GiphyThis is not The Voice, people, this is wrestling!
What a hellacious match, ladies and gentlemen! We have to take a commercial break after all this excitement! See you next time!
"The Best vs The Beast" is regarded as one of the best showdowns in Summerslam (and WWE) history. Paul Heyman's ties to both men furthered the storyline as CM Punk thought Heyman was his manager and friend. Heyman ultimately turned on Punk and Lesnar came in to show Punk who really was the true "Paul Heyman guy." It paid off in the ring as both men literally and figuratively fought tooth and nail.
Three tag teams revolutionized team wrestling in the late '90s, and this first-ever TLC match sparked the popularity of the Dudley Boys, The Hardyz, and Edge & Christian. Innovative spots, creative athletics, and the importance of the tag team titles made this a top pick from our list.
The ONLY Summerslam to take place out of the U.S. at Wembley Stadium, Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart went toe-to-toe with his brother-in-law Davey Boy Smith, The British Bulldog. This would also be the only Summerslam where the Intercontinental Championship was being defended in the main event. A little known fact: Smith could not remember the entire match's set-up with Hart from the night before due to medical issues. It would be one of the finest matches in Summerslam history.
Two of Canada's famous pro wrestlers warred in the summer of 2000 that had many fans gearing up for a fight. The two went balls to the wall in a 2 out of 3 falls match, and it stole the show. Their chemistry was like magic that night at a Summerslam that might be the best one of all time.
Last year's main event saw Universal Champ Brock Lesnar defending his title against three other monsters in a fatal four way match. Lesnar was the target of assault from all three men early in the match, and the static crowd was fully behind Strowman and Samoa Joe (both heels at the time) as they waged a war that (SPOILER) eventually saw Lesnar gain the upper hand in the end.
All I can say is that this was the greatest opening match in PPV history that marked Mysterio's Summerslam debut.
The rubber match between two of wrestling's biggest names went down as one of the best matches in 2016. Cena's underrated wrestling skills flowed perfectly with Styles' hybrid offense. Commentators were even shocked by the passion both men showed in that match as Brooklyn cheered heavily for Styles.
Kurt Angle's obsession with HHH's wife Stephanie reached a pivotal point in the early moments of the match, as both men began to brawl before WWF Champ The Rock made his entrance. The triple threat match managed to be very creative and brought an explosive end to the event that year.
Steph returned to the ring to face rival Brie Bella in 2014 after months of abusing Brie's sister Nikki and Brie's husband Daniel Bryan. The match itself was actually very well crafted, and the shocker at the end ignited another rivalry that needed to be explored.
The first Summerslam saw Hulk Hogan and Macho Man, the Mega Powers, face-off against Ted Dibiase and Andre the Giant, the Mega Bucks. It defined Summerslam's essence of being a mini-Wrestlemania in the summer. Miss Elizabeth's role in the match proved to be too distracting for the evil Mega Bucks, as well.
Daniel Bryan's rise to stardom in 2013 *shortly* culminated in championship gold, as Bryan challenged John Cena in the main event of that year's event. Special Guest Referee Triple H kept things clean and simple throughout the match as the crowd frantically cheered the underdog Bryan. It would then set Bryan's war with authority for the rest of 2013 and most of 2014.
Edge gravely paid for sins when ex-wife Vickie Guerrero put him in a Hell in a Cell match against WWE's top attraction, The Undertaker. The match itself saw a piece of the cell break after a spear, many weapons, and a fiery post-match segment that saw Edge travel down south. And I'm not talking about Florida.
Lesnar's third match on this list just shows how might possibly be "Mr. Summerslam". He would also be called "Mr. Suplex Machine" that night in 2014, when he gave defending WWE World Heavyweight Champion John Cena sixteen suplexes. SIXTEEN! The younger crowd continued to chant for their hero Cena's comeback, but their dreams would sadly be crushed (SPOILER), as Lesnar would further his 2014 resurgence with championship gold.
The second match between the Hart siblings that year saw Owen challenge older brother Bret for the WWF Title in a Steel Cage match. Widely regarded as one of the best matches in Summerslam history, both wrestlers showcased their flawless ability as wrestlers. Pure wrestlers, that is. It became a Hart family affair as the rest of the family, including ousted brother-in-law Jim Neidhart, worked their way into the match's climax.
Michaels' return to in-ring competition after four years of rehabbing his broken back proved to be one of the most important nights of his life. Showing absolutely no ring rust at all, HBK and former best friend HHH performed to the highest degree that night. "It was like when Jordan came off the bench and lit 'em up for 56," pro wrestler Kevin Nash said of his friend Michaels' performance. It definitely deserves a spot on this list.
Hopefully the 31st edition of Summerslam this week produces some amazing matches as well as some memorable moments as I attend my first WWE pay-per-view, live in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center!
It was reported that AJ Styles wanted to defend his WWE Title against Shawn Michaels at last year's Royal Rumble, but HBK shot it down due to him being retired. HOWEVER, Michaels has recently said that he's open to one more match, so why not capitalize and grant Styles' wish now that he's WWE Champion again?
It's inevitable. Rollins wants Styles, Styles wants Rollins. WE WANT THEM TOGETHER IN THE RING FOR ONE AWESOME MATCH. 'Nuff said.
Batista's interesting 2014 return to WWE opened many doors to who he could steal the show with. Brock was one of those names, and as of this year, Batista is reportedly open to returning to the WWE once again. If Brock leaves the company before Batista returns, that match might never happen. Ever.
NXT's hottest faction, Undisputed Era, is being hailed as the best thing going in pro wrestling today, with new member Roderick Strong filling in for an injured Bobby Fish (second from the right). Before them came The Shield, WWE's powerhouse team of Rollins, Ambrose, and Reigns that terrorized the company from late 2012 to mid-2014. A dream matchup between these two dominant teams would be impressive, even if it is a handicap match. Absolute mayhem would be the correct word for that dream match.
Yes, Styles makes this list a third time because he's the best wrestler in the world right now. No doubt about that. The three essential leaders of Bullet Club in different years would steal any show in this triple threat match, including the fact that Styles/Balor stole the show at TLC 2017 (due to Bray Wyatt being ill that night). It would be every fan's dream to see three of Bullet Club's leaders face off at the same time.
Two teams of actual brothers that are dominating WWE and ROH/NJPW respectively, The Usos and The Young Bucks are two tag teams that many fans are hoping to see in the near future. A simple match between them would determine one thing: who is truly the master of the superkick?
The Face of WWE vs "ADAM COLE BAYBAY!" would definitely be one to see, since Cole is very popular to pro wrestling right now and John Cena is WWE's version of Michael Jordan. Overall, this dream match is very possible since Cena is part-time and Cole is just starting his WWE career in NXT.
Kurt Angle returned to in-ring action for WWE at last year's TLC event as an honorary member of The Shield, and his tag team bout with Ronda Rousey against HHH and Stephanie McMahon stole the show at this year's Wrestlemania. Daniel Bryan came out of retirement after being medically cleared by WWE to team with Shane McMahon against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at the same Wrestlemania.
These two technically sound wrestlers could steal the show any day of the week, so there's a huge possibility that this dream match could happen soon.
I'm adamant that a good amount of these dream matches could happen in the near future, and I'm certain that they'll steal the show once they meet in the ring.
Owens then lost it to Goldberg in March 2017, who then lost it to Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 33. Lesnar has held it for over a year now...and it's been a terrible run. Sure, Lesnar has had some good matches with Samoa Joe, Braun Strowman, and even Roman Reigns, it's time Lesnar loses it before the year is over. Why? Two reasons: one is that he's proven himself as a box office hit, and two is that HE'S ONLY IN WWE FOR A TOTAL OF SEVEN HOURS A YEAR.
A little exaggerated, but still: Lesnar is a part-timer that does not need to be a world champion. His run with the WWE Championship in late 2014 was just as bad, except for the classic triple threat match at Royal Rumble 2015 and his loss at Wrestlemania 31 when Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract in the middle of Lesnar and Reigns' match. We are experiencing deja vu at the moment, folks, but we still flock to see him pummel his opponent every PPV he's on.
It's simple: Lesnar must lose at Summerslam. Multiple sources as of June 8th have said that Roman Reigns is in line for the title shot, which is predictable. Reigns, being the wrestling version of a rainy day to the fans, has fought Lesnar twice already this year and lost. Summerslam, the biggest event of the summer for WWE, is the perfect spot for Lesnar to lose his title and hopefully see a full Roman Reigns heel turn that we have been craving since 2016.
Again, very simple: have Lesnar lose it to someone at Summerslam. Finn Balor and Bobby Lashley are two names that fans have been wanting to see challenge Lesnar lately, but a certain individual is perfect for Lesnar:
(You thought I was going to say Seth Rollins, didn't you, Squidward?) Yes, Kevin Owens has been lost in the mid-card since late last year, but his spot in the upcoming Money in the Bank ladder match could be the start of a great 2018 for him. Owens, along with Finn Balor, has yet to have his rematch for the Universal title, so if WWE decides to go with Owens winning the briefcase, it would be easy to have him cash in on Lesnar at some point this year.
Now, Rollins would be a viable opponent for Lesnar, but his reign as Intercontinental Champion at the moment is good on its own. Rollins and Balor could steal the show at Summerslam over the IC Title, but a surprise cash-in on Lesnar by Owens that night would be shockingly great. Owens' style of brawling matches Lesnar's 'hit first, ask questions later' style, so if there was to be a rematch between the two, fans would invest easily.
Brock Lesnar has had an incredible career in WWE so far: championships, breaking the Undertaker's streak, and garnering a legacy that is second to none. However, his part-time appearances as a world champion are not what is needed in WWE at the moment: we need fighting champions like Seth Rollins on the show 24/7. Seeing Lesnar every six months leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouths, but it also lets the fans down. It will be interesting to see what awaits Lesnar as we head into the summer, but one thing is for sure: Brock Lesnar is damaging the early legacy of the Universal Championship.
