Tonight is Extreme Rules, Monday Night Raw’s first themed Pay-Per-View of the year. There are tons of championship matches involving steel cages and kendo sticks, as well as the main event deciding the new #1 Contender for Brock Lesnar’s Universal Championship. From top to bottom, the card is full of excitement.
Apollo Crews (w/Titus O’Neil) vs. Kalisto
To get the crowd excited for the night, the Extreme Rules Kickoff Show features two of the most athletic men on the roster. Kalisto defeated Apollo Crews on Raw two weeks ago because Crews was distracted by his “mentor,” Titus O’Neil. O’Neil decided he needed to show Crews how it’s done, and he defeated Kalisto six nights ago on Raw by cheating.
O’Neil instructs Crews to hit the standing Shooting Star Press, and Crew does, but Kalisto kicks out. O’Neil stands on the apron and yells at his client to do it again, but Crews argues with his coach. Kalisto takes advantage of Crews having his back turned and hits the Salida Del Sol (while using O’Neil as a stepladder) to pick up the victory. Winner: Kalisto
Predicted Winner: N/A (Match was announced earlier today)
Dean Ambrose (c) vs. The Miz (w/Maryse) – Intercontinental Championship (If Ambrose is DQ’ed, he loses the title)
As you can see in the match’s headline, Dean Ambrose is at a disadvantage. Since Ambrose hits Miz with a low blow the last time they fought for the Intercontinental Championship, a rule was set in place so he couldn’t do it again without consequences. If the Miz captures the gold, this will be his 7th Intercontinental Championship.
The Miz throws Dean Ambrose into the back of referee John Cone to force the disqualification, and while Cone debates whether or not to ring the bell, Miz hits Ambrose with the Skull Crushing Finale. Miz goes for the cover, and Cone counts to three to crown a new champion. Winner, and NEW Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Predicted Winner: The Miz (1/1)
Noam Dar & Alicia Fox vs. Rich Swann & Sasha Banks
Rich Swann and Sasha Banks aren’t known to be the best of friends, but they have joined forces to take out common enemies. Swann has interfered with the relationship between Noam Dar and Alicia Fox for months, while Banks’ feud with Fox has come about because of a handful of recently traded victories.
Fox seems to injure her right leg when she misses a big boot in the corner, essentially turning this into a handicap match. After Banks hits Dar with double knees, Swann rolls him into the ring to finish him off with the Phoenix Splash. Winners: Rich Swann & Sasha Banks
Predicted Winners: Noam Dar & Alicia Fox (1/2)
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Bayley – Raw Women’s Championship (Kendo Stick on a Pole Match)
Ever since Alexa Bliss switched from SmackDown Live to Monday Night Raw, she has dominated. After defeating Bayley for the Raw Women’s Championship, she would instigate fights with the former champion over the subsequent weeks. In those fights, Bliss would grab a kendo stick to gain the advantage. Kurt Angle seemed to like these actions, so he put the weapon on a pole.
Bayley is the first woman to grab the kendo stick, but she takes too long to use it. Bliss counters Bayley’s only attempt, then the champion takes control of the kendo stick for the rest of the match. After throwing Bayley into the stick placed in the corner, Bliss hits a snap DDT to retain her title yet again. Winner, and STILL Raw Women’s Champion: Alexa Bliss
Predicted Winner: Alexa Bliss (2/3)
The Hardy Boyz (c) vs. Sheamus & Cesaro – Raw Tag Team Championships (Steel Cage Match)
In the Tag Team Turmoil Match several weeks ago, Sheamus and Cesaro defeated every other team on the roster to become #1 Contenders for the Raw Tag Team Championships. Since then, both teams would compete in a variety of singles matches, which the Hardy Boyz would win every single time. However, since this is a tag team steel cage match, pinfall and submission don’t matter. The only way to win is to have both members of a team to escape the cage. This could either be by over the top or through the door.
Jeff Hardy escapes the cage before anybody else, but he climbs back in to help out his brother. Both teams try to leave the cage at the same time, but Sheamus and Cesaro drop to the floor right before the Hardy Boyz to become the first-ever two-time Raw Tag Team Champions. Winners: Sheamus & Cesaro
Predicted Winners: Sheamus & Cesaro (3/4)
Neville (c) vs. Austin Aries – Cruiserweight Championship (Submission Match)
Over the past few months, Austin Aries has been chasing the Cruiserweight Championship. At WrestleMania 33 and Payback, Aries was close to tapping out Neville but the King of the Cruiserweights would find a way to cheat out of it. While this is a Submission Match, count outs and disqualifications still apply.
Austin Aries forces Neville to tap out to the Last Chancery, but it took place outside the ring. Neville dodges Aries’ suicide attempt and it’s the beginning of the end. Neville hits the Red Arrow on Aries’ back and follows it up with the Rings of Saturn to keep a hold on his crown. Winner, and STILL Cruiserweight Champion (via submission): Neville
Predicted Winner: Neville (4/5)
Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins – #1 Contender’s Match (Universal Championship)
Whoever wins this match will be the next challenger for Brock Lesnar’s Universal Championship. Coming into this match, each man has been built up pretty well. Bray Wyatt and Samoa Joe have succeeded with a cautious alliance. Seth Rollins has picked up a few wins, Roman Reigns has defeated Rollins and Finn Balor, and Balor has picked up victories over Reigns and Karl Anderson.
Finn Balor hits Roman Reigns with the Coup de Grace double stomp from the top rope, but he cannot get the pinfall. Samoa Joe recovers from being speared through the barricade to drag Balor off of Reigns to lock in the Coquina Clutch. Balor passes out and Samoa Joe is put next in line for a fight with Brock Lesnar. Winner, and NEW #1 Contender (via submission): Samoa Joe
Predicted Winner: Finn Balor (4/6)
