WWE’s 25 Greatest Pay-Per-Views of All Time
By Tim Sherry
credit: wwe.com
8. Summerslam 2013
Wrestlemania 30 checked in at number 12 on this list. It was tremendous show with a storybook ending that gave fans everything they wanted out of Daniel Bryan’s main event title run. But quite frankly, there is no Wrestlemania 30 without the 2013 Summerslam. Taking place 7 months before WM30, this show from the Staples Center in Los Angeles is the reason that the second half of 2013 and the first half of 2014 was about as compelling to watch as the product had been in a very, very long time. Factor in that the 2 best matches of the entire year took place on this night and it’s very easy to understand why this show cracks the top 10.
Now, to be honest, this show didn’t get off to a great start. Although it was great to see Bray Wyatt make his PPV debut, his Ring of Fire match with Kane was, for lack of a better description, kind of ridiculous. But after that, things kicked into gear. Cody Rhodes had a quick, solid match with Damien Sandow. Alberto Del Rio successfully defended his World Heavyweight title in a very underrated, cerebral match with Christian. And then 2 matches later was “The Beast vs. The Best” as Brock Lesnar and CM Punk locked horns for the first and only time ever. And these two made their only encounter mean something. In the consensus best match of 2013, the two went at it for 25 minutes with Paul Heyman running interference at ringside. All 3 parties involved were just brilliant here and the swings in momentum kept the crowd in a frenzied state until Lesnar, with Heyman’s help, walked out victorious.
The main event featured Bryan versus John Cena for the WWE Championship with Triple H as guest referee. And what came as no shock to anyone, it was an outstanding match that saw Bryan come through for the win. But the real story came after as Randy Orton came to ringside, Money In The Bank briefcase in hand. Everyone knew what was coming next. Hunter Pedigreed Bryan and Orton cashed in. The next half hear was a major wave that every WWE fan went on alongside Bryan, going as far as hijacking an episode of RAW to get Daniel into Wrestlemania. It really was one of the most awe-inspiring runs of all time and Summerslam 2013 deserves a lot of the credit for it.