Edited by Michael Ingbian
Photo: RYANonWIKIPEDIA / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Every WWE fan has a moment at SummerSlam that is etched in their minds.
The wrestling community, on Twitter in particular, had a list of the 5 best SummerSlam moments of all time:
- Brock Lesnar’s mauling of John Cena on August 17, 2014.
- Seth Rollins’ “Ruse of the Century” and cash-in (August 2, 2025).
- Roman Reigns’ return as “The Tribal Chief” on August 23, 2020.
- Dominik Mysterio’s kiss to Liv Morgan on August 3, 2024, effectively betraying Rhea Ripley.
- Brock Lesnar using a tractor to lift the ring against Roman Reigns on July 30, 2022.
When I saw that list, it got me thinking about moments on it. Although they all definitely impact WWE, all of these have changed their respective championship storylines or the superstars involved drastically… But if I had to choose one that I will always remember every second of it, even now that years have passed, it would be Brock Lesnar’s obliteration of John Cena on August 17, 2014.
Table of Contents
The Night The Biggest Hero Was Broken
On August 17, 2014, in the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, California, John Cena came out to SummerSlam as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and the poster child of WWE. By now, every fan knew that Cena stood a chance against any opponent in the ring. Whether the crowd loved or hated him, the champion would always fight back.
This was not that night.
As soon as the bell rang to start the match, Brock Lesnar didn’t just wrestle John Cena; he annihilated him. There was no back-and-forth brawl, no comeback, and no dramatic finishing sequence. The crowd watched as Lesnar just threw John Cena all around the ring in a flurry of German suplexes, strikes and relentless attacks. Every single moment of the match made the eventual result more undeniable.
I still remember seeing John Cena bleeding in the match and realising that I was not just witnessing another one of his ‘survive’ matches, but that this was a different John Cena altogether. It was like a different version of WWE as Brock defeated John Cena to claim his WWE World Heavyweight Championship. This moment was arguably not just another championship win but the birth of an unstoppable monster.
From then on, Brock Lesnar looked like a whole new beast in WWE. He was no longer just a former UFC fighter who returned to the wrestling world. Lesnar was now The Beast Incarnate in every single way possible. There is still no one who speaks of Lesnar’s greatest performance without bringing up the match on August 17, 2014.
Also Read: Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam Sounds Exciting—But Is It the Right Move?
Roman Reigns Returned as a Whole New Man
Another epic SummerSlam moment would arise on August 23, 2020, when Roman Reigns returned in his duel with The Fiend, Bray Wyatt, and Braun Strowman. However, it wasn’t only his return that shocked the world but the way he carried himself, as his attitude had dramatically changed. The smiling heroic persona WWE had moulded for years was gone, replaced with a man hungry for power as he stood looking forwards to his alliance with Paul Heyman.
He was no longer the Big Dog; he was the Tribal Chief.
That one appearance is without a doubt one of the greatest character reinventions in WWE’s history, and it all started at SummerSlam 2020.
Brock Lesnar’s Ring Toss
If SummerSlam moments are judged on the pure shock factor and visuals, then SummerSlam 2022’s Last Man Standing Match with Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar has to be ranked quite high. During the match, Brock used a tractor on the ringside to lift the wrestling ring halfway across the arena. Roman slid across the mat as the ring tilted, and that made it one of the most spectacular things WWE has ever seen.
It was outrageous.
It was insane and it worked so perfectly. This is just one thing to prove that Brock Lesnar is different from anyone else.
Dominik Mysterio’s ultimate betrayal
SummerSlam 2024 had one of the biggest and most emotional betrayals of recent times. Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley have been in an ongoing storyline for months, now it has escalated, thanks to his betrayal of Rhea for Liv. Instead of backing Rhea during her big match, Dominik chose to kiss Liv Morgan. This betrayal has already set wrestling fans against Dominik.
Seth Rollins’ “Ruse of the Century”
The newest edition to the best SummerSlam memories arrived at the 2025 edition. Seth Rollins truly set a new bar using a “Ruse of the Century“, an opportunistic Money in the Bank cash-in against Finn Bálor. This was classic Seth Rollins, the mastermind and the opportunist, and I don’t believe you can get much better than that.
SummerSlam 2014 vs. The rest of the list
Many SummerSlams are remembered for something or the other. Some for a shocking betrayal, some for a huge change of storyline and some for an unbelievable visual. In the case of John Cena vs Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam 2014.
All of the above were met, but that much more was done. It has altered our perception of two men: John Cena was seen to have a vulnerable side, whereas Brock Lesnar was cemented as one of WWE’s most terrifying predators. When people mention SummerSlam, images of that battle are among the first that come to mind because it was not just another match but a monument that showed everyone that no one is unstoppable in the WWE.
Also Read: WWE Raw Results July 20: Bloodline Stand Tall Ahead Of SummerSlam
