Standout Championship Victories At WWE SummerSlam

During SummerSlam’s nearly 40-year run, it has been the place for some of the biggest moments in company history. The men and women of WWE have achieved numerous remarkable victories, capturing gold. These championship victories have been the best parts of great shows and have created memories for a lifetime.  Below is a list of these great victories.

Brock Lesnar – WWE Undisputed Championship @ SummerSlam 2014

The Beast’s victory at his first SummerSlam in 2002 was a career-defining moment, and it’s hard for it not to make it on this list. However, what he was able to accomplish at SummerSlam in 2014 goes a long way to overshadowing that moment.

Coming back to the WWE, Brock Lesnar was a force. He decimated everyone who stood in front of him, including snapping the fabled Streak. For his return to be complete, he needed to capture a World Championship, and he did it dominantly against the future 17-time World Champion.

The main event of SummerSlam was a squash match. John Cena stood no chance against Brock Lesnar as The Beast suplexed him all over the arena. It was as convincing a win as anyone would ever get, and it returned Brock Lesnar to the top of the mountain.

The Ultimate Warrior – Intercontinental Championship @ SummerSlam 1988

The Honky Tonk Man’s IC Championship reign was a thing of legend. For  454 days, we had to sit through endless promos and audacious entrances. He was the perfect heel for the mid-card babyfaces to chase, but after a year, the fans were beginning to wonder if anyone would ever topple the Elvis Impersonator. Luckily, we were all given the fantastic blowoff when the Ultimate Warrior came crashing into Madison Square Garden.

When the Warrior answered the open challenge of HTM, the crowd went berserk. The Ultimate Warrior squashed the Intercontinental Champion and started his path to stardom.

Roman Reigns – WWE Universal Championship @ SummerSlam 2018

Roman Reigns was anointed early in his career. He had the full backing of the office, but the fans took a while to come around. On his journey to acceptance, Reigns was paired off with every big name, but no bigger than Brock Lesnar. The Beast was a perfect opponent for Roman Reigns, with a victory over him setting up Reigns for the big time. The only problem was that Reigns didn’t get a win, at least not until suffering many losses.

That victory came at SummerSlam 2018. After years of trying to beat The Beast, Roman Reigns finally got his win. It got a great reaction from the crowd and was a defining moment for Roman Reigns. He finally got the beast-sized monkey off his back.

Bret Hart – WWE Intercontinental Championship @ SummerSlam 1990

The Excellence of Execution was one of the best tag team wrestlers during the Golden Era. Along with Jim Neidhart, he cut a swath through the tag team ranks, becoming a two-time champion in the process. But his singles potential was undeniable, and before long, he was on his own, trying to make a name for himself.

At SummerSlam 1990, Bret Hart was given his chance, and he ran with it. He and Mr. Perfect turned in one of the greatest matches in WWE history. It was a stark contrast to the big man matches of the day, and Bret’s victory created a new star. It was the beginning of a new era.

IYO SKY – Women’s World Championship @ SummerSlam 2023

Having the Money in the Bank briefcase means that you are earmarked for a big moment. The rush of adrenaline when the holder’s music hits the arena is awesome. It is one of the best things about the WWE product, and the fans look forward to these cash-ins every year.

One of the best Money in the Bank cash-ins of recent memory was when IYO SKY stormed to the ring and captured her first World Championship. SKY was massively over despite being in a heel group, and it was a victory that was well deserved.

She picked the perfect moment to pounce on a wounded Bianca Belair, and the Detroit crowd went ballistic when her hand was raised. The time had come for IYO SKY to carry the torch.

Finn Balor – WWE Universal Championship @ SummerSlam 2016

In 2016, Finn Balor’s star was on the rise. He had been crushing it in NXT, winning championships and consistently putting on match of the night contenders. Balor was the MVP of the brand, but we knew that he was meant for bigger things, and a main roster call-up was in the near future.

That call-up came, and Balor was pushed to the moon. The crowd loved him, the office loved him, and he immediately made an impact. He entered the Universal Championship tournament, cleanly defeating favourite Roman Reigns in the process.

With that hurdle out of the way, he made his way to SummerSlam, where he bested Seth Rollins in a great match to become the first WWE Universal Champion. It was a historic night for both Finn Balor and WWE. One that was cut short by injury, but the moment was still and will forever be his.

Daniel Bryan – WWE Championship @ SummerSlam 2013

Daniel Bryan was the man who shouldn’t have made it in WWE, but was an overwhelming success. He was a bona fide indie star before joining WWE, and we all know how the office looked at stars that were made elsewhere.

Bryan was just as popular with WWE as on the independents, getting massive reactions everywhere he went. Still, WWE didn’t seem to want to give the man the push he deserved until that fateful night at SummerSlam.

John Cena “chose” Bryan as his opponent for the WWE Championship, and they produced a heck of a compelling match. It was one of John Cena’s best, and it included a finish for the ages. Daniel Bryan going over 100 % clean was a welcome shock. It took Daniel Bryan’s WWE Championship win from great to epic, and it nearly overshadowed the screwiness that followed.

The British Bulldog – Intercontinental Championship @ SummerSlam 1992

SummerSlam heading over the pond to the United Kingdom was a massive deal for WWE. It was the first time that a PLE had headed overseas, and they needed a huge match to draw the crowd in. They couldn’t have gotten any bigger than pushing the hometown hero into the main event, against his brother-in-law, no less.

The quality of the match is more the excellent work of Bret Hart than the British Bulldog, but that shouldn’t take away from the finish. The British Bulldog going over was a huge deal, both for the United Kingdom and for the man himself.