25 Greatest WWE SummerSlam Matches EVER

14. Ravishing Rick Rude Vs The Ultimate Warrior (SummerSlam 1989)

CM Punk Brock Lesnar
WWE.com

Before Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage redefined what could be achieved in an Ultimate Warrior match, Ravishing Rick Rude was the gold standard for quality contests with the maniacal superstar.

The opening sequence saw a rerun of the typical Warrior brutality, with Ravishing Rick selling majestically for the powerhouse assault. Rude withstood the abuse just enough attack his opponent's lower back and slow the pace down to something resembling an actual wrestling match. Though degradation of a body part rarely came into Warrior's work, Rude's onslaught with a camel clutch added to the tension and gave the challenger ample time to rest and recuperate for the big finale.

Genuinely (and perhaps unexpectedly) in control, Rude got arrogant. Allowing himself to be distracted by Rowdy Roddy Piper, he took one final massive bump off a Warrior german suplex. before being decimated with the usual finishing flurry in the aftermath. Never had Warrior worked so hard for a title that commanded such commitment.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett