Top five greatest SummerSlam feuds in WWE history

WWE SummerSlam has witnessed some of the historical rivalries

WWE SummerSlam is one of the biggest professional wrestling pay-per-views, hosted by WWE. It is the second biggest pay-per-view of the company and the biggest event of the summer in professional wrestling history.

WWE has a great legacy with the event and the show featured some of the historical rivalries. As we head to the 37th edition of SummerSlam, here we take a look at the top five feuds in WWE SummerSlam history.

5. CM Punk vs John Cena (2011)

At the 2011 Money in the Bank PPV, CM Punk won the WWE Championship from John Cena on the last day of his WWE contract and left the company with the title. McMahon held a tournament for the vacant WWE Championship on Raw, where Rey won the title. However, Cena claimed his rematch and won the WWE title on the same night. 

After the match, CM Punk made his return with the WWE title, which he won at Money in the Bank. Both claimed themselves as the real champions and a match at SummerSlam was scheduled to determine the undisputed WWE Champion with Triple H as the special guest referee.

On the pay-per-view, Punk defeated Cena to become the undisputed champion, however, Kevin Nash made his WWE return and attacked Punk, causing Alberto Del Rio to cash in the MITB briefcase and win the WWE Championship.

4. Roman Reigns vs Jey Uso (2023)

In 2023, Roman Reigns’ toxic behavior against The Usos, made them turn on Roman & Solo Sikoa. The Usos also went on to defeat Roman & Solo in a tag team match at Money in the Bank, where Jey Uso pinned Roman, marking Roman’s first loss since 2019.

Although The Usos won, they tried to get into the Bloodline but only demanded respect from Roman. However, Roman brutally attacked Jimmy Uso and made him unable to compete. In the absence of Jimmy, Jey tried to take revenge on Roman & Solo. 

Jey challenged Roman for a Tribal Combat Match at SummerSlam 2023 for both the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship and the Tribal Chief status. The match took place under a no-hold-barred stipulation and it went brutal, as both punished each other and Solo Sikoa interfered in favor of Roman.

However, in the final moments, Jimmy Uso made his return and betrayed Jey to help Roman retain the title and the Tribal Chief status. After the show, Jey left The Bloodline & SmackDown brand and moved to Raw.

3. Edge vs The Undertaker (2008)

In 2008, Edge and The Undertaker had a major feud in the SmackDown brand and fought several matches that year. At One Night Stand, they had a TLC match with both the World Heavyweight Championship and Undertaker’s WWE career was on the line. Edge won the match and forced Taker to leave WWE.

Edge then had a storyline wedding with SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero, where Triple H revealed Edge’s secret and made Vickie angry. Vickie then announced that she reinstated Taker back in WWE and announced a Hell in a Cell match at SummerSlam 2008.

At the PPV, both brutally punished and tried to kill each other. In the final moments of the match, Undertaker won the match after Tombstone Piledriver. After the match, Taker chokeslammed Edge from the top of the ladder to break the canvas and gestured to engulf flames from the collapsed area of the canvas.

2. Triple H vs Shawn Michaels (2002)

Shawn Michaels was on retirement since 1998 due to a back injury, however, Triple H asked him to return to reform D-Generation-X. Triple H & Michaels came to the ring and did the DX gesture, however, Hunter turned on Michaels delivering a pedigree on him.

The following week, Michaels was found unconscious in the parking lot and the security camera revealed that it was Triple H beyond the attack. Triple H taunted Michaels over and over and Michaels claimed that he was not 100% to compete. However, Erick Bischoff announced a sanctioned Street Fight between the two at SummerSlam.

At the 2002 SummerSlam, Michaels on his in-ring return outperformed Triple H and won the match. However, after the match, The Game hit Michaels with the Sledgehammer and made Michaels leave the arena on a stretcher

1. Team WWE vs Team Nexus (2010)

The NXT rookies invaded WWE and attacked almost everyone in their sights including John Cena, claiming that Vince McMahon had cheated them by not giving them a guaranteed WWE contract. The back-to-back invasion and assault continued week after week, although their contracts were offered.

John Cena formed ‘Team WWE’ including Edge, Chris Jericho, John Morrison, R-Truth, The Great Khali & Bret Hart. However, Khali was taken out by the Nexus making him unable to compete. The Miz was requested to join Team WWE, but he said that he would only reveal his decision at the SummerSlam.

At the Summerslam 2010 event, Team WWE assembled and Daniel Bryan (former Nexus guy & Miz’s rookie) was introduced as the seventh member. Team Cena won the match, despite the ups and downs within their team.

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