Ranking the last 5 WWE SummerSlam PPVs

#3 WWE SummerSlam 2017

An exceptional 4-way main event.

If not for a dire first half, SummerSlam 2017 would have likely gone further up this list. This truly was a show of two halves. With obvious exceptions, like Jinder Mahal unconvincingly defeating Shinsuke Nakamura and a pair of Women's Championship matches, SummerSlam's second half was as good as the first half was bad.

John Cena defeated Baron Corbin in a joke of an opening match and Randy Orton squashed Rusev in seconds, while Big Cass and The Big Show shared a slow and boring contest. Natalya and Sasha Banks helped boost the event, both of them winning titles in solid matches against Naomi and Alexa Bliss, respectively.

SummerSlam picked up some steam, as we saw the "Demon" Finn Balor face and defeat Bray Wyatt. One of the highlights of the night was Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose reuniting to beat the RAW Tag Team Champions, Sheamus and Cesaro, in a match nearly as good as the sensational New Day vs. Usos Kickoff Show main event.

AJ Styles defeated Kevin Owens in a United States title match filled with great action and shenanigans aplenty, as Shane McMahon was the guest referee. Then came the two World title matches, both of them completely different. The aforementioned Mahal vs. Nakamura match was followed by a SummerSlam main event for the ages.

Four of WWE's greatest heavyweight stars destroyed each other in a magnificent Universal Championship match. Brock Lesnar defended the big red belt against Braun Strowman, Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns. All four men put on excellent performances, capping off an inconsistent SummerSlam with the perfect headliner. Lesnar ended the war on top, barely surviving three of his toughest challengers.