5 Matches that prove why Brock Lesnar is Mr. SummerSlam
We are just days away from WWE's annual summer extravaganza, SummerSlam. SummerSlam is part of WWE's "Big 4" and billed as the second biggest pay-per-view of the year after WrestleMania. Over the years, SummerSlam has become synonymous with some of the best WWE matches of the year. From classics like Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog to high-octane encounters like CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar, SummerSlam has always lived up to its moniker of being the Biggest Event of The Summer.
Names like Hart, The Undertaker, and more recently, Seth Rollins have been part of numerous SummerSlam classics. But, if we were to crown a superstar as "Mr. SummerSlam," we'd give it to Brock Lesnar.
Since returning to the company in 2012, Brock Lesnar has performed in every single SummerSlam. Brock Lesnar also holds the distinction of main-eventing the event for five straight years (2014-2019). The Beast Incarnate has dismantled a wide variety of opponents at SummerSlam. This Sunday would be the first SummerSlam in eight years to not feature The Beast Incarnate.
Here are five matches which prove that Brock Lesnar is the most prolific performer in SummerSlam history:
#5 Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock (SummerSlam 2002)
We start the list with Brock Lesnar's very first outing at The Biggest Party of The Summer. The year was 2002, and The Rock was the WWE Undisputed Champion. The main event of SummerSlam 2002 saw The Great One lock horns with the young and up-and-coming Brock Lesnar.
The Beast Incarnate earned himself a shot at WWE Undisputed Championship by winning the 2002 King of The Ring Tournament. By the time he faced The Rock, Lesnar had earned the reputation of being one of the baddest men on the roster. Lesnar had victories over known faces like RVD, Hulk Hogan, and The Hardy Boyz before his encounter with The Great One.
The match started with The Beast dominating The Great One with big power moves. Brock Lesnar would survive multiple Rock Bottom attempts and even kick out of one during the match. The finish of the match saw Brock Lesnar stop a People's Elbow by The Rock and reverse it into an F5 to pin The Great One and capture the WWE Undisputed Championship. With this win, Brock Lesnar also became the youngest WWE Champion in history.
In many ways, the match between Brock Lesnar and The Rock at SummerSlam 2002 was a passing of the torch. The Rock would take a break from wrestling following his loss to Lesnar to focus on his acting career. The win over The Rock made Brock Lesnar an overnight sensation, and The Beast Incarnate would go on to become one of the more dominant Superstars in WWE history.