This week in WWE history: Randy Orton makes history, massive star in shocking squash, and more (August 12-August 18)
WWE is on fire lately. Monday Night RAW and Friday Night SmackDown this past week had huge houses featuring well over 10,000 fans each. This is while they're on the build to Bash in Berlin, the promotion's next Premium Live Event.
The Sports Entertainment juggernaut is in the middle of a boom period, arguably the first one since the Attitude Era kicked off in the late 1990s. Right now, there is no end in sight, and many hope to see the company thrive for many years.
Of course, while this may be the company's biggest boom in a long time, it wouldn't have happened without decades of history leading up to this new Paul Levesque Era. The company has a lineage dating back to the 1950s.
This article will take a look at some of the big moments, matches, and events that helped shape the promotion fans know and love. This week's edition will look at four SummerSlam events, one of which includes one of the most shocking squashes in wrestling history.
Below are major matches and moments from this week in WWE history:
#4. Randy Orton made history at SummerSlam on August 15, 2004
The first entry on this list is the 2004 edition of SummerSlam. WWE held this event on August 15, 2004, live from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Over 17,000 fans were in attendance for this big show.
The main event of WWE SummerSlam saw Randy Orton challenge Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Championship. The two fought for just over 20 minutes when Orton countered an attempted Crippler Crossface and hit the RKO for the victory.
This win was monumental for The Legend Killer. Not only was this win his first world title, but Randy Orton became the youngest male to hold a world title in the company's illustrious history. This was one of many major accomplishments The Viper would go on to have.
#3. Edge and The Undertaker battled inside Hell in a Cell at SummerSlam on August 17, 2008
The next entry on this list is a memorable WWE SummerSlam from 2008. The Biggest Party of the Summer was held at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, back on August 17 of that year. Around 16,000 fans were reportedly in attendance.
This show was notable for a major match. The Undertaker battled his WrestleMania rival, Edge, inside Hell in a Cell. This is one of the most dangerous match types ever, but this bout had a bit of a unique twist due to another reason that the event is well remembered.
This was the first WWE pay-per-view of the PG Era. As a result, blood wasn't allowed for this match. Edge and The Deadman still put on a fantastic bout. However, that ended after around 26 minutes. In the post-match, The Undertaker chokeslammed Edge off of a ladder, and he crashed through the ring.
#2. Brock Lesnar shockingly squashed John Cena at SummerSlam on August 17, 2014
Speaking of notable and memorable moments, WWE SummerSlam 2014 arguably had the most memorable match in the event's history. The show was held on August 17, 2014, live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
17,000 fans were in attendance for one of the most shocking matches ever. Brock Lesnar went one-on-one with John Cena, and the match lasted for around 16 minutes. While that may make it seem like it was a competitive match, it was anything but that.
Instead, Brock Lesnar squashed the former WWE Champion. He destroyed Cena with numerous suplexes, elbows, and a handful of F-5s. To this very day, nobody has decimated John Cena quite to that level. It was truly groundbreaking for a main event and fans were shocked, and in many cases, crushed over Cena's defeat.
#1. Daniel Bryan battled John Cena at WWE SummerSlam on August 18, 2013
The final entry on this list is WWE SummerSlam from August 18, 2013. This show was also held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, as the site actually hosted the big event for six consecutive years. That hadn't been done before or since this streak.
17,000 fans were packed into the building for an eight-match main card, although it was only meant to be seven. Daniel Bryan battled and defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship with Triple H as the special guest referee in the seventh bout of the night.
Afterward, however, The Game shocked the world and laid Daniel Bryan out. This then led Mr. Money in the Bank, Randy Orton, to appear and pin Bryan, thus stealing the world title he had captured. This set the wheels in motion for what became the Yes! Movement and a brilliant WrestleMania 30.