The Usos (Jimmy & Jey) vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson – Tornado Tag Team Match

Background: Gallows and Anderson have targeted The Usos since making their debut in the WWE. The feud has continued since Gallows and Anderson and aligned with AJ Styles and The Usos have had the back of their cousin Roman Reigns. Gallows and Anderson beat The Usos on Raw last week but the stakes have been risen and now the two teams meet in a tornado tag team match.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match between these two teams. It’s a WWE PPV debut for Karl Anderson.

Extreme Rules Record: All four men make their Extreme Rules debut tonight.

Match: The Usos attack Gallows and Anderson as they make their entrance and take the fight to the ring. The usos get a real mixed reaction. Gallows and Anderson manage to split up the Usos and double team each member separately. Gallows and Anderson look for the boot of doom but The Usos manage to escape the situation and hit superkicks. There’s lots of fast-paced action in this match because of the nature of all four men being in the ring at the same time. Luke Gallows picks up the ring bell but Jimmy Uso hits him with a superkick and then goes up for a splash but Gallows moves and Jimmy hits the ring bell! Gallows & Anderson hit the magic killer and that’s enough for the three!

Result: Gallows & Anderson win by pinfall.

Review: A clean win for Gallows and Anderson is a surprising result. It’s good for this new team to be given the victory in their first PPV showing. It’ll put them in good stead for a tag team championship match before long. The Usos don’t have a very good PPV record and that continues tonight. A good match to kick off the show though, I enjoyed this one! Wouldn’t have hurt to be a bit longer but I enjoyed it none the less.

Rating: 7/10

Kalisto (c) vs. Rusev – WWE United States Championship match

Background: Rusev won a battle royal to become number one contender to the United States Championship. Since then it’s been a case of big vs. small, as it often is with Kalisto. Rusev would attack Kalisto’s partner Sin Cars when Kalisto was wrestling Alberto Del Rio. Rusev was a part of the League Of Nations but that group has split up.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV meeting between these men.

Extreme Rules Record: Rusev is 1-1 at Extreme Rules, Kalisto makes his Extreme Rules debut tonight.

Match: Rusev’s fiancee and manager Lana introduces Rusev to the ring. Kalisto looks to flip about in the early going but Rusev just swats him down. It’s a power game for Rusev as he dominates Kalisto. Rusev locks on a bear hug and Kalisto looks so small in that hold. Kalisto manages to take the advantage and quicken the pace, hitting a tornado DDT. Kalisto is really smooth in the ring, he very much feels like the second coming of Rey Mysterio. He hits a couple of hurricanranas. A springboard from splash isn’t enough to keep Rusev down. Rusev manages to counter a Selina Del Sol and rolls to the outside where Kalisto hits a moonsault. Kalisto then heads to the top but Rusev throws him down on to the apron. A doctor checks on Kalisto but Rusev drags Kalisto to the middle of the ring and locks on the accolade. Rusev pulls it all the way back and Kalisto taps out! Rusev becomes a two time United States Champion!

Result: Rusev wins by submission.

Review: This was another good match. These two guys have a lot of chemistry and they different styles actually meshed quite well. This was a victory that Rusev needed. Rusev hasn’t been the same since he lost to John Cena at Wrestlemania last year. I liked Kalisto as champion and I hope he doesn’t lose too much momentum.

Rating: 6.75/10

The New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) (c) vs. The Vaudevillians (Aiden English & Simon Gotch) – WWE Tag Team Championship match

Background: The Vaudevillians were deemed winners of a tag team championship number one contenders tournament. Their finals match against Enzo and Big Cass was actually called off after Enzo got concussed. Since then Gotch and English have attacked The New Day. Most notably during a daft time machine segment on Raw.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match between these two teams.

Extreme Rules Record: Xavier Woods is 0-1 at Extreme Rules, Big E is 1-1. The Vaudevillians make their Extreme Rules debut.

Match: Kofi Kingston is sitting this one out, Xavier Woods makes a rare appearance. Previous when he and Big E teamed up on PPV, New Day lost the match. Woods starts well against Aiden English though, taking the early advantage. Some double teaming from the challengers gives them the advantage though. The Vaudevillians make quick tags to keep the advantage but eventually Big E makes the hot tag. Big E hits belly to belly suplexes to both opponents. The fight goes to the outside where Big E gets thrown into the steps. The Vaudevillians then hit the whirling dervish on Xavier Woods but Woods kicks out! Big E hits his “flying unicorn” spear on Aiden English off the apron. Kofi Kingston then gets involved and hits trouble in paradise on Simon Gotch and Xavier Woods hits a running knee which is enough for the three!

Result: The New Day win by pinfall.

Review: A good match here for the tag team titles. With Kofi Kingston getting involved you can’t help but think The Vaudevillians will want another shot at the titles. An enjoyable match though, The Vaudevillians are a good heel team, I’m just not sure they’re quite ready for the titles yet.

Rating: 6.25/10

The Miz (c) vs. Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens – WWE Intercontinental Championship match

Background: A match between The Miz and Cesaro at Payback got interrupted by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn who have also staked their claim for a shot at the Intercontinental Championship. Cesaro and Kevin Owens would have a number one contenders match which The Miz got involved with. A triple threat match was then announced for Extreme Rules. Sami Zayn then asked to get involved and was told he could be if he could beat The Miz in a non-title match. Zayn did just that and was added to the match.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time fatal four way match between these men.

Extreme Rules Record: Cesaro is 1-1 at Extreme Rules, The Miz is 0-2. Owens and Zayn make their Extreme Rules debut tonight.

Match: The Miz is accompanied by his wife Maryse. The bell rings and Sami Zayn immediately hits Kevin Owens with a helluva kick! Cesaro wipes out The Miz and we’re down to Cesaro and Sami Zayn in the ring. Cesaro and Zayn go at it with Cesaro in control for the most part. Neither of these two men have been Intercontinental Champion before. Kevin Owens has become the first ever man to wrestle on every PPV in his rookie year. The Miz and Sami Zayn are the next pair to go at it in the ring and Miz hits his signature clothesline in the corner. Kevin Owens then gets involved and pairs off with Zayn who has been in the ring for the entire match so far. Cesaro hits uppercuts on everyone moving and looks to hit a swing on Miz but Owens stops him and then hits cannonballs on everyone! Cesaro hits a massive uppercut on Zayn and Miz then hits Cesaro with the skull-crushing finale but there’s a massive pop when Cesaro kicks out!

Miz slaps Cesaro which really fires up the Swiss Superman. Cesaro swings the champion round and round! Cesaro then locks on the sharpshooter and Miz tries to help out but Cesaro drags her into the ring! Miz taps out but the referee is seeing to Maryse! The crowd would love Cesaro or Sami Zayn to win this. Kevin Owens hits a frog splash on Miz and Cesaro hits the neutraliser on Owens, pins him but Zayn makes the save! Zayn hits a really impressive sunset flip on Cesaro for a near fall. Owens hits the pop-up powerbomb on Cesaro and pins him but Miz makes the save. Miz hits Owens with a skull-crushing finale and pins Cesaro but Cesaro kicks out! This is some match. Zayn hits Cesaro with a helluva kick but Owens makes the save. Zayn and Owens get into it on the outside and Miz rolls in and pins Cesaro for the three!

Result: Miz retains the Intercontinental Championship by pinfall on Cesaro.

Review: This was a fantastic match. Really really impressive. Loads of false finishes, a hot crowd and a belief that any of the four men could have won it. Cesaro, Sami Zayn and Kevin’s Owens talent speaks for themselves, add Miz to the equation and it worked perfectly. A memorable match that will be a match of the year contender. Miz stole it and takes home the title.

Rating: 9/10

Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho – Asylum match

Background: This rivalry started with Dean Ambrose interrupting the HighLight Reel and replacing it with The Ambrose Asylum. The two have been in a war of words ever since but it escalated when Chris Jericho hit Ambrose with his own plant pot. Ambrose would reply by cutting up Jericho’s light-up jacket. Jericho demanded a match between the two but Ambrose raised the stakes by making it an Ambrose Asylum match which is basically a cage match with weapons on top. ECW did something similar once.

Previous PPV matches: This is a second singles PPV match between these two men. Dean Ambrose beat Chris Jericho at Payback last month.

Extreme Rules Record: Dean Ambrose is 3-0 at Extreme Rules, Jericho is 2-2.

Match: Jericho is wearing jeans for this match. It’s a back and forth start to the match and the mop is the first weapon to come into use. Ambrose pokes Jericho in the ear with the mop. Jericho is really quite comical with his shouting. The nun-chucks and barb-wire 2×4 soon make an appearance. It’s pretty back and forth really. Dean Ambrose gets a lot more offence in than he usually does. Jericho gets a lengthy advantage when he uses a strap to whip Ambrose with. The match feels like it goes a bit flat. The crowd seem to wake up a bit when Ambrose pulls out some thumb tacks. Both men manage to stop the other from slamming them into the thumb tacks. Jericho locks on the Walls Of Jericho. Ambrose gets out of it but Jericho sprays a fire extinguisher in his face and hits a codebreaker for a near fall. Jericho looks for a second codebreaker but Ambrose puts counters and drops Jericho into the thumbtacks. Ambrose then hits a dirty deeds into the thumb tacks and that’s enough for the three.

Result: Dean Ambrose wins by pinfall.

Review: I don’t know what it was but this match fell quite flat. It had a lot of potential but it was a bit boring. The weapons spiced it up a bit but it felt like it went on too long. It wasn’t a terrible match, I think I expected more though. Presumably this will be the end of this rivalry.

Rating: 4.5/10

Charlotte (c) vs. Natalya – Submission match for the WWE Divas Championship

Background: At Payback last month Charlotte beat Natalya due to some dodgy refereeing from Charles Robinson. Stephanie McMahon made the rematch for Extreme Rules but this time Ric Flair will be banned from ringside. This rivalry has become personal and has capitalised on the real life tensions between Bret Hart and Ric Flair.

Previous PPV matches: This is the third PPV match between these two girls, Charlotte has won the previous two matches.

Extreme Rules Record: Both girls make their Extreme Rules debut tonight.

Match: It’s a back and forth start to the match and there is plenty of technical wrestling. Natalya looks to finish the match with the sharpshooter but Ric Flair’s music hits and someone walks out dressed as Ric Flair! It’s Dana Brooke which is pretty random. She jumps up on the apron but Natalya fights her off. Charlotte then attacks Natalya from behind and locks on the figure 8 and Natalya taps out! Charlotte beats Natalya tonight! Out walks Ric Flair with a big smile on his face! Charlotte looks flabbergasted by Dana Brooke.

Result: Charlotte wins by submission.

Review: This match was ok. I on’t think it was as good as their match at Payback and they weren’t given as much time. This relationship with Dana Brooke seems pretty random though, it’ll be interesting to see where it goes. Maybe it’s just being used as a way to get Dana Brooke built up as a rival to Charlotte down the line.

Rating: 4/10

Roman Reigns (c) vs. AJ Styles – Extreme Rules match for the World Heavyweight Championship

Background: Roman Reigns beat AJ Styles at Payback and it was enough for Shane and Stephanie McMahon to give AJ Styles a rematch. Gallows & Anderson continue to help out AJ Styles whilst Styles says that he still wants to do things alone. Roman Reigns doesn’t buy that AJ Styles isn’t counting on the help of his friends and has gone as far as to put Styles through the announce desk.

Previous PPV matches: This is a second PPV match between these two men, Reigns beat Styles at Payback.

Extreme Rules Record: Roman Reigns is 3-0 at Extreme Rules, AJ Styles makes his Extreme Rules debut tonight.

Match: Plenty of “you can’t wrestle” chants aimed at Roman Reigns in this one. There’s a sloppy incident in the early going with Reigns hitting a knee and then falling to the ground. AJ introduces a chair into the match and they soon take the fight to the outside. The fight goes all the way over to where the kick-off panel would sit and Reigns throws AJ into the desk. They fight back to the ringside area where Reigns back body drops Styles through an announce desk. AJ got some serious height there. Reigns looks for a spear on the outside but AJ avoids it and Reigns goes crashing through the barricade. AJ looks for a phenomenal forearm at one point and Reigns hits him with a superman punch sending Styles all the way to the outside. Reigns then hits a spear on the outside! Gallows and Anderson show up and beat down Reigns, hitting him with the boot of doom! Reigns manages to kick out of the pinfall and he’s then helped by The Usos who clear the ring and then hit a splash on AJ which gives Reigns a near fall. AJ hits the Styles Clash but Reigns kicks out! Styles hits a Styles Clash on the chair but Jimmy Uso distracts AJ for long enough time for Reigns to then kick out. AJ lays into Reigns with a chair and then smashes the chair of Jimmy and Jey Uso too! He then looks for the Phenomenal Forearm but Reigns hits him with a spear on the way down! Roman hooks the leg and gets the 3!

Result: Roman Reigns retains the WWE Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was a great way to end the show. A really solid main event that has proven once again that AJ Styles deserves to be there. Hanging with a bonafide main eventer in Roman Reigns.

Rating: 8/10