10 Greatest WWE Pay-Per-Views Of The '90s
Back when PPV events were truly something special, these 10 were the best of the best...
The term "pay-per-view" used to elicit huge excitement and anticipation from longtime WWE fans that looked forward to these massive events that only took place four or five times per year. These shows were so special that viewers actually needed to purchase them through their cable provider, a separate charge to their regular cable bill, hence the term pay-per-view.
These days, the term is less meaningful than it was some 20 years ago simply because, like many other aspects of professional wrestling, they have become so common and over-saturated. With SmackDown Live! and Raw now running their own separate monthly specials on the WWE Network, the number of "pay-per-view" events next year will exceed 20. That's five times the number WWE ran when Vince McMahon was king of the pay-per-view industry back in the 1990s.
Looking back at this time period, it's easy to see how the company made pay-per-view such a success as they presented some of the greatest wrestling shows ever. From blockbuster WrestleManias to some equally important SummerSlams, legacy-defining Royal Rumbles, and everything in between, the '90s gave us some incredible events that are still enjoyed by fans all around the world.
The following 10 are, in this writer's humble opinion, the best...
10. SummerSlam 1998
Madison Square Garden has played host to many great pay-per-views, and SummerSlam '98 is the first one on this list.
The 'Highway To Hell', as the event was called, was headlined by WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker in a big-time feeling babyface/babyface match that saw Austin victorious after a Stone Cold Stunner.
The match of the night, though, was The Rock vs. Triple H in a Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship; the contest paved the way for both men's upcoming main event runs and is a huge reason for the event's historic status.
The event's undercard was also chock-full of Attitude Era staples like Val Venis, D'Lo Brown, the New Age Outlaws, Mankind, and Sable. In addition, the very first Lion's Den Match, a replica of UFC's Octagon, saw Ken Shamrock battle Owen Hart in the Paramount Theatre adjacent to Madison Square Garden.
SummerSlam '98 also featured the last appearance of Jeff Jarrett with long hair and the first appearance of legendary ring announcer Howard Finkel with no hair. A victim of Jarrett's hair-cutting practices in the lead up to the Hair vs. Hair Match, a rare, clean-shaven Fink got his revenge, supporting X-Pac (and Droz and The Headbangers) as they hacked off Double J's hair.
Overall, a successful event was made even more special coming from the epic Madison Square Garden venue.