#10 SummerSlam 1994

Venue: United Center, Chicago
Date: Aug. 29, 1994
What's notable: First public event held at the United Center; Hart vs. Hart; Undertaker vs. Undertaker; The Kliq collides
Title changes: One (Intercontinental Championship)
MVP: Bret Hart
Move of the night: Bull Nakano’s Sharpshooter-turned-full body lift submission hold (Close call: Mabel’s 500-pound-plus spin kick)
Near fall of the night: Diesel kicks out of Razor Ramon’s top-rope bulldog
Hidden gem: Bam Bam Bigelow & IRS vs. The Headshrinkers
Cameos: Leslie Nielsen, George Kennedy, Walter Payton


#9 SummerSlam 2011

Venue: STAPLES Center, Los Angeles
Date: Aug. 14, 2011
What's notable: WWE Title Unification Match; Alberto Del Rio cashes in his Money in the Bank championship contract; the Randy Orton vs. Christian summer series hits a boiling point
Title changes: Three (Two WWE Title changes — if you include the title unification, one World Heavyweight Title change)
MVP: CM Punk
Coolest threads: Rey Mysterio’s blue-and-white ensemble
Hidden gem: Daniel Bryan vs. Wade Barrett
Move of the night: Mark Henry body slams Sheamus through a ringside barrier
Cameo: Cee Lo Green


#8 SummerSlam 2001

Venue: Compaq Center, San Jose, Calif.
Date: Aug. 19, 2001
What's notable: Unification of the WWE and WCW Tag Team Titles; first defense of the WCW Title on a WWE pay-per-view; the Bookend vs. the Rock Bottom
Title changes: Five (WCW Title, WCW Tag Team Titles, Intercontinental Title, Hardcore Title, WWE Light Heavyweight Title)
Hidden gem: The Undertaker & Kane vs. Diamond Dallas Page & Kanyon
Best quote: "Hell hath no fury like a Billionaire Princess, I assure you.” — Color commentator Paul Heyman on Stephanie McMahon
Move of the night: Rhyno catches Chris Jericho coming off the top rope and Gores him on the floor


#7 SummerSlam 1997

Venue: Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, N.J.
Date: Aug. 3, 1997.
What's notable: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin suffers a fractured neck; guest referee Shawn Michaels influences the decision of WWE Title Match; the last appearance of the blue bar steel cage at SummerSlam
Title changes: Two (WWE Title, Intercontinental Title)
MVP: Mankind
Move of the night: Mankind drops an elbow from the top of the cage
Crowd jolt of the night: Ken Shamrock belly-to-belly suplexes a half-dozen WWE officials, including Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson
Cameo: Then-New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman


#6 SummerSlam 2000

Venue: Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena, Raleigh, N.C.
Date: Aug. 27, 2000
What's notable: A D-Generation X civil war; the first Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match; Shane McMahon’s giant fall
Title changes: Two (Intercontinental Title, Hardcore Title)
MVP: The Rock
Crowd jolt of the night: Jim Ross smashes a candy jar over the head of Jerry Lawler’s opponent, Tazz
Best quote: "Where did this glass come from?" — Jerry Lawler asked facetiously, moments after his match. “Hell if I know,” J.R. replied. “What glass?”
Move of the night: Jeff Hardy leap-frogs over a ladder, into a leg drop


#5 SummerSlam 1991

Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York City
Date: Aug. 26, 1991
What’s notable: “Macho Man” & The First Lady of Wrestling tie the knot; “Hit Man” begins his ascent as a singles competitor; Road Warriors complete a championship trifecta; Andre the Giant’s final major WWE appearance; the only Jailhouse Match in WWE history
Title changes: Three (Intercontinental Title, Tag Team Titles, Million Dollar Championship)
MVP: Bret Hart
Move of the night: The Road Warriors' Doomsday Device on Jerry Sags
Crowd jolt of the night: Virgil’s stunning Million Dollar Championship win


#4 SummerSlam 2008

Venue: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Date: Aug. 17, 2008
What's notable: John Cena and Batista’s first one-on-one match; Edge goes Spear crazy before being sent to hell; two singles titles change hands in an Inter-Gender Tag Team Match
Title changes: Two (Intercontinental Title, Women’s Title)
MVP: The Undertaker
Best quote: “But enough about my manscaping. We have some history to make." — Santino Marella, seconds before his Inter-Gender Winner-Take-All Match
Near fall of the night: Cena kicks out at two and three-quarters after Batista catches his top-rope leg drop attempt and reverses it into a Batista Bomb


#3 SummerSlam 1998

Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York City
Date: Aug. 30, 1998
What's notable: Triple H’s milestone win, Edge’s pay-per-view debut, Ken Shamrock brings the Lion’s Den to SummerSlam, Double-J gets his ears lowered
Title changes: Two (Intercontinental Title, Tag Team Titles)
MVP: Triple H
Hidden gem: Val Venis vs. D-Lo Brown
Move of the night: The Undertaker’s top-rope leg drop onto Steve Austin on the Spanish announce desk
Best quote: “What’s Jo Jo Miller gonna say when I bring the car back like this? This was my special SummerSlam ride. I was going to stuff Kane inside. Now look at it. That might be good news for the Brisco Bros. Body Shop, but it’s not so good for me.” — Mankind, after discovering that his hearse had been vandalized
Cameos: Insane Clown Posse


#2 SummerSlam 1992

Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
Date: Aug. 29, 1992
What's notable: Largest SummerSlam crowd in history; only SummerSlam held outside North America; an Intercontinental Title Match main event; The Undertaker's first SummerSlam match
Title changes: One (Intercontinental Title)
Coolest threads: Sensational Sherri’s bottomless chaps
Crowd jolt of the night: British Bulldog’s pinfall win over Bret Hart
Near-fall of the night: Bulldog stretches to reach the ropes and break Hart’s Sharpshooter
Best quote: This exchange between commentators Bobby Heenan and Vince McMahon during the Shawn Michaels vs. Rick Martel match:
Hennan: Martel does have a way with the ladies.
McMahon: I suppose he does.
Heenan: Of course, so does Shawn Michaels. So do I.
McMahon: What?! Lady giraffes!


#1 SummerSlam 2002

Venue: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, N.Y.
Date: Aug. 25, 2002
What's notable: The crowning of the youngest WWE Champion in history, Shawn Michaels’ first match in four years
Title changes: Two (WWE Title, Intercontinental Title)
MVP: Comeback kid Shawn Michaels
Hidden gem: Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero
Coolest threads: HBK's Street Fight-appropriate jeans and cowboy boots
Move of the night: Rey Mysterio’s flip senton over referee Jimmy Korderas onto Kurt Angle on the floor