8 WWE SummerSlam Main Events That Topped WrestleMania

6. The Undertaker Vs. Edge (2008)

Undertaker, Edge
WWE.com

There's a pureness to The Undertaker vs. Edge from WrestleMania XXIV that's hard to beat. Aside from this being a huge personal moment for Edge (facing 'Taker in the 'Mania main event slot was the apex of his career at that point), the match was mainly fought in the ring and didn't rely on a lot of shortcuts to be entertaining.

Much of that was substituted out come SummerSlam, because WWE believed the Edge vs. Undertaker feud that dominated SmackDown's output in '08 needed a big gimmick to blow it off. Enter the infamous Hell In A Cell structure. This was one of the last truly exciting Cell matches worked before WWE made the gimmick an annual pay-per-view and killed the spontaneity of using the thing.

Somehow, Edge and 'Taker surpassed what they had achieved at WrestleMania by using the Cell confines to sell the idea that The Undertaker had his foe exactly where he wanted him. That post-match Chokeslam through the ring was a nice touch too, and gave the match a showcase moment the 'Mania bout had arguably been lacking.

Advertisement
Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.