The 25 greatest matches in SummerSlam history

No. 1: Bret “Hit Man” Hart vs. The British Bulldog (1992)

It was the match that turned SummerSlam into a truly global phenomenon.

Competing at Wembley Stadium in his native England, The British Bulldog stepped into the squared circle to challenge his brother-in-law, Bret “Hit Man” Hart, for the Intercontinental Championship in the first SummerSlam outside of North America. The raucous crowd of 80,355 spectators — a number that set the SummerSlam record and would have ranked second all-time in WrestleMania attendance history — created an electric atmosphere for the clash as Davey Boy Smith pitted his powerful arsenal against Hart’s tactical superiority.

After escaping the signature Sharpshooter of the “Hit Man,” Bulldog finally won the day and the title by reversing Hart’s sunset flip attempt. Gracious in defeat, Hart offered a congratulatory handshake that grew into a warm embrace of the new champion as well as Smith’s wife and Hart’s sister, Diana. The gesture of good sportsmanship put an exclamation point on an iconic moment in WWE lore and, far and away, the greatest match in the history of SummerSlam. – M.A. (WATCH FULL-LENGTH MATCH)