The 2016 iteration of the Extreme Rules Pay-Per-View is this Sunday, and it is traditionally filled with hardcore-style matches. From cage matches, to the aptly named “Extreme Rules” match, any type of match is fair game. This Sunday, Natalya and Charlotte will face each other in a Submission match, and Roman Reigns will defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles in an Extreme Rules match. To prepare for Extreme Rules, here are some great stipulated matches to get yourself excited for what is sure to be a brutal main event (all links are for the WWE Network).
John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar – Extreme Rules Match (Extreme Rules 2012)
Cena and Lesnar are two of the most successful Superstars in WWE history, so this match definitely has the “big fight feel.” John Cena had been on top of WWE for years since he won his first WWE Championship in 2005, and Lesnar’s return has made it a lot harder for Cena to keep his top spot. While Lesnar was away from WWE, he competed in UFC where he captured the UFC Heavyweight Championship, and he has implemented the MMA (mixed martial arts) styles into his first match since WrestleMania 20.
As soon as the match gets underway, Lesnar starts toying around with Cena, and busts him open after several brutal punches to the skull. What is interesting about this match is that Lesnar had diverticulitis, so he was not 100% while dominating John Cena. As Lesnar’s first match in a long time, it definitely an historic bout.
Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus (c) – World Heavyweight Championship (2-out-of-3 Falls Match ;Extreme Rules 2012)
Although Cena vs. Lesnar was the main event of Extreme Rules, there was a hidden gem in the middle of the show. At WrestleMania 28 one month prior to this match, Sheamus defeated Daniel Bryan in 18 seconds, which some might say was the start of the “Yes!” Movement. This match was Bryan’s chance to get revenge on Sheamus, and redeem himself from such a short loss.
In order to win this match, you must score two falls over your opponent (this could be pinfall, submission, count-out, or disqualification). This match definitely favored Bryan, who is used to wrestling a marathon, whereas Sheamus has short, dominant matches. This is a match that should be brought up in conversations of great matches, but ends up getting lost in the shuffle.
Eddie Guerrero (c) vs. JBL – WWE Championship (Judgment Day 2004)
This match does not have a stipulation, but it is perhaps one of the most surprisingly brutal singles matches of all time. Eddie Guerrero’s feud with JBL over the WWE Championship was very heated, with JBL being one of the most hated heels in the company at the time, and Guerrero being a beloved face.
During the match, the referee gets knocked out, meaning that for a short time, anything goes (hence this match being on the list). During this time period without a referee, JBL took advantage by nailing Guerrero with the hardest unprotected chair shot to the skull in the history of professional wrestling. Guerrero was immediately busted open, and by the end of the match, the ring canvas was covered in red. It shouldn’t need saying, but this match is not for the faint at heart.
The Shield vs. Team Hell No & Ryback (TLC Match; TLC 2012)
Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins had their in-ring debut in this match against three of the most dominant competitors at the time. Team Hell No was on a roll in their tag team matches, as well as their comedic segments. Ryback at this time had a WWE Championship title shot, and dominated practically everybody he faced.
This is an historic match for the Shield’s debut, but also to see how far the Shield has come since this match. Three and a half years later, and they have accelerated up to the top of the card. Seth Rollins had a very successful WWE World Heavyweight Championship run only to lose it to injury. Roman Reigns won the title after it was vacated and still has it as of this writing. Dean Ambrose has won the United States Championship and the Intercontinental Championship twice, and has competed in several high-profile matches. This match is where it all started, and showed a promising future for the Shield, which ended up fulfilling its promise.
Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (Submission Match; WrestleMania 13)
Since Natalya and Charlotte are facing each other in a submission match, and in order to get prepared, let’s take a look back at the most iconic submission matches of all time. Bret Hart (Natalya’s uncle) came into this match as a face, Austin came in as a heel, and by the end the roles reversed. This match went all over the arena and only had one rule: defeat your opponent via submission. There were no count-outs, pinfalls, or disqualifications.
WrestleMania 13 was around the start of the Attitude Era, which along with ECW, was the inspiration for the Extreme Rules Pay-Per-Views. With that in mind, along with the fact that Hart’s niece is participating in the very same type of match this Sunday, makes this perhaps the match that most directly influences this Sunday’s Pay-Per-View.
