This Sunday’s WWE Extreme Rules PPV/”Special Event” is historic for a number of reasons.
First, it is the very first non-WrestleMania special event to air on the WWE Network. With the Network stream holding up remarkably well during the influx of traffic during WrestleMania 30, WWE appears poised to continually deliver a solid live product through the Network. Traditionally B-Shows like Extreme Rules preform well on PPV but nowhere near as well as The Big 3 (Royal Rumble, WrestleMania and SummerSlam) so for many viewers, this could be their first live, B-show experience (unless, of course, they used streams in the past). WWE Network aimed to change the way we consumed pay-per-views and with Dish Network and DirectTV not carrying Extreme Rules, for some, the only way to watch will be through the Network.
Extreme Rules also marks the first large-scale title defense for Daniel Bryan, who will take on Kane in an “Extreme Rules Match”. Kane is back to his devilish ways and Bryan will look to seek revenge from Kane who viscously attacked him on Raw last week and attempted to drag his new-wife Brie Bella to hell (or literally the floor of a hockey arena). It’s a disappointing first title defense from Bryan, but it’s biding time for a bigger match down the line. Despite a lot of TV time in the build, it’s hard not to feel this historic title defense taking a back seat to two other matches on this Extreme Rules card — The Shield vs. Evolution and Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena.
Cena will battle Wyatt in a Cage Match meant to keep the rest of the Wyatt Family (Luke Harper and Erick Rowan) from interferring. The irony is the Wyatt Family barely interfered in Cena/Wyatt’s WrestleMania match and Cena, who wanted the cage match to keep the others out — won the match at WrestleMania. It’s been a confusing but interesting build complete with a children’s choir wearing sheep masks, Cena questioning what the WWE Universe thinks of him and a bunch of other zany, theatric stuff.
The Shield vs. Evolution has the chance to be a lot of fun with the Shield as arguably the hottest non-Daniel Bryan babyface act in the company doing battle with the top heels in the company, the re-formed Evolution. This match has had a relatively simple but effective build. Triple H brought The Shield to the WWE as his hired muscle, they eventually got tired of it and Triple H wanted to take them out. Simple enough. The returning Batista turned heel in the build-up to WrestleMania and after losing to Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania joined up with his old stablemates to re-form their powerful stable.
I’d be remise if I didn’t talk about one of the best builds leading into Extreme Rules, that of Cesaro vs. Jack Swagger vs. Rob Van Dam. Following his Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal victory, Cesaro switched allegiances from The Real Americans tag team and Zeb Colter to manager of the stars Paul Heyman. This enraged Colter who has thrown insults at Heyman ever since. In the midst of the Intercontential Championship tournament the returning Rob Van Dam got involved turning town an offer to join Colter and the three have been intertwined ever since. On the backbone of two of the best talkers in the industry, this feud and match have the potential to absolutely steal the show.
So with that short preview over, let’s get to our predictions! Taking part today is a few members of the Voices of Wrestling staff: Rich Kraetsch, Joe Lanza, Bryan Rose, Cullen Baldwin and Jason Felix. In addition to our predictions, we’ve included short analysis including our thoughts on the build, how we think the match will do and much more.
Special guest!
We’re excited to announce a special guest predictor, a former Voices of Wrestling guest, Queens rap kingConsequence!
Consequence’s NEW Song “Bottle Girls” is an ode to Cons’ Favorite bottle service waitresses that are posting pictures online and making appearances in New York City’s Gentlemen club scene. These ladies are the new stars of social media and this sub-culture movement has garnered each of them a significant following. It’s now time for these ladies to have their own anthem. Let your Fantasy begin…
WeeLC Match (Pre-Show)
El Torito vs. Hornswoggle (Pre-Show)
Rich Kraetsch (@richkraetsch): Look, I probably shouldn’t be looking forward to this match but I am. They are going to use a friggin’ step ladder and I guess mini chairs… where is the belt going to hang from, are they grabbing a belt?! So many questions and, hell, I want to figure out the answers. Holding out hope for a Max Mini run-in to push the ladder Torito is on, having his crash into a table. But now I’m just fantasy booking. I’m looking forward to this more than some of the main card.
Prediction: El Torito
Joe Lanza (@JoeMLanza): I love this feud. Despite the way the announcers have treated it (especially JBL, who has been nothing short of embarrassing calling these matches), they really haven’t delved all that far into bad WWE comedy with this thing. This could end up being wacky and zany, but I’m hoping Torito gets a chance to do some of the things that made him one of the most dynamic flyers in the world while in Mexico. I’m expecting a big memorable spot for the finish.
Prediction: El Torito
Bryan Rose (@br26): I wonder what a WEE L C match entails. What will be hanging from the roof (?) for this contest? Maybe ladders are just allowed, I don’t know. It’s weird as the announcers play it off like comedy (what don’t they play off as comedy is a good question nowadays) but at the same time they’re having a semi serious match with moves and holds. I expect a more comedy based routine for Sunday so I’m expecting Torito to win. Then again, Hornswoggle could win and they could continue this feud for weeks like they did with Hornswoggle and Chavo Guerrero. That feud still gives me nightmares…
Prediction: El Torito
Cullen (@Steenalized): I want to go against the grain and say Hornswoggle wins thanks to interference from the skyrocketing Heath Slater, but deep down I simply can’t. Torito wins and gets to showcase his very legitimate skills. Expect some botched 3MB antics with Los Matadaores making the save.
Prediction: El Torito
Jason Felix (@Felix824): I nearly quit being Main Event reviewer (before I even had the job) from having to watch this travesty of a match on Main Event. I don’t get anything about this match. Why does a bull and a leprechaun hate each other? Do all short people hate each other? Who is the bull’s father? Mantaur? If they Human Centipede the two midgets, will Vince McMahon view them as tall enough to main event WrestleMania? Will this match be for the WWE Cruiserweight Title? I’d rather watch TNA Impact.
Prediction: The bull…
Consequence (@ItstheCons): This is the “Who Cares” Match of the night but I’ma go with the “Raging Bull” El Torito for the victory.
Prediction: El Torito
Triple Threat Match
Rob Van Dam vs. Jack Swagger vs. Cesaro
Rich: Hmm… this is an interesting one. I’m not an RVD fan but in this dynamic coupled with the Heyman/Colter feud he really works. This has been a fun little feud and I’m looking forward to this match because two of the three can absolutely go and have great chemistry and the other (RVD) can surprise you every so often. Cesaro is the clear favorite here and should by all earthly logic win but I wouldn’t be totally surprised to see an upset here. Either way, we’re going to get awesome interplay between Zeb and Heyman, which will make this a must-watch match.
Prediction: Cesaro
Joe: This program is fantastic, the best thing going in WWE today. I love everything about it, from the Heyman/Zeb dynamic, the impending Cesaro mega push, Swagger tossing dudes around, and RVD’s historical connection to Heyman. Some are complaining about Cesaro being stuck in a mid card feud, but i’m perfectly OK with it. The main event faces are all occupied with fresh conflicts anyway, and it’s refreshing to see a tag team split not get the rush treatment (Prime Time Players, Brodus & Tensai as recent examples). Plus, as mentioned, it’s the most compelling thing on WWE TV right now anyway. It’s not often (as in never) that you see heel managers feuding with each other, and a heel managing a face on WWE TV. Shades of gray are always more interesting in wrestling than black & white.
Prediction: Cesaro
Bryan: This is a much more competitive match I guess with RVD in it. Could be a lot of fun spots here if given the time. The managers will likely play a part in the match, so I would look out for that. I say Cesaro wins because he seems to be going up the card plus they need more heels anyway, so it makes more sense. Swagger I don’t see going anywhere. RVD will be where he’s always at.
Prediction: Cesaro
Cullen: Yikes, what a lineup. One guy I cannot stand in there, one guy who can look great and then look disinterested in successive weeks, and one guy who is arguably the best on the planet. Those are in order, if you’re wondering. Cesaro needs a win here if the WWE wants to get him over and build him up to the next level. Swagger is who he is at this point, credible but not a legitimate threat. RVD will always have his fanbase carved out. A win doesn’t build that and a loss doesn’t hurt it.
Prediction: Cesaro
Jason: I hate Triple Threat matches. This could be fun, but mostly because of the two managers who will be involved (because two is better than three in pro wrestling.) Common logic says Cesaro should win, because he is the hottest act…so I think Van Dam will win. Impossible to argue with that logic, isn’t it.
Prediction: Rob Van Dam
Consequence: This is the “Wild Card” match for me. All three of these guys are good wrestlers. RVD is a vet who has magic moments so it’s hard to bet against him. On the other hand, I think Cesaro is probably the best pure wrestler on the roster next to Daniel Bryan. Swagger to me is the guy attempting to reclaim his spot as he was HOT and has lost a bit of momentum in the past 18 months even with the “Real American” storyline. At one point, I felt he was on the verge of being an “A” List commodity. This one is a toss up but be sure that we’ll have a great Paul Heyman/Zeb Colter encounter.
Prediction: Toss-up
Handicap Match
R-Truth & Xavier Woods vs. Alexander Rusev
Rich: The only question here is will this last over a minute? I’ll predict: no.
Prediction: Alexander Rusev
Joe: Lana is hot.
Prediction: Alexander Rusev
Bryan: I don’t care.
Prediction: Alexander Rusev
Cullen: I cannot give you a single reason why R-Truth and Woods might win this.
Prediction: Alexander Rusev
Jason: Can you Camel Clutch two guys at the same time?
Prediction: Alexander Rusev
Consequence: Unless Truth & Woods come up with a strong game plan then they’re both gonna get BEAT UP!!! #StraightLikeThat
Prediction: Alexander Rusev
Six Man Tag Team Match
The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns) vs. Evolution (Triple H, Randy Orton, & Dave Batista)
Rich: If we use the tried and true, who went over at the go-home show, The Shield is taking the fall here. I’d like to see them win here but if the goal is to stretch this feud out it makes sense for an Evolution victory. To be fair, I’m guessing Evolution will win be nefarious means and it won’t be clean and The Shield is teflon right now (HAR HAR), I don’t think a few losses here and there are going to hurt them. This could be a lot of fun depending on who gets the majority of the ring time.
Prediction: Evolution
Joe: The Shield has been booked way too strong in the build to believe that they are winning here. This thing isn’t ready to end, and Evolution isn’t going down that easy.
Prediction: Evolution
Bryan: I think this might continue for a few months, so I think Evolution will get the win here by cheating. Maybe Ric Flair will play a part in this, but then again he said on the Raw post show not to look into it too much, so I won’t. They’ll find a way to get a cheap win somehow, and then next month the Shield will get the victory. I don’t expect Evolution to win this feud but I do expect them to go over on Sunday.
Prediction: Evolution
Cullen: Evolution gets the win here, saving the Shield’s big babyface win for a later PPV, probably Summerslam. I think there will be something wonky, maybe Steph’s interference or Flair hijinks, but whatever it is, the Shield take the fall.
Prediction: Evolution
Jason: If WWE is trying to draw this feud out until SummerSlam for Triple H v. Reigns, I don’t think Evolution loses here. Furthermore, I picked Cena and Bryan. I don’t see all the top baby faces winning at the show. Not very scientific, but I always struggle to understand WWE’s often illogical booking.
Prediction: Evolution
Consequence: This match is going to be WAR!!! The action will be non-stop but I see this ending in controversy and “Evolution” figuring out a way to be “Standing Tall” at the end… Not necessarily the Winners of the “Match” but the Winners of the WAR…
Prediction: Evolution
Steel Cage Match
John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt
Rich: This is the setup for Wyatt to get his win back. There was no reason for Cena to win at WrestleMania and this cage match stipulation really doesn’t make a lot of sense given the lack of interference during their ‘Mania match. I expect Wyatt to come out victorious meaning humanity crumbles in on itself or something. I don’t know, haven’t enjoyed this feud much but I expect this match to be solid to above average. The irony is this will have more interference than non-caged Wyatt Family matches.
Prediction: Bray Wyatt
Joe: I hate everything about this feud, and couldn’t possibly be less interested in this match. The whole thing is goofy.
Prediction:Bray Wyatt
Bryan: I’m not sure what the point of this match was. Cena wants the Wyatts away from the ring…because he won his match at Wrestlemania so now he wants to face Bray again in a cage match. I don’t get it. Bray needs a win here more than he did last month. If they do another Cena victory, well, I wouldn’t be terribly surprised but there’s really no point in giving him a win. I’ll go with Bray because it makes the most sense. So don’t expect it to happen on Sunday.
Prediction: Bray Wyatt
Cullen: Probably the toughest one for me to pick. Wyatt is the obvious winner at first glance. He lost at Wrestlemania so giving him the win back at the lesser show makes things a bit more even. He needs to beat Cena. What else is there for him if he loses again? I falter because of who Cena is. He may not have the title but Cena is still the WWE’s ace. He got put over huge on RAW this week, which doesn’t stand out, but they reminded us of how huge a hero Cena is to many of his fans. I can see Vince refusing to job him out in a particularly poor booking decision. I don’t think that happens.
Prediction: Bray Wyatt
Jason: It looks like WWE is doing another one of those “Worst Year of John Cena’s Life” storylines like they did in 2012….when he won nearly every match of the year. I think in WWE’s mind, Wyatt got enough from the Sheep Children on Raw and so Cena will win again. If he loses, I’m sure he’ll just join the Wyatt family for a batch of brilliant storylines, like when Daniel Bryan joins them last December.
Prediction: John Cena
Consequence: It’s hard to bet against John Cena who is a battle-tested warrior but I think at Extreme Rules, Bray Wyatt finds a little redemption for his WrestleMania 30 lost and “Follows The Buzzards” to the road of victory.
Prediction: Bray Wyatt
WWE Diva’s Title Match
Paige vs. Tamina Snuka
Rich: Not a chance Paige loses this. She wins pretty easily to try to get herself over big. This one has the chance to be pretty decent.
Prediction: Paige
Joe: I can’t see Paige dropping the belt this soon, but it’s entirely possible her title win was a device to introduce her with a bang, with the short term Divas program reverting back to Tamina vs AJ. But that’s probably me just thinking way too hard about things.
Prediction: Paige
Bryan: Paige wins. There’s not much more to go here. They need to establish Paige more as a big deal if they want to revive this division. It’s stagnant and well over half the women haven’t cut a promo or have been in any programs in months, maybe even years.
Prediction: Paige
Cullen: Paige wins after about 3 minutes or so. Another win to make her long strong, build he credibility, and try to get people to take the Divas title seriously.
Prediction: Paige
Consequence: I really like Tamina Snuka. I think she has been under used and not really had the opportunity to be a vicious as she can be. Paige is a pretty good start upstart and I think for political reasons she may come out victorious.
Prediction: Paige
Click here to continue to page two for predictions of the Intercontinental Title match, John Cena/Daniel Bryan, our match of the night and much more!
