The 2021 WWE SummerSlam is set to take place on the 21st of August at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The PPV is hyped as always, especially with the return of John Cena who is set to take on Roman Reigns for the Universal title but before going into this fight, we’ll take you through some of the best SummerSlam moments in the PPV since it’s inaugural edition back in 1988.
5. Best Friends, Bitter Enemies
The co-main event at the 2002 SummerSlam featured a non-disqualification fight between Shawn Michaels and Triple H, with Shawn returning to wrestling for the first time since WrestleMania 14. Michaels came out firing using his kicking power to the maximum before executing a plancha. The Game found his way back into the fight with a couple of backbreakers on Michaels. Then, the two superstars exchanged punches before Michales hit Triple H with a ladder and then threw himself on the Game off the top rope for a near fall. The match had a thrilling ending. Michaels who had dominated most of the fight looked to seal it with his Sweet Chin Music which Triple H tried to counter with a Pedigree but ended up getting countered into a jackknife roll-up for the win.
The Game couldn’t handle the loss so after the match, he hit Michaels with a sledgehammer twice forcing the Heartbreak Kid to leave the arena on a stretcher.
4. The first-ever triple threat tag team TLC match
The first-ever triple threat tag team TLC match took place at SummerSlam 2000 featuring the Hardy Boyz, Edge & Christian, and the Dudley Boyz for the Tag Team championship. The Dudley’s took the early advantage when they landed their iconic 3-D on Christian. Jeff Hardy was looking strong when he put Bubba Dudely on a table to attempt a Swanton Bomb but it backfired as Bubba moved just before Jeff could make contact and he went through the table. Things then got interesting with the use of the ladder as Christian & Edge pushed Bubba off the top of the ladder onto double-stacked tables which were outside the ring. Hardy Boyz’ associate Lita then entered the arena and dropped Edge & Christain from the top of the ladder which allowed Matt to climb the ladder to retrieve the championship but D-Von was there who pushed the ladder which put Matt through the tables just like Bubba. D-Von and Jeff both then tried to get their hands on the championship but Edge & Christian put away their ladders which left Jeff hanging on to the belt and were hit with a ladder by Christian which allowed the duo to climb the ladder and retain the Tag Team Championships.
3. The Hart Brothers, 1994
The 1994 SummerSlam featured a fight between two of the best fighters in the Hart family, Bret “The Hitman” Hart & Owen Hart in a steel cage fight for the championship belt. Bret took on the early advantage in the fight with his iconic DDTs. Owen, who could not do much damage to his opponent, tried to escape the ring whenever it was possible but couldn’t find his way out. At one point in the fight, both wrestlers tried to climb over at the same time but neither of them could find their way out and ended up exchanging punches while standing on the top rope. Owen tried to get out of the cage from the main door but Bret stopped him by pulling him back with his hair. Owen then performed a piledriver and started climbing the cage but somehow Bret was back on his feet and suplexed his cousin into the ring from the top of the cage. The match ended with Bret throwing Owen into the steel cage which trapped Owen’s leg to the cage bars making it easy for Bret to climb over the cage and win the fight. After the fight, Jim Neidhart attacked Davey Boy Smith before locking the cage and beating up Bret before the other Harts could arrive at the scene and intervene.
2. The day Lesnar arrived!!!
This fight has to go down as one of the best moments of Brock Lesnar’s thrilling WWE career. In the main event of the 2002 SummerSlam, Brock Lesnar took on The Rock for the WWE Championship. Lesnar took off to a flying start by landing some of his power moves but The Rock found his way back into the fight and was all set to seal the fight early on when he attempted a sharpshooter. Paul Heyman then got involved in the fight to change Rock’s attention from Lesnar and got Rock Bottomed through the announcer’s table. The fight got interesting when Lesnar and the Rock both landed Rock Bottoms on each other. The Rock was about to seal the victory with a People’s Elbow but Lesnar reversed the move and landed an F-5 for the win to be crowned as the Youngest World Champion in WWE history.
1. Undertaker sends Edge to hell
The fight between The Undertaker and Edge back in SummerSlam 2008, is hands down THE BEST Hell in a Cell Match of all time as The Undertaker proved why he is known as the King of the Cell. Early in the match, Undertaker was put through a table with a chair-assisted elbow drop by Edge. The R-rated Superstar performed multiple spears on the Taker, one through the cell panel which broke the cell, and the other one was through the announcers’ table. Edge then landed the third spear when both of them entered the ring for a near-fall. Things changed when Edge tried to perform the Old School on Undertaker. The Phenom reversed it with a chokeslam from the top rope and a Tombstone Piledriver then ended the match giving Undertaker the victory. As he was leaving the ring, he saw Edge moving a bit so he went back and choke slammed Edge off a ladder through the canvas. This match ended with the commentator saying “Edge has been sent to hell”!
[Image Credit: WWE Old School]
Shashank Iyer