield – World Heavyweight Championship 3 ¼*
- Batista Vs John Cena – 3 ¾* - The two ‘made men’ of WWE in 2005, were finally going to square off in a WWE ring against each other one on one. This is a hard-hitting match and just goes to show the great chemistry these two had against each other. Also call me a sucker for Face Vs Face matches, this was such a big time feel match for the Raw brand that it made the Raw World Heavyweight Championship play second fiddle to it. This match is fairly under looked and quite underrated when people bring up the careers of these two men.
- The Undertaker Vs Edge – Hell in a Cell - 4 ½* - This was the culmination of The Undertaker & Edge feud. This feud started back in May of 2007 and ended in August 2008. Undertaker was allowed to return to WWE and in doing so it was announced that he would face Edge one last time. This time it would be in Undertakers favourite match, the devils play ground Hell in a Cell.
2009:
- Rey Mysterio Vs Dolph Ziggler – 3 ¾* - This was still Dolph Zigglers first year as his new persona since leaving the gimmick of a male cheerleader. He got to show off his skills early in his fun with the experienced veteran of Rey Mysterio. This is really Zigglers first high profiled match in WWE.
- D-Generation X (Shawn Michaels & Triple H) Vs Legacy (Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase Jr) – 3 ½* - In mid-2009 after nearly more than a year of feuding with Legacy, Triple H needed back up – so he recruited his bestfriend Shawn Michaels to reform D-Generation X to help him fight legacy. This feud had three really good PPV matches with each other.
- CM Punk Vs Jeff Hardy – Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match – World Heavyweight Championship – 4 ¼* - This was in the midst of CM Punks first heel run in the company, and it was exceptional to see a feud between these two, one of the best single TLC matches of all time. This would be Hardy's second last match before he left WWE, he had his final match against Punk in a Steel Cage match on Smackdown which is good, however I feel like they could’ve made this his final match.
2010:
- Team WWE (John Cena, Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, Daniel Bryan, Edge, John Morrison & R-Truth) Vs The Nexus (Wade Barrett. Darren Young, David Otunga, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Michael Tarver & Skip Sheffield) – 3 ½* - Daniel Bryan had been fired from WWE after his Raw debut (post-NXT) when he chocked announcer Justin Roberts with a tie which was a big no-no because the show was PG (and because I believe somehow it relates to Chris Benoit, could be wrong on this). But Team WWE needed another partner for the match, and everyone believed it would be The Miz.. but no John Cena would announce seconds before the match started that WWE had brought back Daniel Bryan and that he would apart of their team. However, many people don’t look fondly in this match as the audience (as well as other wrestlers) see this as John Cena burying the Nexus and killing all the momentum they had in the Summer of 2010.
2011:
- Wade Barrett Vs Daniel Bryan – 3 ¼*
- Randy Orton Vs Christian – No Holds Barred Match – World Heavyweight Championship – 4* - These two would fight throughout mid-2011, with Christian turning heel and re-winning the World Heavyweight Championship at the previous PPV. This match was actually really good, and their whole feud is quite good. I still believe that Orton should’ve been the heel in this feud, but I believe Christian being the chicken-shit heel, who constantly wanted rematches for the World Heavyweight Championship was a perfect role for him. I will still argue to this day that this match was much more enjoyable then the rematch of the famous 5 star Money in the Bank match between Cena and Punk which happens on the same card.
2012:
- Chris Jericho Vs Dolph Ziggler – 3 ½* - Jericho had finally turned face after a so/so heel run in early 2012 and his first opponent was going to be the ‘show off’ Dolph Ziggler in a great and very underrated/forgotten Summerslam match. They would go on to have a rematch on the following Raw but with the stakes much higher as it was Ziggler’s Briefcase Vs. Jericho’s Contract.
- Sheamus Vs Alberto Del Rio – World Heavyweight Championship – 3*
- Brock Lesnar Vs Triple H – No Disqualifications, No Count Out – 3 ½* - In Brock’s previous run in WWE, he and Triple H never got to have a one on one match with each other, so this was treated as a special deal. It’s pretty brutal (something that becomes a major pattern in almost every Brock Lesnar Match since he’s returned). This would be the first of their three matches.
2013:
- Alberto Del Rio Vs Christian – World Heavyweight Championship - 3 ½* - Christian won a triple threat match against Orton & Rob Van Dam a few week prior to this. This match was actually really good, it’s one of those matches that are really good but because the card is considered great (it also features two 4 ½ start matches – Lesnar/Punk and Cena/Bryan) that it’s somewhat forgotten because its lost in the shuffle of two great matches. I would say that this is Christians last great singles match before he would retire from WWE.*
- Brock Lesnar Vs CM Punk – No Disqualification – 4 ½* - This match was branded as ‘The Beast Vs. The Best’, two Paul Heyman guys facing each other in the co-main event of one of the greatest ppvs in the modern era. A lot of people state that this was the last match that Punk ever really cared about, because after this match he has a pretty forgettable run until he leaves the company.
- Daniel Bryan Vs John Cena – WWE Championship – 4 ½* - John Cena chose Daniel Bryan to be his big Summerslam opponent, and it really started off the big Rise of Daniel bryan, the ovation when he was chose is fantastic. This may be one of John Cena’s best matches of all time, as well as Daniel Bryan. They work so perfectly with each other and even bring up a call back to their match back 10 years ago in velocity. This match is one of the best Summerslam main events of all time, and honestly really deserved this rating. The lead to the match was perfect with Bryan calling Cena a parody of wrestling, saying he was ‘more style then substance’ – both men equally backed up their claims and statements with each other. An additional part of this story would be when Stephanie McMahon and Vince McMahon would return and say that Bryan needed a more corporate look, but not before Triple H would make a surprise return and say that he would call the match right down the middle and declared himself the referee for the match. Whilst he called it down the middle allowing Bryan to cleanly defeat John Cena to become WWE Champion, when the match finished Triple H would turn on Bryan by pedigreeing him and letting Randy Orton cash in on him. This would set up for Bryan becoming the most over wrestler in WWE in the coming months with a Bryan Vs. Authority storyline.
2014:
- Rob Van Dam Vs Cesaro – 3 ¼*
- Dolph Ziggler Vs The Miz – 2 ¾* - This was the opener for the show; and it is a really fun match between the two. When you work with someone you trust and have been friends with for a long time in the match you get perfection. There’s a reason these two had one of the best Smackdown feuds in 2016 because they mesh-well with each other without fail every time.
- Seth Rollins Vs Dean Ambrose – Lumberjack Match – 3 ¾* - This was the first time these two men would face each other on a WWE PPV and they put on one of the best Lumberjack Matches of all time.
- Stephanie McMahon Vs Brie Bella – 2 ½* -
- Roman Reigns Vs Randy Orton – 4* - This was Roman Reign’s first single match post-Shield where he had to the ability to showcase his skills & abilities. Many people say that Orton carried him throughout the whole match – which I disagree with. Although, this may be the match that definitely got the crowd to see Roman Reigns weak links and started to get the crowd to turn on him. Within weeks, rumors started f Reigns winning the Rumble Match and facing Lesnar at Mania 31. I also have to give a shout out to my favorite spot in this match the Spear into RKO.
- Brock Lesnar Vs John Cena – WWE World Heavyweight Championship – 4 ¼* - As King (or JBL, honestly I forgot) would say on the next night on Raw – this match ‘is the most one-sided World Championship Match in the history of WWE’. That is completely right, within the first 15 seconds Lesnar lays Cena out with an F-5. Then for the next 20 minutes Lesnar would beat the living hell out of Cena including giving him 16 German Suplexes in the process. This totally redeemed his fight at Extreme Rules against Cena.
2015:
- The New Day (Big E & Kofi Kingston) Vs The Prime Time Players (Darren Young & Titus O'Neil) Vs The Lucia Dragons (Sin Cara & Kalisto) Vs Los Matadores (Diego & Fernando) - WWE Tag Team Championships – 3 ¼* - Not only a fun match, but the start of the New Day’s historic WWE Tag Team Championship reign.
- Seth Rollins Vs John Cena - WWE United States Championship & WWE World Heavyweight Championship – 4 ¼* - US Champion and WWE Champion in a Winner Take All Match; these two go great with each other and absolutely kill it every time they face. The crowd was 80% behind Seth Rollins and boy were the thankful that he won; despite an interference between former talk show host Jon Stewart the general consensus for this match is that it was great. This was my favourite match in Rollins WWE Championship reign.
- Kevin Owens Vs Cesaro – 3 ¾* - An underrated classic, that gets lost in the shuffle due to star-power main events.
- The Undertaker Vs Brock Lesnar – 4* -16 months after Brock Lesnar defeated Undertaker at Wrestlemania (ending his 20+ year undefeated streak) Undertaker would make his return to WWE in shockingly fashion to cost Lesnar the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. So the official rematch was set for Summerslam in the main-event and it was a great match between the two, however there is some nonsense with the ending but that would lead to a third-match in Hell in a Cell.
2016:
- Sheamus Vs Cesaro – Best of 7 Series – Match #1 – 3*
- AJ Styles Vs John Cena – 4 ½* - For many people this was their best WWE match for 2016 – and rightfully so. These two blew the roof off the Barclays Centre, and put on the match of the night. They exceeded the expectations of their previous match at Money in the Bank a few months prior, and to keep with John Cena tradition he would take a clean loss on arguably the second biggest show of the year. I always say on these posts it doesn’t matter what Meltzer rates the matches as long as you can make up your own decisions as well, in saying that I’d give this match a perfect 5 star rating.
- Finn Bálor Vs Seth Rollins – Universal Championship – 4* - Honestly, this match is a really good match between these two – and I still will argue that if it wasn’t for Styles/Cena II that this match would be best match on that night. It’s a shame the crowd/people online paid more attention to the colour/design of the Universal Championship than the match itself. Hopefully in the future we’ll see these two have another program with each other we’re the heel/face dynamics swapped.
