Every SummerSlam Main Event

This is a list and my grade for every SummerSlam main event in WWE's history, in order.

SummerSlam 1988
Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage (The Mega Powers) (w/ Miss Elizabeth)
vs. Ted DiBiase & Andre the Giant (The Mega Bucks) (w/ Virgil & Bobby Heenan)
- Special Guest referee Jesse Ventura

GRADE: B

SummerSlam 1989
Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcase (w/ Miss Elizabeth)
def. Randy Savage & Zeus (w/ Sensational Sherri)

GRADE: D

SummerSlam 1990
WWE Championship
(Steel Cage match)
The Ultimate Warrior (c)
def. Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan)

GRADE: C-

SummerSlam 1991
Handicap Tag Team match
Hulk Hogan & The Ultimate Warrior
def. Sgt. Slaughter, Gen. Adnan & Col. Mustafa (The Triangle of Terror)
- Special Guest referee Sid Justice

GRADE: C-

SummerSlam 1992
Intercontinental Championship
British Bulldog
def. Bret Hart (c)

GRADE: A+

SummerSlam 1993
WWE Championship
Lex Luger
def. Yokozuna (c) (w/ Mr. Fuji)
- Luger had to wear protective padding on his forearm. If Luger had lost, he couldn't challenge for the championship as long as Yokozuna was champion, unless he won the Royal Rumble match.

GRADE: B-

SummerSlam 1994
The Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer)
def. 'The Undertaker' (w/ Ted DiBiase)

GRADE: D

SummerSlam 1995
WWE Championship
Diesel (c)
def. King Mabel (w/ Sir Mo)

GRADE: D

SummerSlam 1996
WWE Championship
Shawn Michaels (c) (w/ Jose Lothario)
def. Vader (w/ Jim Cornette)

GRADE: B

SummerSlam 1997
WWE Championship
Bret Hart
def. The Undertaker (c)
- Special Guest referee Shawn Michaels
- if Hart hadn't of won the title, he would have not been allowed to wrestle in the United States again. If Michaels had shown any bias towards either competitor, he also would not had been allowed to wrestle in the United States again.

GRADE: A-

SummerSlam 1998
WWE Championship
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin (c)
def. The Undertaker

GRADE: A

SummerSlam 1999
WWE Championship
(Triple Threat match)
Mankind
def. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin & Triple H (w/ Chyna)

GRADE: B

SummerSlam 2000
WWE Championship
(Triple Threat match)
The Rock (c)
def. Triple H & Kurt Angle

GRADE: A

SummerSlam 2001
WCW World Championship
The Rock (WWE)
def. Booker T (Alliance) (w/ Shane McMahon)

GRADE: B-

SummerSlam 2002
WWE Championship
Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman)
def. The Rock (c)

GRADE: A+

SummerSlam 2003
Elimination Chamber
(World Heavyweight Championship)
Triple H (c) (w/ Ric Flair)
def. Goldberg, Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash & Randy Orton

GRADE: A

SummerSlam 2004
World Heavyweight Championship
Randy Orton
def. Chris Benoit (c)

GRADE: A

SummerSlam 2005
Hulk Hogan
def. Shawn Michaels

GRADE: B-
- I was originally gonna give this match a lower grade, but Michaels overselling Hogan during the entire match made it too memorable and entertaining to give it a lower grade

SummerSlam 2006
WWE Championship
Edge (c) (w/ Lita)
def. John Cena
- If Edge had been disqualified, he would have lost the title.

GRADE: A

SummerSlam 2007
WWE Championship
John Cena (c)
def. Randy Orton

GRADE: A

SummerSlam 2008
Hell in a Cell
The Undertaker
def. Edge

GRADE: A+

SummerSlam 2009
World Heavyweight Championship
(Tables, Ladders & Chairs match)
CM Punk
def. Jeff Hardy (c)

GRADE: A

SummerSlam 2010
7-on-7 Elimination Tag Team match
John Cena, Bret Hart, Edge, Chris Jericho, John Morrison, R-Truth & Daniel Bryan (Team WWE)
def. Wade Barrett, David Otunga, Michael Tarver, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Darren Young & Skip Sheffield (Nexus)

GRADE: C-

SummerSlam 2011
Undisputed WWE Championship
CM Punk (c)
def. John Cena (c)
- Special Guest referee Triple H

GRADE: A
- After the match, Alberto Del Rio cashed in his MITB briefcase on Punk to win the title

SummerSlam 2012
No Disqualification match
Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman)
def. Triple H

GRADE: B

SummerSlam 2013
WWE Championship
Daniel Bryan
def. John Cena (c)
- Special Guest referee Triple H

GRADE: A
- After the match, Randy Orton cashed in his MITB briefcase on Bryan to win the title

SummerSlam 2014
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman)
def. John Cena (c)

GRADE: A
- This was the match that Brock Lesnar did the 16 german suplexes to Cena

SummerSlam 2015
The Undertaker
def. Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman)

GRADE: B
- Undertaker won via 'technical submission'

SummerSlam 2016
Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman)
def. Randy Orton

GRADE: F
- Lesnar won via 'techincal knockout' after busting open Orton and Orton couldn't continue

SummerSlam 2017
Universal Championship
(Fatal-four way match)
Brock Lesnar (c) (w/ Paul Heyman)
def. Roman Reigns, Samoa Joe and Braun Strowman
- If Lesnar had not retained the title, he would have had to left the WWE

GRADE: A

SummerSlam 2018
Universal Championship
Roman Reigns
def. Brock Lesnar (c) (w/ Paul Heyman)

GRADE: C-

SummerSlam 2019
Universal Championship
Seth Rollins
def. Brock Lesnar (c) (w/ Paul Heyman)

GRADE: C

SummerSlam 2020
Universal Championship
"The Fiend" Bray Wyatt
def. Braun Strowman (c)

GRADE: C-
- Post-match, Roman Reigns made his return, attacking The Fiend and Strowman, turning heel for the first time since his stint with The Shield

SummerSlam 2021
Universal Championship
Roman Reigns (c) (w/ Paul Heyman)
def. John Cena
- if Reigns had lost, he would have had to leave WWE

GRADE: A
- Post-match, Brock Lesnar made his return and confronted Reigns, then attacking Cena

SummerSlam 2022
Undisputed WWE Championship
(Last Man Standing match)
Roman Reigns (c) (w/ Paul Heyman)
def. Brock Lesnar

GRADE: A+

SummerSlam 2023
Undisputed WWE Championship
(Tribal Combat match)
Roman Reigns (c) (w/ Paul Heyman)
def. Jey Uso
- This was also a recognition of who was the true 'Tribal Chief' of the Anoa'i family

GRADE: A


Do you agree with my grades for each SummerSlam main event?
Leave a comment below and discuss!

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