Extreme Rules Review

Saturday night was a good night for WWE with Extreme Rules, top to bottom was a good to great show with an ending everyone was hoping for (not me because I was being negative) which only adds more goodwill and momentum to the Triple H era of WWE. So here is my quick review of this weekend’s event.

The Brawling Brutes vs. Imperium: The opening match could be considered the match of the night as the Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Rolland & Butch) faced Imperium (GUNTHER, Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci) in the old fashion donnybrook match. This match was another banger between these teams as it was a hard-hitting affair that had the crowd going right away, in the end Sheamus who was extremely popular with that crowd wins with the Brogue Kick to Vinci for the victory.

Smackdown Women’s Championship: Ronda Rousey vs. Liv Morgan (Extreme Rules Match): The next match was for the Smackdown Women’s title between Ronda Rousey and champion Liv Morgan. The match was what it was or to be expected with Rousey embracing her disapproval from the fans as well as a potential new layer to Morgan. The match was ok with a couple of moments with Bat between Rousey & Morgan, the senton through the table and the ending where Rousey makes Morgan pass out to win the title back, but Morgan was smiling as she faded away and losing the match.

Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross (Strap Match):  Next was the strap match between Drew McIntyre and the returning, repackaged Karrion Kross with Scarlett. The match started with some mind games as Kross refused to put on the strap which led to a distraction from Scarlett creating the opening for Kross which started a fight everywhere until McIntyre gains control puts Kross in the strap and the match officially begins.

The match was decent pretty standard strap match until the end when McIntyre hits his Future Shock DDT setting up for the Claymore until Scarlett steps in front of McIntyre then spray him with pepper spray when Kross hits the Kross Hammer forearm for the win making for a good start to Kross’s return and rise to the top.

Raw Women’s Championship: Bayley vs. Bianca Belair (Ladder Match): For the first time ever a women’s title is being held in a singles ladder match as Bayley challenged champion Bianca Belair for the Raw women’s title creating some more history. The match was very solid pretty standard ladder match of today (Can we pull back on ladder matches please?)

But Belair tries to grab the title until Damage CTRL members Dakota Kai and IYO SKY come down to prevent that from happening which leads to Belair attacking them and doing a difficult double KOD on Kai & SKY taking them out. They climb the ladder and joust for the title then Belair hits KOD on Bayley holding a piece of a ladder, climbs and retains her title but safe to say this is not the end of this feud but good match regardless.

Edge vs. Finn Balor (I Quit Match):  This match was another match of the night choice with Edge facing Finn Balor in a I Quit match, the match was excellent with difficulties that went all over place and had a violent feel. Throughout the match Balor tries to force Edge to quit which he would not do.

Then Edge goes for his Edge-u-cator having Balor on the brink of quitting when Judgement Day members Damien Priest and Dominik Mysterio  hit the ring and they attack Edge until Rey Mysterio comes out to save Edge until Dominik blindsides his father taking him out until Edge’s wife Beth Phoenix appears to save her husband before facing off with Rhea Ripley and have a brawl but Phoenix releases Edge from being hand cuffed who comes back taking out Judgement Day.

But the numbers game hit and Balor hits numerous Coup de Graces when Ripley hits Phoenix with brass knuckles setting up for a Con-Chair-to forcing Edge to quit sparing his wife which did not matter as Ripley hit Phoenix anyway and Judgement Day left victorious as Edge whimpers over his motionless wife.

Seth Rollins vs. Matt Riddle (Fight Pit Match): The Main event was the fight pit match for the heated rivalry between Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle with UFC hall of famer Daniel Cormier as the guest referee. The match good with moments of Cormier having to get physical with both competitors establishing his authority, the match was hard hitting and physical with Rollins playing his mind games throughout the match.

Towards the end they both go a top of the fight pit where both hit major moves that led to Riddle doing a Broton off the top, Riddle then put on a standing triangle that Rollins tried to do everything to escape but had to end up submitting giving the victory and vindication to Riddle. As Riddle and Cormier walked up the aisle supposedly ending the show, we all thought until the lights went out.

The long-awaited reveal of the White Rabbit stuff happened at the end of the night where the lights went out and scary, yet familiar voice starts to sing “He’s got the whole world in his hands” where the place erupt! While the singing continues the various Wyatt Firefly Funhouse puppets emerged in various parts of the arena then on the commentator table the burnt Fiend mask appears freaking out Cole and Graves then the final reveal of the Fiend leads to another eruption.

It is not over yet, a creepy video of the old firefly funhouse which was abandoned followed by the ominous door where a bright light came through the door then goes dark until… The signature lantern appeared. walking through the smoke-filled door with a new mask and behold its BRAY WYATT! Who says “I’m Here” which could barely be heard between the “Holy Shit” chants and sheer joy from the crowd blows out the lantern and the show ends with a new Wyatt logo ending the show.

Overall Extreme Rules was good for a non-traditional WWE big show with a lot of continuation and closure of feuds, but the buzz was about one of the better, exciting returns in wrestling history with Wyatt. Now I have to admit that I was skeptical of the White Rabbit being Bray Wyatt because I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I am so glad to be wrong on this because despite what some people think of him and his presentation, wrestling needs Bray Wyatt and this is a clean slate for everyone to make it right this time around. But it is obvious that what happens going forward will be interesting in WWE starting with Raw tonight in Brooklyn so let us enjoy the ride.