WWE has had some truly unforgettable moments over the years, and a number of them have occurred at SummerSlam. From surprise returns and unexpected squashes to money in the bank cashing and classic matches, you’ve likely at least got one moment from SummerSlam that has become one of your all-time favorites. With SummerSlam now becoming a two-night event, we could see even more of those moments, but we wanted to take a minute to look back at 7 of the best SummerSlam moments so far.
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7. An Unexpected Trio
We’re going to start this list at the beginning of a new era, which took place at SummerSlam in 2022. That was the first SummerSlam under Triple H, and there were a number of unexpected moments throughout the night as a result. One such moment was when Bayley would make her long-awaited return from injury to a hyped SummerSlam crowd, confronting Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair, but she wasn’t alone.
Bayley’s return then gave way to two truly unexpected surprises, as not only was Iyo Sky called up from NXT, but Dakota Kai was then brought back to WWE, and both aligned with Bayley to form a new faction known as Damage CTRL. As someone who watched this live, this really was a gem of a moment, and indicated that WWE was not only going to utilize some of its NXT superstars in big ways, but also that it was open to bringing some favorites back into the mix. Now, I don’t personally feel like Damage CTRL reached its full potential, but it doesn’t take away from the moment, which still ranks as one of my favorites.
6. TLC Mayhem Truly Begins (SummerSlam 2000)
So many great Tag Team TLC matches have happened over the years that it can be easy to forget where that trend really began, and that beginning can be traced back to a match at SummerSlam in 2000. The match featured three of the TLC greats in the Hardy Boys, The Dudley Boyz, and Edge and Christian, and they wasted no time in getting things started once they hit the ring.
The match was a full brawl and featured people and chairs flying everywhere, and that was just in the first 2 minutes. Things only became more chaotic as ladders made their way into the match, and there were some brutal and yet inventive spots along the way, including a see-saw ladder launch. Things got even more crazed when tables got involved, and what’s perhaps even more impressive is that the teams upped the ante in a classic follow-up at WrestleMania X-7. Even with that incredible follow-up, this one is immensely entertaining and worth watching as well.
5. A True Classic (SummerSlam 1991)
There are actually only two full matches on this list, which was a purposeful choice on my part, but there are two that simply had to be here. The first of those two was a tour de force in classic wrestling between two of the greats, and those greats are Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect.
The duo clashed at the 1991 SummerSlam, and they simply put on a clinic. If you want to watch two giants of wrestling showcase what ring chemistry is, look no further than this. Every counter, every clothesline, and every slam lands with impact and purpose, and just when you think one had the upper hand, an out-of-nowhere counter comes and wrecks every assumption you just made. These two delivered a true classic, and it deserves all the praise.
4. RK-Cash-In (SummerSlam 2013)
Naomi became the latest superstar to make a successful Money in the Bank cash-in, and now she is WWE Women’s World Champion as a result. Naomi would cash in after a classic match between Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky, and there was a scenario a lot like that one when Randy Orton cashed in his Money in the Bank Contract after a classic match between Daniel Bryan and John Cena in 2013.
Cena chose Bryan as his opponent for the match, which was for the WWE Championship, and the twist was that Triple H would serve as the special guest referee. The two would put on a fantastic match with several near falls, but it would be Bryan who would defeat Cena and become the new WWE Champion, at least for a few minutes.
After Bryan won the Title, Bryan celebrated but was soon confronted by Orton walking to the ring with his briefcase. Triple H then hit Bryan with a Pedigree after getting a look from Orton, and Orton cashed in the briefcase. Triple H smiled as he had the bell rung and Bryan pinned, ending Bryan’s run as Champion and beginning the era of Evolution, which would go on to become an all-time faction. A thrilling moment on its own, but once you factor in how powerful Evolution would become (and the careers it helped launch), it becomes that much greater of a moment in time.
3. The Beginnings of The Man (SummerSlam 2018)
SummerSlam has always been a place where pivotal turns can happen, and one of the all-time best was when Becky Lynch finally turned on Charlotte Flair. Fans had really started to get behind Becky at this point, but she could never seem to get the true star spotlight, especially when it came to Flair. At SummerSlam in 2018, Lynch and Flair would battle Carmella in a Triple Threat match for the SmackDown Women’s Championship, and though Lynch had a win within grasp, it would be Flair who would emerge as the winner.
Lynch initially hugged her friend and congratulated her, which drew some boos from the crowd as fans were also cheering for Becky at that point. After hugging Flair, Lynch finally had enough of playing nice and would strike Flair and deliver a beatdown, and the crowd lost it. Lynch held up the Title, and the crowd was fully behind the move, chanting Becky throughout the arena. This was the heel turn we wanted and, more importantly, the fiery Becky Lynch that fans wanted to see succeed, and the beginnings of Becky’s The Man persona and rise in WWE can be pinpointed right here.
2. A Tribal Introduction (SummerSlam 2020)
It’s odd to think of a time when Roman Reigns wasn’t the Tribal Chief, and that era truly kicked into gear when Reigns put the Big Dog era in the past and showed the first signs of the Bloodline leader we all know and love today. Reigns hadn’t been seen in WWE since March of 2020 due to health concerns related to COVID-19, but he would make his return in grand form at SummerSlam.
The match was between The Fiend (Bray Wyatt) and Braun Strowman for the Universal Championship, and it would be The Fiend taking Strowman down and becoming the new Universal Champion. Reigns would then jump into the ring and spear Wyatt with his now classic Wreck Everyone and Leave shirt, and you could tell right there that this was a very different Roman Reigns than the one fans last saw. Reigns would spare Strowman and then follow up with another spear to Wyatt, decimating everyone before the huge reveal the next week that he was teaming up with Paul Heyman. This was the start of an all-time run, and it stands as one of the biggest moments in SummerSlam history.
1. Return of a Legend (SummerSlam 2002)
One of the all-time superstars in the history of not just WWE but professional wrestling period is Shawn Michaels, which is why it was disappointing to many when he retired in 1998. Fast forward to 2002, when Michaels made a return to the ring and ended up in a blood feud with his former best friend, Triple H. After getting his head put through a car window, Michaels would look to even the score at SummerSlam, but not just in any ordinary match.
Michaels would battle Triple H in an unsanctioned battle that would end up going 28 minutes, and despite not wrestling a match on a stage like this in 4 years, Michaels had only gotten better. Michaels took some brutal spots, but he gave just as much as he took. HBK hit Triple H with chairs and trash cans, leaving him a mess before knocking him out with the sweet chin music, which began yet another amazing run from the Heartbreak Kid.
Alright, that’s our list, but what are your favorite SummerSlam moments? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!
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