10 WWE SummerSlam Matches That Should Have Happened At WrestleMania

By John Bills / August 11, 2016

SummerSlam is almost here, and since its inception in 1988 the Biggest Party of the Summer has generally been regarded as World Wrestling Entertainment’s second biggest show of the year. As a result, a whole host of huge matches have taken place at the event over the years, including The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar, John Cena vs. Batista and, erm, The Undertaker vs. The Undertaker.

SummerSlam is to the summer what WrestleMania is to the spring, only sometimes it seems to come without the pressure that the Showcase of the Immortals brings. WrestleMania often feels somewhat desperate, the need to get everyone on the card outweighing the desire to have a great show.

The relative pressure-free summer also often sees WWE put together stories and matches for SummerSlam that shine far brighter than their 'Mania compadres. Stars have been made and legends written at SummerSlam, the sort of legends that we associate with the now-obsessively fabled ‘WrestleMania moments’.

Every now and then SummerSlam features a match or two that probably deserved the WrestleMania stage. Now, there is an element of fantasy about all of this, as WWE stories often come out of circumstance and timing. Still, a boy can dream can’t he?

Here are 10 matches from the annals of SummerSlam that may have been better suited taking place at WrestleMania. No, I.R.S. vs. Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine isn’t included.

10. Paige Vs. AJ Lee - 2014

Up until WrestleMania 32 the women of World Wrestling Entertainment had gotten short shrift at the Showcase of the Immortals. Year after year after year they would be piled into battle royals and worthless multi-woman tag matches, ostensibly just to get everyone on the card for a payday.

Now, I'm not against a professional getting a pay day - far from it. However, the last singles match for the top women's title at WrestleMania came way back at WrestleMania 23, when Melina defeated Ashley freakin' Massaro in a Lumberjill match for the title. In fact, there has arguably only ever been two singles women's matches at WrestleMania worth their salt (Mickie James vs. Trish Stratus at 22 and Molly Holly vs. Victoria at XX).

The arrival of Paige on the scene in 2014 gave an opportunity for WWE to rectify this. AJ Lee had carried the division on her shoulders for a while, and had become one of the most over competitors on the entire roster regardless of gender. The two had a feud over the summer of 2014 that included a championship match at SummerSlam.

This match would have been better served taking place at WrestleMania XXX or 31. If we're talking the former then Paige would have made her debut on the biggest stage, whereas the latter would have required some concerted storytelling in the women's division.

Either way, it would have been better than the Vickie Guerrero Invitational or Paige & AJ vs. The Bellas.