The “Biggest Party of the Summer ” is the WrestleMania of the year’s second half. SummerSlam has been pushed as a huge commodity within WWE. The show has evolved from arenas to stadium shows that rival WrestleMania in attendance.
SummerSlam has also become where wrestlers go all out to separate themselves from the pack. They put on the best matches they can all in the hopes that they will enter the hall of SummerSlam greats.
Throughout the PLEs storied history, only a handful of men have always stepped up come SummerSlam. Only a few have created a legacy that rivals no one. Below is a list of these wrestlers.
There is perhaps no other man who has had a larger impact on SummerSlam. Edge has made a total of 14 appearances at The Biggest Party of the Summer winning all but two of those.
That compiles a winning percentage of 85%. Essentially if Edge was there, he was going to be walking away the victor. No other wrestler even comes close to this type of efficiency.
Not only was Edge winning matches, but he was also putting on a show. Matches against John Cena, The Undertaker, Matt Hardy and of course, the inaugural TLC were some of the best in SummerSlam history. Edge has left a legacy of excellence at SummerSlam that might never be beaten.
SummerSlam might not be the big deal that it is if it weren’t for the ‘Immortal One.’ Hulk Hogan was a fixture of WWE and as such as the focal point of SummerSlam for nearly a decade.
He was in big-time matches that spanned from 1988 to 2005. Hogan was a major selling point for the PLE and walked away victorious from every single one of them.
The list of who Hogan has gone over, at SummerSlam, is a who’s who list of WWE greats. Andre The Giant, Shawn Michaels, Sgt. Slaughter, Ted DiBiase, and Randy Savage are the Hall of Famers that Hogan has gone over at SummerSlam.
Eventual Hall of Famer Randy Orton is another victory that rounds out an impressive SummerSlam resume.
The Ultimate Warrior is another man who cemented his legacy early at SummerSlam. He competed in only five SummerSlam shows but he made the most out of every appearance.
He got wins over Hall of Famers Sgt. Slaughter, The Honky Tonk Man, and Ravishing Rick Rude. An impressive list that not many can boast.
Warrior is also responsible for some of the most memorable moments in SummerSlam history. His squash over The Honky Tonk Man was the highlight of the first-ever show and his IC Title victory over Rick Rude is an underappreciated gem.
Oh yes, then there is a banger of a WWE Championship match with Randy Savage that never gets the love.
Charlotte is the most prolific female performer in SummerSlam history. It makes sense that she would be considering that she has a winning record in just about everything else that she does. She is a Flair, and she dominates everywhere that she goes.
Her matches at the Biggest Party of the Summer have helped to establish a legitimate Women’s Division. Contests against Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, and Hall of Famer Trish Stratus are all-time greats. Matches she won and cemented herself as the greatest.
The ‘Man From Death Valley’ is a legend in WWE. He was the locker room general and had a longevity that not many have had the pleasure to experience.
His amazing almost undefeated streak, at WrestleMania, is his claim to fame but The Undertaker has done quite well for himself at SummerSlam.
The Deadman has amassed an impressive 16 appearances at SummerSlam , walking away the victor in 10 of those matches. He has wrestled classics against the likes of Bret Hart, Brock Lesnar, Edge, and Steve Austin.
In addition, The Undertaker has had some memorable moments against Kamala, Giant Gonzalez, and the infamous double Undertaker main event. It was a wild ride for the Undertaker at the Biggest Party of the Summer.
Brock Lesnar is a performer who is built for the main event. He is a huge draw and when he is on a show, he is usually going to be the man who goes on last.
This is especially true at SummerSlam where he has amassed an impressive 9 main even appearances over his career.
Amazingly, Lesnar has closed SummerSlam nine times, but even more impressive when we look at the men he has faced.
Lesnar has closed the show against a murders row list of wrestlers. The Rock, The Undertaker, Roman Reigns (thrice), John Cena, and Seth Rollins amass the impressive list. Not many other men could main event shows against all of these greats, but Lesnar did it with ease.
Also, undercard matches with CM Punk and Kurt Angle could have main evented their show. Lesnar could have easily been booked in 11 main events.
The ‘Tribal Chief’ has been the poster boy for WWE for the better part of a decade now. He has been pushed to the forefront of WWE programming and has amassed quite the record along the way.
The most impressive of which coming at the Biggest Party of the Summer.
To be fair Roman Reigns didn’t eat the pin in his only Summerslam loss, so his record should have an asterisk in his favour. The other matches that he was involved in only included his utter dominance over his opponents.
From Randy Orton to Brock Lesnar to John Cena Reigns has faced the best and come out the better. It was also at SummerSlam where the Tribal Chief character was born and also where he will hopefully return come Saturday.
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A Minnesota Vikings wide receiver's season is already over. The Minnesota Vikings announced on Tuesday that wide receiver Rondale Moore is being placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a leg injury that he suffered in the team's first preseason game against the Houston Texans this past weekend. It is a devastating blow for Moore who is now being sidelined for an entire season, before it even begins, for the second year in a row. Moore signed a one-year, $2 million contract in free agency with the Vikings this offseason in the hopes he could return from a different injury that cost him the entirety of the 2024 season. Moore was a member of the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 after being acquired in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for backup quarterback Desmond Ridder. This is now two different teams that Moore has been a part of but will never play a game for them due to injuries. Moore was injured while returning a punt. He began his career with the Arizona Cardinals, catching 135 passes for 1,201 yards over three seasons before being traded. He was never going to be counted on to be a key contributor for the Vikings offense this season, especially given the superstars they already have at wide receiver in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but he still had a chance to be an interesting depth player. Now it is fair to wonder what the rest of his career might even look like. Missing two full seasons due to two different leg injuries is going to be a brutal thing to try to come back from. Missing two seasons for any reason is difficult, but when you add the leg injuries to the equation, it makes the obstacle even steeper.
Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris still has yet to return to action after a July 4 fireworks accident, and it sounds like he does not necessarily have a job guaranteed to him when he does. Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman admitted Tuesday that the team is planning a steady rotation at running back whether or not Harris is available to play in Week 1. First-round draft pick Omarion Hampton, however, is the player who has part of the rotation locked down, not Harris. The Chargers likely intended to use Harris as a part-time back no matter what. However, he certainly cannot have helped himself with his eye injury. The issue was described as superficial after it happened and Harris was expected to be ready for the season, but he is still on the non-football injury list and has yet to participate in a full practice. Harris, 27, is entering his first season with the Chargers after signing with them in March. He can earn up to $9.25 million on his one-year deal, but that will require him to remain part of the rotation with Hampton.
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields found out he has a long way to go following his performance at Tuesday's joint practice with the New York Giants. Per Connor Hughes of SNY TV, Fields started hot at the practice before struggling during the move-the-ball period. "Very interesting practice for #Jets QB Justin Fields," Hughes posted on X. "He finished 7 of 12 with a TD. 5 of 5 to start practice. Then 0 for 4. Finished 2 of 3 with the really impressive TD to Jeremy Ruckert in red zone (starter 18 yard line). "The offensive performance was a bit alarming in move-the-ball period of practice. Fields Co. had three attempts to get down field. They didn’t gain a first down. Only gained yards twice (two short Breece Hall runs). Three sacks. That needs to be fixed. #Giants defense toyed with NYJ during that period." Some Jets fans online thought Hughes was using hyperbole to characterize the practice, but he doubled down on his judgment of the offense. Fields looked strong on his first and only drive in the Jets' 30-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. He went 3-of-4 passing for 42 yards and rushed two times for 14 yards and a touchdown. However, the Giants defense at the joint practice is a much better unit than the short-handed one the Packers trotted out for the first preseason game. Fields' issues seen with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, with holding the ball too long and not being able to pass consistently downfield, were a factor against the Giants. Following Saturday's game, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said Fields was getting better but had a lot to improve on. Tuesday's practice was a humbling reminder that Fields needs to become a consistent passer if the Jets are going to move the ball on good defenses in the regular season.
San Francisco 49ers second-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall better break out in 2025 now that Brandon Aiyuk is set to miss more time. On Monday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said he expects Aiyuk to return from an ACL/MCL tear in his right knee around Week 6. The 2023 second-team All-Pro suffered the injury in a Week 7 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs, missing the final 10 games of the 2024 season. Without Aiyuk, the 49ers struggled, finishing 6-11. San Francisco's WR room could be even thinner this season after trading wideout Deebo Samuel Sr. to the Washington Commanders in March. Pearsall — pick No. 31 of the 2024 NFL Draft — missed six games during his rookie season after he was shot during an attempted robbery. The Arizona State/Florida product showed flashes after returning, logging 31 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdown catches. Pearsall, who turns 25 on Sept. 9, seems ready to assume a heavier workload this season. "To be honest, I'm approaching it the exact same way," the WR said, via Josh Dubow of the Associated Press. "Whether those guys are in the room or not, that's just how I look at myself. I just got to be able to step in that role. That's just how I look at it." Pearsall spent more time with 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy this season to improve their chemistry. That may be working. The offensive signal-caller tossed a 30-plus-yard TD pass to the wideout during last week's joint practice with the Denver Broncos. "Obviously, I love the fact that we were able to do it, but it just goes back to us building reps on reps on reps, all these last couple practices throughout camp and stuff, and we need to continue doing that into the season," Purdy said of the play, per David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone. When the 49ers reached Super Bowl LVIII during the 2023 season, the team scored the league's second-most points (28.6), via Team Rankings. Last season, San Francisco tied for 14th (22.9) in points scored. The Purdy-Pearsall tandem could reignite San Francisco's offense and help the unit manage until Aiyuk returns.