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By Andrew Ravens
Contributing Sports Writer
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Ahead of this weekend's massive two-night SummerSlam event, WWE has officially concluded its countdown of the 25 greatest matches in the history of the show. The iconic Intercontinental Championship match between Bret "The Hitman" Hart and "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith from 1992 has claimed the coveted top spot.
The countdown has been playing out on WWE's digital platforms over the past several weeks. The final reveal celebrates a bout that is widely considered to be one of the greatest matches in company history.
The Greatest SummerSlam Match Ever
The main event of SummerSlam 1992 was a masterclass in storytelling, held in front of over 80,000 passionate fans at London's Wembley Stadium. The match was for the Intercontinental Championship, marking one of the rare times the title headlined a major pay-per-view.
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The storyline was deeply personal, as it pitted two brothers-in-law against each other, with Bret's sister and Bulldog's wife, Diana Hart, torn between them at ringside. In a legendary performance, Bret Hart carried an exhausted British Bulldog through a 25-minute technical classic, culminating in Bulldog winning the title in his home country in an incredibly emotional moment.
Rounding Out The Top Five
The rest of the top five is a showcase of legendary encounters from different eras. The number two spot went to the 2016 dream match between John Cena and AJ Styles, a bout that saw Styles score a clean, star-making victory over the face of the company.
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Bret Hart featured heavily at the top of the list. His 1991 technical masterpiece against Mr. Perfect, where he won his first Intercontinental Championship, was ranked number three. His classic 1994 steel cage match against his brother, Owen Hart, for the WWF Championship, came in at number five.
The number four spot was claimed by the brutal "The Best vs. The Beast" No Disqualification match from 2013 between CM Punk and Brock Lesnar. That match was the violent culmination of Paul Heyman's betrayal of CM Punk.
The Full List
Here is the complete list of WWE's 25 greatest matches in SummerSlam history: 25. Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar (2023) 24. Seth Rollins vs. John Cena (2015) 23. The Undertaker vs. Bret Hart (1997) 22. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins (2019) 21. Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch (2022) 20. Randy Orton vs. Christian (2011) 19. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker (2015) 18. Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk (2009) 17. Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle (2001) 16.
Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero (2005) 15. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe vs. Braun Strowman (2017) 14. The Rock vs. Triple H (1998) 13. John Cena vs. CM Punk (2011) 12. Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar (2022) 11. John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan (2013) 10. The Undertaker vs. Edge (2008) 9. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (1995) 8. The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar (2002) 7.
Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (2002) 6. The Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz vs. Edge & Christian (2000) 5. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (1994) 4. CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar (2013) 3. Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (1991) 2. John Cena vs. AJ Styles (2016) 1. Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog (1992).
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