5 best opening matches in WWE SummerSlam history

#1 Kurt Angle vs Rey Mysterio (SummerSlam 2002)

One of the greatest opening match in WWE Pay Per View history.

SummerSlam in 2002 was a stunning show, maybe among the best editions of the pay per view along with 2013, 2015 and 2018. Headlined by two bonafide main event matches in The Rock vs Brock Lesnar and Triple H vs Shawn Michaels, the show had a few other mid card matches than can actually be classified as good pay per view matches.

If there is one match from the card that stands above from all other matches on the show apart from the two main events, it is the opening sprint between Kurt Angle and Rey Mysterio. Years before they were fighting for the World Titles in the main event of WrestleMania, it was this contest from SummerSlam 2002 that defined the impeccable chemistry these two legends shared inside the ring.

From the opening bell, where Mysterio hit Angle with a surprise hurricanrana to the closing bell, this was 9 minutes of non-stop action between two superstars who were at their very best. In his very first WWE pay per view match, Mysterio took the Olympic Gold Medalist to the limits with his agility and speed, and had the crowd on their feet for his stunning moves.

Being the in-ring technician that he was at that time, Angle too played his part perfectly well in putting Mysterio over by selling all his offensive maneuvers, and made the masked superstar looked like a legend even in a loss. Even after so many years, it still remains the best opening match in the history of SummerSlam.