10 Underrated PPVs From WWE's Ruthless Aggression Era

Match of the Night: Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero

With brand-inclusive PPVs, there is a proverbial hype-train that runs through the company. Traditionally, the excitement builds more on one side as they are the ones to round off the night and deliver ‘the’ match that exceeds any expectations set. As part of the group of Big Four PPVs throughout the year, SummerSlam during the Ruthless Aggression period signaled the end of a lot of feuds that had been brewing since the previous WrestleMania. However, this SummerSlam was an exception to the rule.

In one of the most overblown contests of recent times, Shawn Michaels faced Hulk Hogan and delivered an Oscar-worthy performance of bumps and reactions that undermined the build to the contest. But a few matches previous, Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio fought in a ladder match for control of Dominik: Rey’s child.

Whilst an argument can be made that the ridiculous nature of the circumstances that led to this arrangement would devalue a PPV, Rey and Eddie put on a spectacular show full of emotion and interesting uses for ladders. This ran through the card, with JBL and Undertaker having an all-out brawl for the WWE Championship, and Edge beating John Cena in one of their better matches together. With the exception of the main event, this PPV does not receive the recognition it deserves years later.