Sunday marks the night of the twenty-seventh annual Summer Classic in professional wrestling's premier worldwide promotion. Summerslam is WWEs second biggest event, having taken on an identity similar but not equal to WrestleMania for the middle months of the calendar. Some might argue that the Royal Rumble is Vince McMahon second greatest pay-per-view creation, but it is so directly linked to WrestleMania that it has never been asked to stand on its own like its August counterpart. As such, no event but Mania has, since its inception, created the list of memories that has Summerslam. Along the way, it has played host to a plethora of classic matches that only The Show of Shows can rival and, on some occasions, has even managed to outshine its big brother. For the last twenty years, it has been difficult for WWE to distinguish certain PPVs when they feature one or more per month, but Summerslam has managed to remain exceptional. With the 2014 version just around the corner, let us celebrate the greatest 20 matches in the history of Summerslam.
20. Randy Orton vs. Chris Benoit - World Title (2004)
The night that Randy Orton became the youngest World Champion in WWE history was an interesting one. After being often criticized for his mistimed spots or chinlock of doom or mega-push that many felt was unwarranted, Orton had a Canadian crowd supporting his efforts to win the big gold belt from their countryman. Who would have thought that Chris Benoit, instead of getting a heros welcome at the second biggest PPV of the year, would get a reaction that paled in comparison to the brash youngsters? For much of 2003 and 2004, people ragged on Orton like crazy. Yet, he had an outstanding 2004 leading up to Summerslam. In two victories over Mick Foley, Orton gained a lot of credibility as both a character and performer, setting himself up to be a legitimate threat to the World Champion by August. At Summerslam, Ortons defeat of Benoit in a borderline classic match was the culmination of a lot of hard work by both Orton, himself, and WWE creative. There was not much time to celebrate the victory, as the most ill-fated face turn in history came right afterward. It was a bittersweet night for Benoit and his fans. They had waited a long time to see him win the big one and, though he did well in a five month reign with the title, the WWE moved on and the main-event chapter of Benoits career ended.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
