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Bret Hart Rules As WWE Ranks Top 25 SummerSlam Matches

By Lyle Kilbane • Published Jul 30, 2025 09:37 EDT
Bret Hart

There’s a reason Bret Hart is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be, and it seems WWE realises it.

WWE will host the first two-night SummerSlam in history in MetLife Stadium on August 2nd and 3rd. John Cena will defend the WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes, while Jade Cargill will challenge Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women’s Title.

Before that spectacle takes place, however, WWE have gone back in time to rank the best 25 matches at the biggest party of the summer.

And while Shawn Michaels might be incessantly referred to as Mr. WrestleMania, when it comes to SummerSlam, there’s one man who excellently executes more than any other.

Bret Hart Ranked Number One At WWE SummerSlam

The number one match on WWE’s list will come as no surprise, as the honour of best SummerSlam match ever goes to Bret Hart and The British Bulldog’s classic for the Intercontinental Championship in 1992.

However, The Hitman features in the matches at number three and number five in the list as well. The bronze medal place goes to Hart’s Intercontinental Title match with Mr. Perfect from 1991, and the fifth spot on the list goes to his brother vs. brother steel cage match for the WWE Title with Owen Hart in 1994.

The full list of 25 matches is below:

  • 25. Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar (2023)
  • 24. Seth Rollins vs. John Cena title vs. title match for the WWE Championship and United States Championship (2015)
  • 23. The Undertaker vs. Bret Hart for the WWE Championship (1997)
  • 22. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins for the Universal Championship (2019)
  • 21. Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship (2022)
  • 20. Randy Orton vs. Christian no holds barred match for the World Heavyweight Championship (2011)
  • 19. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker (2015)
  • 18. Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk TLC match for the World Heavyweight Championship (2009)
  • 17. Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship (2001)
  • 16. Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero ladder match (2005)
  • 15. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe vs. Braun Strowman for the Universal Championship (2017)
  • 14. The Rock vs. Triple H ladder match for the Intercontinental title (1998)
  • 13. John Cena vs. CM Punk for the Undisputed WWE Championship (2011)
  • 12. Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar Last Man Standing match for the WWE Championship (2023)
  • 11. John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship (2013)
  • 10. The Undertaker vs. Edge Hell in a Cell match (2008)
  • 9. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon ladder match for the Intercontinental title (1995)
  • 8. The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar for the Undisputed WWE Championship (2002)
  • 7. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H unsanctioned street fight (2002)
  • 6. The Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz vs. Edge & Christian TLC match for the WWE Tag Team titles (2000)
  • 5. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart steel cage match for the WWE Championship (1994)
  • 4. CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar no DQ match (2013)
  • 3. Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect for the Intercontinental title (1991)
  • 2. John Cena vs. AJ Styles (2016)
  • 1. Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog for the Intercontinental title (1992)