The Great Eight: Top 8 WWE SummerSlam Opening Matches

Since 1988, SummerSlam has delivered some of the best matches and biggest moments in WWE history to fans. And much like I did for WrestleMania, I wanted to spend some time celebrating the opening matches of the Biggest Party of the Summer! We often look at the main event of a card. It’s the marquee match, and the one that sells tickets. But it’s the opener that really sets the tone for the rest of the show.

Opening matches get the crowds warmed up and primed for what is to come. They usually have great action and just enough drama to get you sucked in, but not enough to burn you out for the rest of the card. It’s often seen as “curtain jerking,” but it really is such a vital spot. You are the first thing people see on the show, and now that the PLEs have their first hour on ESPN, your match could determine whether people tune into the rest of the event or not.

Plugs

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Disclaimer:

This is my list; if you don’t like it or have a different list, awesome! Please share your own list and opinions in the comments section. I welcome open discourse about this wacky art we all love. It is an art form, so it is subjective; we all have our opinions on it, and all of them are valid. So, if you want to share your thoughts and opinions, don’t insult others for their opinion. There is already enough negativity in the world; let’s not add to it. And with that, on to the list!

The List

Honorable Mentions:

Mankind vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley – Steel Cage match – 1997, Edge vs Lance Storm – WWF Intercontinental Championship – 2001. Rey Mysterio vs Dolph Ziggler – WWE Intercontinental Championship – 2009, Chris Jericho vs Dolph Ziggler – 2012

8: The Brain Busters vs The Hart Foundation – 1989

Three of the best wrestlers in the company, and Jim Neidhart, who was great at being the powerhouse killer. That’s a recipe for a great opening bout right there. I always wonder what could have been if the Brain Busters had stayed in the WWF longer. If they had stayed for more than a year, we could have had a WWF version of the Four Horsemen. Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Mr. Perfect, and Bobby Heenan in the JJ Dillon role. But a year is what we got, and in that year, the Brain Busters put on some absolute bangers with the best teams in the company. And this is one more banger of a match.

The Hart Foundation was in their prime, and the years of experience they had together helped to elevate the match even further. I think this is on par with the previous year’s opener (which would be on this list if Tom Billington weren’t such a trash human being). But this is an example of classic tag team wrestling, and it serves to heat the crowd for the rest of the event. Exactly what an opener should do. The 16ish minutes fly by, and I highly recommend watching it if you haven’t seen it before.

7: Owen Hart vs Savio Vega – 1996

Savio Vega is an underrated talent, a good hand who helped establish a lot of the stars we love. And his work here with Owen is no exception. While Vega was never going to be a World Champion, I think he deserved more than he got and should be in the Hall of Fame for all the work he did in helping guys like Austin get over. Owen is, of course, one of the best, and plenty has been written about how he should have been a World Champion, and I think if he hadn’t died, he would have had at least one run at the top.

But back in 1996, both men were looking to prove themselves, and so they went out and had a great match to open SummerSlam. Owen as a heel is my favorite Owen. You look at him and his flashy moveset, and he screams babyface. But he was so good at being the smarmy heel. The work with the cast was a great homage to Bob Orton Jr. and fit Owen so well.

Vega has his working boots on, and while he isn’t as flashy as Owen, he more than holds his own in the match and comes out looking good in defeat. Especially because he was knocked out by the cast. Can we get someone to do this gimmick now? Just wear a cast for months and use it as a weapon? If Gable ever turns heel again, I think he would be the perfect person to do it.

6: Seth Rollins vs Dolph Ziggler – WWE Intercontinental Championship – 2018

Starting in 2009, Dolph Ziggler opened five SummerSlam events, and four of those were Intercontinental Championship matches. Talk about consistency and the definition of a good hand in the ring. While I wish Ziggler had a more sustained push at the top, he is one of the best Intercontinental Champions of all time. And I’d make a case for him to be the Mr. SummerSlam of the 2010s.

And on the other side of the ring, we have Seth Rollins. Who is also in the running for Mr. SummerSlam of the 2010s. This is the only opener Rollins has had at the event, and it’s a good one for sure. Of course, that shouldn’t be a huge surprise. Ziggler was the Mr. Perfect of the 2010s, selling his ass off in every match. And Rollins played the role of Shawn Michaels here. The young innovator is putting his body on the line to make art. And I think they both lived up to those roles.

It’s so odd that after reestablishing himself on the independents and TNA, and his monster NXT run. McIntyre debuted as the muscle for Ziggler. It clearly worked out in the long run, but it was a weird choice. We are less than a year from Jon Moxley leaving the WWE, and I almost forgot he was already sporting the shorter hair by this point.

This feels like a bit of a hidden gem of a match. I don’t hear it talked about much, and honestly, it deserves more recognition. It’s a great bout between two great wrestlers, and worth a watch.

5: Rey Mysterio vs Kurt Angle – 2002

Rey Mysterio is a month into his first WWE run here. And he was out to make a mark; having Kurt Angle as your opponent makes that a much easier task. Angle was more than game to sell for Mysterio and make him look like a threat right out of the gate. This match starts with Mysterio sneak attacking Angle, and it doesn’t let up.

This is one of those matches that proves that a sub-10-minute match can absolutely kick ass. If the wrestlers involved are game and of the caliber of talent that these two are, you are going to have a fun sprint that sets the pace for the entire event. And while Mysterio would go through a lot of start-and-stop pushes, for this one night, Angle made him look like a main event talent, even with a loss.

This is another match that I think is often overlooked. And I get it, there are better matches in both men’s careers, some of them even against each other. But this is highly underrated. The mix of speed and high-flying from Mysterio and the technical skill of Angle is a classic mesh that just works. At less than 10 minutes, you could stop reading and watch it now before finishing the list.

4: Asuka vs Bayley – WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship – 2020

Ah, the Thunderdome, so many hidden gems happened during that time. I know it’s hard to go back and watch anything from that era. But this is a must-watch. Bayley and Asuka already had a lot of history together, and that just adds to the drama of the match. Going into the match, it felt like Asuka had Bayley’s number. She was the one to end Bayley’s NXT Women’s Championship run, and no one is ever ready for Asuka. But tonight Bayley was able to get some retribution.

I loved Bayley during this era; she really did a great job messing with Michael Cole when they were still at the NXT arena. And she was able to really flourish as a heel during the whole Thunderdome time period. Asuka is, well, she is Asuka. She is one of the best women to ever lace up the boots, and there is no one quite like her.

Both women put on one hell of a match, and it almost makes me want to do a Great Eight: Top 8 Thunderdome Matches. Because I think the era is often overlooked. And matches like this deserve way more credit than they get.

3: Hakushi vs The 1-2-3 Kid – 1995

And another future Great Eight idea, Wrestler Ahead of Their Time. Because gods damn, if Waltman debuted in the 2000s, he would have torn it up in ROH and PWG. And the same could be said for Jinsei Shinzaki. Both guys went out there and just threw caution to the wind, and it worked on every level. It’s just a shame that their style wouldn’t catch on in the WWF until years later.

That rope-assisted flip that Kid does to get out of Hakushi’s hold is a thing of beauty. Honestly, the only downside to this match is the commentary. Jerry Lawler and Vince McMahon are incredibly insufferable, and Jim Ross couldn’t come soon enough. If you can get past that or watch the match on mute, you have one of the most athletic openers in SummerSlam history.

Two highly talented high-flyers and strikers going at it to heat the crowd is rarely a bad idea. And this is another one where I will wait for you to watch, because it really is a killer match, and totally different than anything else in the WWF at that time.

2: Becky Lynch vs Bianca Belair – WWE Raw Women’s Championship – 2022

Lynch and Belair have great chemistry, and it shines brightly here. Both women were firing on all cylinders in this match, and it felt like they had something to prove. This is one of those matches that doesn’t feel like it is as long as it is. And to me, that is a mark of a good match. It isn’t about going long; it’s about making a long match feel like it wasn’t long. Holding the fans’ attention the whole time, so by the time it ends, you forget how long it’s been going.

This match was also a retribution match for Belair; we were only a year removed from Becky Lynch returning to beat Belair in 20 seconds. Lynch gave Belair all she had to put her over here. And it paid off in spades. For 15 minutes, these two women go at it with no slowdown. And that is how you do an opener. Just a sprint with some big spots and good drama.

This match also reminds me how much I miss Bianca Belair. She is so good at this wrestling thing, and her presence is missed. Lynch’s presence has also been missed lately, and I’m curious when we will see her again.

There are a lot of unique counters and moves in this match, which shows the creativity and talent of both women. And I honestly don’t know why this match doesn’t get more appreciation. I highly recommend it.

1: Rhea Ripley vs IYO SKY vs Naomi – Triple Threat match for the WWE Women’s World Championship – 2025 Night 2

Is this recency bias? Maybe. And also, this was one of the best matches of both nights of SummerSlam last year. (Only surpassed by CM Punk vs Gunther from Night 1.) Ripley is so incredibly over with the fans. The reaction she gets when her music hits is only topped by Punk and Reigns. IYO SKY is the best wrestler in the WWE. And Naomi was at the height of her heel run (which was cut short due to her pregnancy).

Combining all three into one match was a surefire recipe for one of the best SummerSlam openers ever. While I don’t think this is quite at the same level as Ripley vs Belair vs SKY from WrestleMania, it is pretty damn close. The crowd is into it, the women bring their A game, and it’s just 16 minutes of pure wrestling action. Also, can I just say I love Naomi being played out by her dad? That is such a pretty sweet moment for a dad and daughter!

I’m sure this match is fresh in the minds of everyone, since it was only a year ago, but it’s right there if you want to watch it. So, watch it again!

I’m hoping that when Ripley comes back, she is given something to do on SmackDown. Because she has the presence to elevate the SmackDown Women’s division into something watchable. They just need the creative to get on board. Naomi should hopefully be back soonish (I’m thinking the Royal Rumble) and would also be a huge boost to SmackDown. SKY is hopefully about to win another World Championship at SummerSlam, and hopefully, she will actually get to defend it. Could be something for Lynch to do.

Thinking about the future aside, these three women were on fire last year, and they outshone almost every other match from last year’s SummerSlam. And while Cody Rhodes vs John Cena had more drama and storytelling behind it, this blew it out of the water from an in-ring standpoint.

Preview:

Tune in next week when we look at the top eight SummerSlam Main Events!